Fields for Our Future is an undertaking of the Calgary Minor Soccer Association (CMSA) to create better access to the sport’s fields, facilities and recreation programs in all areas of Calgary. “Access to recreation shouldn’t depend on your postal code,” said Jeff Davison at a press conference at the Shane Homes West Soccer Dome. “Every family deserves nearby, affordable options and we can do it without raising taxes.” “My campaign is heavily focused on core services and getting back to basics. To me, recreation is one of those basics. We have got to be a city that agrees an active city is a better city and that if we’re going to continue to grow at 70,000-ish people a year, we have to keep up with that growth and that means investing in the things that citizens want, like recreation and so I look to soccer for that.” Soccer infrastructure is lagging behind the pace of the growing popularity of the sport, said Carlo Bruneau, executive director of CMSA. “Without urgent investment, thousands of kids risk being left on the sidelines,” said Bruneau. “We’re pleased to see Jeff Davison sign the Fields for Our Future Pledge, and we call on all municipal candidates to do the same and make youth sport and soccer infrastructure a priority in their campaigns." .Davison gives a nod to Calgary’s GamePLAN that has been approved to spend $6.25 billion over 25 years to improve current recreational facilities and create new ones. “Not only am I a parent who would anecdotally say it’s a good thing to give kids things to do, it keeps them out of trouble,” said Davison. “Soccer is a sport that has a low-cost barrier to entry. It provides equal access to all different quadrants of the city. Everybody can play this sport and those are the type of things that we need to be looking at doing.” Davison’s plan is centred around five key points: A stronger focus on building facilities in all four quadrants; ensuring accessibility, supporting rehabilitation, seniors, and people with disabilities; encouraging public-private models and using school facilities after hours; advocating for lower-cost, adaptable, faster-build options such as hockey rinks and soccer domes, and; repurposing and renovating city-owned land and buildings, avoiding costly land acquisition. “The interesting thing about Calgary is we are growing and, in my opinion, need to be a city of the world that continues to attract people from all over the globe on the basis of finding opportunity here,” said Davison. “What better way can you build community and culture other than recreation that brings us all together. .Davison was the first candidate to announce a run for the mayor’s chair in Calgary's civic election, throwing his hat into the ring on October 10 last year. He is a former city councillor and ran for mayor in 2021 against incumbent Mayor Jyoti Gondek and another former councillor, Jeromy Farkas. He said this time out feels much different than four years ago. “The issues are different,” he said. “People just don’t trust anyone anymore. I think what it’s going to come down to is who has experience, who has vision, who has leadership. There has been a lot of outside government interference, and not for the better. “There has been influence directed toward council, maybe in a way to make some bad decisions. When there’s a failure to build leadership and a failure to build partnerships, at some point the overall response is responsible adults get involved and say, 'that’s enough.'” “At the end of the day, we are a five-and-a-half billion dollar corporation and your board of directors, which is city council, has failed, in this case, to provide a strategic direction. They’ve failed to work together. They’ve failed to work collaboratively. They’ve failed to provide leadership. They have failed to deliver services. They failed to listen to Calgarians.” .“We've got to stick together, and we’ve got to agree there can’t be any sway on that. “I'm running a campaign that provides us with the opportunity to pick up the garbage and pay the fire department more efficiently. “People are just frustrated with city council.” In addition to Davison, others in the mayor’s race include Ward 1 Cllr. Sonya Sharp, Mayor Jyoti Gondek, Jeromy Farkas and former police commission chair, Brian Thiesen. The Calgary municipal election is Oct. 20, 2025.
