San Diego State recently completed a multi-million dollar renovation to the ENS field, which will increase recreational opportunities for students.

The renovations at ENS 700, completed just in time for the fall semester, added “unique, modern LED sports lighting” to enable activities after the sun sets and replaced the old natural grass surface with new turf, according to the Aztec Recreation website. 

The project’s total cost was $5 million.

Plans were reviewed by the Recreation and Wellness Commission in the spring of 2019, with renovations beginning over summer, A.S. Vice President of University Affairs George Scott said. 

Scott said the renovations to the field prioritized student health and sustainability.

“One of A.S.’s values is sustainability, so all major AS projects are built to be sustainable,” he said.

The LED lighting was specifically placed to reduce both “light spill and power consumption,” and by replacing the old natural grass, the turf will provide “lowered field temperatures and maximize shock reduction for participants,” according to Aztec Recreation.

In addition to the LED lighting, the new turf technology will expand recreation times for students.

“(The project) will allow for around 1,000 additional hours of usage per year because of the new turf,” Scott said.

The renovated field has been marked for soccer, flag football and lacrosse. ENS 700 previously had a softball cage and infield, but Scott said the existing fence in the southwest corner of the field would still support softball play. 

While ENS 700 will host intramural sports and other campus events, students can utilize the field for personal use throughout the day. 

Expanding recreation time and space remains a priority for SDSU. 

The university will soon begin construction to expand the Aztec Recreation Center, with the first phase set to begin this semester and full expansion slated for completion by fall 2021. The ENS 700 renovations and ARC expansion are part of the university’s efforts to provide additional recreation space for SDSU students.

“For institutions of 20,000 (or more) students, the industry guidelines are to have .9 acres of rec space for every 1,000 students,” Scott said. “SDSU has .2 acres per thousand, so expanding recreation opportunities for students is very important.”