A sports dome for Orléans

Orléans and the surrounding area will benefit from high-quality, state-of-the-art athletic facilities if the Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE) gets approval to build its proposed sports complex, including a dome atop the École secondaire catholique Garneau football field.

The highly anticipated dome would enable students and Orléans residents of all ages to enjoy a wide variety of athletic activities all year long no matter the weather. If the City of Ottawa gives the proposal the green light, the CECCE plans to offer something for everyone, from football, volleyball, soccer and pickleball to baseball, tennis, running, yoga and walking. The board will also provide access to outdoor soccer pitches and baseball fields within the sports complex. Several different teams and organizations will be able to hold practices and activities simultaneously outside school hours because the dome can be divided into sections to accommodate different sports. Keen interest from the board’s private-sector and not-forprofit partners will help the CECCE make this ambitious project possible.

INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY

Although the CECCE plans to build the dome on the grounds of École secondaire catholique Garneau, the infrastructure would benefit the entire Orléans community, not just Garneau students. Students from all east Ottawa CECCE schools, the Mouvement d’implication francophone d’Orléans (MIFO), sports association members and guests and, of course, residents of all ages in the Orléans sector would be welcome in addition to the general public.

With a view to making more and better services available to residents outside school hours, the CECCE has partnered with organizations such as the MIFO, the Ottawa Sooners Football Club, the Orléans Bengals Minor Football Association, the Orléans Raftsmen Midget Football Club, Tennis Canada, the Maverick Volleyball Club and the Ottawa Pickleball Association. These partners are excited about this major project and eagerly awaiting it.

LISTENING TO OUR COMMUNITY

The CECCE knows that listening to families and the community is crucial to delivering a facility that is aligned with their needs and expectations, so it engaged in consultations with École élémentaire catholique Saint-Joseph d’Orléans and École secondaire catholique Garneau parents, members of the Orléans community, the City of Ottawa and the Chateauneuf and Chapel Hill North community associations. Following the consultations, the board made significant changes to the original plans. The revamped proposal is one the entire community, including local partners and sports organizations, can get behind.

RESPECTING OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD

In response to suggestions from local residents, the CECCE’s new plan involves building the sports dome on Garneau’s football field rather than on the two baseball fields as initially envisioned. Site development would comply with City of Ottawa stormwater management standards. In addition, to preserve tranquility in the surrounding area, the CECCE will implement measures to minimize noise and comply with municipal standards. The board will also adhere to local zoning regulations regarding the height of the sports facility. If the City gives the go-ahead, the board will maintain existing green spaces and create new ones to mitigate the visual impact.

BENEFITS OF A SPORTS DOME IN ORLÉANS

The new dome will benefit both local residents and École secondaire catholique Garneau students. As the only high-end facility of its kind in Orléans, the new dome will result in enhanced sport-study program options for students and promote greater community involvement in physical activity and sports. It will also be a gathering place for the entire community and a place to enjoy indoor sports and recreation year-round, regardless of the weather.

The Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est firmly believes that this sports complex will benefit a huge segment of the Orléans community and that the dome will become a central meeting place for residents, associations and sports teams.

“The MIFO believes that a sports dome at École secondaire catholique Garneau will be an asset to the entire Orléans community, which will benefit from access to a space where residents can enjoy a variety of sports and hold athletic events.”

— Trèva Cousineau, President of the Mouvement d’implication francophone d’Orléans (MIFO)

“The Orléans Bengals Minor Football Association is delighted at the prospect of a new sports dome in Orléans. It will enable us to offer a broader range of programs for girls and boys and hold practices all year round.”

— George Zigoumis, President of the Orléans Bengals Minor Football

Association

“A training centre in the new dome will make Maverick Ottawa’s premier volleyball club by enabling us to enhance our programs and inspire our players to become top performers.”

— Kerry MacLean, President of the Maverick

Volleyball Club

The CECCE plans to offer something for everyone, from football, volleyball, soccer and pickleball to baseball, tennis, running, yoga and walking.