Grande Prairie pitches $10 million toward regional recreation dome

Grande Prairie is pitching up to $10 million toward a recreation dome amid an ongoing demand for indoor sports space. 

Mayor Jackie Clayton said the new facility could be open in early 2024, depending on the site selected. 

"We've looked at a dome coming to fruition quicker than a bricks and mortar or a steel structure would be," she said at a news availability on Monday. 

"The $10 million in principle is not to say that we're building it no matter what. It's saying that we are interested in building this facility."

Clayton said there are ongoing discussions about where the facility could be located, including within the boundaries of municipal partners.

She said the city is working with the County of Grande Prairie and MD of Greenview on the proposed regional recreation facility. 

David Rojas, the executive director of Swan City FC, said the lack of indoor space is keeping players off the pitch.

"There's still a long way to go, but definitely a step in the right direction," Rojas said. 

Rojas said the soccer club turned away 150 players this winter after the Leisure Centre closed for demolition in December. That's on top of around 100 players who couldn't join last fall due to a lack of space.

"Our biggest concern is timeline. I feel like right now we're playing catch up. We lost a lot of numbers and we're afraid we're going to continue to lose more numbers," Rojas said. 

The centre had two indoor soccer pitches. Pitch 1 stands alone and will not be demolished. Pitch 2 is in a separate building which is slated to come down along with the adjoining old Composite High School.

City council voted in 2021 to demolish the building that houses Pitch 2 rather than retrofitting the pitch to a standalone building.

A new Composite