Their home park is close to completion, and Pacific FC’s re-vamped Westhills Stadium will feature a playground named in the honour of a slain West Shore RCMP officer.
On Saturday the Sarah Beckett Memorial Playground will be open to families for Pacific FC’s home game against Winnipeg’s Valour FC, part of the team’s unofficial “second home opener.”
The team has been playing in the stadium despite constant construction that includes the playground, concession stands and a large permanent grandstand on the field’s west side.
For Saturday’s game, the stadium will be able to seat 6,200 fans, and officials are expecting a sellout.
“It’s the completion of something," says Langford parks manager Cory Manton. "This has been a vision for city and council for many years and to be able to tie this in with the opening of the Sarah Beckett Memorial Playground is very special.”
Beckett, a mother of two, was killed in April 2016 when a drunk driver slammed into her police cruiser while on duty. Her husband, Bradley Aschenbrenner, is expected to speak at the opening of the new facility.
The stadium will also become the home of Boxing BC, and construction on a new facility for the BoulderHouse Climbing gym is set to begin next year.
The city has vowed to make the stadium a destination concert venue in the years to come.
“We’ll have concerts here starting next year,” says Manton.
Kickoff for Saturday’s matchup vs. Valour FC is set for 3 p.m.
