A big win for the Riverside Minor Baseball Association.
Windsor City Council has voted to enter into a 10-year agreement with the association for a new Miracle League diamond on the site of the former Riverside Arena.
The baseball association will fully fund the roughly $2-million project and cover all operating costs going forward, while the city will provide use of the land free of charge.
Council voted against administration, which recommended selling off the land for commercial and residential use.
Association Chair Bill Kell says councillors made the right decision.
"We showed them the plan and brought them to our centre and showed them the facility and they agreed that, yes, this is the best thing for the City of Windsor, not just Ward 6, but all the City of Windsor and even the county."
He says this has been in the works for quite some time.
"We've been working on this for a few years. As Mayor Dilkens said, it started off with a conversation in his office, but we always had this on our minds. Our organization, our theme was 'every child deserves a place to play'."
RMBA Chair Bill Kell reacting to council's support for a new Miracle League diamond in East Windsor (Photo by AM800's Zander Broeckel)
Kell adds, it's great to see the project finally coming together.
"When we started this we were told there's not a chance you're going to get this, not a chance, administration is completely against it. And the person that said that, I said, "We'll see". You underestimate what the power of the community will do."
And in a surprise move at Monday night's council meeting, local businessman Rick Farrow pledged $500,000 toward the project which now has just over $750,000 committed.
The plan will also see the former Concord Public School demolished to make way for low density housing.
As it stands now, the only Miracle League diamond in Windsor-Essex is located in Amherstburg.
Reaction tonight as @CityWindsorON council agrees to terms with RMBA for new Miracle League diamond #cklw pic.twitter.com/lQ8gIMB7A9
— Zander Broeckel (@zbroeckel800) June 20, 2017