FUNDING ASSISTANCE FROM JAYS CARE WILL HELP TP BASEBALL AND THE CITY OF TORONTO INSTALL LIGHTING STANDARDS AT CHRISTIE PITS DIAMOND 3
Photo of Christie Pits Diamond 3.
The Jays Care Foundation, the charitable arm of the Toronto Blue Jays, announced today that Toronto Playgrounds House League Baseball is one of fourteen successful organizations from across Canada who will receive infrastructure investment funding through their ‘Field of Dreams’ program in 2016.
Jays Care will dispense a total of $1.45 million this year to the fourteen successful applicants. TP House League Baseball is eligible for a ‘Field of Dreams’ grant of up to $150,000.
In its application to the Jays Care Foundation, TP House League Baseball stated that the ‘Field of Dreams’ grant would be used to finance the installation of overhead lighting standards at Christie Pits Diamond 3.
Toronto Playgrounds House League Baseball, in partnership with the City of Toronto, intends to install lights on Diamond #3 at Christie Pits Park. Christie Pits is home to three baseball diamonds: one senior diamond (Dominico Field) and two minor diamonds. Diamonds #1 and #2 currently have lights and the addition of lights on Diamond #3 will allow TP Baseball to run baseball programs for the increasing number of participants in the community that we serve.
Overhead lighting fixtures at Diamond 3 increases the number of hours kids can play by 17.5 hours per week or 350 additional hours in a season. This is an increase of 35% capacity to diamond #3 and will greatly assist with the projected increase in registrants.
‘Field of Dreams’ is Jays Care’s granting program for infrastructure projects and enables more than a dozen communities each year to refurbish, design and build safe spaces for children and youth to play baseball, develop life skills and learn from positive role models. By the end of 2016, Jays Care will have invested over $8.15 million towards the creation/refurbishment of 78 safe spaces for children and youth, including 44 baseball diamonds across Canada.
“Jays Care is committed to providing high quality safe spaces for children and youth across Canada,” said Robert Witchel, the Executive Director of the Jays Care Foundation. “Baseball diamonds are classrooms; the life lessons children learn through playing baseball – teamwork, determination, leadership and resiliency – will serve them well as they become the leaders of tomorrow. And not all of these projects are baseball focused; Jays Care is also very proud to provide funding that will create safe spaces for marginalized children to engage with positive role models who can make a dramatic difference in their lives.”
The following organizations were awarded 2016 Field of Dreams Grants:
- Bolton Braves Baseball Association – Bolton, ON
- Northern Nishnawbe Education Council (Pelican Falls First Nations High School) – Sioux Lookout, ON
- Greater Moncton Field of Dreams Baseball Program – Moncton, NB
- Toronto Playgrounds House League Baseball – Toronto, ON
- Walpole Island First Nation – Walpole Island, ON
- Boys & Girls Club of Lasalle – Lasalle, QC
- District 4 Alberta Little League – Medicine Hat, AB
- Mount Pearl Minor Baseball Association – Mt. Pearl, NL
- Boys & Girls Club of Kingston – Kingston, ON
- Nanaimo Minor Baseball Association – Nanaimo, BC
- Boost Child & Youth Advocacy Centre – Toronto, ON
- Dawson Boys & Girls Club – Montreal, QC
- The Diamond Project – Durham, ON
- Baseball Mineur de Matane – Matane, QC
- YMCA of Greater Toronto – Toronto, ON
If you have any questions, please contact us at tpbaseball@gmail.com.