Editor’s note: The following is an open letter to parents and players with the Greater Sudbury Soccer Club.
As you know, over the past two months we have been working with the City of Greater Sudbury, the Rainbow District School Board (RDSB), and private organizations in order to secure enough indoor space to offer soccer to all of our athletes. While we are thrilled to begin winter programming for our competitive soccer teams (ages 13 and up), with the help of private facility rentals, specifically the YMCA, our grassroots programing (ages 12 and under) is at a standstill, due to a lack of additional gym space in the city.
To date, the board has not been offered any of the city’s 14 ice pads.
Late last week, we were offered three small city-run gyms located in the communities of Falconbridge, Capreol and Minnow Lake. None of these locations are large enough to run grassroots programming safely and effectively.
We are hopeful that the new year will bring the possibility of a return to the community use of school board-owned facilities, which would mean GSSC could return to the indoor sports bubble (which is owned by RDSB).
We recognize this break in play over November and December is unfair to so many of our 750 soccer athletes. As we wait for more information on the bubble’s use, we encourage you to continue the conversation that we have started by advocating on behalf of the GSSC and all of our players by contacting the mayor and your ward councillor directly.
Our goal is to show the city how many dedicated soccer families we have within our club and the region. The more support we show for soccer, the more likely we are to obtain a proper facility come the new year, especially if the bubble is still unavailable as we enter 2021.
At GSSC, we recognize the power of the club is with our dedicated soccer families. To get a soccer facility offered for everyone in 2021, we want to put the power to do so with you. We encourage all of you to reach out to your councillor and express your desire to play soccer in 2021, whether that be in a hockey arena or in an available gym space within the city.
You can find all of the ward councillor contact information below and we strongly encourage you to reach out and express your desire to play.
With your support, we can obtain a soccer facility for 2021, and get back on the pitch.
Joe Snofl
President – The Greater Sudbury Soccer Club
City Council Contact Information:
Mayor Brian Bigger
Phone: 705-674-4455 ext. 2514 Fax: 705-673-3096
E-mail: [email protected]
Ward 1 Mark Signoretti Tel: 705-698-5579 Fax: 705-673-1651 Email: [email protected]
Ward 2 Michael Vagnini Tel: 705-822-2997 Fax: 705-673-1651 Email: [email protected]
Ward 3 Gerry Montpellier Tel: 705-698-2759 Fax: 705-673-1651 Email: [email protected]
Ward 4 Jeff McCausland Tel: 705-626-6022 Fax: 705-673-1651 Email: [email protected]
Ward 5 Robert Kirwan Tel: 705-929-2778 Fax: 705-673-1651 Email: [email protected]
Ward 6 - René Lapierre Tel: 705-923-5669 Fax: 705-673-1651 Email: [email protected]
Ward 7 Mike Jakubo Tel: 705-923-9252 Fax: 705-673-1651-- Email: [email protected]
Ward 8 Al Sizer Telephone: 705-592-2029 Fax: 705-673-1651 Email: [email protected]
Ward 9 Deb McIntosh Tel: 705-929-2517 Fax: 705-673-1651 Email: [email protected]
Ward 10 Fern Cormier Tel: 705-698-7407 Fax: 705-673-1651 Email: [email protected]
Ward 11 Bill Leduc Tel: 705-665-5873 Fax: 705-673-1651 Email: [email protected]
Ward 12- Joscelyne Landry-Altmann Tel: 705-674-1212 Fax: 705-669-0886 Email: [email protected]