For Simon Fraser Athletics, the SFU Stadium project has been a long time in the making – and that's probably an understatement. 
 
For as long as varsity events have taken place on SFU's historic Terry Fox Field, there's been talk of building a stadium, a permanent home for SFU Athletics. As each decade went by, plans and proposals went by the wayside one after one, with few ever getting past the initial planning stage. For many, it felt like a stadium at Terry Fox Field might never be a reality. So what changed to bring us to where we are today? 
 
Perhaps most importantly, Simon Fraser's students bought into the vision. They showed their commitment in a major way, in the form of 10 million dollars, via a student referendum (that also included the soon-to-be-completed new Student Union Building), in order to ensure the stadium project could go forward. Meanwhile, the school also made a commitment to the students' efforts, funding the additional $10M to see the project through and pledging to contribute $50,000 annually to the SFSS from 2016-2030 to assist undergraduate students (SFSS members) experiencing financial challenges due to the stadium levy.
 
It took a united community to get the Stadium Project off the ground, and the hope is that this project will continue to unite the SFU community for many years to come. 
 
As the first ever permanent outdoor home for SFU Athletics, the SFU Stadium is expected to transform campus life, creating a vibrant meeting place that connects students, alumni and the community. Featured amenities for the stadium will include seating for 1,800 spectators, an accessible concourse and washrooms, spectacular sight lines, broadcast and media facilities, an integrated sound system, a fully accessible VIP/sponsor box, coaches booths, improved access from the Lorne Davies Centre to the Terry Fox Field and Track, all covered by a roof canopy over top of a large portion of the seating.
 
As much as the stadium will be vital to all aspects of campus life, perhaps no one will be more noticeably impacted by the project than the varsity athletes and teams who will train and compete at the new facility. When asked about the impact of the Stadium Project, Simon Fraser's Head Football Coach Thomas Ford spoke in glowing terms: 
 
"The stadium project is the most significant project in the history of SFU Athletics. This project is going to benefit all our student athletes by creating a place where our players, students, families and fans can truly call home. It really shows the commitment SFU has to athletics and will be an integral part of creating a sense of community on campus. For football, this project will also be instrumental in our recruiting process giving us the best football facility in the GNAC, and will be a catalyst for us to continue creating a positive and competitive football program. I couldn't be more excited about the Stadium Project and can't wait until our first home game in September!"
 
Two-time Olympian and Simon Fraser Track & Field Head Coach Brit Townsend also added her thoughts: 
 
"It's a very exciting project, I've been here for 21 years and we've been waiting a long time for something like this. The stadium project will create a terrific opportunity for us to showcase all of our field sports, including track & field. It's also a great opportunity for the SFU community to get involved and support these varsity events in a professional, high-performance, setting. It will give a new face to SFU Athletics."
   
Although the project has yet to reach completion (which is scheduled for August 2020), the impact the stadium will have on SFU campus life is already pretty clear. Athletics have always been a uniting force, especially on University campuses, and the Stadium Project is no different. It will provide all members of the SFU community an opportunity to demonstrate their school pride, as well as an opportunity to celebrate the hard work and accomplishment of its varsity athletes, in style, for years to come.