New deal breathes new life into Confederation College bubble

The Confederation College Fitness Centre has found a new life.

The college announced this week it has signed a three-year deal with RZ Realty Services that will see the company operate the fitness centre, commonly known as the bubble, which will be renamed the Goal Sports Centre.

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It already has its first tenant the LakeheadExpress soccer club, which will begin running indoor soccer programs out of the facility this fall.

LakeheadExpress 'delighted' with new location

LakeheadExpress presidentAmyRubino-Start says the club is "delighted" to have a new indoor soccer facility.

"We have worked hard to find a suitable and safe venue where Thunder Bay youth can play organized soccer," she said in a media release. "The Confederation College Fitness Centre is the ideal site for our club and it connects to our mission of preparing and developing players for the Collegiate level. We can't wait to kick off the season."

The college has been constructing a new fitness centre, calledMinowaadiziiwin, which is on-track to open in October. The bubble was going to be shut down after that.

Bubble will be renovated

Robert Zanette of RZ Realty Services said the bubble will be renovated over the coming weeks.

"We are getting ready to renovate the facility with artificial turf to get it ready for the coming indoor soccer season," he said."We are also working to form partnerships with additional tenants who want to bring quality recreational programs to the space, and help us to create a sense of community at the Goal Sports Centre."

Another group of soccer players will be playing indoor soccer in a different location this winter, as they've signed a lease to use an empty warehouse off Maureen Street in Thunder Bay.

That facility will be used by the Thunder Bay men's and women's soccer leagues, as well as the Thunder Bay Chill.