MAPLETON – A $234,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation will be used to upgrade ball diamond and concession facilities in Drayton.
Manager of parks, cemeteries and facilities Lucas Rogerson reported on the grant during the Jan. 25 Mapleton council meeting.
The project will include:
- installation of new outdoor field lighting (LED lights and standards) at Drayton ‘B’ diamond;
- replacement of existing concession booth serving windows with new security roll-up doors; replacement of damaged doors with new accessible security doors at concession stand and updated siding to prevent water damage;
- addition of surfacing to ball diamond infields and warning tracks;
- replacement of wood on bleachers; and
- replacement of dugout benches on ‘A’ diamond.
The ‘B’ diamond is currently the only Mapleton diamond without lighting.
“By adding lighting to the ‘B’ diamond, this will enable further booking of adult recreation leagues into the evening which we are currently unable to offer,” township officials note in their application for funding.
“A lot of people would say it’s probably the nicer out of the two diamonds in Drayton,” observed councillor Michael Martin.
“So the fact that it’s got lights on it will be fantastic, especially for tournaments and lots of functions.”
The application also notes that in addition to use for youth and adult ball,”the diamond facilities are also popular dog training and walking areas for the community and used during our local agricultural fair and Canada Day celebrations.”
Rogerson told council local contractors will be used for the process.
“So the money will be staying … directly in the township here with local contractors and keeping a nice surge of $234,000 to the local economy,” he stated, adding the selected contractors “all quoted on this.”
Rogerson said physical work on the project is expected to get underway early in March.
“So hopefully, if everything lines up right, we should have the facilities updated by the 2022 season,” he predicted.
“I like how a report like this kind of pulls together a lot of different arms of what we do here,” said councillor Marlene Ottens.
“The parks and rec report, the strategic plan we just talked about recently and now this fulfills one of the things that was discussed, and then the fact the contractors doing the work are all local, so that’s economic development.”
Ottens aded, “And then of course is it $234,000 for this, so you know that it’s great for the finance department and all of us.
“I just like how this all ties together and it’s good news.”
Mayor Gregg Davidson agreed.
“With lighting of trails, lighting of parks, ball diamonds, we’re doing really well here when it comes to our parks and recreation areas,” Davidson said.
