At a Blue Jays watch party yesterday, Port Hope baseball fans, young athletes and community members received exciting news: the Municipality of Port Hope has been selected as a recipient of the 2026 Jays Care Foundation’s Field of Dreams grant, made possible by TD. The grant funding, a generous $158,200, will support the much-needed refurbishment of the Welcome Park baseball diamond.
“This is an incredible moment for Port Hope and our baseball community,” notes Mayor Olena Hankivsky. “This investment from Jays Care Foundation will transform Welcome Park into a more
inclusive, accessible space where players of all ages and abilities can participate and thrive. On behalf
of Council and the entire community, I want to extend our sincere thanks to Jays Care Foundation and
TD for their generosity, and to our local partners who helped bring this vision forward.”
Thanks to the generosity of Jays Care Foundation, this funding will support improvements that enhance
accessibility, comfort, and overall experience for both local players and visiting teams. Planned
improvements include a refurbished infield with an accessible turf surface, new accessible dugouts,
refreshed bleachers and new fencing.
The exciting announcement was revealed during a community watch party on Sunday, June 7, where
the Jack Burger Sports Complex was buzzing with our enthusiastic baseball community. Thank you to
all who came out to share their community spirit as Port Hope was recognized live on national
television as one of this year’s Field of Dreams grant recipients.
A special thank you to Port Hope Challenger Baseball for championing this idea and making this dream
a reality. Appreciation is also extended to the Northumberland Baseball Association for their support
throughout the application process.
Construction at Welcome Park is set to begin later this year, with the field reopening in time for the
2027 baseball season.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
