Mystery donor to rescue at Howe Sports Complex
An anonymous $15-million donation is a “huge confidence booster” for the fundraising body that aims to reinvent Saskatoon’s Gordie Howe Sports Complex, says Friends of the Bowl Foundation chairman Bryan Kosteroski.
“The donation of $15 million positions the project for success; it really displays the competence in the past capital projects and the fundraising campaigns,” he said.
The non-profit foundation, which has partnered with 10 sporting groups in the city, has been working toward a $50-million fundraising goal since 2012. With the massive anonymous donation received last week, the project has now raised more than $35 million.
A third of that — $11.6 million — has already been shelled out to construct the Saskatoon Minor Football Field and the Gordie Howe Sports Centre, which opened in 2014 and 2015 respectively. Upgrades to the Gordie Howe Sports Centre entrance have also been completed.
The Friends of the Bowl Foundation has ambitious plans for additions to the centre by 2019, once it secures the remaining $15 million it needs.
The master plan includes building an international standard track and field complex — complete with a public track — at the Clarence Downey Speedskating Oval, constructing a multi-sport indoor athletic performance and training centre with a turf field, laying down outdoor turf fields and putting infrastructure in place to encourage cross-country skiing. Upgrades to the speedskating oval and Cairns and Leakos ball fields are also planned.
“We have now positioned Saskatoon to host a lot of new types of events that we’ve never had the opportunity to in the past,” Kosteroski said.
He appeared before city council’s priorities and governance committee on Wednesday to request a $5-million investment from the city for the project.
He said he’s “confident” the investment will be made.
Once the city indicates whether it will support the project, Kosteroski said Friends of the Bowl will launch an aggressive capital campaign to raise the rest of the funds.