The Dream Field project is moving forward, but with some revisions.
Council heard about the changes at their Monday night meeting, after the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame stepped away from the project in October, saying it had moved beyond the scope of the organization’s financial and volunteer resources.
The new Dream Field committee, now headed by the Chatham Minor Baseball Association (CMBA), has adjusted the project so it will be completed in multiple phases instead of as a full build. The committee has committed to fundraising for the detailed design and the initial phase of development only.
The initial phase will now include a regulation ball diamond with a standard natural grass outfield and infield clay mix, along with site preparation, field fencing, backstops and fixtures, safety netting, and dugouts.
Under the revised plan, the Dream Field will no longer be fully accessible as originally envisioned. Instead, the initial phase will create a field suitable for high-level youth and adult play.
In its report, administration said it will explore opportunities for an accessible ball diamond, whether “as part of future capital phases of the Dream Field project or through other potential initiatives.”
Council approved the changes unanimously, with the Dream Field size remaining the same as in the original concept which “includes the loss of the Kiwanis Stadium soccer field and removal of 3,500 sq.m. of the Memorial Arena parking lot.”