BURSTThe City of Terrace is backing a bid from a newly-formed society to examine the costs of building and running an indoor sports dome.
The Northwest Sports Dome Society would participate in the design and raise money for the construction of a 150 metre by 55 metre artificial turf structure on donated city land and then turn it over to the city to operate it, society representative Steve Pereira outlined to council when it met on Aug. 24, 2026.
He said the project would build on the momentum arising from this year’s World Cup games held in Canada, a successful local soccer camp featuring professional coaches from Portugal and a $1 billion program for sports facilities announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney this July.
“That’s grant money that is going to be out there for people to write grants to get funds for soccer,” Pereira emphasized.
Although discussion centred around having an indoor sports facility for the city and area’s soccer-playing community, the society’s letter to council seeking support to raise the money for a feasibility study mentioned softball, rugby, cricket and a perimeter walking track as other beneficiaries.
Both society vice president Bob Park and Pereira emphasized the value in having an indoor sports facility as an antidote to the area’s winter months.
“It would enhance health, family life and provide a social gathering place for all ages and all people of Terrace,” Park said.
He said an indoor facility was also needed to maintain Terrace’s status as regional hub for shopping, services and other recreation.
But first the society needs to find the money for a full-range feasibility study and in that effort, received council’s support.
The motion to back the society’s search was moved by Councillor James Cordeiro and seconded by Councillor Sarah Zimmerman.
Information presented by the society to council indicated that based on a recently-completed indoor facility in Calgary for the non-profit Calgary Villains soccer club, the dome as envisaged by the society would cost in the $6 million range.
That dome’s cover is fabric held up by forced air, something Pereira has so far ruled out.
Fabric domes have a 20-year shelf life and are held up by fans, he said.
“It would be a dome that would have some sort of hard top that would be there for a lifetime, not just 20 years,” he noted of the society’s current thinking.
To date, Pereira said the dome concept has been met by enthusiasm by local and regional businesses and industrial players who are now waiting for a detailed project proposal.
“Everybody that we’ve talked to has already said they’re supportive of the project,” he said.
Zimmerman introduced a note of caution, saying a feasibility study would have to look carefully at operating cost expectations and overall asset management once a dome was up and running.
In response to a question surrounding operating costs, city recreation services director Tara Irwin said recreation facilities typically recover 30 to 40 per cent of what it takes to run them.
Cordeiro also received assurances from city manager Maggie Aruda that council would be presented with an idea of how much city staff time would need to be devoted to planning and other issues surrounding a dome project.