Council hears cricket‑field feasibility study: staff cites large footprint and costs

Thomas Saanich, the town's Parks and Facilities Director, briefed council on what a cricket facility would require and the range of costs and maintenance obligations. Saanich said a traditional adult cricket boundary can approach 500 feet and a full adult field could consume nearly 200,000 square feet; quoted cost examples ranged from about $315,000 for a simple pitch (no parking or lighting) to multiple millions for graded, lit, and seated amenities.

"Cost estimates can run anywhere from $315,000 to $5,500,000 or $750,000 depending on the type of pitch you're interested in building," Saanich said, adding that a full adult field would require substantial weekly watering (staff estimated about 20,000 gallons per week) and an estimated annual turf‑management cost of roughly $12,000 plus about 0.33 FTE of maintenance time. Councilmembers asked about starting small, using temporary mats or sharing existing fields for practice. Councilmember Allen urged the council to explore options rather than delay: "Let's explore it and see what opportunities we have for all of our children." Staff said they'd return with feasibility options (practice‑sized layouts, mat solutions, or co‑use arrangements) rather than a ready‑to‑build proposal.

No funding decision was made; council directed staff to continue research on space availability, cost breakdowns for different field types, and potential partnerships or phased approaches.