Limited indoor field space affecting ultimate Frisbee in Thunder Bay

Ultimate Frisbee players in Thunder Bay, Ont. say soccer isn't the only sport feeling theeffects of limitedindoor turf space in the city.

The sport of ultimate Frisbee is poised to expand in the city, saidJohnGotwals, the president of the board of directors for Thunder Bay Ultimate, but right now they're feeling fenced in.

"If we want to continue growing the sport, we just need more space to play. And right now that's just not an option," said Gotwals.

Currently, about 200 people play in Thunder Bay Ultimate's indoor,co-edleague, housedin the Lakehead University Hangar, he said. The space has always been heavily used, said Gotwals, but demand is even higher since plans for a temporary indoor soccer facility in Thunder Bay fell through earlier this month.

• Thunder Bay soccer organization 'saddened' over indoor field dispute
• Thunder Bay men's, women's soccer leagues cancel 2017 indoor season

"You know this whole lack of an indoor space isn't just impacting soccer, it's impacting, I'm assuming, a lot of sports like us," said Gotwals.

While the Frisbee league hasn't lost time at the Hangar this year, schedules are being redrawn, he said, to try to accommodateeveryone who wants to use the space.

In the meantime, ambitions such as adding more teams to the Frisbee league, or developing a junior league, are on hold.

Gotwals said he'd like to see the development of a new indoor facility for turf sports in the city,something for which soccer players have also been calling.

• Soccer needs a 'home' in Thunder Bay, says coach
• Sports Dome collapse leaves 4 Thunder Bay soccer clubs, new gym hunting for space

"I think this is a real opportunity for the city to develop something that makes Thunder Bay more attractive," said Gotwals.

"We've had people who have ... told us they decided to moveto Thunder Bay because theyfound out it had an ultimate [Frisbee] scene."

"You know it's just another reason for people to want to stay and move here."