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The Weyburn Minor Football Association is currently in the process of finalizing construction plans for a new playing facility for their programs.
The current home of Darold Kot field is home to three teams from the minor football association as well as the high school team. Currently the minor football teams practice in Jubilee Park, while the Comp Eagles practice on Darold Kot Field.
"This year, with very wet conditions the field was hard to maintain with that many teams playing on it," said Dan Gulash, member of the facilities committee for Weyburn Minor Football. "Some days there were three or four games that were played."
"Minor football is looking for a commitment of green space for the land behind Third Avenue north as the location of the new field," added Gulash. "We are currently working with the City of Weyburn to make this location a new park and would like to start construction of this facility in the spring of 2011."
The estimated cost of this location is $486,000 and includes a new irrigated field, parking and facility with washrooms, locker room and equipment storage. The Weyburn Minor Football Association has agreed to splitting the cost with the city.
The City of Weyburn has also considered a second option, using the field in the middle of the track at the Comp with lighting available for both the new field and Darold Kot Field. The total cost of this option would be $156,000 shared between the city and Minor Football. However this option was not supported by the board of education for Â鶹ÊÓƵeast Cornerstone School Division, who owns the land.
Fundraising for the new football field has already started, with the Weyburn Minor Football Association receiving lots of community support during the "Where Is Riderville?" campaign organized by the Weyburn Rider Nation. In addition to money raised during the several "Riderville" events, donations have been received from Meyers, Norris and Penny; the Damon Goski fund; and Nexans.
"With the shorter days in the fall, we would like to have a practice and play facility that will not have scheduling conflicts and have the ability to permit both practice or play after dark," explained Gulash.
"All that is needed to move forward is a commitment from the city of dedication of the property in partnership with minor football, which I am sure will be achieved," said Gulash. City councillors want to meet again with representatives from Cornerstone, including education director Marc Casavant and Weyburn trustees Len Williams and Bryan Wilson in regard to the options for the new field.
The Weyburn Minor Football Association has tentatively set the date for their annual general meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 24. Location and time of the meeting will be confirmed at a later date. During the annual meeting, coaches of the different levels of minor football will discuss their season, there will be president's and financial reports, and there may be more updates from the facilities committee.
