By Troy Gillard

expansion team awaiting final approval

New stadium, junior baseball team planned for Sylvan Lake

Sep 12, 2019 | 5:24 PM

Central Alberta could be less than two years away from being back in the Western Canadian Baseball League.

Work is underway on an agreement between The Town of Sylvan Lake and Hard 4 Sports & Entertainment Group that would bring a WCBL franchise to Sylvan Lake.

The team would play out of a brand-new stadium at Pogadl Park, which is planned for 80 acres located in Sylvan Lake’s west end between Highway 11 and Memorial Trail.

Town council has approved plans to upgrade the 400’ baseball diamond planned for Pogadl Park to instead be a “baseball stadium that accommodates a collegiate summer baseball league.”

“One thing the Town wants to make clear is that the upgraded facility does not involve an increase or change to the project budget, overall. Pogadl Park is a multi-phased project that the Town has budgeted for over a number of years,” Mayor Sean McIntyre explained in a statement.

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“On Monday night, Council approved a request from Administration to advance $1 million from the 2023 Parks Capital Budget, into the Pogadl Park, Phase One Project Budget.

McIntyre said a WCBL team will be a great addition to the community and region.

“We are excited to release more about the team in the near future. In the meantime, we’re moving ahead with a memorandum of understanding, which includes a 25-year lease agreement on with the group and the future team.”

“The Hard 4 Sports & Entertainment Group recognizes Sylvan Lake as a hub for recreation and sport. We are excited to introduce the Western Canadian Baseball League to Sylvan Lake residents, and look forward to becoming a part of the community,” said Aqil Samuel, General Manager and President of Baseball Operations, Hard 4 Sports & Entertainment.

Samuel and business partner Graham Schetzsle grew up playing baseball together in the Castor area. Schetzsle is a cattle rancher who has tapped Samuel to oversee his “passion project” of owning a baseball team.

“Sylvan Lake just seems like the perfect community with the perfect demographic we’re going after,” he added. “We understand what the community is like, in the summer months, especially. It’s just the perfect fit.”

Hard 4 Sports has hired an Edmonton-based firm to design a 2,200-seat stadium that Samuel promises will be state-of-the-art.

The expansion franchise has yet to receive final approval from the WCBL Board of Governors. That could come when the league holds its annual general meeting Oct. 26-27 in Weyburn, SK, allowing the Sylvan Lake team to start play as early as June 2021.

“We still have considerable due diligence to perform before our recommendation is made to the board,” says WCBL president Kevin Kvame. “But I will say that the opportunity for Sylvan Lake, on the surface, looks like a great fit for the league.”

Red Deer was home to a WCBL team, the Generals, for just one season in 2005.

“We felt then that the market should have been able to sustain the team. It was very disappointing that the team wasn’t able to sustain itself, for a variety of reasons,” Kvame recalled. “With Sylvan Lake being basically a bedroom community for Red Deer, and a summer tourist attraction, we feel it’s a great location.”

Kvame feels the Sylvan Lake market compares favourably to Okotoks, home of the flagship Dawgs franchise that averages more than 4,000 fans at its home games.

“I think they (Hard 4) have great baseball people in their operation that will develop a solid footprint for the team,” Kvame noted. “I don’t think they’ll have any issue developing good connections with the central Alberta baseball community. It really is exciting that they’re giving this a go.”

The Town of Sylvan Lake plans on releasing more information to the public, in the form of an announcement, once more details, such as the team name, and the memorandum of understanding, are finalized.

(Source: Town of Sylvan Lake)