The Kiwanis Soccer Complex

“Build it and they will come”, a line from the movie “Field of Dreams” has born fruit in Owen Sound.

It took approximately 200 soccer volunteers, the Kiwanis Club of Owen Sound and a supportive City Council to witness the beginnings of a 10-field soccer complex. When completed it is predicted to have a million dollar price tag.

The phenomenal story began to unfold in 1991 when adult and minor soccer interests formed a committee. The soccer complex was a dream in the mind of each volunteer.

There seemed a glimmer of hope when a parcel of land on the Niagara Escarpment seemed an excellent site for the complex. That’s until they were told the proposal wasn’t compatible with projected uses for the land.

When it hit the press, it ultimately turned out a bad news/good news story. It raised the soccer profile and the City came forward and offered a parcel of land. That was a big hurdle conquered for the soccer volunteers.

Although volunteers have worked tirelessly to raise funds with walk-a-thons and twice a month bingos, they realized they couldn’t do it alone.

When the proposal was presented to the Kiwanis Club they agreed to commit $150,000 over five years with only two conditions. The name would become the Owen Sound Kiwanis Soccer Complex, and the club would commit only after City Council put money into the project.

Although the city had already donated the land, the Council of the day agreed to donate $218,000 toward washrooms and change rooms.

As of today, six fields have been built and a seventh is underway. Constructing a full-sized soccer field from scratch, with sod and sprinklers costs between $80,000 and $90,000.

In the early 1990s, there were 800 children playing soccer in Owen Sound. As of this year numbers have increased to 1,400.

“I like to think we had the foresight to see this coming, otherwise we would have had to turn potential players away. Without the complex we wouldn’t have had the soccer fields to accommodate. We knew we needed more and better facilities,” explained Kiwanian Jim McManaman, chair of the soccer complex committee and a driving force behind the complex. He is also Owen Sound Minor Soccer vice president.

Past President Kevin Dandeno poses with Becky Azzano and Past Lieutenant Governor Gary Levine at our Kiwanis Soccer Complex.

Once the seventh field is completed, the last three fields will be determined by the dictates of need and money. Currently the volunteers are looking at improving instead of expanding. This fall they plan to plant 15 trees and to provide a sprinkling system for more fields.

At the Scenic City Cup tournament this past summer, visiting teams were raving about the facilities.

With minor soccer graduating players from their program, McManaman predicts an upswing in adult soccer in the near future.

The soccer complex bears silent testimony to the fact that there’s no stopping 200 soccer volunteers working in partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Owen Sound and a supportive City Council.

Build it, and they will come.

Ann Kelly