Tomlinson Stadium Renovations
Tomlinson Stadium was built in 1959, and is used for football, rugby, and soccer. The stadium was renovated in 2018, including installation of artificial turf and LED lighting.
Improved Sustainability with Artifical Turf
In contrast to grass fields, the environmental benefit of artificial turf is that it does not require water, fertilizer, mowing, or reapplication of paint, all of which limits resource use. The lower maintenance of the artificial turf enables the field to be used more.
The Tomlinson Stadium artificial turf is from FieldTurf, who utilizes recycled car tires in their infill system (the ‘black crumbs’ that lay in between the blades of artificial grass). The artificial turf is planned to last ten years and is Cradle to Cradle™ Bronze Certified which requires the product to meet levels of environmental sustainability.
For turf fields to be a sustainable option, it is important that at the end of the materials’ lifespan it is recycled or repurposed rather than being sent to the landfill. ReMatch is an organization that specializes in recycling used synthetic turf fields and is able to separate the components of the turf. At the end of the turf field’s lifespan, CWU plans to recycle the turf if possible.
Cost of natural grass vs. FieldTurf
| Natural Grass | FieldTurf | |
| Base preparation | $150,000 | $320,000 |
| Materials | $2.75 per sq. ft. = $220,000 | $5.00 per sq. ft. = $400,000 |
| Maintenance* | $20,000 x 10 years = $200,000 | $5,000 x 10 years = $50,000 |
| Total | $570,000 | $770,000 |
| Scheduling Possibilities** | 25 hours x 25 weeks x 10 years = 6,250 hours | 68 hours x 44 weeks x 10 years = 29,920 hours |
| Average Cost Per Hour of Use | $91.20 | $25.74 |
Figures based on 80,000 square foot fields and average costs and usage rates across North America
*Maintenance for natural grass includes fertilizer, watering, mowing, and painting
**Natural grass needs more time for maintenance and is not always in good condition during cold seasons