Members of the Thunder Bay Community Tennis Centre (TBCTC) will get their say on a future indoor tennis facility next month.

City council voted in favour of a recommendation on May 9, that would see a dome built in an area northwest of the existing outdoor courts on Chapples Park Drive.

“TBCTC is as united as it has ever been after the announcement on Monday about our preferred location of our indoor facility,” Vice-President Pasi Pinta told Acadia News Thursday. “We will formalize the support from our membership in a townhall and a plebiscite for the project that can now present all key variables for the membership’s consideration. We expect the project to be supported by a strong majority.”

During Monday’s meeting, staff also recommended that the group be given access to lands adjacent to the existing seasonal tennis facility as part of going ahead with a second option.

Administration initially favoured a site adjacent to the Chapples Park Golf Course.

“If we can get something done this year that will be a bonus,” added Pinta, when asked about a possible timeline for the bubble. “I’m thinking that most likely shovels will be in the ground by the Spring of 2023.”

In terms of funding the project, Pinta mentioned that they have submitted an application for Tennis Canada’s Year Round Community Tennis Courts Program.

The centre also received $500,000 in FedNor (Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario) funding in February, which adds to the $1 million made available from the NOHFC (Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation).

In October 2019, Council approved up to $1.5 million from the Stabilization Reserve Fund for the dome on Chapples Park Drive.