Three Pontiac baseball fields receive funds for upgrades
Sophie Demers
MRC PONTIAC – Campbell’s Bay, Bryson, and L’Isle-aux-Allumettes will be upgrading their baseball fields with funding from Quebec’s Programme d’aide financière aux infrastructures récréatives, sportives et de plein air (PAFIRSPA). The program funds sports and leisure infrastructure, covering 66% of the costs; municipalities cover the balance.
The Bryson Recreation Association received $47,634 to add netting around the baseball field in Bryson Lions Park. The baseball field is adjacent to a soccer field, and without netting, it was unsafe to hold baseball and soccer games at the same time.
“A netted field will save some balls because it’s expensive when we keep losing them and allow us to have a multi-functional, multi-sports space,” said Meghan Griffin, Bryson RA vice-president. “It will not only be better for sports, but for all activities and festivals we have at the park. It’s better for the whole space and safer for everyone,” she added, estimating the project will be completed within the next year.
Campbell’s Bay received $72,378 to replace the protective barriers around the baseball field. “Our baseball fencing is original from 1970, when it was built. So there are broken pieces and it needs to be replaced. It’s a safety issue,” said Sarah Bertrand, Campbell’s Bay director general.
Bertrand said this will benefit youth and adult softball and baseball teams as well as soccer teams that use the outfield. The field is also often used for festivals, tournaments, and other community activities. Work will begin in September and is scheduled to be completed next spring.
L’Isle-aux-Allumettes received $56,681 to redevelop the Saint-Joseph baseball field. According to Chantal Lair, municipal community development officer, the field hasn’t been used for many years.
“On the island, we have one other baseball field that’s used every night of the week, but there’s large demand for another field in the area because we have adult and youth baseball leagues,” said Lair. “Another field will allow more games and larger baseball tournaments, could bring in more players from other towns, and attract visitors,” she concluded. The project should be completed by summer 2025.
