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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2004-05-26, Page 1212 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, May 26, 2004 Sports St. James School kicks money into Highway 8 soccer field By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor After spending $4,000 on six new soccer nets and posts, a dozen new- shade trees and some benches, the St. James school council has created more recreational space for its junior and senior students and two local soccer leagues, Principal Fran Craig said the school council wanted to give St. James students an alternative to playing on the blacktop on the school ground and decided this year to raise money towards the large playing field owned by the Huron Perth Catholic District School Board on Highway 8, a block away from the school. After a survey of the students, the council was told the students wanted "soccer, soccer and more soccer" on the field, which has been empty for years. Craig and former Huron East recreation director Graham Nesbitt had applied for Trillium Foundation funding more than a year ago to launch a $20,000 project to dig up and level the field for soccer but were turned down. While the fields still need to be levelled, Craig said the decision was made to go ahead with the soccer nets. "We did the best we could," she said. Parent volunteer Brian Melady has done a lot of the work researching and installing the nets. As a . member of the St. Columban soccer league, he's also secured the school board's permission to allow minor soccer in St. Columban and Seaforth to use the fields. "After school's out in June, it would be a shame to see the fields sit empty," he said, adding that each league will have access to the field three nights a week. Melady added that with both leagues getting so big, they were running out of fields and nights to play. He said close to 300 kids are registered to play in the St. Columban league alone. And, before the nets were installed older St. James students had no grassed area in which to play sports. "Before the soccer nets were there, the kids just ran around in an empty field. One of the simplest things we could do was provide nets," he said. Melady said he'd like to take a look at the Trillium application and proceed with a second grant request to NOW OPEN Lite and Mid -Size Travel Trailers & 5th Wheels by AallIllplp - Goalie Ben Van Dieten, Grade stop a kick from classmate revonated soccer field on Highw improve the field. "The field's not in great shape - I think it used to hold an old stockyard. And. we didn't do a lot of landscaping. It would be nice to make it a more manicured soccer field," he said. "They (Craig and Nesbitt) did a lot of work on the first grant request and it would be Susan Hundertmark'photo 7 at St. James School tries to Brittany Nigh at the newly ay s. a shame to see all the work on the first quote go down the tube," said Melady. In the meantime. St. James has begun an intramural soccer league for students at lunchtime on the new field. Two tetherhalls will also he installed at the north end of the field for students who don't want to play soccer. Hwy. 21 (just) North of Grand Bend (on east side) Tel: (519) 238-2445 Seaforth & District MINOR HOCKEY EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION June8&9 Boys -7-9p.m. & G{rts Seaforth & District Community Centres * Bring 3 cheques to postdate • if you have never played on a travel team please bring proof of age HOFF COMPUTER SERVICES 11412. TIRED OF GETTING THE RUN AROUND FROM COMPUTER STORES? CAN'T GET SIMPLE ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS? CALL 3 ' 8=0895 OR 276-0488 AND ASIC FOR STEVE OR EMAIL sh • ffC eziink. on * Ca FOR: ✓ Hardware/Software Installation for home/business ✓ Onsite service day or night to suit your schedule ✓ PC sales that match your needs ✓ Reasonable hourly rates ✓ Quality Discount InkJjet/toner cartridges and refills Susan Hundertmark photos Kicking it up a notch Above, Ben Shepherd, of Seaforth, races after the ball against Blyth during a Seaforth 1 Under 13 minor soccer game last Thursday night at the Seaforth Public School field in Seaforth. In the middle, Justin Arts, of Seaforth, tries to beat a Blyth player to the ball., while at bottom,Arts makes contact with the ball and starts to maneuver it out of his end of the field in the game, whose final score was 3-1 for Blyth. on 2 best-selling La-Z-Boystyles! Got those popular La•2-Boy recliners whit* thoy'ro hot with Incrodlbla spacial purchoso savings that aro too good to miss, La -Z -Boy Recliners Now On Sale from $399 THIS OFFER ENDS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2 0 Main St., Seaforth 527-0680 Making Your House A Hro177 Siricv 1 B / !