VAB breaks ground on new multi-purpose recreational facility

Times Photo by Trevor Busch. SHOVEL READY: Vauxhall Mayor Kim Cawley, MD of Taber Reeve Tamara Miyanaga, VAB Jets coach Les McTavish, HSD board chair Marie Logan, Cardston-Siksika MLA Joseph Schow and VHS principal Todd Ojala prepare to ceremonially break ground for the construction of a new multi-purpose recreational facility on Oct. 3.

By Trevor Busch
Taber Times
editor@tabertimes.com

The Vauxhall Academy of Baseball is celebrating the upcoming construction of a new multi-purpose recreational facility in the community that will serve not only their needs by those of the wider region.

Dignitaries and representatives gathered in the parking lot of the Vauxhall Community Centre earlier this month to take part in a groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility that will be constructed adjacent to the present curling rink.

Originally pegged at around $1.2 million when first conceived, the project is now expected to cost about $2 million with some additions to the original conception and design to enhance its value for non-academy users.

“For the past 15 years – that’s how long this project has been underway – for 15 years, we have been looking to build and provide a complex and serve a multitude of sports and recreational pursuits,” said Todd Ojala, Vauxhall High School principal and VAB board member. “This complex will allow the VAB to move from the indoor Community Center for our winter baseball training, as well as opening up many sports and activities for youth to seniors all year around. We are grateful to be part of the first intake for the Active Communities Initiative and for the $600,000 provided by the government. We’re also grateful for our other partners, and we’re looking forward to providing a state-of-the-art facility for all to enjoy.”

Expected to be completed in spring 2026, the project has seen financial support from the various stakeholder municipalities in the region as well as the Alberta government.

“The Government of Alberta, the MD of Taber and the Town of Vauxhall, the collaboration of those three partners, specifically, that’s a million dollars for our project,” said Les McTavish, head coach of the VAB Jets. “When we originally went down the path that we wanted to build this building, it was going to cost $1.2 million, and we applied for $600,000 and it was a matching grant. We’re now pushing $2 million by the time we get everything done. But it was the partnership with the MD and town that stepped up, as well as several individuals throughout the community, and we’re still continuing to try to raise funds to get the building to where exactly where we want it.”

“If it wasn’t for Lois (Maloney) and her grant writing professionalism and expertise, we would not be where we are today, and I’m grateful for it,” continued McTavish.

Cardston-Siksika MLA and Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration, Joseph Schow, talked about the long process of getting the project out of the batter’s box.

“I’m really humbled to be with you today, because this is a project that I think has been a long time in the making, and when I first got elected in 2019 they don’t really give you a playbook as an MLA as to what you’re supposed to do, it’s just get out there, represent the people. And so I started cold calling different organizations around my constituency, and I got a hold of Les (McTavish) and came out, and we visited and talked about what this academy of baseball does, and I was immediately just so impressed with the way they develop athletes and the way they develop young men, because your sport career may be long or short, but the lessons you learn playing sports or being active in general take you throughout your entire life, and you learn about a lot of that here. And so I loved what Les was doing. And then we talked a little bit about some of the issues of climate here in Alberta, and how that prohibits them from training year round, and some of the issues they deal with their facilities. And so I think since I got elected, we’ve been talking about how we can possibly find a way to have a year round training facility for this academy that will also serve the community.”

The facility will be 80’ by 152’, with the baseball/multi-purpose part of the facility 80’ by 132’, featuring 11,000 square feet of full turf, and netted on all five sides (roof and four walls). 

Mayor Kim Cawley celebrated the facility’s construction as a great benefit to community members and citizens, not just VAB users.

“First of all, just a huge congratulations to the academy, to the school for this. I know this has been a big dream of yours, no less the board, for many, many years, and it’s really exciting to see it come together. The Town of Vauxhall is proud to support this project. We are big supporters of recreation and healthy living. We’ve dedicated a lot of time and money and effort into our own facility here, and so this for us is a huge win for the community as well as the school and the Academy. We really want to promote, like I said, recreation and healthy living, and not just for our community, but for surrounding areas in our region, and this is just such a wonderful addition to that. And so congratulations again to you guys. We are proud to be a part of this project, and looking forward to its completion.”

Municipal District of Taber Reeve Tamara Miyanaga said supporting the project wasn’t a difficult decision for the municipality.

“My first year on council, Les (McTavish) came to the MD to plant the seed. He wasn’t ready yet. There wasn’t the funding, but the groundwork that was done by his team, by Lois (Maloney) and so many others, has made this project come to the point where they were able to apply for the grant and get the support of the MD, and Vauxhall. MD of Taber recognizes the value of community, the value of a hub, and this will be part of it. We know that its purpose is for the Academy, but the Academy has brought so much to our area, enhancing the school, making Vauxhall a better place, making the region a better place. So it wasn’t hard when the MD of Taber had to debate whether or not we would support it. We recognize that our residents who live in the MD will be users of it. They’re also major donors. So we’re very grateful to be invited to this groundbreaking. We’re very proud that this will be in the MD and in the town of Vauxhall. Our partnerships, our community, is what make this area so fabulous. So congratulations to Vauxhall Academy and to all those who have worked so hard to make it a success.”

Minister Schow, who previously served as Minister of Tourism and Sport during the planning phases of the project, also highlighted the great benefit to the community the facility is expected to provide.

“I really can’t put into words how grateful I am for the opportunity to really come together, that this is going to not only serve the academy, but it’s going to serve the community. It’s going to serve the people here for a very long time. It’s going to build healthier communities. It’s going to build, create great bonds. Because, as I was talking to Lois (Maloney) earlier, rural Alberta plays an integral part of the success, not only of Alberta, but of Canada. A strong Alberta means a strong Canada. But none of that happens without these rural communities. And they have to have the infrastructure. You have to have the sports infrastructure, the schools, the facilities to support these rural communities. And this is going to serve the community of Vauxhall and the MD of Taber for years and years to come.”

Unique among baseball academies in Canada, according to McTavish the VAB is the only academy that doesn’t currently have a dedicated indoor facility for training and other purposes, and the new project will be a welcome addition. 

“Hopefully we’re moving dirt real soon, and our plan and hope is to have the building ready sometime in the spring, weather permitting. If we can get (good) weather throughout the spring, it certainly will help. But it’s a huge project, and as we went forward with it, I visited some of the top places in the country – we were the only baseball program in Canada that didn’t have its own indoor facility. And I think Cris (Burns) and the Town of Vauxhall will be really happy to have us no longer in the hall. We’ve been gracious to have it for 19 – or this will be year 20. But next year, it’ll be super exciting to have our own facility that we can call home, but also give back to the community and the MD and offer – whether it’s soccer or golf or a birthday party or just somewhere to go for a walk in the middle of the winter – hopefully we can provide that. So it’s exciting times for our program.”