The fake grass will certainly be greener at the University of Saskatchewan with the planned turf replacement project at Griffiths Stadium.

Starting in the spring of 2020, new turf will be installed at Griffiths Stadium.

“The artificial turf is over 13 years old and is past its useful life,” Wade Epp, associate vice-president services, said.

“It is the most heavily-used outdoor athletics facility on campus and it was certainly time for an upgrade.”

The project—expected to cost about $3 million and finished in time for the fall 2020 season—will see the turf upgraded to improve shock absorption to lessen the chance of injury, add an anti-microbial treatment to safeguard against infectious bacterial, mold, mildew and germs, field expansion to be regulation size, and updated lighting that reduce power consumption.

“It’s a big project and we hope to get started in April, but it being Saskatchewan, it really depends on the weather and the ground thawing,” Epp said. “Regardless, we know the project will be completed in time for the kick off of the upcoming Huskie and campus recreation season in September.”

Once complete, Griffiths Stadium will be well-positioned to host events such as USports championships.

“The project includes the expansion of the field to accommodate regulation sized football and soccer,” Dave Hardy, chief athletics officer, said.

“One of my top priorities is to make Huskie Athletics the top program in Canada, and revitalizing the stadium is a huge step in that direction.”

Hardy said that while Griffith Stadium is central to student experience at USask, it is also central to the broader community, with the field used in a variety of summer youth sports and activity camps.

“Our connection to the community is always a priority for the university,” Hardy said, “and having access to a state-of-the-art field will be another benefit for the community.”