Years of lobbying by sports groups in the Town of Essex may finally pay off. The town is considering some new sports fields.
Director of Community Services says sports groups have been begging council to build more fields for years now, but the town hasn't had the land. Now it has 70 acres near Hwy. 3.
"So now our next step is to contact these user groups, and let them know and find out what their wish lists are," he says.
So far, the wish list includes baseball diamonds, a football field and soccer pitches.
"The earliest it would start is a couple of years," says Sweet. "But from then, it could be two to ten years all depending on the funding we get through grants, sponsorships and fundraising."
There's no estimate yet on how much the project would cost.
More sports fields are in the town's master plan, and about $50,000 has been set aside in the budget to hire an engineering consultant. A report on that will come back at the next council meeting.
Sweet says there's a shortage of sports fields in the town, and it's having a real impact on organized play.
"For example, when the two elementary schools were built within the last five years, we lost six diamonds. However, the population has grown," he says. "Essex Minor Baseball hasn't been able to enhance its program and has actually been turning kids away."
He also says more adults and seniors are signing up for soccer.
- With files from Ricardo Veneza.
