Trillium Announcement

Miracle League of Ottawa Receives Ontario Funding of $150,000

On Friday, May 15^th, over two dozen Orléans residents gathered at Notre-Dame des Champs Park to celebrate a great vision becoming a reality. They included the Desrochers family, David Gourlay of Ottawa Champions baseball, MPP Marie-France Lalonde, Councilors Monette, Blais and Mitic, and many Rotarians.

In the summer of 2012, local elected representatives, Champions for Ottawa Baseball and the Rotary Club of Orléans were approached by the Desrochers family to help support a dream. Rolly and Michelle Desrochers know that sports give their son Bryce, born with cerebral palsy, a great deal of joy. Their dream was to build a Miracle League park in the Nation’s Capital to allow Bryce and other children to play baseball in a safe environment. They have been fundraising for the past three years.

With the announcement of $150,000 from Jamie Puddicombe of the Ontario Trillium Foundation on Friday, this project has now successfully met its goal of raising $1.6 million. The funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation will be used to rubberize the surface of this specialized baseball diamond. This will allow players in wheelchairs to be able to speed from one base to the next. This facility is expected to serve over 4000 children, young adults and youth with special needs across the Ottawa region. Construction is well underway and the facility is expected to open this summer.