NDP vows big soccer complex, fields

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This article was published 27/09/2011 (5127 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A re-elected NDP government will help build a massive indoor soccer complex in north Winnipeg and nine more outdoor artificial-turf fields throughout the city, Premier Greg Selinger said Monday.

Standing near the centre of the huge indoor Winnipeg Soccer Federation indoor complex at the University of Manitoba, Selinger said an NDP government would spend $12.5 million in its fourth term toward the proposed four-field indoor facility, the site of which still has to be decided, and the additional fields. The Winnipeg and Manitoba soccer associations are to raise about $10 million toward the projects.

“It’s an announcement about investing in a high quality of life in Manitoba,” Selinger said. “It’s the kind of sport where you don’t have to have a huge amount of money for equipment. You’ve just got to have shorts and the shoes and the jersey and you can participate. Everybody can play from all levels of society and all income backgrounds.”

Barry McArton of the Manitoba Soccer Federation welcomed the promise, saying a new facility in the north of the city will be easily filled.

“The growth of the sport here is so incredible that these facilities will only allow us to enhance it,” he said. “This a huge commitment and it’s a huge bonus for the entire province.”

The indoor arena at the U of M is filled daily, with weekend games going to 2 a.m. or later. The indoor fields are also used for Bomber and high school football practices, lacrosse and ultimate.

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McArton said a list of seven possible sites for the north side of the city will be presented to federation officials on Wednesday.

Red River College is a prime candidate for the north complex, though there is sufficient land at both the Garden City/Maples complex east of Garden City mall and at Gateway Community Centre. The federation hopes to see it built by 2013.

McArton also said the new fields will help Winnipeg’s drive to host the women’s world soccer championships in 2015. Officials with FIFA are in the city this week to do a site inspection.

The outdoor pitches to be built are: two in east Winnipeg; two in west Winnipeg; two in central Winnipeg; two more at the new north Winnipeg complex and one more added to the pair already in use at the soccer facility on Waverley Street.

bruce.owen@freepress.mb.ca