Starting tomorrow, construction will begin to convert Ed Eggerer Athletic Park’s sports field into an artificial turf. According to the City of Airdrie, this will be Airdrie’s first outdoor artificial turf field.

"... The conversion of the sports field makes use of efficiencies with the existing infrastructure present at Genesis Place such as bleachers and parking... [It] will act as the home field for Airdrie, Rocky View Schools and the north Rocky View County region," The City stated. 

Christopher Glass who is the head football coach at George McDougall High School, as well as the President of the Airdrie Field Turf Project Society, couldn't contain his excitement at the announcement.

"Our group has been working towards this for the better part of five years and at some point during COVID, it didn't seem like it was going to happen," he said. "To be [in a place] where we're [a day away from] breaking ground is pretty amazing."

Last July, The City of Airdrie announced that City Council had officially endorsed Ed Eggerer Athletic Park as the location for Airdrie’s new artificial turf field. A previous press release from the City stated that Council reviewed the findings and recommendations of a report on the suitability of Ed Eggerer Athletic Park for the Football Canada and FIFA-sanctioned artificial turf field.

"The report recommended the location after examining geotechnical considerations, available existing infrastructure and timing."

In 2021, the City partnered with the Artificial Turf Field Society on a Feasibility Study for an Artificial Turf sports field. The study looked into the possibility of having an artificial turf field at Ed Eggerer Athletic Park. However, the study’s findings were limited in scope and suggested that a more comprehensive feasibility study should be conducted. The initial report also suggested looking into the practicality of having a seasonal dome that could be inflated with air to allow for year-round play.

Mayor Peter Brown also previously said that this choosing Ed Eggerer Athletic Park was a win-win situation for recreation in the City. And now that things are moving ahead on the ground, Glass said the initiative hasn't been without challenges, though the challenges did ultimately pay off. 

"I think the biggest challenge was getting it on our city council's radar. The first thing we had to do, was show that there was community support for this. We raised a bunch of money, we went to City Council, we brought almost 300 football players, we overloaded the room," Glass said. "We raised some money to pay for the feasibility study. The biggest challenge was getting the ball rolling and then with COVID, all of the fundraisers that we could do kind of stopped. It was more of a lobbying effort at that point and keeping the conversation going."

The City added that the project will provide the community with up to around 615 additional prime-time playing hours through improved field lighting and extension of the field’s availability into the spring and fall. Glass said it is important to underline the home-field advantage, not only for local teams but what it will mean for Airdrie's residents from the economic perspective.

"[A ruling was passed last year] that says that you're not allowed to play any playoff games on a grass field; [so that meant] the City of Calgary would get all the games or the City of Cochrane would get [the games]," Glass explained. "[It was] shutting us out of having a home game or home advantage, but it also precluded us from going after any Football Alberta events or any Football Canada events, and the equivalents for soccer and rugby and all of the other sports. It limited us to events that don't drive a lot of money for the city."

This will be changing with turf being built. According to the City's 2024 Budget, one of the major Capital Budget Highlights is the turf field. The project is being funded by grants. 

When asked what Glass believes the first inaugural game on the new turf field would be, he said it will depend on sports scheduling, though he foresees that the first football game may very well see the George McDougall Mustangs against the Bow Valley Bobcats, or the two home teams - the Mustangs facing off against the W.H. Croxford Cavaliers. 

"The energy you get from playing in front of your friends and family is next to nothing. You're never going to experience that when you're going to another city. This is just another way of keeping Airdrie families in Airdrie to enjoy events and generate money for the city." 

The City estimates that the new artificial turf field will re-open to the public in September 2024. 

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