A large amount of city and outside funds have been set aside for the indoor turf facility project.
After more than an hour of discussion, Council approved setting aside a total of $12.6 million for the proposed structure.
It includes earmarking the city’s share of the Municipal Accommodation Tax for the next three years, $6.9 million from a one-time doubling of the federal gas tax payment, and $2.5 million from the Renew Thunder Bay reserve fund.
One of the main sticking points was whether to delay the vote until the 2020 budget process, given the amount of funds being dealt with. Councillor Mark Bentz was among those wanting to put the brakes on the motion. He feels there is “an appetite” to proceed with the project regardless of the source of funding, but calls for Councillors to be mindful of the city’s budget.
His motion to defer this issue to the budget was defeated.
Mayor Bill Mauro acknowledged the concerns but urged Councillors to approve the funding, once again framing the proposed turf facility as a legacy project for this Council.
The funding contains two separate streams of federal money, the federal gas tax and the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program funding, which Council was told can’t both be used for this project. Mauro indicated they can’t “stack” federal funds, and if the ICIP funding comes through they must use the gas tax elsewhere.
Although the funding has been approved, Council heard that this does not officially confirm that the turf facility will be built.
The search for an indoor turf facility was spurred on following the collapse of the Sports Dome on the CLE Grounds in a November 2016 snowstorm.
It threw the soccer community into chaos since both men’s and women’s clubs were forced to cancel their seasons because there was no place to play.
In 2017, local soccer clubs were given a glimmer of hope with news Soccer Northwest was trying to get a temporary facility set up at a vacant sawmill on Maureen Street but that fell through because of a legal roadblock.
Fast forward to early 2018, when city council started the process by voting to build such a complex, which was kicked into high gear after city administration began working behind the scenes to make a reality at Chapples Park.
After an appeal by local tennis officials, Council committed to including six tennis courts in the project, but then reversed their decision.
Mayor Mauro has made building the turf facility a top priority throwing his full support behind it.