Work continues on private turf sports facility in Thunder Bay, Ont.

Work on a planned, privately-owned all-season turf sports facility in Thunder Bay is proceeding, with the manager saying the hope is to have it open by this fall.

The Goal Sports Centre II is being built on Golf Links Road, and while the plan is to have one domed building open this fall, manager Carmen Felice said a second dome may be built if the demand is strong enough.

"We have completed site grading for the first facility and additional site clearing for scaling of the project should the need arise," Felice said in a statement. "We are continuing to move forward to finalize site utilities and final building permit submittals in order to provide an indoor sports turf facility for the upcoming indoor season, available to all community user groups."

The original plan called for the centre to open in December2019.

However, the project was stalled due to the zoning of the site; at the time, the city said the zoning only permitted recreational facilities as an auxiliary use.

A non-recreational facility would have had to be built first, and only then could the Goal Sports Centre II be constructed.

Felice told CBC News on Thursday that the site has been rezoned.

The centre has been redesigned to accommodate a larger turf field about 105 feet by 205 feet which can be split into two smaller fields for younger players.

And the turf will be upgraded to allow other events to happen in the building, such as trade shows.

Felice said in the statement that final tendering is "ongoing"; however, the project, and the facility's opening, may be delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Goal Sports Centre II is separate from the city's proposed indoor turf sports facility, which would be built at Chapples Park.

City council is expected to vote on putting the $33-million project out for tender at its Aug. 10 meeting.

Felice said the city project may affect the Goal Sports Centre II.

"This private sector initiative is monitoring closely the consequences of what a project being advanced by the City of Thunder Bay will have on its business plan," he stated. "Possible project changes, delays or eventual cancellation may become necessary."

Felice said the expectation is that construction on the first dome will begin in August.