Dollard soccerplexe delayed

The land at the site of the proposed SoccerVilleDDO construction project – on De Salaberry Boulevard across from the Dollard Civic Centre – remains untouched, despite two large signs advertising a fall 2008 opening for the multi-purpose sports facility. The project has been postponed indefinitely, The Chronicle has learned.

“It’s on hold right now,” said Dollard des Ormeaux Mayor Ed Janiszewski.

Last year, the town agreed to lease the land to SoccerVilleDDO, with an option to buy. Original plans for the facility included 100,000 square feet of playing space designed to accommodate up to four seven-aside fields, which could also be used for football, flag football, rugby and ultimate Frisbee.

“The field will meet all FIFA requirements and is designed to meet CFL standards,” according to a description of the project on SoccerVilleDDO’s website.

The project was announced at a news conference last October, with promoter Robert Berger calling the privately funded $10 million venture a “dream project.” But Janiszewski said Berger cut his ties with SoccerVilleDDO in the spring – when construction was initially supposed to begin – and took a new job.

Six years ago, a similar project was announced by a company called Mondiale Du Soccer. The $18 million project was ultimately cancelled. Berger told The Chronicle in October he was confident SoccerVilleDDO would succeed where Mondiale Du Soccer had failed.

“We think their building was not realistic, a much more expensive construction,” he said then.

The city is now in talks with the Catalogna family, the soccer aficionados behind the Catalogna Soccerplexe in Lachine.

“Negotiations have recommenced,” said Janiszewski of the new direction the SoccerVilleDDO project is taking.

The Catalogna Soccerplexe has two Fieldturf full-size soccer fields, one indoors and one outdoors. It is also equipped with a gym, and can accommodate football, volleyball, rugby, baseball and ultimate Frisbee. Additional services such as a sports therapy clinic and physiotherapy are also available to athletes.

Janiszewski could not say whether SoccerVilleDDO would be potentially be modelled after the Catalogna Soccerplexe.

“We’re continuing our negotiations and we’re going to visit their centre and continue from there,” Janiszewki said.

Roberto Catalogna did not respond to repeated phone calls from The Chronicle.