REGINA — The City of Regina is committing to ensuring Mosaic Stadium remains usable for a variety of sports teams.
On Wednesday, city council approved $8.2 million in upgrades to the facility, including the replacement of turf that has reached the end of its lifespan. However, concerns have been raised by both the Regina Rams and Regina Thunder about whether playing at Mosaic will be viable starting in 2027, depending on the kind of turf implemented.
Deborah Bryden, deputy city manager of city planning and community development, confirmed the teams will still play at Mosaic after the upgrades.
“We can provide certainty that the user groups will have access to Mosaic to play within the rules they need to play in with that turf.”
The concerns follow the Canadian Football League's decision to change its field dimensions beginning with the 2027 season. If the city opts for stitched turf, the field markings would be permanent. Painted turf is another option, but stakeholders have questioned who would cover the cost of repainting the lines and moving the goalposts between Roughriders games and games played by other football teams.
In the coming months, the city will consult with stakeholders on what kind of turf will be implemented, and inform council on the progress through a memo.
“We can certainly report back to council on the results of the engagement and the cost,” said Bryden.
Each year, the Regina Rams play between four and five games at Mosaic, drawing upwards of 10,000 people.
Meanwhile, the Regina Thunder play a regular-season game at Mosaic when they face the Saskatoon Hilltops. Additionally, Thunder playoff games are also held at the facility.
City administration said all user groups that partially use the facility generate over $71,000 in permits for Regina.
Beyond turf, the upgrades will also include replacing expiring LED video display boards and systems.
The funding for the project will come from the city’s revitalization initiative stadium reserve, which is now in a negative balance of $10.5 million.
However, an amendment was passed by Ward 5 Coun. Sarah Turnbull, on Wednesday, will look at seeing whether the Canadian Football League or the Saskatchewan Roughriders can cover costs for improvements.
If no external funding is found, balancing the reserve will take five years, according to city administration.
As for the timeline, the upgrades will begin this winter.
