Rogers Center Renovation Phase 2
Toronto, Ontario
Best Project
Sent by: PCL Constructors Canada Inc.
Owner: Toronto Blue Jays
Construction Manager: PCL Constructors Canada Inc.
Structural Engineer: Intuitive
MEP Engineer: Crossey Engineering
Consultant: DBI BOOM
Customer representative: Development of the Legends project
Major League Baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays home renovation had a solid six months to go, with no additional input. The first phase of the Rodgers Center upgrade had upgraded the outfield and outfield seating areas of the stadium, but the second phase tackled the infield and nearfield seating, an effort nearly twice the scope of the project
Demolition and renovation schedules left little room for error, but early planning ensured that multiple crews worked alongside each other without delay. The entire infield was demolished along with the adjacent seats, locker rooms and players’ clubhouse.
Photo courtesy of Toronto Blue Jays
Crews worked around the clock for the first two months of the program, and the structural demolition of the lower bowl of the infield was completed in just 13 days. All demolition, excavation and foundation work was completed in just 49 days. The project began in October 2023 and was completed in May 2024, before the start of the Blue Jays’ season this year.
Extensive use of 3D mapping allowed the team to ensure the field was up to league standards, while proactive staging planning by teams ensured that a forest of cranes and a swarm of excavators and dump trucks were put to maximum use. Two cranes were used for steel and two for precast concrete, working together to perform more than 600 lifts during the project.
Photo courtesy of Toronto Blue Jays
To maintain access to the work area during demolition and crane lifts, the team built a temporary Bailey bridge from the loading dock to the field cup, allowing dump trucks direct access to remove the spill. The demolition work also included the complete removal of the stadium’s old track system that had allowed the bleachers to split and rotate to accommodate other sporting events, such as Canadian Football League games.
The renovation is more than just a facelift for the stadium – it not only offers improved seating and views for spectators, but also a new clubhouse as well as updated changing rooms and related facilities.
