The Northumberland Soccer Club is growing, and we need your help to expand our facilities! We’re forming working groups to explore the development of:
✅ An Outdoor Turf Field
✅ An Indoor Soccer Facility
We’re looking for volunteers with diverse skills and passion for soccer to help with:
⚽ Planning & Research
⚽ Fundraising & Sponsorships
⚽ Community & Stakeholder Engagement
⚽ Facility & Land Use Development
Why Join?
✔ Help grow soccer opportunities in our community
✔ Be part of an exciting new project
✔ Make a lasting impact for players of all ages
Interested? Sign up today! Contact nscturfproject@gmail.com.
Let’s work together to build the future of soccer
Northumberland Soccer Club Fieldhouse Feasibility Study
The Northumberland Soccer Club, in partnership with the Town of Cobourg, commissioned a feasibility study to explore the need, viability, and potential community benefits of developing a full-size indoor multi-sport fieldhouse with artificial turf in Cobourg. The study was undertaken to better understand whether a year-round facility could help address growing demand for sport and recreation space across Northumberland County.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the feasibility study was to assess current and future demand for indoor turf and multi-use sport space, review potential facility options, and determine whether a fieldhouse could be operationally and financially viable. The study also supports Northumberland Soccer Club’s efforts to pursue funding opportunities, including Ontario’s Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund, and to continue discussions with municipal partners about possible site options, shared funding, and long-term governance.
What the Study Found
The study confirmed strong and growing demand for indoor sport and recreation space in Cobourg and across Northumberland County. Northumberland Soccer Club participation continues to increase, with indoor registration up 48% since 2016–17 and more than 2,200 combined indoor and outdoor players registered in recent seasons. Consultation with local sport organizations also identified demand beyond soccer, including rugby, baseball and softball training, pickleball, tennis, cricket, fitness, and other community uses.
The study also identified a significant supply gap. There is currently only one indoor turf facility within approximately 30 minutes, and it is undersized compared with a full-size field. Based on population growth projections and comparable community benchmarks, Northumberland County is substantially under-serviced for year-round indoor turf and multi-sport space.
Outcomes and Next Steps
The recommended facility concept is a full-size indoor FIFA turf field with multi-use courts and supporting spaces. The study found that the facility could be operationally viable under base assumptions; however, the project cannot proceed through debt financing alone and would require a shared funding model. Municipal partnership, provincial funding, sponsorship, fundraising, and user-based contributions will all be important considerations as the project moves forward.
Next steps include confirming a preferred site, continuing discussions with municipal partners, refining the facility scope, developing a funding strategy, and exploring an appropriate governance model. Northumberland Soccer Club will continue to keep members and the public informed as this work progresses.