Calgary advances multisport fieldhouse plan for Foothills Athletic Park with three indoor venues
Calgary reveals new renderings and a pathway to detailed design for the multisport fieldhouse at Foothills Athletic Park, while funding from provincial and federal governments remains outstanding.
Strong update after two years
The City of Calgary’s multisport fieldhouse committee received its first substantive update in two years on the city-led effort to build a multisport fieldhouse beside McMahon Stadium.
City officials presented new renderings and said technical work — from site servicing to economic analysis — has moved the project from concept toward detailed design.
City staff emphasized the project remains contingent on provincial and federal contributions despite the city having earmarked funds to advance planning.
Three indoor facilities wrapped around the track
New drawings show a proposal to replace and augment existing outdoor amenities with three distinct indoor facilities encircling the Foothills Athletic Park track.
An east-side building near Crowchild Trail would contain a 200-metre indoor track with spectator seating, intended to succeed the former Burns Stadium.
To the west, planners envision a FIFA-regulation artificial turf pitch under an enclosed roof, while a community recreation centre is proposed for the north end where outdoor tennis and pickleball courts now sit.
Site, constructability and economic work underway
Administration told the committee it has completed infrastructure assessments and constructability reviews to better define the core facility requirements.
Those studies have informed site planning and identified implementation options, helping the city transition the proposal to a deliverable design phase.
Officials say the phasing of construction would be determined by buildability, funding availability and project prioritization.
Funding gap and projected costs remain central
Calgary has earmarked $109 million toward the multisport fieldhouse but is seeking substantial support from Ottawa and the Province of Alberta to reach construction-ready status.
The city has asked the federal government for $80 million as part of its advocacy priorities for the upcoming federal budget, and council members expect further provincial engagement.
A 2023 estimate placed the project at roughly $380 million, and councillors now predict the total could exceed $400 million after inflation and design changes; no updated Class 3 estimate was presented at the committee meeting.
Economic and sporting arguments for the facility
City staff and advocates argue the multisport fieldhouse would expand community access to sport and recreation while enabling Calgary to host provincial, national and international events.
Officials estimate the project could support about 1,500 construction and operational jobs and, once operating, generate between $20 million and $63 million in annual economic activity.
Proponents also point to a gap in major Canadian cities, noting Calgary currently lacks a centralized indoor multisport facility of the kind being proposed.
Council leadership and urgency to reach shovel-ready status
Ward 5 Coun. Raj Dhaliwal, newly appointed chair of the multisport fieldhouse committee, pressed administration to accelerate work to the detailed design phase within the next year.
Dhaliwal told colleagues that having a shovel-ready design is essential for convincing provincial and federal politicians to commit funding.
He also noted the fieldhouse was one of four major capital priorities identified by the city in 2019 and is the only one not yet at construction or completion, urging the project be pursued aggressively.
Community groups and athletes weigh in
Members of the Calgary Multisport Fieldhouse Society attended the update and expressed renewed optimism after the presentation, saying momentum has returned to the long-shelved project.
Former multisport fieldhouse committee chair and Olympic athlete Jasmine Mian attended in the public gallery and emphasized the life-changing impact of sports access for individuals and communities.
Advocates say the municipal allocation is in place and that the next step is securing the additional partners required to move to construction.
The committee’s update, while forwarding the fieldhouse toward a more detailed blueprint, left key questions about timing and final cost unresolved.
With municipal funds earmarked but major federal and provincial commitments still pending, Calgary’s plan for a multisport fieldhouse now hinges on rapid progress through detailed design and a successful funding campaign to turn the renderings into construction.
