VANCOUVER - The overhaul at UBC's Thunderbird Stadium culminates this week with the refurbishing of the football Heritage Room. With a new direction for the program being forged by
Shawn Olson's coaching staff and an all-weather turf field installed, all that was left for the UBC program to address was its history.
This is the Heritage Room's first renovation since the stadium opened in 1967. Recent upgrades speak to the rich history and success of the football program, celebrating championships, individual accomplishments and the characters that have shaped the almost 90 years of football on the Point Grey campus. The project celebrates sportsmanship, camaraderie and excellence in the pursuit of both academic and athletic achievement and will serve as a great reminder for current Thunderbirds of those who paved the way.
The $50,000 renovation, including recognition pieces, upgraded audio-visual and new floor were made possible through the generosity of David Sidoo, a former Thunderbird who in addition to being an All-Canadian also helped lead the team to its first Vanier Cup in 1982.
"One of the things we are trying to do here is build a program, not just a good football team," said Olson. "A big part of this is reengaging our alumni base which we've had a lot of success with since January. The new heritage room is great as it exposes our current players and potential recruits to the amazing history of UBC football."
In addition to the Heritage Room renovation, T-Bird stadium now also sports one of the largest turf fields in the world. The 120,000 square foot surface was the major anchor of the facility's $1.8 dollar refurbishment. Suitable in all weather conditions, this field projects to offer an additional 62 hours of use per week to the UBC football team and UBC community when compared to a traditional grass field.
The "Polytan" surface was installed by Centaur Products, a Burnaby, B.C. based Canadian sport contracting company, over the summer and was first used by the T-Birds for their football training camp in late August. The field is also FIFA and IRB approved meaning it can host both international soccer and rugby events.
The increased sustainability of the field due to the vast reduction in use of water and fertilizer is a noted benefit as it's ability to host 4-6 recreational fields when setup in an east-to-west configuration.
UBC (1-1) hits the field for their second home game of the season on Saturday, welcoming the Manitoba Bisons (0-2) for the 2010 Homecoming game. Kick-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
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