Doug Kerr Field Restored

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Summer is in full swing at Doug Kerr Field thanks to a recent financial contribution from the Port of Prince Rupert’s Community Investment Fund.

A revived local interest in youth baseball and softball has driven a need for increased access to ball diamonds in the Prince Rupert area. Originally designed for minor baseball, Doug Kerr Field served as Prince Rupert’s unofficial dog park for the last several years and was no longer in playable condition. With increased registration in Prince Rupert Minor Softball Association and the creation of a second youth league in North Coast Minor Baseball Association, the City of Prince Rupert deemed the restoration of the field to be a recreation infrastructure priority to support young ball players in the area.

“The City of Prince Rupert is thankful for the support of local businesses like the Port of Prince Rupert who recognized the importance of this project and provided the funding to ensure it happened in time for the 2018 baseball and softball seasons,” said Lee Brain, Mayor of the City of Prince Rupert. “It’s great to see new and expanded recreation options for the youth of Prince Rupert, and Doug Kerr Field will be a legacy asset for this community as we continue to grow in the coming years.”

“Our kids have been thrilled to be able to play baseball again, and we’re really pleased to have more field capacity as the league continues to grow,” said Emily Kawaguchi, President of the North Coast Minor Baseball Association. “We can’t say enough about the support we’ve had from the local business community, and this is another example of how they’ve stepped up to the plate for us.”

“We need access to safe and well-maintained ball diamonds to successfully maintain youth softball,” said Ralph Weick, President of the Prince Rupert Minor Softball Association. “The Port, the City, and the other corporate sponsors really came through for us to get this project done.” 

The Prince Rupert Port Authority contributed $41,500 to the project, with the remainder of funding coming from Pembina Pipelines, Sperling Hansen, Rupert Wood’N Steel, L&M Engineering, Broadwater Industries, and RONA Tyee Building Supplies.

“Creating and restoring recreational assets in the Prince Rupert area has been one of the most obvious outcomes of our Community Investment Fund, and we’re excited to help bring Doug Kerr Field back into use for minor baseball and softball,” said Joe Rektor, Interim President & CEO for the Port of Prince Rupert. “The size and central location of the field is ideal for younger players, and we look forward to seeing kids enjoying the sport here for many years to come.”