The 113th Grey Cup kicks off at McMahon Stadium in Calgary on Sunday, November 15. For a week before that, the Cenovus Energy 2026 Grey Cup Festival will fill the city with football fans from across the country. GTR Turf is proud to be part of it as a Premier Sponsor of the Grey Cup Festival.
Football runs deep in Alberta, and so does our work here. From the Elks’ home field in Edmonton to a new indoor fieldhouse taking shape in southwest Calgary, here’s a look at the Alberta surfaces we’ve built and the one we’re building next.
As a 100% Canadian-owned company, GTR Turf installs synthetic turf for sports fields, commercial and residential projects across the country, with a Calgary office serving Western Canada.
Commonwealth Stadium: a new field in 10 days
Commonwealth Stadium is home to the Edmonton Elks and, with 56,400 seats, one of the largest venues in Canadian football. GTR Turf installed its previous synthetic surface in 2015, ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. A decade later, the City of Edmonton brought us back to replace it.
The schedule was the challenge. Commonwealth hosted Canada’s men’s national team against Uzbekistan on June 1, 2026, on a temporary natural grass field. The Elks’ home opener against the Montreal Alouettes was set for June 20. In between, the grass had to come out and a full synthetic turf system had to go in.
Our crew installed the new field between June 6 and 15, working day and night. That’s 10 days from start to finish, followed by final grooming, line marking and performance checks. Commonwealth was game-day ready on June 20, and the Elks christened it with a 32–29 overtime win.
Built to broadcast standards
The new surface uses the same system as TELUS Stadium at Université Laval: a hybrid of monofilament and slit-film fibres with an anti-glare finish for television broadcasts. It meets FIFA Quality Pro and World Rugby standards. Like every field we build, it’s sourced from our manufacturing partners, which include Shaw Sports Turf and Edel Grass.
The project was a team effort with David Price of Vision Sports Design, the lead designer, working with AECOM Canada. Wilco Contractors Northwest prepared the site.
Commonwealth Recreation Centre and Clarke Stadium
The City’s contract also covered the Field House at the Commonwealth Community Recreation Centre, next door to the stadium. Nearby Clarke Stadium has a professional-quality GTR synthetic turf field built for Alberta’s demanding weather. It hosted the Elks’ 2026 preseason game while Commonwealth was set up for soccer.
Beaumont multi-use turf field
Just south of Edmonton, the Beaumont multi-use turf field is built for several sports and the community programs that run on it. The surface gives athletes of every level consistent performance and strong drainage, which stretches the playing season well beyond what natural grass allows.
See more of our Alberta and national work on our projects page.
Coming in 2027: Belmont Fieldhouse
While the Grey Cup comes to Calgary this month, a new venue for the city’s young athletes is under construction in the southwest. The City of Calgary’s Belmont Fieldhouse and Library broke ground in September 2025 and is scheduled for completion in 2027.
GTR Turf has been awarded the synthetic turf contract with CANA Construction for the fieldhouse. When it opens, the 118,000 sq ft building will feature a full-size indoor soccer field with a turf system designed to meet the FIFA Quality standard. It will support high-performance play, year-round training and player safety.
The field isn’t built yet. We’ll share progress as installation gets closer.
Why Alberta facilities choose GTR Turf
Alberta fields deal with freeze-thaw cycles, chinooks, heavy use and short build windows. Here’s what we bring to every project in the province.
- 100% Canadian-owned, with more than 25 years in synthetic turf
- A Calgary office and a Western Canada field crew
- Turnkey service, from site preparation and layout to seaming, infill and final grooming
- Systems from Shaw Sports Turf and Edel Grass, built for all-weather performance
- Proven on tight schedules, including Commonwealth Stadium’s 10-day install
- Stadium, indoor fieldhouse and community multi-use field experience
Learn more about how we install a field and our team.
Planning a field in Alberta?
Whether you’re planning a stadium, an indoor fieldhouse or a community multi-use field, our team handles it from the first site visit to the final grooming.
Call our Calgary office at 1-825-558-8733, contact GTR Turf, or request a free quote.
See you in Calgary for the Grey Cup.
Frequently asked questions
GTR Turf in Alberta · Grey Cup 2026
Who installed the new turf at Commonwealth Stadium?
GTR Turf installed the new synthetic turf system at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton for the 2026 CFL season under a contract with the City of Edmonton. GTR Turf also installed the stadium’s previous surface in 2015.
How long did the Commonwealth Stadium turf installation take?
GTR Turf’s crew installed the full synthetic turf system in 10 days, between June 6 and 15, 2026. The field was ready for the Edmonton Elks’ home opener against the Montreal Alouettes on June 20.
When will the Belmont Fieldhouse in Calgary open?
The City of Calgary expects the Belmont Fieldhouse and Library to be completed in 2027. The fieldhouse will include an indoor artificial turf field, and GTR Turf has been awarded the synthetic turf contract.
Does GTR Turf install synthetic turf in Calgary?
Yes. GTR Turf has a Calgary office serving Alberta and Western Canada, handling sports fields, indoor facilities, commercial spaces and residential projects. Call 1-825-558-8733 or request a free quote.