CHS Field Is The 'Greenest Ballpark In America,' Saints Say
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- After years of being stuck by the State Fairgrounds and clanking train tracks, the St. Paul Saints are about to play ball in their new home.
CHS Field is an emerald oasis in St. Paul's Lowertown neighborhood. The Saints are calling it the "greenest ballpark in America."
And they aren't talking about the grass.
By "green" they mean all of the effort that went into adding features that conserve and create energy, like solar and water systems. They also recycle to the max.
With so much to brag about at CHS Field, it's somewhat surprising to find out that what the Saints are most proud of is down in the basement.
It's the rainwater system.
"It takes water from the OMF building, which is the building on the other side, collects it, and then we use that water to water the grass on the field," said Saints spokesperson Sean Aronson.
They also use that captured rainwater to flush the toilets.
"And we ask everyone to please flush the toilets," Aronson said. "It's important."
On a sunny day like Thursday, the ballpark will take advantage of the bright skies.
"There are going to be solar panels here, got a grant from Xcel Energy," Aronson said. "They're going to power about 15 percent of the ballpark. It's going to be one of a kind. I couldn't tell you how many ballparks have solar panels inside the ballpark to help power it."
The Saints are also striving to be a zero waste facility, meaning most of what comes in, will be recycled or composted.
"So you are going to see all along the concourse three cans, a large one for recycling, one for composting, and one for trash," Aronson said. "Everything back of house will be compostable or recyclable."
The Saints say they want to be a leader in Lowertown, encouraging others to go green as well.
"When you say you are going to be the greenest ballpark, it's not just about recycling or composting, we wanted to make sure we hit every single area across the board," Aronson said.
Over the four-day opening weekend, be sure to look for "recycling umpires" throughout CHS Field.
They will be giving directions on what to do with trash and leftover food and drinks.
