The Kamloops Youth Soccer Association isn’t pushing the panic button yet but they continue to look for options and ideas to expand field use in late fall and over the winter.

While KYSA has their indoor facility in the Mount Paul Industrial Park, Technical Director Ciaran McMahon says the winter usually catches up to them.

“The City has been good with expanding field usage in the fall, but realistically with the elements its tough past a certain point,” McMahon said. “We can usually participate outdoors even this time of year with some light snow on the ground up around TRU.”

“We can probably still keep going until mid-December but its gets tough after that.”

McMahon adds the city only has one field of artificial turf – at Hillside Stadium – and only two fields that have lighting – Hillside Stadium and the natural grass field #2 at McArthur Island.

“We’re also looking at what options we have for a new turf, new facility, bigger facility, partnering with other groups to really provide just more space and more opportunity for programming, whether its KYSA soccer specific or any other user groups that want to access the facilities at that time of year,” McMahon said.

“The city is doing what they can and then us as an association for our members we’re looking at doing what we can as well to expand on that need, when we get outside the comfort of the summer months.”

Data from the City’s Recreation Master Plan shows there were 11,582 hours of use at rectangular fields like McArthur Island in 2018, about 44 per cent of which (5,171 hours) was by the Kamloops Youth Soccer Association.

KYSA also accounted for 1,269 of the 1,807 hours of use at School District 73 fields, while TRU athletics accounted for 809 of the 1,590 hours of use at the Hillside Stadium turf.

Engagement into the Recreation Master Plan also found a preference for quality over quantity when it came to providing or adding sports fields and ball diamonds in the City of Kamloops.

“It is also important to note that a number of external factors are likely to impact needs for City provided sports fields (e.g. private sector provision of indoor and outdoor fields),” the Recreation Master Plan said.

City staff recommend a continual monitoring of usage levels of sports fields and ball diamond in the city before determining whether to add more facilities.

“Opportunities to optimize the use of existing fields by increasing capacity, functionality, and user experience should also be explored,” the plan said. “These opportunities could include retrofitting fields from natural to artificial surfaces and providing enhanced amenities (e.g. lighting, washrooms, change facilities).”

“The City should also continue to monitor trends and local participation levels for emerging activities such as cricket. If the need for other types of specialty outdoor spaces can be adequately demonstrated, it is suggested that the City further explore the potential viability and options for developing these spaces.”

Earlier this year, Jeff Putnam, the City’s Parks and Civic Facilities Manager, Jeff Putnam, told Radio NL a series of closures at McArthur Island due to “significant winter damage” highlighted the need for at least one more artificial field in Kamloops.

“As part of that Build Kamloops strategic planning that council is doing, it really is good anecdotal information for getting an additional – at least one more additional, ideally two – artificial year round turf fields that don’t have to be closed for extended periods of time as traditional turf,” Putnam said.

“Hopefully in the future, we’ll be able to do something like that.”

At this time, there are no plans for new outdoor fields that Radio NL is aware of.

The Recreation Master Plan also lists outdoor sports fields as a fourth priority item when it comes to new outdoor amenities that people hope to see in Kamloops.