The Challenges of Converting to a Natural-Grass Playing Surface at Rogers Centre

This article originally appeared on VICE Sports Canada.

As jackhammers and concrete saws created a cacophony in the background, Tom Farrell described the coming attraction: a dirt infield for the Toronto Blue Jays. Then, someone asked whether the project is a natural precursor to something else that's natural in baseball—the look, feel and smell of real grass. Well, no, not exactly, said the team's head groundkeeper.

"It's not really a first step, because if we did go to real grass, that's a bigger project," Farrell said. "It requires a lot more work, more excavation of the field."

A lot more study, too. And a lot more money.

The Blue Jays are paying the University of Guelph $600,000 to figure out whether they can grow and maintain natural grass under the dome. After studying the issue for more than a year, Guelph's experts will deliver their first major status report in April. But they already have identified their first big challenge.

They say they can keep grass alive under the dome for roughly 10 weeks. After that, it needs sunlight. Therein lies the problem.

"After 10 weeks, the grass starts to fail," said Kelly Keyes, vice-president of building services for the Rogers Centre. "Their concern was with the beginning of the season. The plan was, if we had a grass field, we'd have to install the grass at the beginning of March to be ready for opening day. Then we traditionally don't open our roof until May, usually the May 24 weekend."

By then, the colour of the grass could match the colour of the dirt infield. Which is not to say the problem is insurmountable. Mimicking the conditions of the Rogers Centre with the roof closed, the folks at Guelph have shown they can grow grass and keep it alive for 10 weeks. Now they're starting to experiment with "special lighting and heating" to see if they can extend its life to reach the roof-open stage, Keyes said.

Meanwhile, upgrades at the stadium might also help solve the problem. The entire system that opens and closes the roof—from the track itself to the fancy computerized gear that drives the operation—is being replaced at the moment. One benefit is that the roof may open earlier than in the past, letting in the light.

In the past, owing to the aging track, Keyes and her staff kept the roof closed until the outdoor temperature stayed at 15 degrees Celsius or higher. Otherwise, they feared the roof would not close if the temperature dropped because of contraction of the track.

With the upgrade, they expect the roof will open and close without incident in cooler weather. That could mean opening it during an April afternoon to nurture the grass, then closing it for a night game if the temperature becomes inhospitable for fans.

All of that is theoretical at the moment. Even if the Guelph experts deliver a sure-fire plan, that doesn't guarantee it will happen.

Owner Rogers Communications would have a big business decision to make. Excavating the entire stadium floor to install a drainage system and accommodate a fertile base to grow grass will require an enormous investment, as new president Mark Shapiro keeps reminding fans.

Meanwhile, the dirt infield is a go. Excavation started Monday, and on Wednesday, media types were invited to have a look.

Work crews had broken up the concrete along the baseline and by the afternoon, trucks were starting to haul away the rubble. Next comes removal of the mass of concrete within the arc behind the bases, and then, further excavation to a depth of 12 inches.

Over a pea-gravel base, workers will add a layer of sand, and atop that, a clay-silt-sand mix that will help keep the infield just moist enough after pregame watering. It should also make life more comfortable for Jays players accustomed to artificial turf lying on a bed of concrete.

"By increasing the depth," Farrell said, "it allows us to provide a little more cushion, so hopefully there's a side benefit that the players will probably feel a little less fatigued."

The cost? Classified information, Farrell said.

"It is pricey," he said. "I don't want to get into details."

Photos and video by John Lott