Adrian Cann spent a few moments Tuesday comparing his youth playing on muddy high school fields in the borough of Thornhill with the plush soccer pitch he was standing on at G. Ross Lord in North Toronto.
“Here, when you hit the ball well and it goes into the back of the goal, there’s a net there and you don’t have to run after it. Back then, there was never any mesh so we used to have to borrow mesh at other fields, take it down and slap it up where we were playing.”
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Cann and carloads of Toronto FC players visited the park on Tuesday to work with two youth soccer teams and commemorate a $60,000 redo of the field financed by the MLSE Team Up Foundation, Kia Canada as well as the city.
The facility was outfitted with redone fields and countless touches including a roofed-in bench for reserves and yes, netting for the goals.
Mayor David Miller admitted that without help there would not be enough money to bring the field up to standard.
“The city would not be able to do this on its own but it is getting done, just the way our rinks and basketball courts have been done,” he said.
Over the last five years, MLSE and their partners have invested $1.9 million in refurbishing 15 rinks, six basketball courts and five soccer pitches.
Aside from Nana Attakora, Dwayne De Rosario and Julian de Guzman who were away training with the Canadian national team, Tuesday’s event drew a full complement of players and coaches who worked with two youth teams on drills.
“There are about six (TFC players) who grew up here and they are playing for a team that never existed eight or 10 years go,” Anselmi said.
“Development in any sport is about kids aspiring for something and now they have a place to play. Who could be happier?”
Said Maria Soklis of Kia: “It’s a way that Kia is able to thank the communities and the people in the communities who have supported our success. We really believe in driving change in the community, almost like paying it forward. This is our small way of doing it.”
“Now the younger kids growing up get the chance to experience good facilities like this,” said Cann.
“I think it’s wonderful. You want to get them used to nice pitches. You get motivated. You get inspired. You feel good.”
