Petrolia area baseball has hit another homerun with the Jays Care Foundation.
The panther diamond at Lambton Centennial Public School has been named one of 15 projects across Canada to receive funding to build a new baseball diamond through the Field Of Dreams program.
Principal Leo Spence tells Sarnia News Today they've helped turn a bad situation into a positive one.
"We had a big septic issue at our school that wiped out our baseball diamond and a big chunk of our school yard for much of last year, so we [jumped on the] opportunity to apply for a grant," said Spence.
He credits one of their teachers for helping with the application.
"Steve McGrail had posted a great video as our application, showing the students in front of diggers, and bulldozers, and the big mounds of dirt, and all of the work that was going into the new septic system. Last Sunday on Sportsnet Central it was announced that our school was awarded a $150,000 grant from TD and the Jays Care Foundation to build a baseball diamond," said Spence.
School staff met with an architect and Lambton Kent District School Board officials on Wednesday.
"We're making sure we have the location proper on our yard for drainage and what we'll have is a full baseball diamond, with chip and stone infield, proper fencing, we'll have two sections of bleachers, players benches, and it will be wheelchair accessible with community use available as well," he said.
Spence said it was a hard announcement to keep secret.
"We got a phone call a couple weeks before, so we had to sit on this [announcement] as a school staff and board office staff," he said. "We had a big pep rally on Friday afternoon [to make a video ahead of the announcement] and we also hosted a watch party at Black Gold Brewery in Petrolia [to see the announcement be made]. So, the community is pumped to have this here and it's going to be really good for the overall community."
Construction is expected to take place over the summer.
Spence said the ground will be seeded in the fall and hopefully the grass is ready by next spring.
He said the school will shift its focus to fundraising for its new playground now.
"We are looking at $85,000 for the playground equipment and we're at about $30,000 right now. So, we're really hoping this spurs people to give to the cause and we'll be able to piece it all together at one time instead of year after year," Spence said.
The charitable arm of the Toronto Blue Jays is committing more than $1.5 million in infrastructure investments in 2025.
The diamonds will help expand the game of baseball across Canada and provide a safe and inclusive space to develop important life skills, learn from positive role models, build friendships and grow a love for the game.
Since its inception, Jays Care has invested more than $20 million in 232 Field of Dreams projects across the country.
The Town of Petrolia has also received support through Jays Care this year to increase involvement in the Blacktop Baseball program.
New t-shirts, hats and equipment were being provided to the Challenger Baseball and Girls At Bat programs for the season.
In 2024, Kettle and Stony Point First Nation received a $90,000 Field of Dreams grant to improved the landscaping and install new fencing, a backstop and dugouts at its field.