Organizations and players eager to get the ball rolling for the Lamont Sports Park

The Kraft Heinz Play Project win of $250,000, has the ball rolling in Saugeen Shores for the Lamont Sports Park.

On Wednesday, November 6th, at a public information session held at the Plex, the public saw for the first time conceptual drawings for the park.  Consultant Gord Dole of Sports Turf International said that the design, although not finalized, is unique.  Dole also said that he has designed upwards of 400 sports/ball fields.  “I worked on the construction side of sports fields along with a landscape designer, so I understand what is entailed from the ground up.  Since then, I have gone into the consulting side working with communities that want to build sports fields.

“We designed the Barrie Community Sports Complex and phase one was a pinwheel design with soccer fields included,” said Dole, “at an approximate cost of three million dollars.  Phase two was three pinwheels, with a rugby field included, at an approximate cost of four million dollars.”

                 For larger view, Click on Image

 

 

At Committee of the Whole meeting held on Monday, October 28th, there were three letters on the agenda where the authors strongly recommended moving forward with a fundraising campaign for the Lamont project, sooner than later.

In his letter, Jeff Myatt, said that, “…Words cannot explain how our ball community is feeling right now. We have been energized for several years about the prospects of a consolidated ball facility with up to 8 ball diamonds and with the Kraft Heinz announcement, we are now-super-charged. Our ball community has done a lot of work behind the scenes over the past six months. We have been fundraising and we have been promoting Lamont Sports Park. Mayor and Council, we want to see a stand-alone fundraising campaign. Furthermore, we don’t want to delay as we believe the time is right to launch a campaign that not only will raise funds for ball diamonds but will also address the needs for accessible trails and accessible playground…”  To read Myatt’s entire letter, Click Here.

Connor Yourth/Anne MacKay Co-Presidents of Saugeen Shores Adult Slo-Pitch League also submitted a letter to Council.   “We as a league are requesting that council may approve a “Fundraising Committee” in which will continue to ride the momentum from our communities success with the Kraft Heinz Project Play. We understand that, with a project of this magnitude, it is going to take multiple partnerships and our community’s full support to ensure that this project can reach its full potential. Setting up a fundraising committee now is key to start the planning for additional funding for the Lamont Sports Park project.”  To read their entire letter, Click Here.

Laura Kranenburg President of Saugeen Shores Minor Baseball, also said in a letter that, “We would like to encourage Council to set up a Fundraising Committee to build upon the momentum of the Kraft Heinz Project Play achievement. We understand that projects of this magnitude often require partnerships to reach their potential and we believe that setting up a fundraising committee can start the planning and conversations that need to happen to further this project.”  To read her entire letter, Click Here.

Council now has to make the decision as to timing of a fundraising committee to set in motion what will be seen as a major fundraising campaign.