The Guelph Sports Dome will remain in city hands, with expanded programming and sports options, pending ratification of a unanimous decision from council’s committee of the whole on Monday evening.
“This is a fantastic use of space … and it’s financially solid,” commented Coun. Dan Gibson, who moved the staff recommendation, noting some teams travel as far as Ayr to rent indoor field facilities.
The decision, if ratified by council later this month, would see the city not only retain ownership of the dome – located in Centennial Park, behind College Heights Secondary School on College Avenue – but offer a variety of programming and rentals reaching beyond soccer, which has been the primary focus to-date.
That could include fitness classes, after-school offerings, winter training opportunities and more, explained Danna Evans, the city’s general manager of culture and recreation.
“It holds value as an indoor space,” she said, noting that any programming or rentals that shift there from other facilities will open up those time slots for other user groups.
The city took control of the dome in 2019, along with $250,000 in remaining mortgage debt, from Guelph Community Sports – a group created to oversee operation of the facility.
At that time, council directed staff to oversee operation of the facility from Oct. 2019 to April 2020 and use collected data to develop a business plan for moving forward – whether to sell the facility, issue a request for proposals to operate it or continue with it under city control.
However, the pandemic prevented staff from offering a full program and assessing municipal use during that time frame, explained Danna Evans, the city’s general manager of culture and recreation, noting staff assess the three options as best as they could.
Finding another organization to oversee use risks potentially limiting the facility’s sporting options, she noted, while sale could eliminate the city’s only year-round facility for field sports.”
Jerald Greenidge asked the committee to delay making a decision until his “small group” has an opportunity to discuss operations with city staff.
“It is apparent a need exists,” he said, noting his group has been trying to find multi-use space that could accommodate a range of sports. “Finding adequate, leasable space in Guelph has proven difficult.”
No action was taken in response to his request.
The facility is currently slated to receive $330,000 in capital repairs and maintenance this year, with an additional $500,000 required during the next decade.
It will cost roughly $336,000 annually to operate the dome, staff state, noting that cost is expected to be “fully offset with additional revenues generated from programming and facility bookings.”
The dome was built after the city was approached by Guelph Soccer Club Incorporated for assistance in constructing an indoor soccer facility in 2006. Land was provided by the city and it acted as guarantor of a bank loan to finance the construction.
