Kraft Heinz Project Play 2017 winner and Saugeen Shores have much in common

In 2017, Goderich won the Kraft Heinz Project Play grand prize of $250,000 for the Goderich Recreation Park.

The recreation park was selected following two days of feverish voting on Sept. 8 and 9, in which Canadians cast an impressive 766,294 votes in support of the Top 4 projects.

Now in its fifth year, and following six years as the Kraft Celebration Tour, KRAFT HEINZ PROJECT PLAY is a joint partnership between TSN, RDS, and Kraft Heinz to provide Canadian communities with funds for play-based infrastructure projects.

The town of Goderich, like Saugeen Shores, has a history of passionate minor sports organizations despite a major lack of amenities and basic facilities.

The Goderich Recreation Park is the community’s main summer sports park, supporting baseball, soccer, field hockey, and skateboarding. The grand prize money was used toward bathrooms, resurfacing, a new playground, new dugouts, spectator stands, and more. The upgrades were the first significant repairs the park had undergone in many years.

“Every year I’m so impressed by what can happen when a community comes together for a common cause,” said Georgina Gray, Manager, Kraft Heinz Project Play on the Project’s website. “Each of the Top 4 communities showcase true spirit and passion for sport and play, and have come together in support of their nominations.”

Saugeen Shores has also applied to Kraft Heinz Project Play this year in hopes of attaining the grand prize of $250,000 that will go toward the Lamont Recreation Park.

The community has seen an explosion in the number of ball players with 1,300 adult and minors, in addition to ball tournaments that include out-of-town teams.  Unfortunately, existing ball diamonds cannot accommodate the numbers and, therefore, the Lamont project will see eight additional diamonds along with proposed access trails and an accessible playground and the possibility of ‘beach’ volleyball courts.

KRAFT HEINZ PROJECT PLAY is an evolution of the Kraft Celebration Tour and, now in its 11th years, has awarded $2.9 million to 77 communities across Canada. In total, Kraft Heinz has supported 166 communities, contributing $6 million to Canadian play-based infrastructure projects.

“We would like to see the whole community get on board,” says Vice-Deputy Mayor Mike Myatt.  “Just think, all it would take is 1,000 people to participate to put us in the top four and we have more than that in ball-player numbers.  Also, those teams who want to come into tournaments can also nominate the Park location.

So, we hope that everyone gets on board for this fantastic opportunity.  Just go to Kraft Heinz Project Play … it’s really very simple. ”