Partnership praised
Club Roma secures ‘renting rights’ tenant for new synthetic field at Sir Winston Churchill
Bulldogs and wolves don’t travel in the same pack, but they soon will be in St. Catharines.
A synthetic turf field, now under construction at Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School, will become home to the high school’s Bulldogs teams, and a home away from home for Club Roma soccer teams when the $1.2-million project is completed in the fall.
A 10-year “renting rights” agreement between the organization and District School Board of Niagara was announced during a photo op at the construction site Monday.
A bulldozer and front-end loader were busy moving dirt in the background as board chairwoman Dale Robinson and Club Roma Soccer president Martin Beswick praised the partnership as a win-win for both parties, as well as for the community.
“We are anticipating a great outcome,” Robinson said. “This will contribute to health and to young people in the community.”
She cited the agreement with the 1,200-player organization as the latest example of the public school board’s commitment to forming community partnerships. Robinson said Greater Fort Secondary School, which will replace existing high schools in Crystal Beach and Fort Erie, will feature a $3-million theatre as a result of a similar partnership.
“We believe that working together always creates better outcomes for students and young people in the community,” she said.
Robinson said the board is pleased to join Club Roma in a partnership.
“This organization contributes to the positive health and wellbeing of young people, which certainly aligns with the values of this board.”
Education director Warren Hoshizaki said the partnership will maximize the investment the board is making in the turf field at Churchill.
“Working with community partners helds ensure we maximize the usage of the field, while providing Club Roma soccer players with an outstanding facility to develop their skills,” he said in a news release.
With no need to replace grass fields that be damaged by weather, Robinson said the “investment in athletics” will save money over the long run. It also will result in fewer rainouts with turf draining in a fraction of the time.
“Poor weather does not deteriorate artificial fields,” she said.
Under the agreement the soccer club will have exclusive use of a field that will have lights and seating for up to 600 people, including 100 on tiers that will be cut into a hill.
“This is absolutely fantastic,” Beswick said. “It’s going to be great for soccer in St. Catharines.” Club Roma invested in renting rights to ensure a degree of cost certainty whenever demand exceeds the supply of pitches at its property on Vansickle Road in Western Hill.
In the past, the organization, which has 1,200 players ranging in age from three to adult leagues, has rented turf fields in Welland to accommodate tournaments.
“It will be nice to stay — and play — in St. Catharines,” he said.
The turf field at Churchill, which also will be used by the school’s football and lacrosse teams, will be surrounded by a track. Portable bleachers will seat 500, nearly triple the 200 stands at the school’s grass field held.
Depending on the pitch configuration, Club Roma can play as many as three games at a time.
“There’s enough room to play three seven-on-seven games,” Beswick said. “This is going to be great for us.”
Financial terms of the shareduse agreement were not disclosed at the club’s request, but the organization will pay “preferred rates” for exclusive use of the field at designated times Monday to Thursday, as well as on Saturdays.
This is absolutely fantastic. It’s going to be great for soccer in St. Catharines.” Club Roma Soccer president Martin Beswick
As the “preferred tenant,” Club Roma also will have the right to host weekend tournaments during the spring and summer months.
Construction of the turf field at Churchill, one of five the board will be installing at high schools in the region, was not conditional on securing a partnership.
However, Stacy Veld, superintendent of business services and finance, said the scope of the project would have been scaled back had the soccer club not come on board.
She doubted that lights would have been installed, and there also could have been fewer seats.
Another photo-op is expected in the fall, to mark the field’s official opening, but don’t expect action to kick off with a Canine Cup pitting the Club Roma Wolves and the Churchill Bulldogs.
“That might be a problem, we can only play teams that belong to the Ontario Soccer Association,” Beswick said.
Artificial fields are also being installed at A.N. Myer in Niagara Falls, at Greater Fort Erie, Welland Centennial, as well as at Governor Simcoe in St. Catharines.