Construction on new Mosaic Stadium heads into final stretch

Construction on the new Mosaic Stadium is now heading into the fourth quarter stretch.

“We’re about 77 per cent complete, we have five and a half months to go before substantial completion and we’re in good shape,” Sean Hamelin with PCL Construction told reporters on a tour Wednesday morning.

Hamelin said the project remains on time and on budget.

“The winter was obviously a very good one from everybody’s perspective,” he said. “We still had our days when the cranes couldn’t work or it was too windy.”

The stadium is set to be substantially complete by August. Hamelin said that means the facility will be essentially fit and ready for its intended purpose.

Mayor Michael Fougere said the official opening is planned for about 16 months from now after a number of test events are housed in the stadium. He said discussions are still ongoing as to what kind of events will be tested, noting that nothing has been finalized yet.

People driving past the stadium can see the progress, but a tour of the stands makes it even more obvious.

Surrounded by constant construction sounds, four green lonely seats complete with cup holders sit in a little group on one of the top levels of the stadium.

The rest of the seats will start going in over the next few weeks. Installation of the material for the overhang spectator roof will also begin.

Anywhere between 400 and 500 workers are on site, having put in over 1.2 million hours on the project so far.

Construction around the new terrace will begin in May adding things like new sidewalks, lighting and greenery. The terrace around the stadium will serve as a gathering place during stadium events. It will also leave room for possible monuments and public art in the future.

New traffic signals will be put in this summer at 10th Avenue and Elphinstone Street.

The media is also expected to get more information on Thursday regarding the transition over to the new stadium in terms of seating, along with new ticket prices.

Update this AM on new Mosaic Stadium pic.twitter.com/i7VZPwXxrs

— Kevin Martel (@KevinMartel) March 16, 2016

My future seats? pic.twitter.com/67bwVWch8n

— Kevin Martel (@KevinMartel) March 16, 2016

View from the top pic.twitter.com/VzNZWYSiTy

— Kevin Martel (@KevinMartel) March 16, 2016

Anyone for this job? pic.twitter.com/pBWvyYd5N7

— Kevin Martel (@KevinMartel) March 16, 2016