Essex is taking another run at federal funding for a long-awaited sports complex aimed at addressing a shortage of soccer fields and baseball diamonds.
Council will decide Monday whether to apply for up to $5.2 million through the Build Communities Stronger Fund for the $13-million Essex Centre Sports Fields project.
Plans for the complex have been in the works since at least 2015, when a town recreation master plan recommended acquiring land for additional sports fields.
The need was highlighted again in a 2023 master plan.
Mayor Sherry Bondy says local sports groups have been calling for more field space for years.
“We have really grown as a town and we’ve actually lost some soccer fields and baseball diamonds,” Bondy said.
“We used to have partnerships with the school boards where we would use some of their facilities. But since the schools have moved and they’ve lost amenities, we need to actually increase our soccer fields and baseball diamonds.”
She says future development plans mean the town can’t afford to delay the project any longer.
The report heading to council notes that the Hanlan Street extension, associated with the Highway 3 expansion, will pass through the current soccer fields.
“With the Hanlan extension coming through Essex Ward 1, we really need to get these soccer fields and baseball diamonds up and running,” Bondy said.
“Then the facilities, we need to have bathrooms and storage facilities there. So we’re still looking at a phased in approach. It’s a huge area for us to develop.”
She says support from residents and user groups could strengthen the town’s application.
“We can get letters of support from the user groups, from parents, from people that are interested in seeing this project,” said Bondy.
“We know from past grant applications, when the community gets involved, that’s when we have the most success.”
If the grant application is unsuccessful, administration is recommending the town move ahead with a scaled-back $4-million second phase using investment income, development charges and parkland reserves.
Essex council meets 6 p.m. Monday.