Cricket pitch finally installed at Lower Queen's Park – The Stratford Beacon Herald

Push for pitch dates back to a least the 80s captain of Festival cricket team says.
It has been a long time coming from Emilio Vieira – and an even longer time for a few other players – but Stratford finally has an actual cricket pitch.

Installed in Lower Queen’s Park, the new pitch now offers a place to play for the more than 100 residents who participate in what is the second most popular sport in the world.
The local demand for a proper pitch actually dates back to the 1980s, Vieira said.
“I wish I could say it’s only been in our time, but the dream for a proper place to play cricket has predated me by many years,” said Vieira, who serves as captain for the Stratford Festival’s cricket team. “I think once they realized that the sport garnered the kind of popularity and excitement that it did, the next step was thinking ‘Does this have a repeatable, safe environment to play.’
“Groups of leadership for cricket weren’t able to achieve it because the powers-that-be weren’t necessarily ready to hear that it was as popular as it is.”
Getting an official pitch in Stratford was important for Vieira because he has personally seen how much the community has wanted to support cricket. There have also been many times when the Stratford Festival team has been practising in the park to the surprise of local newcomers from countries where the sport is more popular, he said.
“It has been this kind of exciting meeting place for people over the years to engage in a bit of camaraderie and friendly competition, which is super fun,” Vieira added. 
For Vieira, the dream of a dedicated pitch started to become more of a reality in December 2023, when the proposal was approved by council. The $25,000 project included purchasing cricket grade turf from a company in Australia.
“Part of the reason we wanted to go with that was we knew that it would last and that it would be the appropriate material for our game,” Vieira said.
The project was completely paid by fundraising and donations from residents, as well as the support of four local businesses. While Vieira was a driving force behind the pitch, it would not have happened without contributions from many others, he said.
“I’m very proud to say it’s got everybody’s fingerprints on it – from members of the Festival to local players and enthusiasts for the game,” he said.
The pitch also honours the legacy of Mervyn “Butch” Blake, who was a Festival actor for 42 seasons and a driving force for the introduction of the sport in Stratford. The pitch has informally been named “The Butch Blake Memorial Cricket Ground.” Although Vieira’s time at the Festival started long after Blake’s passing, Vieira said said it was time to honour his predecessor’s legacy, Vieira said
“I’ve learned that he was a kind man, a humble man, a funny man, and a very talented actor. I think it’s past time that the city and the Festival put something in his name to memorialize his extraordinary commitment, both to sport and to the Festival,” Vieira said.
Residents will have a chance to see the pitch being used in action on Aug. 25, when the Festival team will play its 51st annual match against its rivals from the Shaw Festival. There will be a ceremony at 11:30 a.m., with the game starting at noon.
“It normally turns into a bit of a nail biter because both sides are equally matched in their lack of ability, but it is lots of fun,” Vieira said.
watwood@postmedia.com
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