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Orangeville Headwaters Minor Baseball getting $15,000 from Town for shack revitalization project

March 31, 2022   ·   0 Comments

By Sam Odrowski

Local baseball infrastructure is getting an upgrade.

Town Council approved a $15,000 community grant allocation for Orangeville Headwaters Minor Baseball Association (OHMBA) to help cover costs associated with renovating “The Shack” at Springbrook Park, during a meeting last Monday (March 21).

OHMBA president Jesse Edmunds and vice president Ryan Hancock delivered a presentation to Council during last Monday’s meeting, providing an overview of The Shack project and requesting funds.

Edmunds explained to Council why The Shack needs to be renovated.

“I believe it was built in the early 80s and it’s probably fair to say that it hasn’t had a significant renovation done to it or any significant work done to it since,” he noted.

“Anybody that was around when it was built, it probably looks the same way it did back then.”

OHMBA is renting out storage space to house all of its equipment since The Shack no longer has enough space, as the organization continues to expand. 

It has between 500 and 800 members locally, and has grown significantly in both house league and representative leagues over the last five years leading up to the pandemic.

The OHMBA is hoping to add a second floor to the Shack which will allow them to put an announcer booth in place.

“I grew up playing the game and when you get your name called out on the PA when you’re coming up to bat it’s a pretty cool experience,” saod Edmunds.

The second floor could also be used to display Hall of Fame accolades, celebrate sponsors, and hold league meetings.

OHMBA board members currently meet at different businesses and at one shared an office with Orangeville Minor Hockey.

The budgeted cost of renovating the main floor of The Shack is close to $24,0000, while adding a second floor and doing the main one is estimated to be a little over $72,000.

Fortunately, the contractor for the project, AC Custom Renos is donating their time, which will help to lower the budgets overall costs.

Following Edmund and Hancock’s presentation to Orangeville Council, Coun. Sherwood reflected back on her baseball days.

“My children spent many a year playing baseball, so I’m glad to see you bring this forward. I will admit that back in the 80s and 90s, the shack was utilized by us many times and mostly for the washroom, so it’s very important that those washroom facilities be used,” Coun. Sherwood said.

“I’m a great supporter of this [project] because you guys are just as vital as our hockey, soccer, lacrosse organizations within town.”

To help fundraise for The Shack revitalization, OHMBA is partnering with the Rotary Club of Orangeville Highlands for their Ribfest this year.

Brackett Auto Group and Absolute Insurance are sponsoring the project as well.

The new owner of Orangeville Home Hardware has also stepped forward to support the project, and Edmunds said it will likely be a material donation, which will help lower the budget.

Going forward, OHMBA is looking to launch a raffle in the summer to help drum up more funding.

The association has a GoFundMe page up, which has raised almost $400 so far: gofundme.com/f/help-revitalize-the-ohmba-springbrook-shack

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