Clearing the fence

By Olivia Bradbury / Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

CBS Kiwanis Minor Baseball Association is celebrating a home run of sorts in being named one of 15 recipients of a Field of Dreams grant from the Toronto Blue Jays’ Jays Care foundation which will enable it to make Jim Crosbie Field in Long Pond more accessible.

Among those celebrating during a special announcement about the $150,000 prize held at Shenanigan’s Restaurant in Foxtrap last Sunday was CBS Kiwanis Minor Baseball president Todd Powell, who thanked the fellow members of the committee that had submitted the plan for their diamond. The association is the sole user of the field, but with the accessibility features added, it is looking to make the pitch available to other groups including Special Olympics and Challenger Baseball. The features include concrete flooring leading onto the field, wheelchair accessible bleachers, and ramps for the dugouts. They also plan to put in new dirt in the fall.

Powell said the grant will help the game of baseball in CBS immensely. The renovations will help the field meet the standards of Baseball Newfoundland and Labrador and Baseball Canada and allow the association to host more events. 

“So, this grant will give us the opportunity to apply for tournaments such as Atlantics and Nationals and all that stuff,” he said. 

Powell said when he first looked at applying for the grant four years ago, he concluded that, even if the application was successful, the association would not have enough money for the desired renovations. This year, however, the Town of CBS gave the group $100,000 as backing for the grant, for which Powell said he is very grateful.

Sylvia Locke, whose daughter Sarah plays in the league, volunteered for the grant committee after seeing a call for expressions of interest from people willing to work on the project.

“I didn’t know what it was, but I’m a believer in giving back to sports and you need volunteers to help them grow,” she said.

Locke praised the inclusivity of the project. She noted the field’s location on Stony Hill makes it hard for seniors and those with mobility issues to get there. At present, she added, the field is not suitable for Challenger Baseball, a program for children with cognitive and physical disabilities. 

“The more I dug into it, a lot of our Challenger Baseball is all done in town (St. John’s). None of it is able to be done here. So that’s a population of 30,000 here, and we’re sending them to another community,” said Locke. 

As part of the compiling the application, Locke and her fellow committee members contacted Challenger Baseball, Special Olympics, and other groups to ask how they could make the field more accessible. 

“When we got the news that we made it to the finals we were ecstatic, because we have a big vision and this is certainly the first step in making this happen for our community,” she said.

Locke said many baseball programs do not reach their maximum potential because they do not have enough volunteers. So, the CBS association has tasked one of its directors with the job of facilitating inclusivity. They are also going to encourage players, especially their all-star players, to volunteer with players who need a one-on-one buddy. Locke said this initiative will show the athletes to think outside themselves, to take into consideration that some people might not be as mobile as them. 

“I think it’s showing them, and it may take some time, that you have to be a part of your community,” Locke said.

Les MacFadden, the association’s coaching director, who also served on the grant committee, said the project will instill more confidence in the athletes. The renovations will also allow older relatives, such as grandparents, to more easily get to the field to watch a game. 

MacFadden admitted he was pretty excited when he got the call saying the CBS group was a finalist. “I had to pull over, and I was kind of speechless,” he said. “Then I called Todd, and Todd fell on the floor and was almost crying.” 

MacFadden said you cannot put a monetary value on the project because of how much it is going to benefit the community.

At the May 4 watch party, which was broadcast on SportsNet, the first winner to be named was Conception Bay South. The room erupted into cheers and applause.

“What a great day for Conception Bay South. And a great day for baseball in Conception Bay South,” said CBS Mayor Darrin Bent. 

The mayor commended the Raiders and everyone who supports them for all they do for baseball in CBS and for working to make the game more accessible.

Newly minted MP Paul Connors also praised the efforts. “We celebrated Hockeyville many years ago, and this is just as big, or better than Hockeyville,” said Connors. “Congratulations.” 

Conception Bay South MHA Barry Petten was equally effusive towards those who put in the work to win the grant. “I admire each and every one of you,” said Petten. “Without you, this is not possible.”

No one was happier though than Powell.

“I am ecstatic. This is huge, huge for baseball,” said Powell. “Not even only in CBS, in the entire province.” 

Powell said the CBS club has the highest number of children registered in its history – some 360 players, an increase of roughly 200 in just a few years.  

“To take it where we’re to today, this is amazing,” said Powell. “I can’t even describe how I’m feeling. To see what we can do for our kids in the community and what they can play on.”