With province-wide lockdowns closing down gyms but outdoor exercise still allowed, people have been petitioning for indoor sport domes to be deemed outdoor facilities so that they can open in Toronto and throughout Ontario.

The petition was started by the owners and managers of a number of these indoor sport facilities, and uses evidence supported by Gerald Catt, a registered professional engineer who says in a written statement that air supported structures are an ideal indoor setting for preventing the spread of COVID-19.

"The indoor air quality resembles that of the outside environment," he says in the statement.

These domes have a mininum height of 36 feet and can go up to 70 feet, and are held up by rotating volumes of fresh air in order to maintain pressure, according to the petition. The domes are generally super spacious as well, making physical distancing a breeze.

These spaces could be used during lockdown as a place for people to train or play sports that are socially distanced by nature, like tennis.

According to the petition, there have been no reported outbreaks of the virus as safety measures have been followed by the domes, including sanitzation, distancing and daily health checks.

Noting that Toronto took the initiative to open up ice rinks in the winter, the petition says "we believe that dome sports facilities should be allowed to open under the same guidelines and capacities as well."