Objector cites environmental and planning concerns

THUNDER BAY -- A numbered Ontario company has filed for an appeal against city council's recent decision to allow a waterfront industrial site to be used as a temporary home for indoor soccer.

The application for appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board is signed on the company's behalf by David Robertson.

Robertson operated the Sports Dome on the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition grounds before the dome collapsed last November.

Tbnewswatch.com was unable to reach him on Tuesday for comment.

Several soccer groups including the local men's league, women's league and Thunder Bay Chill want to use a former Northern Wood building on Maureen Street for two indoor soccer fields.

Officials have said it would give them some time to come up with a permanent facility.

Council permission was required for a temporary bylaw amendment because a recreational use doesn't fall under the current zoning.

The grounds for appeal reference a report prepared by consultants Northern Planning that cites concerns about site contamination, failure to comply with the Provincial Policy Statement on land-use planning, and related regulations.

That report spoke to by Northern Planning at a meeting of city council on Oct. 23.

Michael Veneziale, a spokesperson for the Thunder Bay men's league, declined to comment on the situation to tbnewswatch.com, other than saying the league is conferring with a lawyer and with city officials.

Opening of College "bubble" for soccer delayed

In a related development, the reopening of the former Confederation College Fitness Centre by a private-sector operator for indoor soccer has been delayed.

Robert Zanette's RZ Realty Services is relaunching the college bubble as the Goal Sports Centre.

The Lakehead Express Soccer Club, which will run its winter programs for youth in the facility, has posted a notice on its website saying the season won't start until Nov. 11.

The original target date was mid-October.

Lakehead Express is waiting for the results of mold tests on the artificial turf that was salvaged from the Sports Dome.

A notice on the club's website states "As we are concerned about the health and safety of our players and their families, soccer will be delayed another week while we wait for the outcome."

A club spokesperson told Dougall Media in an email Tuesday that they are "100 per cent confident that it is clean and safe...just being extra cautious by having an environmental group test it."











