CALGARY- The city has officially taken over operations of the Subway Soccer Centre, which is in dire need of repairs.
About 75,000 people per year use the facility located in the city’s southeast, which has been managed by the Calgary Soccer Federation for the past two decades. But last year, the city declined to renew their license following a roof collapse in November 2010, amid concerns there wasn’t a solid plan to fix it.
“This was a key facility for soccer, and when the bubble came down we lost four fields,” says Greg Steinraths, manager of sport development for the City of Calgary. “Our commitment is to build that facility, get it up and running.”
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Work is now underway to repair the roof and indoor fields that were affected, as well as add three new artificial turf fields.
The city still has no timeline for when construction will wrap up.
“We are looking at the technical drawings on that project, we hope in the next couple of weeks all the conditions of development permits will be released and we are going to move on that right away,” Steinraths explains, adding they are also working with engineers in regards to the annex.
City council has promised it will help fund both projects. The annex is expected to cost as much as $11 million, and the new fields should cost $5 million. It’s hoped that the outdoor fields will be up and running by fall, but the indoor facility could take longer than the two years the city has committed to operating the facility.
“It’s very important, because during the winter time of course, kids have nowhere to go,” says Bruce Elzinga, a teacher at Lord Beaverbrook High School. “They need a place to play, and having the soccer centre takes pressure off the schools.”
The city has plans to meet with stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition, and promises to keep the same fees and scheduling priorities in place.
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