The Municipality of Port Hope is receiving $158,200 from Jays Care Foundation to refurbish the Welcome Park baseball diamond, one of 22 community baseball infrastructure projects across Canada receiving funding through the foundation’s 2026 Field of Dreams grant program.
The grant, made possible by TD, was announced during a Blue Jays watch party on Sunday (June 7) at the Jack Burger Sports Complex, where Port Hope was recognized live on national television as one of this year’s Field of Dreams recipients.
The funding will support accessibility and infrastructure improvements at Welcome Park at 4640 Dale Road, including a refurbished infield with an accessible turf surface, new accessible dugouts, refreshed bleachers, and new fencing.
“This is an incredible moment for Port Hope and our baseball community,” Port Hope mayor Olena Hankivsky said in a media release. “This investment from Jays Care Foundation will transform Welcome Park into a more inclusive, accessible space where players of all ages and abilities can participate and thrive.”
The mayor thanked Jays Care Foundation and TD for their support, as well as local partners who helped bring the project forward.
“A special thank you to Port Hope Challenger Baseball for championing this idea and making this dream a reality,” the municipality stated in the release, also acknowledging the Northumberland Baseball Association for its support during the application process.
Construction at Welcome Park is expected to begin later this year, with the field reopening in time for the 2027 baseball season.
Port Hope is one of eight Ontario recipients of 2026 Field of Dreams funding, along with projects in Cambridge, Elliot Lake, Guelph, Mississauga, St. Marys, and four projects in Toronto.
Across Canada, Jays Care Foundation — the charitable arm of the Toronto Blue Jays — is investing more than $2.6 million in 2026 to build, enhance, or refurbish community baseball diamonds in seven provinces. The foundation says this year’s funding represents the largest infrastructure investment it has made through the Field of Dreams program.
Since the program began in 2000, Jays Care has invested more than $24 million in 262 Field of Dreams projects across Canada. Communities are selected through a two-step application and grading process that begins in September of the previous year.
“The 22 communities selected share in our commitment of giving more Canadian kids the opportunity to grow through the power of baseball,” said Peter King, executive director of Jays Care Foundation, in a media release. “These upgraded diamonds will give kids a safe place where they can build character, resilience, and a sense of belonging through the game.”
Michael Armstrong, vice-president of North American brand and sponsorship at TD, said the program supports spaces where young people can feel welcome, build confidence, and make connections in their communities.
“When kids have a place to play, amazing things can happen,” Armstrong said. “Through Field of Dreams, made possible by TD, we’re proud to support spaces where young people can feel welcome, build confidence, and make meaningful connections in their communities.”
