Loyalist Township Mayor Ric Bresee announced that the municipality is receiving a $243,100 grant from the Government of Ontario’s Community Building Fund – Capital streamThe Community Building Fund – Capital stream provides support for non-profits, Indigenous communities and municipalities in the community sport and recreation sectors, helping them recover from the impacts of COVID-19. This grantdelivered by the Ontario Trillium Foundation between April 2022 - March 2023, will allow Loyalist Township to install accessible seating at three sports facilities in the community. 

This is an important community building project for Loyalist Township and will help continue their legacy of youth sports and public participation, said Hastings-Lennox and Addington MPP Daryl Kramp.The preservation and fostering of community spirit is especially important now, and I'm pleased to see the township leaders have applied for and received this funding.”  

This funding will address a community need by replacing benches and bleachers, including accessible concrete bases, at three recreation and park facilities within Loyalist Township, creating more accessible seating for the public, players and spectators. Locations include: 

  • Willie Pratt Sports Fields – 2 softball fields, 2 soccer fields 

  • WJ Henderson Recreation Centre – 1 soccer field 

  • J Earl Burt Memorial Park 1 softball field 

“Over the past two years, the pandemic has put a strain on this and many other municipalities and organizations within the not-for-profit, recreation, culture and tourism sectors,” said Loyalist Township Mayor Ric Bresee. “Our public recreation areas and facilities such as the WJ Henderson Recreation Centre are vital in fostering local community connections. We are grateful to have provincial support through the Community Building Fund to help ensure the transformation of our recreation locations meets the needs of our community as restrictions begin to be lifted.”   

“Our recreation facilities have been safe places that our community users rely on for exercise, wellbeing and community connection, and COVID-19 only heightened the need to have more accessible facilities.”  

Loyalist Township was one of 186 organizations selected to receive funding from the province’s Community Building Fund – Capital stream in 2022. The grant aids in Loyalist Township’s mission to provide support and services that promote prosperous quality of life for residents, the business community and visitors, through the effective delivery of services and governance.  

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations. Last year, nearly $112M was invested into 1,384 community projects and partnerships to build healthy and vibrant communities and strengthen the impact of Ontario’s nonprofit sector. In 2020/21, OTF supported Ontario’s economic recovery by helping nonprofit organizations rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID19. Visit otf.ca to learn more.