City of Burnaby study to guide future plans for Swangard Stadium

Could changes be coming to Swangard Stadium?

That’s what the City of Burnaby is trying to determine with an ongoing feasibility study of the outdoor sports and event facility.

According to a staff report, the purpose of the feasibility study and community engagement activities is to better understand the use of the stadium and “the role it plays as an important community asset” and to provide “big picture road map for potential … projects that guide reinvestment in the facility.”

The report adds that several community groups and organizations have asked the city to form an “anchor tenancy” with the stadium, but before going ahead with this, staff wanted to conduct the feasibility study, which has been spearheaded by Cornerstone Planning Group, a Vancouver-based consulting agency.

The study includes four stages: Key findings and consultation; visioning and options scoping; draft strategy report and feedback; and a final report.

For the last two months, the city has worked with Cornerstone Planning Group to conduct a review of the stadium and to work on stage one of the study, which involves background research, benchmark analysis, an environmental scan of the area, and an assessment of the current condition of the facility.

Another part of phase one is community engagement, which will involve organizations that have regularly used the stadium completing an online survey where they can share how they have used the facility in the past, what programming needs or changes they would like to see, and valued amenities and any challenges they have experienced.

According to a separate staff report, there were over 40 external groups that contracted the stadium in 2022, including the Vancouver Thunder Birds Track and Field Club, Special Olympics Track, BC Soccer Association, Girl Guides of Canada, Bula Fiji Association of BC, Safe and Sound Music Festival Inc, as well as several Metro Vancouver school districts, charities, and organizations.

The survey will be open to these external groups from Jan. 16 to Feb. 16.

The key findings will then be reported back to council and the study is expected to conclude in May 2023. In Tuesday’s planning and development committee meeting, committee members approved the consultation questions for the online survey.

Swangard stadium first opened to the public in 1969.

It has served as a track-and-field facility for schools, a stadium for teams who prefer natural grass turf and an event space for a number of community groups and organizations.