A city grant application to help fund upgrades to Masich Place Stadium has been approved, banking a quarter of a million dollars for the project.
Northern Development Initiative Trust will provide the $250,000 for work on the 25-year-old stadium. The city is also seeking another $3.2 million from the joint federal-provincial Gas Tax Fund, administered by the Union of B.C. Municipalities, to complete the project's financing.
Masich Place Stadium was developed in 1990 to host the B.C. Summer Games. Included in the proposed upgrades are resurfacing the track, replacing the infield with artificial turf and redeveloping the throw and jump areas.
There is already $500,000 to resurface the track and $25,000 for a throwing cage in the 2015 capital budget and $250,000 in the 2016 plan for replacing the infield turf and irrigation system.
"The upgrades would generate additional sport tourism revenue for the city, improving its ability to host major provincial playoffs, tournaments and national championships, in addition to accommodating regular season play for residents," said a city press release.
The ideas for changes at Masich Place initially put forward by the city have been met with criticism from some community members.
In a letter to city council written in the spring, Bill Masich - the son of the venue's namesake Tom Masich - contradicted the city's claims that an artificial turf would help extend the stadium's seasonal use.
"The CIS championships are held annually in early November, The average daily temperature for Prince George in November is -2.4C," Masich wrote.
Masich also disagreed with the proposal to remove the berm, as it acts as a barrier from wind.
"The stadium has been built by design and purpose, not in some random haphazard manner," Masich wrote. "Removing the berm will affect the facility negatively for track and field as well as other sport uses."
School District 57 supported the city's UBCM grant application, with the expectation that a partnership agreement to use the space was coming.
According to city parks planner Laurie Kosec, detailed designs will come after the city knows if its grant application was successful and that those plans will include "an engagement process with the Masich and (Prince George secondary school) user groups."
That design process would be followed by the project going out to tender with possible construction in 2016.
