Footings to be installed in playing fields for Squamish Valley Music Festival

The Squamish Valley Music Festival is installing stage footings in Centennial Fields this weekend for its new Tantalus Stage, which will accommodate headliners Eminem, Arcade Fire and Bruno Mars  at this year’s festival, taking place August 8-10, 2014.

“Our headline artists carry an average of 50 tons of equipment which creates significant point loads on the eight posts that hold the stage roof system up, so these engineered footings are being installed to ensure that we do not damage the field underneath,” says Paul Runnals, executive producer of the Squamish Valley Music Festival. “These footings will be located beneath the playing surface so will be covered over following the event and can be reused year over year limiting the amount of pre-event work that has to be done.”

The footings will not interfere with the playing surface of the fields as they will be covered up following installation, allowing users back onto the fields almost immediately. Fields #3 & #4 will be closed Saturday and Sunday and will re-open for the field users that booked those fields by Monday afternoon.

Festival organizers are very cognizant of the value of the fields, in particular to the user groups that rely on the fields for their games, and are taking significant measures to mitigate any potential impact to ensure the fields can be returned quickly to their original condition.

“We will be installing over 20,000 square feet of industrial field protection in front of the Tantalus Stage to protect the northern Centennial Fields, using the same materials that BC Place and many other major stadiums use to protect their delicate playing surfaces,” continues Runnals. “The stage is being located further north to open up the available field space in front, thereby distributing the audience and festival infrastructure and further reducing the potential of wear and tear on the fields.”

The southern Centennial Fields begin over 300 feet from the Tantalus Stage and as such are not subject to any significant density of audience and therefore field protection is not required.

“And lastly, we are paying for significant pre- and post-event maintenance that is designed to strengthen the fields to better stand up not only to the festival, but also to all of the users throughout the year,” Runnals adds.

The Stawamus Stage located at the south end of the festival grounds on Hendricksen Fields will be the smaller of the two main stage areas at this year’s festival. Hendricksen Fields will be protected with over 6,000 square feet of the same industrial field protection, and will receive the same pre- and post-event maintenance designed to strengthen the fields. The artificial turf field will be completely sealed off from Festival goers, as will the BMX track.

Work will begin Saturday on the footings and should be completed by the end of the weekend. 

The Squamish community can expect a ramp-up of information about the festival over the coming weeks as Squamish counts down to this extraordinary event. Further details are available online at www.squamish.ca/svmf or www.squamishfestival.com

May 30, 2014