Buckley field was a place for students to utilize for athletic training and casual sports games with friends. However, it was demolished in early 2023. But after over a year of the demolition of Buckley, Drexel announced in April the addition of a new field for all students to practice and compete on. A new turf field and the Buckley air-supported, structured bubble is coming to the Vidas Athletic Complex this year.
Currently, the new field’s construction is ongoing at Vidas, between other turf fields already at the complex. “There happened to be…a lawn between many of the already turf fields that are [at Vidas]. So, the opportunity presented itself, the dimensions worked, we own the bubble itself, and so the opportunity to put in a new field and put in a bubble over it to replace what we took out what we had at 33rd street just was a good fit all around…it has great value for practice – both for varsity and for club sports and intramural sports,” said Drexel’s Vice President for Real Estate and Facilities, Alan Greenberger in an interview with the Triangle.
The new turf field and bubble will be similar dimensions to the Buckley field, which was 72 x 35 yards. The field will also be open year-round, with the Buckley bubble encapsulating it during the colder months of the year.
The construction to move the bubble is reportedly costing millions. Greenberger shared the exact devices and steps required to complete the project. “It is about a five to six million dollar project…we own the bubble itself, but doing all the sitework; completely leveling the field; and making sure it drains properly; putting in foundations for the bubble…like a tent it’s not just spiked into the grass, there are real foundations that have to support this thing. There’s mechanical equipment that goes with it and there’s lights that go with it. So, when you add all that up, it’s a much bigger project than simply moving the bubble from here to there.”
The field is open to varsity, club and intramural practice and competitions, and when not reserved for those events is open to students to schedule a time to use for recreational use. “It will serve similar to how Buckley did where they’ll be reservations…we will have it scheduled so our structured sports and through club and intramurals will certainly be scheduled through their practices and competitions out there. And any varsity programs that may want to use it will be scheduled similar how they had in the past…there’ll also be that opportunity for free recreational time that occurs on the weekends or times outside of when club sports and intramurals are competing,” said Director of Athletics and Recreation, Maisha Kelly in an interview with the Triangle.
There may be student concern about how much time there will be for free play on the new field due to the scheduling system; and the high demand to utilize the field for varsity, club and intramural athletes for practices and competitions might leave little time for other students. However, Greenberger and Kelly shared insight on the new green space to come.
“While [the Vidas construction] is going on…meanwhile back at Myers Hall, on 33rd Street, Myers is in the process of being demolished right now. By the fall, or somewhere during the fall, that site will be turned into a large grass lawn. Basically a quad amidst the residential buildings of the university. So there’s this other new recreational asset coming, not intended for organized sports the way Vidas is, but intended as an amenity for student life. By the end of the year both of those things will be done and operational,” said Greenberger.
The Myers lawn is designed to be 40,000 square feet and is, essentially, the on-campus “front lawn for students.” In addition, there will be over 100 trees planted that canopy the green space as well as a plaza with seating and paths to navigate around the lawn.
“I think that, as Alan just shared, that because of where there’ll be some additional green space here at the center of campus, in particular the residential footprint of the quad field, I think that that’s where you’ll have people that’ll be doing a little more freeplay. So I think we’ll be sprawled out,” Kelly added.
To get to the Vidas Athletic Complex, Drexel students can take the Powelton/Spring Garden Dragon Shuttle route. Last year, extra shuttle services were implemented to ensure there will be a final shuttle for students when Vidas closes. Click here to learn more about the shuttle schedule.