By Jim Fenton, The Enterprise (Brockton)

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The debut of the renovated Swenson Field on the campus of Bridgewater State University will be delayed.

Instead of being completed by the Aug. 20 target date, the field will not be ready for use until around Oct. 1, forcing the Bears football team to play the first three home games off campus.

A problem with the asphalt surface that goes below the new rubber running track around the field forced the completion of the $4.67 million project to be pushed back.

“The asphalt paving was not laid properly,’’ said BSU director of athletics John Harper. “It was too low, and water wouldn’t have drained properly. To the credit of the contractor, he said it was not acceptable.

“They had to go back and repave with the asphalt, and it takes two weeks for the asphalt to cure. The earliest that the company that is putting down the track could get in here was after Labor Day, and then it’s a 16-day process after that.’’

In addition to a new track, the renovations to Swenson Field also include new bleachers with 1,560 seats, a scoreboard and a press box along with lights.

The field will be used by the football, field hockey, track & field and women’s lacrosse teams as well as intramural sports leagues.

The football team was scheduled to play its first game on the artificial Field Turf surface the night of Sept. 11 against the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, kicking off a three-game homestand.

That game, along with the Sept. 18 matchup with Plymouth State University and a Sept. 25 meeting with Framingham State College, have been moved to Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High and will all start at 1 p.m.

“Dan Buron (the B-R athletic director) has been fantastic through this whole thing,’’ said Harper. “He made his field available to us and is letting the visiting team use their locker room. He has just been a lifesaver.

“He saved us last spring when we needed a place to play a women’s lacrosse game and he’s been great with this. We really appreciate what he has done for us.’’

The first football game at the new-look Swenson Field will now be on Oct. 16, which is on Homecoming Weekend, against Worcester State College. There is only one other home game after that, on Oct. 30 against Maine Maritime Academy.

The field hockey team was scheduled to make its debut on the new field on Sept. 21 against Babson College, but that game has been shifted to Wellesley.

The next three games on the Bears’ schedule – Sept. 23 against Salve Regina, Sept. 25 against Keene State and Sept. 28 against Salem State – will be played on BSU’s grass field nearly the Tinsley Center.

The first field hockey game at the new Swenson Field will likely be the night of Oct. 5 against Westfield State.

Teams will also have to alter practice plans in late August and through September with Swenson Field not being available.

The outfield at Alumni Park, the home of the BSU baseball team, will be used for practice by the soccer teams, allowing the football team to practice on the soccer game fields.

“We’re just going to have to make the best of it,’’ said Harper. 

“It’s disappointing that the field won’t be ready, but what are you going to do? It’s unfortunate, but you don’t want to play a game on a field that is finished but have players crossing asphalt that is still curing. We’re just going to have to wait, but it will be worth the wait.’’