Construction has broken ground for a multi-use indoor sports facility in Cranbrook that has been spearheaded by a local youth soccer association for the last few years.
The facility, an air-supported ‘bubble’ that will feature 2,440 metres-squared of an artificial turf surface, is being constructed by New Dawn Development at Balment Park and is expected to be completed in October.
The project is budgeted at $1.5 million, with $1.2 million raised from sources that include the Regional District of East Kootenay, Columbia Basin Trust, Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust. Local private donations have also poured into the Community Foundation of the Kootenay Rockies, while partnerships have been built with both the general contractor and the City of Cranbrook.
“It’s definitely been a long journey,” said Chuck Downie, a board director with the Kootenay East Youth Soccer Association, noting fellow director Mike Robinson began the process approximately five years ago, looking to examples of multi-use facilities in Kelowna and Calgary.
“The vision has always been to have a place where people can participate year round,” Downie said. “Obviously, it’s KEYSA, so there may be a bit more soccer branding, but..a lot of baseball guys are going to use it, hopefully the people walking in the arena can use it, so we’re looking at it as something that the whole community can use.
“…The main thing is just to have a year round facility where people can participate. It’s going to be the schools — very close to two of the bigger schools in town to be able to go there in the winter time and play sports, we can use it for the indoor market.”
Getting construction underway has taken a few years, as KEYSA and volunteers navigated the process to raise funds and find a location suitable for the facility.
An initial open house two years ago identified six areas in the city that were eventually pared down to Balment Park or Moir Park. While Moir Park was touted for its proximity to existing soccer fields and infrastructure, Balment Park was favoured for its central location, which includes Laurie Middle School, Mount Baker Secondary School and other recreational infrastructure.
The matter became a prominent issue the 2018 municipal elections, and a few locations within Balment Park were identified, with concerns about potential impacts to the nearby BMX track. However, the BMX track was recently relocated close to its original location, with support from both KEYSA and the City of Cranbrook.
