Saugeen Shores council is being asked to build new baseball diamonds as soon as next year.
Saugeen Shores Minor Ball President Andy Dunlop told council their numbers have taken off, with over 350 kids registered this summer, which is more than double compared to four years ago.
He says the six diamonds in Saugeen Shores are not enough anymore, adding the men's slo-pitch league has had to turn teams away and cap their numbers at 27 teams, due to lack of diamond times.
"We've just had huge growth over the last three-to-five years and we've had to accommodate," says Dunlop. "Unfortunately, it means early diamond times for kids and late diamond times for adults."
Dunlop says they are formally asking for the construction of two new diamonds at Biener Park in Port Elgin, which has a large open field currently used for parking, and they'd like to see the new fields constructed and available for use by the 2018 ball season.
Mayor Mike Smith says it's no secret the municipality has a shortage of ball diamonds, pointing out a recent recreation master plan recommended the construction of at least three new diamonds within the next five years.
Smith says council has directed community services staff to develop options for moving forward, which he expects will be part of 2018 budget talks this fall.
