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Walsh Field breaks ground

Walsh Field was the site of anticipation on Friday, May 5 as a crowd of residents waited eagerly for the announcement that improvements to the field are right around the corner.
The official ground breaking ceremony for the upgrades at Walsh Field was hosted on Friday, May 5.
The official ground breaking ceremony for the upgrades at Walsh Field was hosted on Friday, May 5.

Walsh Field was the site of anticipation on Friday, May 5 as a crowd of residents waited eagerly for the announcement that improvements to the field are right around the corner.

Thanks to the help of local donor Raymond Scott, the project was up and running Monday. The first step is to remove the existing grass, dirt and clay.

To-date, Scott has donated the $1.5 million to the Walsh Field upgrades. The generous gesture, he said, is to help kids flourish in sports, and because he wanted to give back to the community.

“It's going to affect so many kids, and it will help bring business back to the community,” he said, adding the field will help young athletes show-off their talents to parents, coaches, and other players.

As a sports enthusiast himself, Scott is excited to be able to lend a hand to a good cause.

Mickey Fagnan, coach for the Bonnyville Bandits, approached Scott about the opportunity after learning about his love for football. Fagnan had been working on the project for some time and was in search of financial support.

“He knew I had a passion for football and sports. We just started talking and then he asked me about it,” Scott explained, adding he will be donating another $1.4 million to the project over the next three years.

“I'm just glad I can help turn this into a reality.”

Fagnan came up with the idea to modernize the field, and said all it takes is a spark to make an idea come to life.

“You have that spark in you, and all it takes is a little bit of fanning and hard work,” he said.

He continued, “I have been married to this project for two years, and everybody said it was impossible and it can't happen.”

Pointing towards the field where construction machinery loomed, Fagnan exclaimed they made it happen.

With the support of the Town and MD of Bonnyville, as well as the Lakeland Catholic School District, Fagnan's vision is becoming a reality, one that will incorporate not only football, but soccer and lacrosse too. Over 900 kids in sports will benefit from the use of the field.

Fagnan noted, “We are going to see a lot of things happen here. Concerts can happen here, movie nights, senior games, Aboriginal games… all of those people will have the use of this… There are a lot of people affected by this.”

Town of Bonnyville Mayor Gene Sobolewski said they decided to get on board because of the impact this project will have on youth in the community.

“When Mickey came to have the discussion (about the project)… it was about the youth. It was about the legacy and not just settling for standard, but doing it right and being the best.”

He continued, “It's so wonderful that the dream has manifested.”

The field will be certified to host lacrosse, soccer, and football tournaments and will bring players from across the province to Bonnyville.

Both the town and the MD agreed that this was the cherry on top of the cake.

When discussing their support, the MD considered the economic development the project could have on the area.

“This, we felt, would be good for the region because kids don't go to these tournaments without grandma, grandpa, brothers and sisters, or their parents. If it's at a national or provincial level, I can see this field bringing in hundreds or thousands of people during a tournament,” noted MD of Bonnyville Reeve Ed Rondeau.

He added it “feels good” to be part of the project that will help shape the lives of young athletes.

“The number of kids involved, it's close to 1,000 who participate. That‘s a lot… It's going to be a big plus for the town.”

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