By: Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press

The Town of Essex will submit an application to the Build Communities Stronger Fund (Direct Stream) to support the development of the new Essex Centre Sports Fields off Batten Side Road; a majority of Council voted during the July 16 meeting.

Councillor Jason Matyi, Rodney Hammond, and Brad Allard opposed applying.

This funding stream will provide up to 40% of the project cost to a maximum of $100M to successful applications.

The initial project budget estimate was for $20,649,659.

The hope is that the Town would be able to garner $5.2M from the grant stream to put towards the $13M project – excluding the stadium component, while using $3.3M from investment income, $500,000 from Development Charges, and $500,000 from Parkland Reserves. The remaining $3.4M would be financed through long-term debt.

The full project scope includes five baseball diamonds, parking lots, six soccer fields, and the outbuilding. There could also be a stadium, for which the Town has issued Requests for Proposals.

Council also passed an amendment to the recommended motion that will provide user-groups information on the costs for the phase-in plan to look for sponsorship or fundraising opportunities if the Town does not get the grant.

Also, if unsuccessful, options on how to proceed with the project will be made to Council.

If successful, the grant application would take care of the entire plan, excluding the stadium. Jake Morassut, Director of Community Services/Deputy CAO, noted if unsuccessful, the Town has a phase-in model as the best option to move forward. That was in response to Councillor Joe Garon’s question on whether the Town could look at cost-saving initiatives to open more baseball diamonds sooner.

The Town has applied for grants in the past and has been unsuccessful.

Phase 1A has been completed. In 2021, infrastructure to the site, six soccer fields (four senior and two junior) were seeded, a portion of parking lot B was created, and some general site work, two stormwater retention ponds, the east access road off of Batten Side Road, and turf were established with the assistance of a grant.

Phase 2 is the one that is critical, Morassut noted, based on being economical. If there is a different phasing model Council wanted to consider, funds would be needed to have a consultant look at that.

Phase 2 of the Essex Sports Fields would have a budget of $4M, including non-refundable HST. Of which, $3.3M would come from investment income, $151,000 from Development Charges, and $500,000 from Parkland Reserves. This would cover general site work – electrical, sanitary, water; one multi-use baseball diamond which would be upgraded in the future with a mound for hardball, parking and access roads, parking lot lighting, and consulting design and contingency costs.

The Phase 3 plan would cost $3M and would include developing the outbuilding, which will include male, female, and universal washrooms; four change rooms, two ref rooms, concession, overhang, equipment storage for municipal use, storage for minor soccer and minor baseball, custodial room, and mechanical room.

Morassut said baseball and soccer groups liked that design.

Phases four through six will include $3.4M for the balance of sports fields, $1.8M for parking lot and trail paving, and $525,000 for other site amenities.

Garon said this is an amenity needed before the property was even purchased. It is costing a lot more today to build it now than it would have been if it had been completed previously. League play will generate interest in it.

In answering Councillor Rodney Hammond about what is being done to entice participation from the Harrow, Colchester, and McGregor areas to use this sporting facility, Morassut said the primary study was for Essex user-groups and in bringing in other user-groups who have indicated they would also like to utilize the facilities.

Hammond said he is having a hard time selling this $13M commitment to Harrow residents.

To Councillor Katie McGuire-Blais, it is a great opportunity for the Town to apply to get the additional funding from the Federal Government. If the Town does not get the grant, she wants to provide information to user-groups on the costs for the phase-in plan to look for sponsorship or fundraising opportunities.

In responding to Councillor Jason Matyi’s question on what would happen if the Town receives less funds than expected, CAO Kate Giurissevich noted if the transfer payment deviated substantially from the plan, it could come back to Council for further consideration.

Mayor Sherry Bondy remembers when the previous Term of Council purchased this land, and noted not a lot of action has taken place over the years. One thing Essex has now, but did not previously, is the investment income. That is something worked on this Term of Council.

“I am proud to say that we have that for the application to bring it forward,” the Mayor said.

Deputy Mayor Rob Shepley believes this is an important step in getting some support for the project from the upper levels of government.

In speaking to the background of the plans, Morassut noted the Town of Essex explored land options to be able to accommodate the outdoor sport field shortage in Essex Centre for several years.

In 2025/26, administration was focused on turf development, Morassut noted. That grass is now well-established, though it was a feat that did not come easy. A water source was implemented last year to aid in that, which led to better results.

Town administration is now working with soccer user-groups on a phase-in schedule for using the sports fields.

“What we have really emphasized with them is the longer we can wait for the turf to establish, the better the turf is going to be in the long run,” he explained to Essex Council, noting that will allow the root growth to really take hold.

There are no known interruptions to existing soccer fields for next year’s season. Town departments are working together to determine what the current update is for the Hanlan extension that will impact existing fields. With the expansion of Highway 3, Hanlan Street will become a local commuter road within Essex Centre and the extension of Hanlan Street to Arner Townline will go through the current soccer fields.

In the past, several of the main user-groups have requested the Town create additional fields to accommodate their current and future needs. The Town has also received several requests to host more adult slo-pitch leagues, a minor football program, and additional soccer leagues in the Essex Centre area; however, the Town has not been able to accommodate the requests due to lack of facility availability, Morassut noted in his report.

In the 2015 Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan, there was a recommendation that the Town look at purchasing property to be able to add outdoor sport fields to accommodate the current needs and potential growth of the community. This shortage of fields was once again identified during the 2023 Community Services Master Plan.

Essex Centre previously had nine baseball diamonds, and currently there are only four diamonds. That reduction occurred when two new elementary schools were built in Essex Centre and the new schools were built where the current sport fields were located.