"This is not quite Christmas, but preparatory for Christmas," said Dr. Emöke Szathmary, the university's president and vice-chancellor.

"We dribbled the ball around the field and zigged and zagged a few times, but here we are," added [Keith Ferbers]. "This is huge to us."

When complete, the Winnipeg Indoor Soccer Complex will be a "clear-span" structure able to house four small soccer pitches, two larger areas or a single, full-sized field that meets the regulations of the world governing body for soccer.