Grande Prairie city council is being advised to endorse the former site of the Leisure Centre and Grande Prairie Composite High School as the location for a new multi-use and soccer facility.
The site was one of a handful presented to the Public and Protective Services committee by city administration, following a presentation made last month by Swan City FC to city council. Mayor Jackie Clayton explains the club was looking at the possibility of putting up a dome facility.
“The facility would have a full international sized field inside it, that in turn can be split into quarter fields utilizing nets at both ends, and the ceiling would be 82″ above the pitch surface,” Clayton says.
Clayton explains that right now soccer and various other sports such as lacrosse and cricket use both the city and the county’s indoor facilities. However, soccer in particular has identified a high demand for the facilities, which is expected to increase with the demolition of the Leisure Centre Soccer Pitch.
“The consideration for council is a dome as it can go up relatively quickly, and so council next week will consider if the Avondale site is the best location,” Clayton says. “After that then the conversations will lead to, ‘what does funding support looks like,’ ‘who are the partners in the financial equation of this?'”
According to Clayton, the proposed soccer dome site in Avondale is part of an area redevelopment plan, which is a long-term land use concept. Part of the plan is to identify recreational areas and a future multi-family and commercial space.
