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City review suggests higher costs for indoor turf proposal

A city review found Soccer Northwest Ontario’s proposal for an indoor turf facility next to the Canada Games Complex would likely cost more than the organization estimated, but still recommends further study.
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Soccer players at Sault Ste. Marie's Northern Community Centre. (Soo Today)

THUNDER BAY – A city review of a Soccer Northwest Ontario proposal for an indoor turf facility next to the Canada Games Complex suggests the project would cost more than the group estimated, but raised no red flags that would rule out the site.

In a memo that will be presented to city council on Monday, city staff present rough estimates of $23.8 to $25.8 million to build Soccer Northwest Ontario’s proposed hangar-like design, which SNO has said could be put up for $20 million or less.

It would cost even more – around $30 million – to meet the city’s environmental building standards, which would lower operating costs and carbon emissions in the long run, the memo states.

SNO president Michael Veneziale raised concerns over those conclusions in an interview, though the document also seemed to contain some promising news for his organization.

It recommends moving forward with further review of the SNO proposal, and corroborates the group’s argument the city could build a much cheaper facility than the more elaborate design it’s still considering at Chapples Park.

Still, Veneziale said it could be hard to sell a project that costs much over $20 million.

“You’re starting to creep close to where I don’t know if we would get resident and council support,” he said of administration’s estimate. “When we went into this, we could understand… if there were some differences in… what the city was looking for, so we estimated there would be a small discrepancy. I didn’t assume it would be in the amount they’re coming back with.”

SNO has stated its steel-supported design would include 10 change rooms, a pro shop, concession, gathering area, meeting room, offices, accessible washrooms, a second floor mezzanine, and floor-level seating.

The city estimates SNO’s 147-by-56.5 metre concept would need to be 10 per cent larger to accommodate those amenities.

Staff found rising costs would add another 12.5 per cent to the SNO estimate, based on recent Statistics Canada building construction price index data.

The SNO design wouldn’t meet city building guidelines like achieving LEEED Silver, a sustainable building standard, said city construction services supervisor Kelvin Jankowski.

Meeting the standard would reduce utility costs in the long run, as well as delivering progress on city climate goals.

Veneziale said he’s waiting to see further details, but isn’t convinced all those increases are necessary.

“I know a lot of people termed the [proposed Chapples] facility the Taj Mahal because of the types of materials that went into that,” he said. “We’re using very cost-effective materials to keep the cost down.”

“I’m very nervous we’re going to lead down the same path we started on eight years ago, where we brought something forward, it goes to administration, it comes back larger and more expensive, they go out for funding that doesn’t come back, they go out for other ideas that don’t come back, and then we’ve just lost time.”

A phase one environmental assessment of the property next to the Canada Games Complex, which reviewed historical site data, confirmed an incinerator had been located nearby from around 1952 to 1972, but didn’t find any concrete evidence that significant remediation would be required.

The incinerator was located on top of the hill bordering the west end of the Complex’s parking lot. Incinerator ash and garbage could have been stored near the proposed site, the city’s memo found, though “fill of unknown quality” was likely brought in during subsequent development..

“These findings do not give administration any immediate concerns that would result in a recommendation to abandon the site as a possible location,” the memo concludes.

Jankowski cautioned a recommended phase two environmental assessment, which would include collecting soil samples, could still uncover contamination.

“Ultimately, if something is discovered on site, we’d have to deal with it in an appropriate manner, and it would really slow things down… and potentially add cost,” said Jankowski.

City council has approved up to $170,000 for Stantec Architecture to carry out the environmental assessment and other work after expressing strong interest in the SNO proposal.

Assuming council approval Monday, staff will proceed with the phase two assessment and develop a floor plan, with a full report expected in May.

The Chapples design is still in play, with staff announcing they've resubmitted an application to the federal Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program ahead of a looming application deadline.

The project failed to secure approval in previous GICB rounds, but staff still believe it’s a strong application, calling it prudent to re-apply.

The Chapples design is now estimated at $52 million, factoring in rising construction costs and a net zero emissions design, but a GICB grant could cover up to half of that, leaving the city to shoulder less than $26 million.

If the SNO proposal were to go forward, city staff suggested rebuilding a heavily-used baseball diamond that currently sits on the site, proposing it could replace two smaller diamonds in an adjacent park.



Ian Kaufman

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