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It was an exciting day at Eastview PS as students, staff, community members and special guests came together to celebrate the grand opening of the school’s brand new baseball diamond.
The diamond, made possible by the Jays Care Foundation, features new fences, dugouts, a red clay infield, and drainage in the outfield to prevent flooding. Bleachers will also be installed in the coming weeks.
In April, Eastview PS was announced as one of 14 Field Of Dreams grant recipients for 2024. Field of Dreams, made possible by TD, is Jays Care's granting program that provides funding to design, refurbish and build local baseball diamonds in communities across the country. Since the announcement, crews have been working around the clock at Eastview PS to ensure that students and the wider community could enjoy the new baseball diamond as quickly as possible.
Today’s event was attended by Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, TDSB Trustee for Ward 19 Zakir Patel, TDSB Director of Education Colleen Russell-Rawlins, Principal Michael Sanders, and representatives from the Jays Care Foundation and TD Bank. Much to the delight of students, Ace, the Blue Jays’ mascot, also made an appearance and led everyone in an exciting rendition of “OK, Blue Jays”!
For Eastview PS, this new diamond represents more than just a place to play baseball. “Physical activity, good nutrition, and sports not only lead to increased self-confidence and collaboration among young people, but the research also shows that participation in sports and physical activity also translates off the field to support student achievement in the classroom,” said Colleen Russell-Rawlins, Director of Education, TDSB. “When students know they belong on their team, in their school, and on the field, they are empowered and motivated to try their best, be creative, and explore their talents.”
Congratulations to the Eastview PS community on the grand opening of the school’s brand new baseball diamond! Go Eagles Go!