Brian Findlay
\n Continuing its commitment to grassroots Cricket in Canada, the RBC Foundation today announced four grants to help improve cricket programming where it is needed most. In Toronto, a $25,000 grant will modify a baseball diamond and help the City of Toronto meet the incredible demand for cricket in its Thorncliffe community. \u201cCurrently we do not offer cricket programming in the Thorncliffe community,\u201d said Roger Macklin, General Supervisor, Parks, North York District, in a proposal for the funding. \u201cIn the summer we see kids playing \u2018street\u2019 cricket in area parking lots and small alcoves around their schools. Thanks to RBC\u2019s generous support we will now be able to offer these kids a better and safer place to play.\u201d
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\nWith help from the RBC Foundation the City of Toronto will now multipurpose the existing baseball diamond in Thorncliffe\u2019s Leaside Park by using portable cricket pitches and stumps on the infield and outfield for learn-to-play programs, coaching clinics and matches. Field permits are free of charge to locally-managed programs for resident or local children. The grant will also enable the construction of a concrete storage bunker (to store the portable pitches and stumps) and expansion of the existing baseball backstop to include a permanent practice space for bowlers and batsmen.<\/p>\n
\u201cDemand for cricket space is very high in the City of Toronto, so multi-purposing existing sites and using portable pitches make a lot of sense,\u201d added Macklin.<\/p>\n
In addition to improving access to cricket in Toronto\u2019s Thorncliffe neighbourhood, this spring the RBC Foundation is working with municipal officials and cricket clubs in Montreal, Abbotsford and Victoria. In Montreal\u2019s Park-Extension neighbourhood a $25,000 grant will enable the construction of batting cages\/practice areas that will help meet the surging demand for cricket in the area. In Victoria, a $25,000 grant will enable the refurbishment of the city\u2019s historic Beacon Hill cricket facility and enhance community programs to introduce more youth to cricket. In Abbotsford, a $25,000 grant will enable the renovations and leveling necessary to make the city\u2019s Clearbrook Park facility safer and more accessible.<\/p>\n
\u201cRBC is proud to build on our tradition of improving access to cricket, and to build deeper connections with the city\u2019s multicultural communities in ways that are relevant and meaningful to them,\u201d said Jennifer Tory, RBC Regional President, Greater Toronto Region. \u201cWorking with Parks and Recreation divisions we aim to create legacies that will enable diverse communities to build on their love of cricket and pass along a cherished tradition to their children.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over the past five years, RBC and its \u2018RBC Wicket Cricket\u2019 in-school program has delivered free cricket equipment and professional instruction to more than 1,100 schools across the country, and has contributed more than $250,000 worth of RBC Foundation grants to help municipalities, recreation centres and cricket clubs to better service the enormous demand for cricket programming in urban centres. Each summer RBC also donates cricket equipment to various City of Toronto day camps as part of the City\u2019s \u2018Operation Cricket\u2019 program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Brian Findlay Continuing its commitment to grassroots Cricket in Canada, the RBC Foundation today announced four grants to help improve cricket programming where it is needed most. In Toronto, a $25,000 grant will modify a baseball diamond and help the City of Toronto meet the incredible demand for cricket in its Thorncliffe community. \u201cCurrently we […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.canadacricket.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1553"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.canadacricket.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.canadacricket.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.canadacricket.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.canadacricket.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1553"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.canadacricket.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1553\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1554,"href":"https:\/\/www.canadacricket.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1553\/revisions\/1554"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.canadacricket.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1553"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.canadacricket.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1553"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.canadacricket.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1553"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}