Summerside Dome ready for action again after technicians check it out

The Summerside Multipurpose Dome is now open for use by sports teams again after being closed since mid February to let out-of-province technicians inspect it for damage after issues related to generator use.

"A full precautionary safety check and inspection of the entire facility were conducted, and the dome was deemed safe for use on Tuesday evening," the city said in a news release.  

"We sincerely appreciate the patience and understanding of our user groups and the community throughout this process," the city said. 

The $5 million dome with its indoor turf field was opened three years ago to serve as a Canada Winter Games venue and has since been heavily relied on by local athletes.

The month of February was a turbulent one for the people of Summerside, who faced a series of power challenges because of a failure at Maritimes Electric's Sherbrooke substation. 

The warnings that power could be scarce caused major businesses and city facilities to rely on generators at times to let Summerside Electric continue to supply homes with power and avoid rotating blackouts.

The dome also went to generator power to keeping pumping in the warm air that keeps the structure inflated.

But on the morning of Feb. 19, "there were some concerning moments" after the inflation system experienced a connection disruption, deputy chief administrative officer J.P. Desrosiers told CBC News.

Fearing the dome's structure had been damaged, officials closed it for use by the public until specialized technicians could arrive to check it.