Tom Masich wants to see the stadium which bears his name get a facelift.
But he's convinced there's no need for a massive earthshaking makeover at Masich Place Stadium.
Two weeks ago city council voted to apply $3.45 million in grant money available from federal gas taxes distributed by the Union of B.C. Municipalities to be used to enhance planned improvements to the stadium's running track, throwing cage, infield turf and irrigation system. Most of that money would pay for artificial turf to replace the stadium's natural grass infield. The field is used for high school and minor football games in late summer and fall and the pounding of players digging into a wet field wearing cleats tears up the sod.
The synthetic surface would be installed over pavement and padded with loose bits of rubber. A synthetic field would make the stadium suitable for provincial football championships and as a potential site for the CIS Canada West soccer playoffs.
The planned redesign submitted to council calls for removal of the tree-topped grass berm at the south and east sides of the stadium. That area would be left open and the field in behind would be used for throwing events. A perimeter path and chain-link fence would also have to be built.
The thought of losing the berm is what bothers Masich. The original coach of the Prince George Track and Field Club says removing the hill that runs along the south and east perimeters would destroy a windbreak which benefits all users of the stadium, which opened July 12,1990 for the B.C. Summer Games.
"You have to move the throwing events off the infield because you can't throw on artificial turf and they're saying if they take out that berm it will give a view of the throwing area from the stands, but you won't be able to see it from the stands because it will be over 100 yards away," said Masich. "I'm all for applying for the grant to get money that was squeezed out of us by higher government. But why compromise the integrity of a stadium like this and change the whole profile because another group wants to use the stadium with an artificial field? Ninety per cent of the winds on this site come out of the south and that's why the berm was put there."
Masich says thousands of people run up and down the stadium berm for fitness every year. The hill also serves as a seating area for spectators. The Masich Place Stadium bleachers seat about 1,800 but during the B.C. Games opening ceremony Masich said about 3,000 more people watched from the berm.
As an alternative, Masich said the artificial turf could be installed at Duchess Park field to make that field the home of high school and minor football.
The city has already budgeted $500,000 for the rubber running track to be resurfaced at the end of July, with plans to replace the infield in 2016. The track was last resurfaced in 2000.
The grant money would pay for field and track improvements to be completed next year, which would make Masich Place Stadium comparable to outdoor stadiums in Kamloops, Vernon, Kelowna, Coquitlam and Langley.
"For me, artificial turf is a good solution, it makes a lot of sense to me," said Prince George Track and Field Club head coach Brian Martinson. "UNBC soccer could come down here and play. The football guys wouldn't have to travel to Kamloops for provincial home games. We would lose the grass infield and couldn't have the throwing events on the infield but the bottom line is balancing budgets and generating revenues. If we put in the artificial infield, we can put so many more events on in this stadium and we can generate more revenue.
"The way the field is now, it's no good. It's a mess. You don't want to walk out there and we sure don't want to run out there. I want this place fixed up to where it should be, and it won't happen without that money."
