Despite the fact that the Quebec government has twice refused to finance its planned indoor sports complex, the City of Rimouski is not interested in constricting a dome, a cheaper option to which the City of Rimouski has notably turned. Gatineau.
“For the moment, this is not an option considered by the municipal council because it may cost less, but it lasts less time. We want to have a more permanent structure and we are working to have this more permanent structure and not to have a structure whose lifespan will be limited, particularly because of our winters. I respect the cities that have gone towards this option, but for the moment, this is not the direction we intend to take,” comments the mayor of Rimouski, Guy Caron.
The City of Gatineau has developed a municipal sports dome project on the site of the Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO) which already has a synthetic field.
“In addition to filling the lack of indoor synthetic surface in the west of the Gatineau territory, this project will also provide versatile use for various sporting disciplines, including soccer, football, baseball, ultimate frisbee, golf, rugby,” underlines Cynthia Lauzon, from the communications department of the City of Gatineau.
Seasonal dome
In Gatineau, different possible structures for covering a synthetic surface were analyzed, ranging from a permanent building to a permanent or seasonal dome.
“A seasonal dome has the advantage of being able to be erected quickly and it offers a longer lifespan than a dome erected without dismantling, which must be air-conditioned and whose lifespan is reduced by exposure to the sun throughout the summer,” we specify.
Installation of the dome takes place in the fall and deinstallation will be carried out in late spring each year. It is necessary to consider a duration of 5 to 8 days of work for each of the stages (installation and uninstallation).
The City of Gatineau has estimated the costs of acquiring and installing a seasonal dome at $5 million, which is scheduled to open in the fall of 2025.
The example of a dome offering exceptional benefits is located three hours away. Built in 2017, the Stade Canac stadium in Quebec City maximizes the use of the synthetic baseball field all year round.
It now allows us to have the largest baseball sports study program in Quebec and offers the opportunity to play on the same surface as the professional players of the Capitals.
$38M project
In Rimouski, the current project is worth $38 million. The City has budgeted $21.5 million for its completion.
“For the moment, we do not have $38 million planned in our budget. I don’t think the City could assume $38 million in a project like this. The private sector is a possibility. Institutional partners are another possibility. The other possibility would be to move forward with a more modest project commensurate with what the City can invest, around $21 million. If we go in this direction, we will not be able to achieve the initial plan,” says Mayor Caron.
The initial project includes an 11-a-side soccer field that can be converted into two seven-a-side fields, as well as an athletics track.
