Cricket is coming to Amherstburg.
Council gave administration the green light to negotiate an agreement with Windsor-based Paxpitch Sports for the installation of a cricket pitch in Anderdon Park.
They group had approached the town to help accommodate the needs of the growing cricket community, including the Border City Cricket League (BCCL).
Initial play at Anderdon is expected to feature more than 20 teams who are currently part of the BCCL, equating to more than 400 active players.
PaxPitch will partner with the town’s recreation department to host cricket open houses to introduce the sport to all ages, conduct clinics and skills sessions for kids and families, and will offer structured coaching programs through the Become Better Cricket Academy.
Councillor Don McArthur said it was a great opportunity for youth to be exposed to the second most popular sport in the world.
"This is an opportunity for a kid from Anderdon, from anywhere in Amherstburg really to see the game of cricket being played and to fall in love with it, like I don't know much about it, it's a lot like baseball, but people like it more than baseball in most of the world," McArthur said.
PaxPitch told council Monday night that they planned to fully fund the installation at a cost of $15,000 to $20,000, with no funding required from the town.
Under the four to seven year agreement, the group will also provide on-site washrooms (porta johns) and ongoing maintenance other than grass cutting.
Councillor Linden Crain said praised PaxPitch CEO Kshitij Punj for their dedication.
"Very excited with the opportunity with our economic development team, and how we can draw those visitors or players around the area to shop and dine in Amherstburg," Crain said.
Councils decision was unanimous and Punj said he was looking forward to seeing the opportunities for area youth.
"We want our kids to take up the sport, we want the next Olympian for Canada to come from the Windsor-Essex region, why not, we have everything here," Punj said. "This was the missing part and I'm very glad that we overcome that. The first step, actually, the work starts now."
During his pitch to council, Punj said he wanted to come back in one year and request the same access at Pat Thrasher Park.
Mayor Michael Prue wanted some things addressed before that happened.
"A) if it cost us any money, whether there were any problems, whether the porta johns got knocked over, all those things we need to know because Anderdon is a little remote, there's farms and things behind, but Pat Thrasher is right in the middle of a subdivision, and I want to make sure that any problems are looked at, and any costs are looked at before we go down that road," Prue said.
Once the agreement is finalized, construction is expected to take about three weeks, in time for summer play.