BC Place Stadium will have a new turf field by January 2022

BC Place Stadium during a Vancouver Whitecaps FC game. (Pavco)

After years of high use resulting in wear and tear, the field of play at BC Place Stadium will soon be replaced.

Pavco, the provincial crown corporation that owns and operates the venue, will select a contractor by early next month to install a new artificial turf surface. Installation work is expected to begin after the last home games of the current seasons for the BC Lions and Vancouver Whitecaps, with a contracted full completion by January 21, 2022.

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This involves not only the removal and installation of a new turf, but also the replacement of the levelling, shock absorbing layer above the stadium’s concrete floor. Minor adjustments will also be made to the existing concrete edges at the four corners of the field.

Before the completion deadline, the contractor is also required to receive full approval by both FIFA and World Rugby for the surface’s compliance with FIFA Quality Pro and World Rugby Regulation 22 standards.

The installation schedule provides a new field of play just in time for the return of World Rugby’s HSBC Canada Sevens on February 26 to 27, 2022, and qualifying matches leading up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Canada is set to host the USA in the World Cup qualifying match on January 30 and Jamaica on March 27, but host cities for those matches have yet to be formally announced.

Diagram of the new replacement artificial turf for BC Place Stadium. (Pavco)

The existing turf was completed just a month prior to the start of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Its cost of $1.3 million was shared between Pavo, the Canadian Soccer Association, and Rugby Canada. The turf not only sees wear and tear from sports games, but also compaction when temporary flooring is laid on top for concerts, exhibitions, and other events.

If BC Place Stadium were to be one of the venues for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the temporary installation of a natural grass playing surface would be necessary, at which point the new turf would likely be at the end of its useable lifespan.

Pavco is also in the process of seeking contractors to make upgrades to the Vancouver Convention Centre. This includes extensive replacement of indoor and outdoor lighting with LED fixtures for both the west and east buildings by March 2022, replacement of 55,000 sq ft of carpeting in the West Ballroom of the west building by January 2022, and new audio and visual equipment infrastructure for the east building with work starting next month.

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