Revitalized Centennial Park to serve as World Cup training facility, designed with 'community in mind': mayor | CBC News

Mayor Olivia Chow opened new sporting facilities at Centennial Park in Etobicoke near Eglinton Avenue W. and Renforth Drive. The upgrades include four baseball diamonds, eight beach volleyball courts, 12 pickleball courts, three soccer pitches, and a new multi-use field. A “premium field” regulation-sized professional pitch will serve as a training site for FIFA World Cup teams during the tournament. The city’s master plan improvements cost more than $75 million over five years and add a new fieldhouse with change rooms, washrooms, and community space. FIFA has operational control of the training site until the tournament ends, after which the facilities will continue serving residents, families, local leagues, and community programs.

"Mayor Olivia Chow unveiled new sporting facilities at an Etobicoke park on Friday, two weeks before the city hosts its first FIFA World Cup game. The mayor officially opened four baseball diamonds, eight beach volleyball courts, 12 pickleball courts, three soccer pitches and a new multi-use field at Centennial Park, located near Eglinton Avenue W. and Renforth Drive. Reporters also got a sneak peak of a "premium field," a regulation-sized professional pitch that will be used as a training site for participating teams at the FIFA World Cup in Toronto."

""When the tournament ends, these facilities will continue serving residents, families, local leagues and community programs for years to come. This investment was designed first and foremost with the community in mind," Chow said. Improvements to Centennial Park, as part of its master plan, will cost the city more than $75 million over five years. Chow said the facilities include a new fieldhouse with change rooms, washrooms and community space."

""Centennial Park is one of Toronto's largest and most visited parks, welcoming 1.5 million visitors every year. It is a place where families gather, kids play sports, neighbours come to enjoy the outdoors and spend time together," Chow said. "As Toronto grows, we need more first-class parks facilities like what the city has delivered here at Centennial Park." The site will welcome teams from around the world playing World Cup games in the city, Chow said."

"The training site, with a fieldhouse, will support team operations during the tournament, according to the city. In a news release Friday, the city said FIFA has "operational control" of the training site until the end of the tournament. Holyday said the training site to be used by FIFA World Cup teams is well placed logistically."

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