Windsor opened its first municipally owned artificial turf soccer field at McHugh Park on Monday.
The field carries FIFA’s top certification for performance and safety, designed to extend the playing season and help the city attract higher-level tournaments.
Construction began on Aug. 27, 2025, and was completed at the end of May.
The $4.4 million project includes new lighting, a scoreboard, player shelters, pathways and seating.
The Essex County Soccer Association boasts more than 9,000 registered players in Windsor-Essex.
Ward 7 councillor Angelo Marignani says participation in the sport is already outpacing others locally.
“The amount of registered soccer players in Windsor outnumbers hockey, football, and baseball combined, so the popularity of the sport is significant,” Marignani said.
He says the new field will help extend the soccer season.
“When we do have rainy days in the fields you can’t go on because it’s too wet, it’s too saturated,” he said.
“So later in the season, maybe into November, it’s an astroturf, so if you have just the sun out and a good temperature, you could play on it.”
Marignani says the build helps prevent common field issues.
“There’s weeping tiles underneath it, so it will never flood, meaning it’ll never have pooling water,” he said.
Funding for the project included $1 million from the province, $2.6 million from the city, and $400,000 from the Essex County Soccer Association.