Richardson Memorial Stadium

Not to be confused with Richardson Stadium.
Richardson Memorial Stadium
Location Queen's West Campus
Kingston, Ontario
Owner Queen's University
Capacity 8,500
Surface Field Turf [1]
Opened 1971
Tenants
Queen's Golden Gaels (CIS football)

George Taylor Richardson Memorial Stadium is an 8,500 seat Canadian football stadium located on the campus of the Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. It was built in 1971 and is the home of the Golden Gaels football team. It is named in memory of George Taylor Richardson, a Queen's graduate renowned for his athleticism and sportsmanship who died in World War I. It is the second stadium to bear the name. The original stadium was funded by George's brother, James Armstrong Richardson, graduate and Chancellor of Queen's. The stadium's bleachers were deemed structurally unsafe in May 2013, causing 6,500 seats to be removed.[2] Renovations were completed in July 2013, with a new seat capacity of 8,500 with two new end zone seating sections.[3] In December 2014, a $20.27 million revitalization was announced that will be completed for September 17, 2016 for its inaugural football game and will boast 8,500 seats .[4][5]

Original Field

The original field was located on Union Street at the present site of Mackintosh-Corry Hall and its parking lot. It was opened in 1921 on a piece of land bought from a community of nuns. This field hosted the 1922 Grey Cup. This was the stadium where Franklin Delano Roosevelt received his honorary degree from Queen's on August 18, 1938, and where he made a historic speech that was seen as a departure from American isolationism.[6]

The West (alumni and public) stands at Richardson Memorial Stadium

When a new social sciences complex, Mackintosh-Corry Hall was planned, the original stadium was torn down and relocated to the newly acquired West Campus. Many staff, students, and alumni were very upset about the move, feeling that the stadium belonged in the heart of campus, but the project went ahead anyway and the stadium was built on West Campus in 1971.


In 2013,Seating capacity was reduced to 8,500, down from 10,200, because of the temporary bleachers due to construction.[7]

Plans to reconstruct the 40 year old stadium at the same location were approved in December 2014, with $20.27 million of funding needed.[8] Principal Daniel Woolf stated that the stadium was "desperately in need of revitalization". $17 million was raised from donations, inclunding $10 million from former Gaels football player and current Guelph Gryphons head coach Stu Lang. Construction began on December 5, 2015 and the stadium re-opened for the beginning of the 2016 football season on September 17, 2016.[9]

Soccer

Richardson played host to two World Cup 2006 qualifiers between Canada and Belize in 2004. Canada won both matches 4-0 and progressed to the semifinal stage after Belize had forfeited their right to play a home match due to a lack of infrastructure.

Rugby League

It hosted the Colonial Cup match between the US Tomahawks and Canada Wolverines on September 19, 2010 which was the first international rugby league match played in Canada since 1995.[10]

Rugby Union

On June 9, 2012, Canada played the United States in a friendly match. Canada won 28-25 in front of 7,521 spectators.[11]

Notes and references

  1. ↑ from Queen's University Connect, 3 August 2016, retrieved 14 September 2016
  2. ↑ http://www.thewhig.com/2013/05/03/upper-bleachers-at-richardson-stadium-deemed-unsafe
  3. ↑ https://twitter.com/QJsports/status/362605365898129408
  4. ↑ Board approves stadium revitalization from Queen's Gazette, 9 December 2014, retrieved 9 December 2014
  5. ↑ "Richardson Stadium Revitalization". Queen's University. 3 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  6. ↑ "FDR's Historic Campus Visit". Queen's University Gazette. 13 August 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  7. ↑ https://twitter.com/QJsports/status/362605365898129408
  8. ↑ "Queen's Approves Construction of New Stadium". Queen's Journal. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Richardson Stadium Then and Now". Queen's Journal. 12 January 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  10. ↑ http://www.canadarugbyleague.com/news/article.php?id=10052
  11. ↑ "Carpenter Leads Canada Over US In Kingston". Rugby Canada. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
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Coordinates: 44°13′39″N 76°30′57″W / 44.227583°N 76.515794°W / 44.227583; -76.515794

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