Riverhawks still renovating new nest at Re/max Field
The ongoing pandemic may have the Edmonton Riverhawks behind in the count.
But the West Coast League's newest club says it will be ready to get into the swing of things for its inaugural season in 2021, whatever way, shape or form the summer collegiate circuits end up taking.
And while COVID-19 has caused some delays in their nest-building plans as they take over Re/max Field, the Riverhawks count themselves fortunate they didn't originally intend to take flight in a 2020 season rife with cancellations across the continent.
“We've been working hard to get this West Coast League team; we think it's a fantastic league,” said Randy Gregg, the former championship Oilers defenceman who represents a group of around two dozen community members backing the Riverhawks. “Ninety players in the 2019 MLB draft had played in this league.
“Shane Bieber, the Cy Young Award winner this year, played in the West Coast League. So, it's pretty exciting. We think that the quality of baseball is good.”
The drawback of playing out of Edmonton's picturesque river valley ballpark has always been having the comparison made with the Trappers and the affiliated brand of baseball that once played out of Re/max Field.
“I think that a lot of people believe maybe we should bring in triple-a or professional league baseball, but the reality of it is with travel restrictions and the contraction of Major League Baseball, that's not going to happen,” Gregg said. “I think if Major League Baseball was going to expand — and they're not, they're contracting — they probably wouldn't do it in Canada.
“So, we're seeing some really established communities in places like Montana and North Dakota that are losing their baseball affiliates and they have a facility that's empty. We wanted to make sure that this facility, which is a fantastic stadium, doesn't get left unused.”
Quite the opposite, in fact, should the Riverhawks get their way and open their diamond to other groups on off days.
“We'd love to have every young baseball and softball player have a chance to go down there and play at Re/max Field,” Gregg said. “Right now, we're in the middle of redoing the surface, the field turf in the infield. It's a major, major expense, but it will allow us to bring so many more young teams coming down to experience that.
“We really want to make sure that, rather than being exclusive and use it for only 27 or 50 days, we want to try to allow the community to enjoy the facilities as well.”
The Riverhawks are finding other plans moving a little slower than they might have liked.
“In the era of COVID, everything's a challenge,” said Gregg, adding mild weather in October and November helped them get a head start on things, including the infield and scoreboard upgrades.
“The completion will be by June 1 of next year.”
Which, as it turns out, will be just in time for their franchise opener against the visiting Victoria Harbourcats.
The regular season is scheduled to run until Aug. 12.