$5M sports dome opens in Summerside

'Once you come into the dome, your ears will pop'

Image | Summerside indoor sports dome

Caption: The Canada Winter Games Dome in Summerside is hosting a free open house for a week until March 4, from 4 to 7 p.m. (Brian Higgins/CBC)

A new $5-million indoor sports dome in Summerside, P.E.I., was officially opened by city officials Thursday morning.
The Dome, a 65,000-square-foot indoor turf field, was built for the 2023 Canada Winter Games.
It's the first building of its kind on the Island, with warm air pumped in to keep the roof inflated.

Image | Ryan Steele Dome's operations manager

Caption: Ryan Steele, the dome's operations manager, says the facility will change things for not just Summerside but P.E.I. and Atlantic Canada. (Brian Higgins/CBC)

"Once you come into the Dome, your ears will pop. It's very subtle. It's almost like getting on and off an airplane," said operations Manager Ryan Steele.
The Dome will operate year-round for minor sport groups, private bookings and general community usage.
"I think this facility is a game-changer for not just Summerside but the province and Atlantic Canada," Steele said.

Image | Artificial turf

Caption: Beneath the dome, the entire floor area is covered in artificial turf. (Brian Higgins/CBC)

"This is a space [where] we have options to host many different events that we wouldn't be able to host before."
The facility is hosting a free open house from 4 to 7 p.m. on March 4.

Image | 2023 Games in PEI

Caption: The facility was built for the 2023 Canada Winter Games, which will be hosted in Prince Edward Island. (Brian Higgins/CBC)