City council approves in principle $10 million for indoor recreational facility, community organizations backing soccer dome idea

“Edmonton has a great example of that in their Scottish Dome. We have looked at various sizes and in the report that initially came to committee, it addressed two sizes of a potential facility. The report that comes back will have drawings and indications of how that facility in both sizes will fit into the landscape.”

“To date, the conversation primarily has been led by soccer, however, further conversations have been (had) with other recreational user groups,” Clayton says.

One of the domes considered at that committee meeting would be 100,000 square feet. The other would be 135,000 square feet with a height of 82 feet at the peak. It would need 4.5 acres of land. It could hold one full-size international soccer pitch but could be divided into quarters with nets.

Clayton expects there to be another report on this facility at the April 17 council meeting.

She adds City Hall would like to talk to its neighbouring municipalities about this.

“We do want to have wholesome conversations with our municipal partners in the County of Grande Prairie and, potentially, the MD of Greenview as we truly believe recreational assets are an asset for the region.”

Councillor Dylan Bressey says thinks there is more discussion needed on what should be built where but thinks council all agrees that the closure of the Leisure Centre means something is needed.

Council voted 8-0 in favour of the motion. Councillor Chris Thiessen was not at the meeting.

Other community groups hoping for a soccer dome

A delegation from the Grande Prairie Public School Division spoke to council to back the soccer dome idea.

Board chair Joan Nellis says the board would like to see something go on the site of the old Comp high school and Leisure Centre.

“A dome that our students could use and we have some really great real estate there that is within walking distance to a lot of schools, so our board is in favour of the dome on our site.”

“We’re also in favour of a long-term facility on that site.”

The delegation also included Superintendent Sandy Mc Donald, who says;”Facilities like this that are being built in our community are exceptional. It is a tremendous asset for the community but also a potential asset for our students to be able to access during the school day.”

McDonald says they hope any new facility could host school groups and community groups at the same time.

Nellis says the board would be open to discussing what the division could contribute to such a project, adding that it would most likely be land as the land where the old Comp sits belongs to the division. McDonald says the old Comp sits on nine acres of land.

McDonald adds soccer domes are used for other sports like rugby. Football and minor baseball could use it for training, adding the more multi-purpose a facility is, the better it is for the community.

Some people from Swan City FC were at the meeting as observers.

Executive Director David Rojas says they had to turn away 350 kids from indoor recreational soccer this past season after the Leisure Centre closed.

“It’s tough. It’s tough, right, because there is (really no choice) they have. It’s -40 out there and nowhere to go to play sports so it’s very tough. We do our best to accommodate as many as possible.”

Rojas says these were spots in grassroots programs for kids ages 3 to 14 that wanted to try the game.

Swan City had brought a proposal for an indoor soccer facility located in the Smith subdivision in September of 2020.

by Curtis Galbraith