Dorval to build $2.1 million soccer field

Dorval Mayor Edgar Rouleau and Marquette MNA Francois Ouimet announced the $2.1 million project on Monday at the Sarto-Desnoyers Community Centre, the site of the new field. The province is footing about $800,000 of the bill.

Rouleau said the project would “relieve the growing pressure” for more playing space for the popular sport. The new field will be usable “in all types of weather, in all field conditions,” he added. It will also have a lighting system for night games.

“The Dorval population is getting younger,” said Rouleau. “We have so many opportunities with the kids. Soccer is one that’s growing very fast.

“We hope to start as soon as we can.”

Ouimet was equally enthusiastic about the project and said the idea was conceived a year ago, drawing its inspiration from a source not far from Dorval.

“Last year, almost day-for-day we had announced a similar project for Lachine,” he said. “I remember the mayor saying, `if it’s good for Lachine, it’s good for Dorval.’”

Rouleau said the new synthetic field will be located beside an existing grass one, increasing the community centre’s sport capacity. Easily maintained and resistant to environment conditions, it is also expected to stretch the soccer season by more than two months. For the time being, though, it will remain strictly an outdoor playing field.

“But our consultant is doing a study,” said Rouleau on the possibility putting a roof over the field and making it an all-season facility. “We’re looking at it now.”

He said that children usually prefer the outdoors anyway. “A lot of the kids, they don’t want to play indoor soccer in the summer.”

On the future site of the field, now a humble patch of grass, Ouimet and Rouleau showed some of their own enthusiasm for the sport, kicking around a soccer ball briefly. Rouleau in particular demonstrated surprising skill as a goaltender, but both men were soundly defeated by a few of the younger attendees.