The Town of Essex is making another push for provincial funding to help move forward with the Essex Centre Sports Fields project planned for the Highway 3 and North Malden Road area in Essex Centre. Council is being asked Monday night to support a $6.5 million grant application through Ontario’s Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund. The project carries a total estimated price tag of $13 million and is aimed at addressing a growing shortage of sports fields for soccer, baseball, football and other community groups. Mayor Sherry Bondy says local organizations have been waiting years to see progress. “We do have a significant shortage of outdoor sports fields in Essex Center and around that area. Our user groups have been vocal for many years. Minor baseball, minor soccer, football, adult soccer, slow pitch. They’ve all come forward saying when are we going to get started?” Bondy said. The town was denied funding through a previous provincial application, but Bondy says Essex has strengthened its new submission by committing its own money to the project. “At the last [Rural Ontario Municipal Association] conference we heard feedback from the minister saying we need to put some of our own money forward, which is why we decided this time as a council to put some of the E.L.K. sale proceeds forward, showing the province that we’re not just looking at debt funding, that we actually have our own money saved towards it,” Bondy said. The town has already completed the first phase of the project, which brought six soccer fields and parking to the site. The town has also committed to proceeding with Phase 2 regardless of whether the grant application is approved, although Bondy says support from Queen’s Park would significantly accelerate construction. “It definitely won’t happen as fast if we don’t receive any funding from upper levels of government. Residents have been very clear that they want tax dollars spent, local municipal tax dollars spent on core infrastructure projects,” Bondy said. Essex is also awaiting a decision on a separate federal grant application worth up to $5.2 million. If both bids are approved, the town’s share of the project cost would drop significantly. The latest funding push comes months after Essex reopened expressions of interest for recreation development after a proposed pickleball complex fell through. Town officials say they’re still open to new recreation proposals while working to address a shortage of sports fields. Essex council meets Monday at 6 p.m.
