New ‘urban sports park’ and partnership with local soccer star Atiba Hutchinson could be coming to Brampton

Brampton wants to team up with local soccer legend Atiba Hutchinson to bring a new multipurpose, multi-sport venue like L.A.’s Galaxy Park to the city.

With a 2023 study finding soccer is the most popular sport for Canadian youth to play and seven members of the 2022 World Cup team hailing from the Flower City, Brampton is looking to partner with team Canada Captain Atiba Hutchinson to bring a new soccer and sport facility to the city.

Hutchison, affectionately known as Captain Canada, already has a soccer court in Brampton named after him and the city is looking to build on his legacy by partnering with the soccer star on a new project “creating an urban sports park or similar multipurpose sports venue(s) in Brampton,” according to a motion going to city council on Wednesday.

If approved, the motion from Mayor Patrick Brown will ask the city “report back to Council with findings, including options for location, design concepts, estimated costs, funding opportunities, and community engagement strategies.”

“This exploration should include the potential for a partnership with Atiba Hutchinson and Fusion Sports Parks Incorporated to design and develop the facility, inspired by successful urban sports parks around the world, including but not limited to LA Galaxy Park,” the motion reads.

Canada’s World Cup Captain Brampton’s Atiba Hutchinson signs books for fans at the soccer court named after him in Brampton.

With smaller 5-on-5 soccer and futsal courts and facilities for pickleball, paddleball and more, Galaxy Park was built in California in 2013 and is billed as “one-of-a-kind recreational space and urban park.”

The motion from the mayor and seconded by Coun. Rowena Santos will go to city council for consideration on Wednesday.

As the most-capped player to ever play the game for Canada’s national men’s team, the city says Hutchison “has had a renowned international soccer career, representing Brampton talent on the world athletic stage.”

The Team Canada captain has been proud of his Brampton roots and pushed the city to open the city’s first fully-lit boxed soccer court, meeting with youth to inspire the next generation of soccer players in Brampton.

His memoir The Beautiful Dream was released last year and tells the soccer star’s inspiring story of growing up in Brampton to playing on the world stage.

Located at the Century Gardens Recreation Centre, the Atiba Hutchinson Soccer Court is open for drop-in games and available for players to hone their skills.