An outdoor sport complex featuring soccer fields and an eight-lane rubberized track is being planned for the Yukon capital.

The Yukon government has announced $250,000 in the 2014/15 budget for the development of the new facility.

The planned complex will feature artificial turf and grass soccer fields alongside a new track and other amenities, Yukon Soccer Association representative Tony Gaw told the Star this morning. Future construction costs are expected to total more than $6 million, he said.

A variety of sites are being considered for the project, including a site in Whistle Bend.

"We've looked at a lot of different areas,” Gaw said. "We're looking at anywhere from six to seven hectares, and it's really difficult to find that size of a parcel within the city.”

Sites along Robert Service Way and near the Mount McIntyre Recreation Centre have also received some consideration, as has the tank farm between Hillcrest and Hamilton Boulevard.

"To us, Whistle Bend is kind of a good spot because it's still in construction and there's existing infrastructure such as roadways, water and sewer,” Gaw explained. "So we wouldn't have to do additional construction servicing. But we're still looking. We're not just going to hold all of our eggs in one basket in Whistle Bend, in case it falls through.”

Gaw, who is spearheading the project, said the new complex has been in the works for three years. His first letter to the government was penned in August 2012.

"This facility is not just for soccer,” he explained.

"The facilities that we have proposed or hope to build would be all-inclusive of all sporting organizations in the Yukon.”

He said the rubber track would serve as a facility for para-athletes, such as wheelchair racer Jessica Frotten.

"Truthfully, she's a poster child for us,” Gaw admitted of the Yukoner who won three bronze medals while competing for Saskatchewan at the 2013 Canada Summer Games.

"She really stirred up a lot of emotions with her success representing Saskatchewan. It would be nice if she could have those same successes as a Yukoner. We are confident that an outdoor complex like this will be a huge asset for Yukon athletes for generations to come.”

Gaw said support for the new complex has grown quickly, and he credited the Yukon government and the City of Whitehorse for "jumping on board.” Both governments will need to approve the final site.

The Yukon government announced its support yesterday.

"Yukon has a very strong sports community, and we have a history of producing exceptional athletes, particularly from such a small population,” said Premier Darrell Pasloski.

"A modern outdoor complex will offer Yukon athletes and coaches better opportunities for enhanced training and development.

"We believe this is excellent news for families and sports enthusiasts across the territory.”

The investment is for preliminary work on the project, which will be managed by the Yukon Soccer Association.

This will include site selection and surveying, preliminary and detailed engineering designs, geotechnical studies and construction cost estimates.

Community Services Minister Brad Cathers said the initial money is a "good investment” in Yukon sports and active living.

"The work that they've done demonstrates that this will help Yukon's sporting community and be a valuable addition to our assets here in the Yukon.”

A feasibility study commissioned by Yukon Soccer, including consultation with other user groups, recommends that the complex include artificial turf fields, a track, a natural grass field, change rooms, washrooms and equipment storage space. Tennis and basketball courts may also be incorporated into the final design.