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By: Lloyd Brown-John
I believe I am enduring severe OWS. Two weeks of Olympic excellence and now nothing — Olympic Withdrawal Symptoms may be a serious emotional malady.
Some years ago, while living for a time down under in both Melbourne and Canberra, I explored how local government operates in Australia.
Responding to queries about core municipal services, many local officials acknowledged public health, safety and sanitation. But in rural areas, rarely were roads mentioned as many are simply wide dusty tracks (and no need for snow removal).
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Often when pressed, local officials would say something like, “Well you see, mate, ultimately the purpose of local government in Australia is to ensure availability of sports facilities. You know, swimming pools if you can afford them but always we need sports fields for Australian rugger, cricket and football.”
That purpose also seems to hold true in Canada. Communities need places for individuals and teams of all ages to practise and compete.
I was reminded of this local government basic purpose with the Town of Tecumseh’s recent $3.4-million upgrade of its impressive Bert Lacasse Ball Park.
Going back to 1943 when it was known as Memorial Park, it was renamed in 1979 in honour of “Mr. Baseball” Bert Lacasse, a local baseball player and booster. Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara said home clubs Tecumseh Thunder Baseball Club and St. Clair College Saints each contributed $100,000 to the ball diamond upgrades.
The City of Windsor, in partnership with Essex County Soccer Association recently announced plans to develop Windsor’s first city-owned artificial turf soccer field at McHugh Soccer Complex, with the club contributing $400,000 towards the project.
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Across Windsor and Essex County, more public sports and recreation facilities are being developed. For example, the Town of Essex’s sports complex associated with Maedel Community Centre, including tennis and/or pickleball courts and a skateboard park. Ice hockey facilities are almost mandatory in every community.
LaSalle has its impressive Vollmer Culture and Recreation Complex as a multi-use facility. Lakeshore has the exceptional Atlas Tube Recreation Centre with three NHL-sized ice pads and an aquatic centre including a lap pool for we elderly types.
Amherstburg has its fabulous Larry Bauer Soccer Complex and the Libro Credit Union Centre. Kingsville has a recreation complex largely focused upon hockey, with baseball diamonds and soccer fields, tennis courts and pickleball.
I used to swim almost 1,000 metres daily — 40 lengths of the 25-metre pool — in Leamington at what I remember as the F.T. Sherk Aquatics & Fitness Centre. Regrettably, I no longer swim at what has since been renamed The Nature Fresh Farms Recreation Centre.
I am still awaiting local development of a facility for one of my favourite sports, cricket. Windsor is currently eyeing the city’s first full-size cricket pitch at Derwent Park, although smaller versions exist at Jackson Park and Optimist Park in Windsor.
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I also must note the importance in this country of curling facilities. Despite my having miserably failed an ElderCollege curling course in Leamington I marvel at the skill involved in the sport.
Two things stand out when you look into municipal government and sport and recreation facilities.
First, the lead role of municipal governments is crucial.
Perhaps not as brazen as in Australia or many other countries for whom ensuring availability of sports and recreation facilities is essential. The emergence of pickleball, a sport much favoured by older adults, has been widely recognized by municipal governments throughout Windsor and Essex County.
Second, it is obvious that such facilities are products of engagement in partnerships either with sports associations and/or with generous private financial participation. The WFCU Centre, home of Windsor Spitfires hockey, Windsor Express basketball and many other organized sports, is a wonderful example.
Congratulations to our local Olympians, and cheers to sponsors and governments providing local sports infrastructure.
Lloyd Brown-John is a University of Windsor professor emeritus of political science and director of Canterbury ElderCollege. He can be reached at lbj@uwindsor.ca.
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