Stadium Partners NL is planning to build a new multi-sport complex that will help address the need for more ice time in the Metro area.

There are ambitious plans for the complex with four ice surfaces, a full-sized soccer facility, sports therapy offices, training facilities, a restaurant and more.

President of Stadium Partners NL and outgoing President of Hockey NL, Jack Lee says they are looking at beginning construction next spring.

A study by Tom Clift says that over 95 per cent of ice rinks in the Metro area are fully booked on weekday evenings and for the entire day on weekends.

Lee says there’s a desperate need for more availability to ice time, as children are being turned away.

Lee says he receives calls frequently from parents of children who are not able to register due to associations not being able to accommodate them. He says this happens all over the province and he just wants every kid who wishes to play sports to be able to do so.

Skate Canada-NL Welcomes New Facilty

The Executive Director of Skate Canada-NL says they are fully behind the development of the complex.

Lori Brett says they’ve seen similar issues to minor hockey in having to turn kids away, however, she is also behind the project for how it will benefit national competition for those performing at a higher level.

Brett says athletes from the province see similar facilities of this size elsewhere in the country and they’re not used to it.

She says their athletes deserve to be able to train in a complex as advanced as this and that they aren’t just for major cities anymore. The new building will put them on an even playing field.