Six hours to build: how Durham College turned Vaso's Field into a softball diamond

Durham College turned its Vaso's Field from a soccer pitch into a softball diamond in roughly six hours to host the recent CCSA Women's National Championships, The Chronicle reports.

The college needed two fields of the same type — artificial turf — to host the tournament. With Babcock Field the only ballpark in Durham Region with artificial turf, the college chose to build a second diamond rather than move the entire tournament to St. Clair College in Windsor.

About 15 to 20 part-time and full-time staff, led by facility attendant Dwayne Christo, completed the conversion the morning after the Lords soccer teams played on Oct. 7. Humber College and Seneca College donated portable fences to configure the field.

Staff ran into one hiccup: the final game of the night at Vaso's Field ran long, and the lights — designed for a soccer field — caused slight shadowing on the converted diamond. The temporary field was taken down after Sunday's finals at Babcock Field so varsity sports could resume.

Christo told The Chronicle the conversion ran more smoothly than expected and the college would do the same again if it hosts the tournament in future.