Goal Sports Centre II won't be open in time for 2019 indoor season, manager says

A proposed, privately-funded indoor turf sports facility won't be open in time for the 2019-2020 indoor sports season, the building's manager said.

Developers hoped to have the Goal Sports Centre II to be built at a site on Golf Links Road open in time for players of indoor soccer and other turf sports to make use of it this winter.

However, the building ran into a zoning issue, and while developers have requested a zoning amendment, the length of that process will prevent the Goal Sports Centre II from being built in time for the upcoming indoor season.

"This leaves over 1,700 players without a proper indoor sports turf facility for the fourth winter in a row," Goal Sports Centre II manager Carmen Felice said in a media release issued Tuesday.

The statement went on to say the project will continue to move forward "once we complete the city mandated rezoning process," but no new timeline was provided.

Felice could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

Michael Veneziale, president of Soccer Northwest one of the groups that had agreed to play the Goal Sports Centre II ifit was open this winter said Wednesday the announcement wasn't surprising.

"When this plan kind of came forward, we thought it was a little overly-optimistic to get a facility done in a couple of months, especially when it needed some kind of zoning amendment or zoning change to make it happen," he said. "We've gone through this process several times, and it always seems to come down to a zoning change."

"Which isn't an issue, I do believe the city's plan is there for a purpose, so you just have to make sure you do your due diligence."

There remains a critical shortage of indoor sports space in Thunder Bay. Veneziale, for example, said while the men's indoor soccer league will be playing at the Lakehead University Hangar and school gyms this winter, the times aren't ideal, and the league will be playing a couple of nights a week from 10 p.m. to midnight.

"Long nights, but it's a sport we love, and it's what keeps our little soccer community together," he said.

The City of Thunder Bay, meanwhile, is continuing to work toward building its own, permanent, indoor turf facility.

"The permanent solution is the ultimate goal we're working towards," Veneziale said. "We're very impressed with [City of Thunder Bay Manager of Construction Services] Gerry Broere, [city General Manager of Community Services] Kelly Robertson, and the guidance of [Mayor] Bill Mauro."

Mauro said progress on the city's side is moving along week.

"Administration is reviewing the proposals that were submitted in terms of the consultant that would be hired for the design work, and the preparation of the tender documents," Mauro said. "Once, internally, administration has concluded their review of the proposals, they will make a recommendation to council."

"It will be up to council at that point to award the contract, and that, as I see it right now, will be the next decision point for us."

Mauro said council has voted to not include indoor tennis courts as part of the new turf facility.

The Thunder Bay Community Tennis Centre has been working to have tennis courts included, as there isn't anywhere to play tennis indoors in Thunder Bay currently. Mauro said council also pledged to support the tennis centre in its efforts to build an indoor facility.