Hybrid Sports complex moving to second phase
The Hybrid Sports multi-sport development on Chemong Road is starting to take shape.
Last week, Selwyn Township approved a rezoning application to construct Phase 2 of the project on the former Rona site.
Since local developer Gregory Couch purchased the 30-hectare site In May 2019, he and partner Josh Gillam expanded on their original plan to build a sports dome with an artificial turf field. Once news of their plans broke, they were besieged by community sports groups hoping to use the facility.
“We spent a lot of time talking to various user groups,” Couch said. “As a result, I think we’ve got a really good mix.”
It’s now become a two-phase project with the sports dome and a separate 1,860-square-metre multi-use building making up Phase 2.
They’re almost finished a Phase 1 renovation of the 1,300-square-metre former Rona Home Improvements Centre. It includes two junior basketball/volleyball courts, a small turf field, a fitness area, change rooms and office. They hope to open for use in April pending an occupancy permit and pandemic conditions.
“It’s been a long time in the thinking process between Greg and I to bring a facility like this to Peterborough,” Gillam said. “I’m really excited that we can at least get Phase 1 open in the next month or so. Having an all-encompassing sports facility was always the end goal.
“As the phases unfold themselves, it’s nice to see the interest so we can adapt to meet the demand from the public. They’re the ones who are going to be using it,” Gillam added.
Phase 2 is in the final design stages and Couch hopes to get site plan approval and begin work next month. It will include two structures — an air-supported structure with a 104-by-64-metre turf field and adjoining 1,860-squaremetre frontage with studio space, conference rooms and change rooms.
“The goal is to be ready for September which is the start of dome season,” Couch said.
Then they’ll turn to Phase 2B which is an 1,860-square-metre multi-use building. They’ll decide on the floor surfaces after gauging user demand, which has been overwhelming.
“When we open in September, I highly suspect all our fields will be booked completely for prime time. Then you’ll have groups who are difficult to accommodate. So the whole idea is to decide, OK, then what surfaces do we need in that 20,000 sq. ft. (1,860 square metres)?”
The pandemic slowed their timeline but also gave them time to plan better.
“When we first bought the property we were going to lease the Rona building and do everything in the back,” Couch said. “We recognized, as we did our planning and took our time that the community could support and needed more than just the turf field.”
There will be future phases but Couch said it’s too early to talk about.
“I don’t want to get ahead of ourselves because it’s pretty exciting what we’re doing with these first two phases,” he said, “but the third phase may be even more interesting.”
They’re also talking with Electric City FC, a group seeking a League1 Ontario semi-pro soccer team for 2022, about hosting their home field.
Those discussions are preliminary, said Couch, but it’s hard to know where it will go as the pandemic may dictate the soccer club’s timelines.
“If and when they do get off the ground, we’ll be in a good position to support them because our indoor field will be up. We can then form some more concrete plans about an outdoor field where they could potentially be hosted,” Couch said.
“It can’t be our focus right now. We have a lot of work to do to get up and operating and making sure we’re making best use of the facilities.”