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Input sought for sports fields

Residents living in the MD of Foothills’ west end will get a chance to speak out on what recreation opportunities they would like available in their region.
A sod-turning ceremony in the summer of 2013 kicked off the start of the 30-acre Seaman Sports Park near Millarville. Two regulation-sized ball diamonds should be ready for
A sod-turning ceremony in the summer of 2013 kicked off the start of the 30-acre Seaman Sports Park near Millarville. Two regulation-sized ball diamonds should be ready for use in 2016 and the MD of Foothills is looking to residents for input on what recreational opportunities they would like in their region.

Residents living in the MD of Foothills’ west end will get a chance to speak out on what recreation opportunities they would like available in their region.

Continuing with its plan to build a 30-acre Seaman Sports Park west of the Millarville Race Track, the MD of Foothills will spend the next couple of months reaching out to area residents through open houses and surveys before determining what will be built in the west portion of the MD.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing what all the residents feel so that we can make sure we make the right decision,” said Jason Parker, the MD councillor representing division three. “We hope that we get as much participation in that survey as possible so that people have their voices heard. A lot of people are really eager to see things move forward.”

Construction began on a $280,000 project to build two regulation-sized ball diamonds in the spring of 2013. However, the flood that hit the region that year delayed progress as workers were hard to find until last summer and fall, said Parker. The Millarville Sports Association committed $50,000 to the project and other “in kind” donations were received ranging from equipment to labour.

The ball diamonds replace one that was lost to flooding at the Millarville Racing, and the second was built because it doesn’t cost much to do so, he said.

One of the diamonds will be named the Powell Field, in memory of Tina Powell who played a significant role in the community and school before losing her battle with cancer in 2013.

“They have been seeded and we’re hoping that the sports associations will be able to use them in the spring of 2016,” Parker said. “They made some really good progress out there.”

MD council agreed at its regular meeting last week to move forward with a $14,000 feasibility study over the next few months to look into constructing an arena on the site.

Ryan Payne, director of community services with the MD, said the Northwest Foothills Recreation Board, established in 2011 to help get the project started, discussed having a facility similar to the Scott Seaman Sports Rink in Heritage Heights, complete with multipurpose rooms, a rink, meeting space, administration space, change rooms, mechanical rooms and a possible indoor walking track.

The Doc Seaman Fund contributed $250,000 through the Calgary Foundation towards the land acquisition for the Seaman Sports Park.

Before updating the development plan for the proposed recreation facility, with existing plans including soccer pitches, an outdoor hockey arena, two more ball diamonds, an indoor arena and a walking/running path, the MD will host an open house and distribute mail-out and online surveys for residents living in the Millarville, Priddis and DeWinton areas to give their feedback.

Parker said the Millarville area is behind in terms of recreation, considering the recent construction of the Legacy Oil and Gas Regional Field House between Okotoks and High River and the sports rink in Heritage Heights.

“Right now our three divisions in the MD are a little bit lacking in the way of recreation for our residents,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to down the road having something like this for our residents because it’s something I feel is so important to us on so many levels.”

With two young children of his own, including a daughter who loves soccer, Parker said he sees a need for more recreational opportunities for youth in the Millarville area.

“Out in our area it seems to be almost a boom of youth,” he said. “A lot of families are having children that are in the same age range. It’s looking good for sports in the area. We want to make sure we have the facilities in place.”

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