Options for dome being examined
Cape Breton Health Recreation Complex ‘examining options’ for dome
SYDNEY — The Cape Breton Health Recreation Complex dome may be deflated for the time being, but the facility’s president says it will rise again — in some form.
Ken MacLean told the Cape Breton Post the nonfor-profit organization is currently "examining options" for the air-supported dome and one of the possibilities is purchasing a new one.
“We’re going to either fix the current dome or try to replace it with something similar like an upgrade,” said MacLean. “It’s a wait-and-see type of thing.”
Last February, high winds, snow, freezing rain and rain caused the collapse of the dome for the third time in 10 years.
Snow and ice falling from the top of the dome caused a tear on the outside near its base, which ultimately deflated the structure.
Along with the damage to the outside of the structure, which has since been fixed, repairs are still required to the dome’s lights, heating and insulation.
The dome was inflated during the summer months in preparation for programs in the fall. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the facility had no rentals or programs so the dome was deflated in the fall and has since been out of operation.
“The repairs themselves would be in excess of $200,000,” said MacLean of the currently facility. “To replace the dome would be more than that, but we’re not sure on the exact total yet.”
Although a decision hasn’t been made yet, MacLean said if the dome is replaced it would be with a similar airsupported structure.
“The supplier that we used when we built it was Canadian,” he said. “We’re looking at a couple of quotes from the United States and Canada, but it really depends on the pricing and the availability.”
The dome, located at Cape Breton University, was first raised in December 2009 and officially opened in January 2010, measuring 270x180
feet, as part of the $10-million CBHRC facility.
The multi-sport facility is used by various sports groups in the Cape Breton area including soccer, baseball, football, rugby, golf and lacrosse to name a few.
The dome’s artificial turf can be divided into two fields, both measuring 180x120 feet.
“If it wasn’t for COVID-19, I’m sure we would be up and operating right now,” said MacLean, who’s also the president of Soccer Cape Breton.
“With no rentals and no students on campus who were using it, we had no choice.”
MacLean said the organization is now saving money in terms of not having power and heating bills for the winter months.
“The power bill alone would probably be $3,000 a month and the hearting for the winter would be $60,000,” he said. “We have to have it running to be able to pay for it and with no rentals we can’t run it.”
MacLean said there’s no exact date as to when a decision will be made to repair or replace the dome.
“It’s really hard to plan dayto-day when we don’t know what’s going to happen.”
MacLean is optimistic the dome — current or new — will be back in operation in the near future.
“Our No. 1 intent is to get it up and going by the summer and be in operation by the fall,” said MacLean.
“There isn’t a lot of rentals in the summer for it, but it will give us time to fix it and have it running for next fall with CBU hosting the women’s soccer nationals — hopefully programs will be back by then.”