La Nation council has selected a design for the new sports complex in Limoges.

On July 8, council approved a frameless steel building design with an indoor two-thirds FIFA-size soccer field, running/walking track, and a 75-person capacity community centre including kitchenette and washroom facilities.

The selection was the so-called “Option B” presented by the architecture firm the municipality has enlisted for the project.  The estimated cost is $9.4 million.  The other options were a frame-based steel building, or an inflated dome with soccer fields that were one-third or three-thirds FIFA regulation size.

Council also selected professional fundraising firm People First Resource Development to carry out the fundraising campaign for the sports complex.  Treasurer Cécile Maisonneuve said no set target amount has been determined yet and could not say how much the firm will be retaining in return for its services.

The fundraising campaign will begin this fall and donors will be able to receive receipts for income tax purposes.

La Nation is also in discussions with the Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l’Est ontarien, the French-language Catholic school board, about a possible financing partnership and use of the new complex by students from local schools.

Maisonneuve said that groups using the new facility will still have to pay rental fees.

The municipality is planning to finance the project over 25 years.  A $7.7-million loan has been secured, along with a $633,633 grant from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.  The amount of $327,000 from each of the 2019 and 2020 budgets has been earmarked for the complex and more than $300,000 from development charges is also being used to offset the cost of the new facility.

No analysis of a per-taxpayer cost for the project has been completed yet, according to Maisonneuve.

The annual payments on amortization (mortgage) costs for the complex are estimated at $445,651 per year.  However, that amount could change depending on revenue from fundraising or if grants from other levels of government are obtained.

La Nation is hoping to have the new sports complex and community centre in Limoges completed in December 2020.