$2M provincial boost for new Northern College sports dome

Northern College’s planned Timmins sports dome gets a $2 million boost from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund.

A new sports complex about to be built in Timmins, Ont., got a boost in provincial funding from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation on Friday

Northern College has plans to build a state-of-the-art sports dome and clubhouse at its Timmins campus.

“We’re looking to accommodate as many different groups as possible in there,” said Mitch Dumas, the college’s president and CEO.

“That’s why we have a walking track, we have a 100-meter dash track at the bottom of the dome as well, we have two courts that can be converted into tennis, volleyball, basketball, pickleball and we also have a full-size soccer field. We also have a full fitness area.”

The NOHFC approves of the concept and is investing $2 million in the project.

“This part of northern Ontario is anchored by Northern College,” said Timmins MPP and Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth George Pirie.

“It’s very important that we attract students.”

Dumas said that with the decreased revenues coming into the college with policy changes at the federal level, the college saw a need to increase revenues.

“This will be a revenue-generating facility for us; it’ll help our bottom line,” he said.

Dumas said anyone in the community will be able to purchase a membership to the dome and that is one of the reasons that Timmins’ city council agreed to contribute $500,000 towards the facility last summer.

“The fact that this facility will be community-wide and available to not only students but residents means that, you know, again, it just provides more recreational space, modern indoor recreational space,” said Timmins Mayor Michelle Boileau.

“We know that that’s something that professionals are looking for; we hear it from some of the major employers.”

The college is also hoping to attract more investors to support the new building.

“We want to have a title sponsor on the fieldhouse,” said Dumas.

“We’ve approached some industries… and we’re still waiting-we’re still having those conversations.”

The sports dome will be constructed on an empty parcel of land between the Whitney Arena and the Whitney Fire Station, located on Highway 101 East. Dumas said construction is expected to start in the spring and take 12 months to complete.