Bringing Home Campus Athletics

Calvin University’s athletics improvements projects embody the idea of “bring teams home” by developing a vibrant and centralized space on campus for all athletics groups. Building from the University’s 2015 master plan, these improvements create a coherent, purposeful, and connected long-term plan for growth on campus through athletics. The multi-phase project includes updates to Gainey Athletic Field’s turf and track and the construction of the new Calvin University soccer stadium.

The projects kicked off with the construction of a new track at the Gainey Athletic Field because the original track was displaced by the construction of the new stadium. The turf soccer field at Zuidema Field, the first turf field for the University, was completed next which offers space for multiple sports teams to use. The stadium field will be home for Calvin’s men’s and women’s soccer and men’s and women’s lacrosse teams, with options for outdoor physical education classes and intramural activities. The baseball, softball and cross-country teams could also utilize the synthetic turf as a practice site when their fields’ conditions are inadequate.

The new stadium is designed to seat 850 spectators with field lighting, restrooms, concessions, pressbox, ticketing and team locker rooms. The inclusion of covered seating was another important element that creates a high-end fan experience. The University wanted to create a connected student experience through athletics that elevates Calvin’s programs both regionally and nationally.  The stadium’s design is distinctive and collegiate while staying true to the prairie style architecture displayed around the University campus. Branded team rooms at Zuidema Stadium create a ‘third space’ for students, complementary to their education and living spaces, and provide a connected sense of belonging for student athletes.

A large focus of this project was honoring Calvin University’s commitment to sustainability. The university’s strategic plan includes environmental sustainability as one of its core values as the university is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2057. Both buildings associated with the soccer stadium will use a mechanical geothermal system with two separate geothermal loops adjacent to the playing field. An innovative stormwater detention management system with underground storage was coordinated between four local municipalities to meet strict regulations as well.