School board wants to build dome over Superior Heights sports field

If Algoma District School Board (ADSB) gets its way, the Sault's finest athletic field could become an all-season facility.

The school board wants to apply to Ontario's Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund for financial help in building a dome over the artificial turf field at Superior Heights Collegiate and Vocational School, plus a new rubberized track.

But ADSB isn't eligible to apply directly, so city council will be asked on Monday to make the application.

"There is no financial commitment being requested from the city," says Brent Lamming, the city's deputy chief administrative officer for community development and enterprise services.

"This will provide additional programming opportunities for the community if the application is successful," Lamming says in a report prepared for Mayor Shoemaker and city councillors.

"Through discussions with ADSB they have indicated that other municipalities have applied with their respective school boards successfully to improve community service offerings," Lamming says.

"The funding stream requires a 50 per cent contribution, which ADSB has confirmed they would cover, meaning there is no contribution required by the city.

"The opportunity being explored is to place a seasonal dome over the Superior Heights Collegiate and Vocational School turf field to provide a four-season facility.

"The city has also advised ADSB that a rubberized track has been requested for many years and this would be a good opportunity to include that request into the application.

"The estimated cost for the dome and rubberized track is approximately $2.5 million, according to research ADSB has completed.

"ADSB has confirmed that, given the city's role in supporting the application, if funding were successful there would be commitments made to the city to make the facility available for city use for events such as city track, NOSSA and OFSSA if the city is successful in hosting in years to come," Lamming said.

Monday's city council meeting will be live-streamed on SooToday starting at 5 p.m.