GUELPH - Stu Lang is a man of vision. And the emeritus head coach of the Guelph Gryphons football team was finally able to see the completion of an idea he had years earlier -- the official opening of the Pavilion at Alumni Stadium, a gorgeous new gift to the program and university he has so graciously embraced. When Lang approached the microphone at the opening ceremony across from the Pavilion on a perfect Monday afternoon, his first words were reciting Ralph Waldo Emerson's "To Laugh Often and Much."

"To laugh often and much," he began. "To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life breathed easier because you have lived.

"This is to have succeeded."

The carefully-chosen words were representative of what Lang has meant to both the University of Guelph and the Gryphons football program, which he coached to a Yates Cup victory in 2015 before handing over the reins to current coach Kevin MacNeill. As the two-year anniversary of that historic day approaches, Lang was full of joy. He was pleased to see that of the many donations that his wife Kim and he have made through their Angel Gabriel Foundation, the Pavilion, a facility that will serve past, present and future Gryphons, is complete.

"I'm just amazed," said Lang, standing on the edge of newly-named 15 Lang Way, formerly Powerhouse Lane. "You have a vision in your mind and then when you finally see it come to fruition, and it's better than you could have imagined, it's fantastic.

"This is my gift to a great group of football players and coaches that I had an opportunity to work with."

Former players, parents, friends of the program, members of the Athletics Department, and faculty, including University of Guelph President Franco Vaccarino, gathered to open the three-level building, which is like no other on a Canadian university campus. The entrance is at the beautifully-landscaped Alumni Stadium Courtyard, with a mini version of the turf field and "Proud To Be A Gryphon" emblazoned on the outer wall. The lobby is highlighted by a stunning Gryphon mosaic made of 2,300 pieces of glass. The Dick Brown Coaches' Bullpen is where the team's staff gather to work, with Coach MacNeill's office giving a view of the field through a massive window. The Red Zone and rooftop patio offer spaces for football alumni and VIPs to assemble, complete with a sight lines to the field for game-day enjoyment.

For the current players, and those who will come to Guelph in the future, there is the amazing 3,300-square-foot locker room with customized spaces for each team member, underneath the ceiling's back-lit Gryphon logo with high-performance LED fixtures. A high-tech therapy room, barber shop and lounge where players can come to study, are all nearby.

Ayesha Moghal, of maclennan jaunkalns miller architects, was a part of the unique project from day one. After two and a half years from conception to completion, she found the incredible reception of those who will use the space a rewarding experience.

"Football is about order and discipline," Moghal said, referring to the clean lines and functionality of the Pavilion. "The challenge is that there is a lot of programming stuffed in a very small footprint. In order to do that, there can be no frill and no eccentricity. We had a shape to work with and we were trying to get as much in there as possible.

"I call it efficiency and understated elegance. It's not trying to be anything that it's not."

Moghal said that the connectivity from the building to the field was very important and part of the vision from Lang, who has engineering expertise.

"That's why there is a heightened level of transparency on one end and a private, opaque surface on the other end," she said.

Gryphons' fifth-year linebacker Derek Drouillard, who spoke at the ceremony, calls the Pavilion "awe inspiring." He thanked Lang on behalf of the current team but also referred to how his former coach is full of thanks himself, and how he has helped shaped the young men fortunate to play for him.

"What Coach Lang is all about is impacting other people," Drouillard said before the ceremony. "This building helps with our development as people on and off the field. We're able to come here and study, to focus not only football, but our academics, as well."

"Once we're in there, you can just see all the possibilities to grow and come together as a team. It's been nothing but excitement. You catch your breath every time you walk in. It's just knowing that the program is going in the right direction and developing young men."

Drouillard and teammate Justis Croasdale were late the day the team was handed the keys almost two weeks ago. They were at a seminar for one of their classes and had to run across campus after their teammates had already toured the inside.

"We were starting to get Snap Chat and Instagram updates and no one wanted to look," Drouillard said with a laugh. "We put our phones away and ran here. When we walked in, I was speechless. It was just overwhelming."

Drouillard also honoured past players, some of whom are on the current coaching staff, like Gary Jeffries, a standout U of G football player in the 1960s, as well as Brian Cluff and Bill Brown, two current coaches that played for the Gryphons in the 1990s. In the audience were many additional former players who made generous donations to name rooms in the building. Gryphon alumni like Mark Durigon and Nick FitzGibbon named the entrance and lobby, while Cluff and his defensive line teammates from the 1996 Yates Cup winners named the defensive line meeting room.

Many donors contributed to the running backs meeting room in honour of late teammate David Lane, while Dan Cornwell generously donated to the linebackers meeting room. Current coach Michael MacDonald provided a gift to name the offensive line meeting room to recognize his parents Harold and Jeanne MacDonald.

"This program has always grown from the people that came before us," said Drouillard. "The fifth years and the veterans that were here when I came my first year, they really set the tone. This building isn't only for us and future players but also for the ones who were here.
 
"Through them, we developed the culture and the type of team that we are today. Without them, we wouldn't be where we are."

The Langs' Angel Gabriel Foundation has provided funds for numerous projects at the University of Guelph, from athletic infrastructure to academic research that emphasizes humanitarian work. Lang referenced his faith and was thankful for the blessed life he has lived, including his five Grey Cups with the Edmonton Eskimos (he was number 15, hence 15 Lang Way) and how his successful family label business CCL Industries has afforded Kim and he the opportunity to help others. Lang told the assembled crowd how it was his brother's job to make money and his own to spend it.

The Pavilion was not only a way to say thanks but also a vehicle to ensure that Gryphon Football continues to produce quality citizens.

"As the players that I coached knew, there is a very simple mathematical calculation," Lang said. "I will give you everything you need to be successful. Your part of the bargain is to perform on the field, in the classroom and in the community. That was the agreement, no excuses.

"For the players that follow them, it's the same thing. They've got to perform."