Winter sports in Montreal's West Island threatened by closure of Club Dome

Many players who were looking forward to the start of the winter season with their sports teams are left hanging after Le Club Dome closed its doors, leaving behind many memories they created in Kirkland in Montreal's West Island.

For people like Brian Williams, its original owner, the sports facility has been a "pillar" for the community that has been playing there for over 20 years.

"It's sad because it was a very useful place for a lot of people doing sports and gathering," said Williams. "They used to have social events, birthday parties, they had a mini-putt, they had everything." 

Soccer, mini-golf and ball hockey players will no longer be able to take part in indoor sports because of a legal dispute between operators of the dome and the owner of the land, according to Williams.

"It's all gone because a big business and a couple of smaller guys couldn't come to terms," he said.

Sports groups in the area say it's a big loss — with already limited spaces for indoor sports. 

Three years ago, another dome in Lachine closed to make way for condos.

Rising prices another issue

The Quebec Super League (QSL) had four divisions playing at the sports complex last winter. 

QSL manager Julian Frimerman says finding a place to play soccer is difficult, especially during the winter. 

"The field time itself is becoming super rare, more expensive and we're just having to refuse teams, which we hate doing," said Frimerman. "We would never want to be the guys saying: 'Oh well, you guys can't play soccer this winter.'"

He says this is unfortunately the case.

Frimerman says the QSL has been getting constant emails.

"The players, we see it in their faces, we see the disappointment and we actually want to change that disappointment into all smiles and all fun with a nice sense of competition," he said. 

He says bringing all players to one spot is becoming tough. And rent prices for facilities continue to rise, adding another variable to the equation. 

"The price continues to go up for the kids, for our community, and it's tough," said Paymon Kabiri, sporting director of Lakeshore Soccer Club.

"To keep them in the sport, you need to have them play pretty much all year round if they want to. And we can't offer that to everybody," he said. 

He says renting from private companies is harder than dealing with cities because the latter generally offer an affordable winter program for residents. 

At the moment, Lakeshore Soccer Club, which counts over 3,000 members, rents a stadium in Baie-d'Urfé, also in the West Island. Kabiri says he worries about what will happen after the lease expires.

Laurier Thériault, head of the Conseil du sport de Montréal, says the lack of facilities can impact players in different ways.

"You will tend to lower your level of activity, you will sometimes quit your activity and even your social network will be affected," he said.

Thériault says these spaces help create a sense of belonging. 

"When you get far from your field of play, you get far from your field of dreams and having fun and enjoying your community," he added.

The City of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que., has been trying to build a new dome but says it is still waiting on funding from the province. 

Williams says replacing Club Dome will be difficult because there's "no other land like this available in the West Island." 

Kabiri thinks it's time for cities to "step up" and help with "land they may or may not have." 

He says Lakeshore Soccer Club is negotiating with different cities to find solutions for their members.

"We want to try to grow the sport and develop the players," he said.