St. Leonard reaches deal with City of Montreal for permanent soccer stadium

Soccer fans will be able to play in St-Leonard this winter.

The borough has agreed to put up a temporary dome over the Hébert Soccer Stadium for the next two years until a permanent facility is built. Borough officials struck a deal with the city to build a permanent, year-round indoor sports stadium over the field by 2025.

For the past decade, the borough has paid to put a large white dome over the field to protect players from getting snowed out.

But this year, it said costs have ballooned to $464,000, up from $290,000 in 2022 — a 60 per cent increase — making it unfeasible to remain open. 

After an outcry from soccer coaches and residents, one city councillor says the City of Montreal listened to its residents.

"We'll assume the expenses as usual, but the operating expenses now become, for us, an investment. Why? Because in 2025, it will cost us 80 per cent less to operate the dome," said Coun. Dominic Perri in an interview on Thursday, adding that the borough won't have to build and tear down the dome each year.

"We will have a new dome that will be less polluting, that will cost us about 80 per cent less in operating expenses and it will be there for the next 15 years. That is why today we are excited. We are excited because it's good news."

He praised Mayor Valérie Plante and Caroline Bourgeois, the vice-president of Plante's executive committee, for brokering the deal.

The dome will use geothermal energy, which will cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50 tonnes, Perri said. It will be heated in the winter and have air conditioning in the warmer months.

"We will have more players that can use the dome, more organizations, and, therefore, it's an asset for [all] of Montreal," he said.

The temporary dome is expected to open in a couple of weeks.