WAVERLEY: A long-held dream for local baseball players, families, and volunteers in Waverley took a major step forward Sunday evening as Jays Care Foundation announced a significant investment that will help bring lights to the main baseball field at McDonald Sports Park.
The announcement was celebrated with a watch party at the Waverley Legion, where players from LWF Baseball, their families, coaches, and volunteers gathered to hear the news together.
As announced on Sportsnet’s Blue Jays Central, Jays Care Foundation, the charitable arm of the Toronto Blue Jays, is investing more than $2.6 million in baseball infrastructure projects across Canada in 2026 through its Field of Dreams program, made possible by TD.
The funding will support 22 organizations in seven provinces and represent the largest infrastructure investment in the program’s history.
Among the successful projects is the Waverley initiative, which will see funding directed toward installing lights on the baseball field at McDonald Sports Park.
Speaking to those gathered at the Legion, LWF Baseball’s Barry Dalrymple explained the significance of the project and how it came together.
“The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind,” Dalrymple said, noting that Jays Care, Baseball Nova Scotia, and local baseball leaders agreed that addressing the lack of facilities for older players was a top priority in the province.
VIDEO: Announcement made on BlueJaysCentral (Sportsnet)
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Dalrymple said the Blue Jays funding commitment of $500,000 will go toward a project estimated to cost more than $900,000. The work involves much more than simply erecting light standards.
“There is no power in the ballpark,” he told the crowd. “The project includes bringing power all the way from Cobequid Road down Champions Way and into the park.”
The addition of electrical service will create opportunities well beyond lighting the baseball field.
“Power in the park opens up limitless possibilities in the future for all of us,” Dalrymple said, adding that it will benefit the entire sports park and other community activities.
For Dalrymple, the announcement also represents the culmination of an idea first envisioned years ago.
“Fifteen years ago, when I was still a councillor and got the motion to build that ball field, the motion included lights,” he said.
“It’s been a long time. It’s been a long dream.”
While the Jays Care grant provides a substantial boost, Dalrymple said additional funding will still be required, with discussions continuing with all three levels of government and other potential partners to close the funding gap.
He also highlighted the role baseball supporters have played in making projects like this possible, noting that money raised through Blue Jays 50/50 draws helps fund Jays Care Foundation initiatives across the country.
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The project is expected to have a lasting impact on baseball in the community, particularly for older youth and adult players who often face limited field availability. Evening games and practices under the lights will provide additional scheduling opportunities and help accommodate the continued growth of LWF Baseball, said Dalrymple.
The Waverley project was one of 22 selected across Canada through the 2026 Field of Dreams program.
Other successful applicants included projects in Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, and Saskatchewan. Nova Scotia received three grants, with the other two awarded in Glace Bay.
“The 22 communities selected share in our commitment of giving more Canadian kids the opportunity to gain experience through the power of baseball,” said Peter King, executive director of Jays Care Foundation. “These upgraded diamonds will give kids a safe place where they can build character, resilience, and a sense of belonging through the game.
The complete list of 2026 Field of Dreams recipients includes projects in Calgary, Edmonton and Strathmore, Alta.; Summerland, B.C.; Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska, Saint John and Salisbury, N.B.; Pasadena, N.L.; Glace Bay and Waverley, N.S.; Cambridge, Elliot Lake, Guelph, Mississauga, Port Hope, St. Mary’s and Toronto, Ont.; and Moose Jaw, Sask.
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Dalrymple also pointed to other recent improvements at McDonald Sports Park, including the construction of new sand volleyball courts, as evidence of the continued development of the community recreation hub.
For the young players in attendance, the announcement offered a glimpse of what the future could look like at their home ballpark.
For many of the volunteers who have worked for years to improve baseball facilities in the area, it was validation that their efforts are paying off.
The Jays Care investment will help create a safer, more inclusive, and accessible place for young athletes to play while ensuring baseball continues to grow in Waverley and the surrounding communities for years to come.
