Council is taking another step towards a $38-million indoor turf facility.
The cost has increased with the addition of six tennis courts after a presentation by a local tennis group.
While Mayor Bill Mauro voiced concerns about going into debt to fund the project, he argues the addition of tennis will benefit the community.
“This is a community-building project. It is why people will choose to live here, it is why people will choose maybe not to move away–it’s one of the reasons,” Mauro notes.
The city approved in principle $4.2 million in engineering work for a permanent metal structure, committing to the more costly option rather than an inflatable dome.
That’s meant to get the project shovel-ready.
Council is considering a site at Chapples Park, but it’s not finalized.
Their decision from last night also needs to be confirmed at their next meeting on July 22nd.
Administration also recommends applying for funding from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation for the project.
The search for an indoor turf facility was spurred on following the collapse of the Sportsdome on the CLE Grounds in a November 2016 snowstorm.
It threw the soccer community into chaos since both men’s and women’s clubs were forced to cancel their seasons because there was no place to play.
In 2017, local soccer clubs were given a glimmer of hope with news Soccer Northwest was trying to get a temporary facility set up at a vacant sawmill on Maureen Street but that fell through because of a legal roadblock.
Fast forward to early 2018, when city council started the process by voting to build such a complex, which was kicked into high gear after administration began working behind the scenes to make a reality at Chapples Park.
Thunder Bay’s mayor Bill Mauro has made building the turf facility a top priority throwing his full support behind it.
