Headline News

Town explores possibility of constructing covered multi-sport field

November 13, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The Town of New Tecumseth is exploring the possibility of constructing a multi-sport field with a dome at a local sports park.

The location being looked at is Geoff Gaston Sports Park on the 14th Line.

A report received by Council at the Nov. 3 council meeting identifies the need for additional field space to meet growing demand over the next 15 years.

Community feedback strongly supports the addition of an artificial turf field, with Geof Gaston Sports Park suggested as a priority site for upgrades to achieve ‘tournament-worthy’ status.

There are 12 sports domes within a 50 km radius of New Tecumseth, of which 10 are located in the GTA. This indicates a regional gap in facilities north of the GTA.

The Town Parks, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan identifies a growing demand for grass fields, driven by increased soccer participation since the pandemic. A key concern is that the Geoff Gaston Sports Park is not suitable for tournaments due to the lack of indoor washrooms and shade availability.  

To meet projected demand over the next 15 years, the Master Plan recommends adding 14 fields, upgrading them with permanent restrooms and shade, and potentially adding lighting to one field.

The Town of New Tecumseth currently has four soccer leagues with a combined membership of 3,324 for the 2025 season. These soccer clubs all compete for time in the Alliston Community Centre Field House during the off-season from September through March.

During that period, the Field House is extremely busy with limited or no availability.

While most time slots are reserved for soccer, a variety of other groups use the space for baseball and softball, lacrosse, hockey, dry-land training, and lawn bowling.

The Town does not have any other indoor recreational facilities equipped with artificial turf.

A successful dome operation depends on three key factors: available land, internal infrastructure, and suitable environmental and external conditions.

A suitable site would require available servicing, suitable geography, and proximity to public amenities.

The current estimated cost to build a small dome totaling 60,000 sq. ft. is around $4 million.

A FIFA-sized dome (121,400 sq. ft.) ranges from $9 million to $11 million. 

Readers Comments (0)