If all goes according to current plans, the University will enlarge Tindall Field to regulation size—about 100 metres–and convert it to artificial turf and add an underground parking to the neighbouring lot this spring.
A public presentation and discussion of the University’s plans took place in the Policy Studies building on Oct. 26.
The field’s location would be moved east to where the parking lot now lies, and the parking lot would be rebuilt on the field’s old site.
Twenty-five Kingston residents attended the presentation, but no students did.
Herb Steacy, PEC facilities and services manager, stressed the benefits of the field upgrade.
Steacy told those assembled an artificial field would recover faster from the rain. “We’ve lost considerable hours due to weather,” he said. “Once we’ve moved to the new surface we’ll be able to provide better recreational and intramural services.”
Steacy told the he hopes the University would be able to use a turf field year-round.
“We want the synthetic field because it will maintain better,” he said. “[Right now] we stake the field off in the fall.”
Steacy added that the project’s budget is still undecided, and declined to estimate on its cost.
“It represents a significant investment in our services,” he said.
Steacy said the athletics department is looking at ways to mitigate the impact the year-long construction will have on intramurals.
“We’ll be re-modifying our intramural sports,” he said. “We may do more gym sports, more cross-field soccer.”
Architect Peter Ortved said the design is in keeping with a broader vision for the University campus.
“It’s not just a parking lot and not just a field,” he said. “We are trying to relate this to the campus’ evolution.”
Donna Stover, Queen’s parking manager, said the addition of two levels of underground parking to the lot would add 385 new spaces to the Queen’s campus.
Stover said the University currently has 0.07 parking spaces per student.
“Right now we have about 300 people on the parking wait list, so we’re hoping this will alleviate some of that,” she said.
Construction on both projects will begin in spring 2007, with September 2008 as an expected completion time. Both the field and the parking lot are projected to be out of use for the 2007-08 academic year.
Several Kingston residents expressed opposition to the plan due to the increased traffic expected around the larger parking lot.
Stover requested that people address concerns and questions to queensu.ca/pps/askpps/.html
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