Group proposes to build a new recreation facility

Jeff Helsdon, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A group of Tillsonburg residents is proposing to help build a new multi-use recreational facility in town that will include an indoor soccer field, a walking track, and multi-use courts. However, a grant is crucial to the project getting off the ground.

Jesse Goossens, president of Basketball Tillsonburg, and Shane Curtis, past-president of the Kinsmen Club, shared their vision with council for a new facility. Together with Andrew Burns and Goossens’ wife Victoria Sergeant, they have talked to many people and heard there is a lack of gymnasium space and no indoor soccer field.

“We’ve been at this a while to pull together a pretty good view of what our options are in the community for this type of facility,” Goossens said, adding Cowan Park in Woodstock is a vision of what they are trying to do.

Curtis, who has been involved with the Chamber of Commerce for more than 20 years, said a common request was for an indoor soccer facility. He recounted the Kinsmen's history of being involved in many sports facilities in town over the years, dating all the way back to the outdoor pool. He said the new facility could be good for basketball, volleyball, pickleball, gymnastics, football, soccer, lacrosse, and baseball winter training.

“If we have all these different user groups, it will allow us to touch all these groups and use their circle of influence to help raise money from this," he said.

Curtis said while the Kinsmen were aware of the initiative, the club has yet to formally endorse it as more details are needed. He did note the Tillsonburg Kinsmen Club hasn’t had a large project in years, it’s the second largest Kinsmen Club in Canada and one of the youngest.

It was pointed out that the Thames Valley District School Board is projecting a 33 per cent increase in Tillsonburg enrollment before 2031, but is not talking about any new facilities.

A potential layout of the facility completed by an architect was presented. It will be one story with 63,000 square feet, and everything will be accessible. There is potential for a second floor as well. The concept was also presented to a construction contractor and the estimated cost would be $14 million. If the town received the grant, the proposal was for the town to pay $3.5 million and fund raise $3.5 million. Operational costs will probably be similar to the $460,000 per year it costs to operate Cowan Park.

“This grant, it’s probably a once in a lifetime chance for a community to get a facility like this because of the 50/50 funding up to $10 million,” Goossens said. “What are we going to do about that and what decisions and information do we need to make those decisions.”

Four different possibilities were presented for the facility's location: on parkland adjacent to Westfield Public School, on property the town owns on the south end, at the soccer club, with an understanding that any lost fields will be replaced, and adjacent to the community centre.

Curtis said from the Kinsmen standpoint, club members are looking at providing in-kind work. He also talked to construction companies who would donate in kind.

“There is a potential we could have some of these construction costs less than they would normally be,” he said.

Coun. Bob Parsons wanted to know how Woodstock handled the operational costs and was told it was from the tax base.

Deputy Mayor Dave Beres asked if this would be a project similar to the soccer club where the group did the work and then handed the facility over to the town, except the Kinsmen would head it up. His remarks were based on recent information presented to council about the obstacles of having volunteer labour on town-owned facilities. Curtis answered that was the concept, as long as the club would qualify for the grant.

Accolades for the project also came from Coun. Kelly Spencer, who liked the walking track, and Coun. Chris Parker.

Mayor Deb Gilvesy asked Curtis and Goossens what their main ask was from council, and was told there needed to be a study to see if this is what the community wants and for the town to consider this project as its application for the grant application.

“It really starts and stops there,” Curtis said. “If we don’t get that, this is dead in the water.”

Since this project was also presented at the Recreation and Sport Advisory Committee on Nov. 7, Director of Recreation, Culture and Parks Andrea Greenway had a report on the topic prepared for council, and was prepared to answer questions. The town’s long-term capital budget had a multi-use recreational facility in the budget for 2032. However, this was one item that was a possibility to be cut in the budget process to meet council’s three-per-cent budget target.

A feasibility study for this facility and a third ice pad was removed at a prior meeting at a cost of $155,000. Council spoke against a feasibility study, if possible, with Parsons, Spencer and Parker weighing in on the topic.

Mayor Deb Gilvesy suggested staff could come back with recommendations for location if a feasibility study wasn’t compulsory for the grant.

“This is an opportunity if we have a community group that is looking to work with us to reduce cost and bring something really needed to the community,” Parker said.

Council passed a motion for staff to bring back a report on the grant application process, affordability, location ideas and other potential funding sources.