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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
If all goes well for the NWT Soccer Association, Yellowknife could get its first full-sized soccer pitch with artificial grass in 2015. The main challenge, however, is finding the appropriate piece of land.

Ryan Fequet, NWT Soccer Association president, addresses Monday's municipal services committee at city hall. - Simon Whitehouse/NNSL photo

Ryan Fequet, president of the NWT Soccer Association, received council's support Monday to have administration come up with land options for such a field. Fequet says his association and a number of other organizations in town are hard-pressed to have a regulation-sized field - 120 yards by 90 yards - with artificial grass.

He estimates such a project would cost $1.2 to $1.5 million, depending on the amount of blasting or other physical barriers, but a field project committee was struck earlier this year to raise funds. Among the members are Bill Kellett, Brenda Caroll and Joe Acorn.

"Our association is behind it and this time we have some good connections with the local corporate community," Fequet said. "In order to apply for big federal grants and brand a campaign, we need to know what the total cost is going to be. To do that, we need to know where the field is going to be."

He pointed out that there are currently two full-sized artificial grass fields in the NWT already - one in Hay River and one to open in Fort Smith next year. Having the city help locate some land will be beneficial to growing sports field activity.

"Right now field usage is extremely, extremely full," said Fequet. "We have two and a half fields in Yellowknife that are fully booked up with a variety of different users. By creating a fourth field, that is where we want to move and it will allow the city to have some flexibility to schedule."

Ideally, the association would like to see a field near residential areas, Fequet said, although the committee has considered using land in the Engle Business District on Deh Cho Boulevard near the NWT SPCA building.

Other top prospects include beside the fieldhouse or at St. Joseph School. With the former spot, the city is concerned the fieldhouse's LEED designation could be affected by the building of a "non-porous" field.

"If you put a soccer field adjacent to the parking lot, you lose the groundwater points for the LEED because it blocks the groundwater runoff," said Mayor Gord Van Tighem, pointing out the soccer field would create an impermeable pad. "If you lose points, you might as well not apply for it."

However that spot would be positive because it is close to washrooms, change rooms, public transit and a residential area, says Fequet.

As for St Joe's, city staff say it would be hard to get a regulation sized pitch in there without having to remove something - perhaps the skateboard park that currently exists there.

"St. Joe's field, when finished, will be regulation sized width-wise and will be 15 yards short (of regulation) length-wise," said Dave Hurley, adding if the skate park was removed, it would be "pretty close" to the size of pitch that Fequet is looking for.

Fequet said in his presentation that the association is not looking for any funds, but would expect the city to own the land and lease it out to the parties. The association would be willing, however, to provide assistance in maintaining the property, he said.

Van Tighem says in five to 10 years, he expects some land to open up for sports facilities after the mine remediation projects are done.

"I think they need to continue the relationship with the city and so we have told them to go and talk with administration," he said. "If I was coming into the city, the first thing I would do is see what the plan is for the next five or 10 years and then go from there. Or ask to consider something else. Hopefully that will be the nature of the discussions coming from the meeting (Monday)."

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