Baseball makes a pitch
Merritton’s George Taylor Field could be home in the future to a new professional-style baseball league.
St. Catharines city council agreed to enter into a memorandum of understanding with Laker Baseball Properties Monday for the exclusive establishment of a summer collegiate wood bat baseball league team at the city-owned field.
Laker Baseball Properties said it wants to bring a new professionalstyle league to Southern Ontario.
“Our goal is to bring back pro-level baseball in 2019. It will be 20 years after the Stompers played their last game in your city,” said Guy Yerama of Laker Baseball Properties in council Monday.
Yerama said the league will be made up of NCAA players who will be participating in a pro-style league in the summer to further develop their skills and prepare for professional baseball in a year or two.
There are currently 20 summer collegiate wood bat baseball leagues in North America.
Yerama said other league teams have been successful with this model in Canada, including in Victoria, BC where 1,900 fans attend each night and in Okotoks, Alberta which draws over 4,100 fans per game.
He said Laker Baseball aims to lead the category with its team in St. Catharines. It will be on a 10-week, 50game schedule with rival teams in southern Ontario.
Yerama told council the games will be part of a full entertainment package with endless activity, music and promotions, food and beverage options and a festive atmosphere. There will be a revamped children’s play area, backyard hospitality section, mascots and post-game fireworks to top off the night.
“Baseball is summer’s true game and we want to bring that sizzle back to George Taylor Field,” Yerama said.
A staff report to council said seven local groups have used George Taylor Field over the last three years, logging 621 hours there in 2017 alone. Staff will inform and engage those groups in discussions about the Laker Baseball proposal.
The report said Laker Baseball is intent on working collectively with the current users to “leverage opportunities to work together, meet needs and enhance and grow the sport.”
But Merritton Coun. Jennie Stevens said the proposal was news to her and fellow ward councillor Dave Haywood and they should have been included by staff from the beginning.
Stevens said 50 Laker games is certain to have an impact on the user groups in the park. She said there’s also been no discussion with area residents who could be impacted by parking, traffic and noise issues.
“This proposal may be a great addition to an already lively community in the city of St. Catharines and in the Merritton ward... but it needs more work and community input before it goes any further,” she said.
City council directed staff to work with Laker Baseball on a potential partnership proposal and report back on the progress of the partnership. At the suggestion of St. Andrew’s Coun. Matt Harris, staff will work with stakeholders, ward councillors and residents to alleviate Stevens’ concerns.
George Taylor Field, on Seymour Avenue, does requires improvements for the league. Laker Baseball has said it’s prepared to make a capital investment but would look for a capital investment from the city as well.
In anticipation of Canada Summer Games, city council has already approved $25,000 to make renovations at the field with a matching contribution by Canada Summer Games for a total of $50,000.