Soccer association comes up empty, but has pledged to move forward with facility
Jan 20, 2010 - 02:31 PM
By Chris Hall
PORT PERRY -- The Durham Region Soccer Association may be forced to scale down its ambitious plans to bring a top-notch indoor soccer facility to Scugog.
In an idea pitched to Township officials last September, the DRSA had hoped to see a massive new $9-million soccer facility constructed at the current site of the Carolyn Best ball diamonds, behind the Scugog Community Centre on Reach Street, by March 2011.
That goal hinged on the soccer association securing about two-thirds of the needed funds through an Infrastructure Stimulus Fund grant. The DRSA would cover the outstanding amount, councillors were told.
But the plan has hit a bit of speed bump, Scugog Mayor Marilyn Pearce told her colleagues on Monday.
The soccer association, she explained, was unsuccessful in securing the government funds.
"They didn't get the infrastructure money they were looking for ... but they wish to proceed in a more phased approach," said the mayor, recapping the highlights of her meeting last week with DRSA officials.
"They were disappointed, but they'll come before committee in the very near future" to discuss future steps in moving the project forward, said Mayor Pearce.
As a result, "we'll all work under the assumption that 2010 will proceed as normal at the Carolyn Best ball diamonds," added the mayor.
As part of its original plan, the soccer association proposed to build a full-size, 93,050-square-foot indoor soccer centre with turf, offices, a community room, change rooms and storage.
A full-size, lit outdoor soccer field with seating for 1,000 spectators was also planned for the site, which soccer officials said would complement the existing Scugog Soccer Fields that are just a stroll away.
Last fall, soccer officials pledged last fall the project would still move ahead, albeit scaled down, if government funding wasn't secured.
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