'We’re bursting at the seams': BMO Centre eying $30M expansion

BMO Centre eyes $30M expansion Demand for sports facilities in London has far outpaced supply, BMO Centre is hoping to change that - CTV's Brent Lale has the inside scoop.

London’s BMO Centre is eying a massive $30 million expansion.

“We're almost at capacity here at the BMO Centre, so that's why we purchased the land,” said Operator of the BMO Centre Tom Partalas of a 10-acre parcel just west of the current facility.

The land was a former rail property, purchased by the BMO Centre in 2020.

Their property now goes from Rectory Street to Adelaide Street.

They are looking at either building two outdoor turf fields, or one large indoor centre similar to what they have now.

The idea would be to put a bubble over top of one of the outdoor fields during the winter.

“You're looking between 25 and $30 million,” said Partalas when asked what it could cost for another FIFA-sized pitch indoors.

“If we go ahead with the two outdoor fields. and put a dome on one of them you're looking close to just under $10 million.”

With more than 15,000 people using the facility every week, and over 800,000 each year, the city is desperate for more turf time.

“I’ve been here at 7:00 the morning and it was packed when I pulled into the parking lot, and I have my games at 10:00 at night, and when I leave it’s still full,” said Jaylin Garrett, an academy coach with Alliance FC London.

Partalas said the facility’s schedule is ‘bursting at the seams right now.’

That’s obvious as many teams like AEL FC can’t even get in - President Milton Gougoulias said they must resort to practicing in high school and elementary school gymnasiums.

It makes it difficult for players as they start to get older.

“In small spaces, since we're older girls, we can't play as well as we can in big spaces,” said Zahra McKenzie, a U10 player with Alliance FC.

“That's why I like BMO and the turf is nice too.”

The only time the indoor baseball leagues can play is between 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. and when there is availability on statutory holidays.

Partalas said that the initial idea was to build an outdoor stadium for the local teams to use, but with no professional teams, they pivoted to focusing on the kids.

The dream for the current facility started years ago when they built a dome with two soccer fields near the London airport.

They moved into the BMO Centre with four indoor fields in 2004 and expanded to the west in 2017 giving them six indoor fields.

To make the indoor facility happen they’ll need support from the government. They could do the outdoor version on their own.

Either way, they are moving forward with more fields.

“It's going to happen,” said Partalas.

“We met with the architects just before Christmas, and we have the engineers that are doing the soil test at the back. We're almost ready to put an application into the government for the permanent structure. If that is successful, will be moving along with that.”

The news of more indoor fields is exciting for those involved in the local community.

“We're really wish we could have these facilities yesterday,” said Nils Rankin, grass roots director of Alliance FC.

“The sport of soccer is the biggest sport in the world. We've got a World Cup coming to Canada and the sport’s just growing massively, and we're finding that we just need lots of facilities to be able to meet the demand of the kids that are coming through your doors.”

Partalas said the new facility would be massive for the city of London.

He added the expansion would not just be for soccer, but for other events which would serve the community.