Calgary Villains Soccer Club
Project Overview
The Calgary Villains Soccer Club set out to address a common challenge for Canadian youth sports organizations: limited access to quality winter training space. As rental costs increased and indoor facility availability became more restrictive, the club recognized the need for a long-term solution.
After identifying a site with approximately 2.5 acres of available space, the club began exploring the possibility of creating a full-size 11v11 soccer field within an air-supported structure.
Today, that vision is a reality. The Calgary Villains Dome provides year-round training and competition space for youth programs, leagues, and high-performance athletes, supporting approximately 2,500 players and expanding access to sport across the Calgary region.
Goals and Challenges
The Calgary Villains project was driven by a clear goal: create reliable indoor playing space for youth soccer during Calgary’s long winter season.
However, as a non-profit organization, the club faced several significant challenges.
Limited Indoor Space in Calgary
Calgary has a growing soccer community but a limited number of indoor fields. Many youth programs are forced to train in gymnasiums or shared facilities, limiting player development and access to proper training environments.
Securing Land and Approvals
During the planning process, the club identified the need for additional land to support the full vision of the facility. This required working with the City of Calgary to secure expanded space, which extended the timeline of the project by approximately 18 months.
Financing a Major Community Project
As a volunteer-driven non-profit, the club needed time to build the financial structure required to move forward with the project.
Despite these challenges, the Calgary Villains leadership remained committed to creating a facility that would support the community for decades.
Why Air-supported Structures and The Farley Group
During the planning phase, the Calgary Villains team explored several facility options before determining that an air-supported structure was the ideal solution. Its ability to provide a large, column-free indoor field with a shorter construction timeline made it the clear choice.
After being introduced to The Farley Group through a facility operator in Edmonton, the club worked closely with the Farley team to evaluate the project. From feasibility discussions to permitting guidance, The Farley Group helped the club navigate the planning process and understand the steps required to bring the facility to life.
Drawing on decades of experience delivering sports domes across North America, The Farley Group helped guide the project through its early stages and toward a successful outcome.
Planning and Installation Process
The project required close collaboration between the club, construction partners, and The Farley Group team. As timelines shifted throughout the warehouse conversion process, The Farley Group worked closely with the Calgary Villains team to keep the project moving forward.
Farley’s project management team provided guidance on site preparation, scheduling, and installation planning to help ensure a smooth construction process.
Dome installation began in the fall, and on November 17, the structure was successfully inflated, marking a major milestone and the completion of the installation.
Overcoming Challenges
Like many large infrastructure projects, the Calgary Villains dome required flexibility and collaboration to overcome several challenges.
Construction Coordination
Changes to the overall facility construction schedule required adjustments to installation timelines. The Farley Group worked closely with the construction team to ensure dome installation aligned with site readiness.
Utility and Electrical Adjustments
Electrical infrastructure upgrades were required to support the facility, including the installation of additional transformer capacity.
Throughout the process, The Farley Group team worked alongside local contractors to help coordinate the required adjustments and ensure installation could proceed smoothly.
Benefits and User Feedback
The most rewarding outcome has been the impact on young athletes.
The Calgary Villains program now supports approximately 2,500 youth players, many of whom previously trained in gyms or shared facilities during winter.
Now they have access to a professional-quality indoor environment that allows them to train year-round.
“On tough days, kids come up to me and ask if I helped build the dome,” Jeff says.
“They say thank you and tell me they can’t believe they get to play in there.”
For the club leadership, seeing athletes enjoy the facility makes the years of effort worthwhile.
Project Outcomes
The Calgary Villains Dome has already made a significant impact on the regional soccer community.
Within weeks of opening, the facility began hosting a wide range of programming, including:
• Alberta Player Development League (APDL) matches
• University training sessions
• Professional training activities
• Youth soccer programs
For many players, it represents their first opportunity to train and compete on a full-size indoor soccer field during the winter months.
Future Plans and Benefits
The Calgary Villains Dome represents an important step forward for indoor sports infrastructure in the region.
Calgary continues to experience strong growth in youth soccer participation, and facilities like this help expand access to year-round training and competition.
The club believes the region could support several additional indoor domes in the coming years, helping address the ongoing shortage of winter playing space.
For the Calgary Villains Soccer Club, the project has already achieved its most important goal: providing a space where young athletes can train, compete, and be inspired.
“Seeing the kids out there playing makes everything worth it.”
"On tough days, what makes them easier is when kids come up to me and ask if I helped build the dome. They say thank you and tell me they can’t believe they get to play in there. That makes it all worth while."