Soccer dome becomes hot potato
St-Léonard has a soccer field over which they’ve been accustomed to install a dome in wintertime so kids can continue to play. Now the borough says it can’t afford to do that any more, while the city is urging them to do so. Seven hundred kids use the facility.
In other news, the city was recently reported as trying to find ways to persuade young people that there’s more to life than turning to violent crime for kicks. Sports are a classic means of doing this, so it’s odd to read one day that they’re working on this, and the next, that a sports facility can’t be used because of money.
Nobody is running a photo of this huge soccer dome. I’m picturing it as a giant Tempo.
James 08:53 on 2023-09-20 Permalink
Probably looks like the Concordia Stinger dome which also is only installed/inflated in the winter.
Looks like a giant marshmallow.
https://www.concordia.ca/campus-life/recreation/facilities/stinger-dome.html
Kate 09:01 on 2023-09-20 Permalink
I found a photo from the inside, on Metro: https://journalmetro.com/local/saint-leonard/2926902/terrain-synthetique-stade-hebert-nouveau-ouvert-hiver/
jeather 09:28 on 2023-09-20 Permalink
600,000+ for one winter is pretty expensive. I’m not saying it isn’t worth it necessarily, but is this the best way or just the one used in the past?
John B 10:31 on 2023-09-20 Permalink
On the face of it $877 per user seems like a lot of money for the city to spend, but I don’t know what’s reasonable. I wonder how it compares to the per-user cost of things like skating rinks and arenas.
Kate 10:59 on 2023-09-20 Permalink
Maybe they need to consider a permanent soccer facility like the one on Papineau – but that cost a lot of money and probably costs a good bit in maintenance and heating, too.
dhomas 12:16 on 2023-09-20 Permalink
Here’s what it looks like from outside:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/CjoY6G4iRH1bNvqH8
Kate 12:30 on 2023-09-20 Permalink
Thanks, dhomas.
Once you own this thing, it seems bizarrely expensive to put it up and take it down.