Eddie Norfolk
On the afternoon of Christmas Eve I made my first ever trip to King City on the GO train (GO = Government of Ontario). A journey that takes one to a GO train station to the south of the main centre of the township of King City, and well to the south of the Maple Leaf Cricket Club grounds on 15th Sideroad and Dufferin Street.

There is a public transit link between the King City GO station and the cricket ground as the 22 bus runs past both the GO station, but only during rush-hours, and for a part of Saturday. The Maple Leaf Cricket Club is a barren desert for public transit on a Sunday, but public transit to the ground has improved in recent years, largely due to the creation of the nearby Seneca College King Campus so some buses now run on Saturdays past the cricket ground at times that allow one to return to Toronto after play for the day has ended. (A situation that could change if floodlights for evening games were to be introduced, although planning permission might not be too easy to obtain).
So, being Christmas (for those who observe Christmas, or for those who join in with the present giving concepts), why not have a Christmas wish dream about building a King City Cricket GO station? Then it might be easier for cricket fans to reach the ground, and crowds might swell, not just for Canadian international matches, but possibly even for some major inter-provincial, National Cricket League and even Toronto and District Cricket Associations championship and play-off events.
After all, a few of the world’s great cricket grounds have their own railway station. So why not have a railway station to serve Maple Leaf CC?
The railway line cuts across 15th Sideroad near Bathurst Street, so there would need to be provision of some shuttle buses to carry the spectators, as well as the need to build a railway station. But, as might be seen from the photo of the King City GO station, relative simplicity is behind a number of GO stations. The ramp for disabled passengers to embark and disembark seems to be the major construction aspect of the platform.
Now, the person who owns the house next to the railway line where the little plane sits outside might not be too enthusiastic about having a railway station as a new neighbour. But with some quality salespersonship, surely there could be no problems with the concept of building such a railway station as a boost to the local economy in northern King City?
Although if one looks back at the number of Canadian international senior men’s cricket games played at King City during 2012, I believe the number was zero, none, or a duck, to use cricketing parlance.
So there was not much point in me writing a summary about Canada’s home international matches during 2012 as the basis for some Christmas jottings and dreams. Given the number of independence day events that are celebrated each year by those in the Canadian cricketing fraternity with family roots in countries once part of “the British Empire”, I often wonder why there is a lack of ongoing “Independence Day” cricketing series that could include first-class sides from the likes of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or the national teams from some of the Caribbean countries. Some of these events might involve Canada “A” and “B” teams to bolster the international experience of developing players. Perhaps Under-19, Under-17, Under-15, or women’s teams could be included in the mix.
There is no shortage of ethnic media outlets that could provide publicity for such tournaments, but, as ever, there would be a need to organize and publicize such events in advance. But that requires leadership and management off the cricket field, plus a modicum of public relations skills. Issues where there are is still some major scope for improvement within the Canadian cricket scene.
But if there is virtually no spectating public at a game, then there might be little need for public relations. A situation “aided” by disclosures of game start-times at some early morning hour, or late the previous night (with or without a change of ground, which also speaks to deficiencies in player-relations skills). Situations also not too difficult to detect by sponsors and potential sponsors when surveying the output from some of the leading games on the Canadian home international, representative and leading league circuit.
Back in November or December 2006, during a discussion with someone from the development side of the ICC, it was reckoned that Canadian cricket could do with a staffing of some 16 or so people in order to help develop and grow the game across the country.
Somewhere around late April or early May 2006, Canada was given the rights to host an Under-19 Cricket World Cup Championship in 2012. Behind the scenes there was some denial, at that time, about an ICC media release that included this news.
I was told by one of the then CCA executives that Canada had not applied by a certain member of the then CCA executive. Something that did not coincide with other messages from a few other insiders about how good it was to see that Canada’s proposal had been accepted. A few years later, having built a few contacts within the game, I had it confirmed by the ICC that Canada had indeed submitted a proposal to host the U-19 CWC finals, which could have filled a few days during the summer of 2012. But the opportunity was lost a few years ago ,thanks to the lack of planning and building foresight within too many of the elected leaders of Canadian cricket, in my opinion.
Now if one of the three or so versions of the great stadium at Maple Leaf CC had been built by now, then building a new railway station might make a bit of sense. The prospects for planning permission for any of these schemes seemed more than a touch remote to me, especially given the protected designations on the land around what remains, on various maps, as “Sparkling St. Edmunds Cricket Club.” Others reckoned they knew better, although there had not been too much major development when I was last at the ground.
Perhaps some kind of miracle return is needed from St Edmund to help Canadian cricket. He was a King of East Anglia who, apparently, became King on Christmas Day in 855 CE. He was killed by Danes in battle in November 869, or suffered a ritual decapitation for his faith, and some other mistreatment. He had a shrine built in his honour that was destroyed. His body parts are rumoured to have gone in different directions at different times over the course of history.
But although little is known about King Edmund of East Anglia, the broader “we” still seem to more about him through history references that about the scoring details from the Toronto and District Cricket Association’s 2012 Elite Division Playoff Final (and the rest of the Playoffs) that took place on a cool day in the fall. The kind of day that might not attact a big crowd to a game, despite some pretty useful players being involved.
“We are such stuff as dreams are made of…”
Best wishes for the New Year.