The Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC) and Tourism Thunder Bay are providing financial support to the new multi-use indoor turf facility.
They are providing $500,000 from the CEDC Tourism Development Fund.
“The Thunder Bay CEDC is proud to support this important initiative for our community,” says CEDC CEO Jamie Taylor. “Facilities like this enhance quality of life for residents and experiences for visitors. The turf facility will play a key role in attracting tourists and major sporting events while retaining skilled talent in Thunder Bay.”
The new facility, once built, will support year-round opportunities for sports and recreation groups like soccer, cricket, lacrosse, frisbee, football and more.
According to the CEDC, it has been estimated that there are currently over 5,000 turf users amongst these groups, with demand increasing annually as popularity continues to grow in these sports.
Applicants of the CEDC Tourism Development Fund are encouraged to leverage partnerships and additional financial resources to maximize the growth of Thunder Bay’s tourism economy.
Thunder Bay has contributed to the project, with Soccer Northwest handling ongoing fundraising efforts.
“Sport event hosting is a significant economic contributor to Thunder Bay’s tourism economy and infrastructure, which can expand sport hosting capacity, supporting community growth,” said the Manager of Tourism Thunder Bay, Paul Pepe. “The multi-use indoor turf facility, championed by so many local user groups working together, will improve opportunities to draw more regional and provincial events that rely on indoor turf and grow our winter tourism offerings.”
The facility will be an addition to the property surrounding the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium and is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2026.
