Snowy weather delays Okotoks Dawgs' stadium expansion

Snowy, cold weather in southern Alberta is delaying plans to add more seats to Seaman Stadium, home of the popular OkotoksDawgs baseball team.

The plan had been to add 125 stadium seats and about 40 to the hospitality section by the season opener on June 2.

But the ground is still frozen and covered in snow,OkotoksDawgs executive director and expansion organizerJohn Ircandia saidTuesday.

"The weather has really been a set back," he told theCalgary Eyeopener. "We're going to have to monitor the situation. Once the snow and the ice goes, we're going to be on it."

Then the organizers will have to decide if construction can be completed before opening day. Right now, there's about a 60 per cent chance work will go ahead, Ircandia said, as they don't want to be building during the season.

Meteorologistspredict thecold temperatures currently blanketing the Canadian Prairies will last at least another few weeks.

If work can't be done in time, stadium construction will be pushed to the fall.

Many fans, few seats

The Okotoks Dawgssold out every home game at the stadium last year and much of the crowd didn't have a seat to sit in.

"With the growing crowds that we've experiencedit's getting more and more crowded," Ircandia said. "So we keep trying to find ways to make sure the experience is a positive one."

The stadium has an official capacity of 5,200 but only 2,200 physical seats.

Several thousand fans must stand or sit on a grassy hill by left field, known as the family berm. Children under 12 can watch the game there for free.

"There really isn't a seat for everybody even if they wanted one.... I'm sure all would appreciate a more comfortable seat," Ircandia said.

"The numbers of fans proportionately go up when the weather's better and we just have to find a better way to accommodate them."

The summer collegiate games in the 2017 season averaged more than 4,100 fans per game, considered a sellout, with 5,400 attending the game on Canada Day.Tickets for this season went on sale on Sunday.

The stadium cost $16 million to build in 2007. The extra seats and expanded hospitality section will cost roughly $800,000,Ircandia said.

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With files from theCalgary Eyeopener.