Sale of Fletcher's Fields comes with historic boost to Canadian Rugby Foundation
TORONTO — Canadian rugby has received a historic boost in the form of an $11.65-million donation.
The money, which is going to the non-profit Canadian Rugby Foundation, comes from the $21.5-million sale of the eight-hectare Fletcher's Fields rugby facility in Markham, north of Toronto, to the City of Markham.
Established in 1966, Fletcher's Fields features six rugby fields and has hosted Canada test matches against Argentina, England, Ireland, Japan, the U.S. and Wales as well as numerous Ontario championships. It is named after the late Denis Fletcher, a rugby enthusiast who helped grow the game in Ontario.
Fletcher's Fields Limited, which owned the facility, is comprised of six equal shareholders: Aurora Barbarians Rugby Football Club, Markham Irish Canadian Rugby Club, Rugby Ontario, Nomads Rugby Football Club of Toronto, Toronto Saracens Rugby Football Club and Toronto Scottish Rugby Football Club.
The $11.65-million donation will translate into six endowment funds, representing each of those shareholders. The remainder of the sale proceeds is being held back as the clubs determine their future venue and capital plans.
The Foundation will administer the endowment funds, retaining some of the proceeds with the bulk of that revenue going back to the original shareholders.
Foundation chair Mike Holmes called it a "historic donation."
"It will enable us to invest significantly more funds in development of grassroots rugby in Canada," Holmes said in an interview.
"That's the mission of the foundation — to grow our capital so that we have more and more income arising from that capital," he added. "And in time we have more and more money to spend on growth of grassroots rugby in Canada."
Established in 2003, the Foundation offers scholarships and manages several funds, including the Captain's Fund, which helps the under-20 and other national age-group programs and the Monty Heald National Women's Fund, which assists women's national team programs.
The Foundation's assets now exceed $18 million. Rugby Canada's annual revenue totalled $9.2 million in pandemic-affected 2020 and $14.9 million in 2019.
Fletcher's Fields will continue hosting rugby and other sport competitions until October 2024 with shareholder clubs hoping to have new localized facilities ready for the 2025 season.
In recent years, the Fletcher's board opted for a long-term review with the facility's increasing need for capital improvements and out of a desire for greater access to rugby across the city. That led to the board accepting a purchase offer.
In addition to the six new endowment funds, the Foundation has contributed $120,000 and committed to an annual contribution towards a new Fletcher's Patrons Fund that honours those who helped finance major renovations and build grandstands at the property. The returns from the fund will go toward initiatives to help develop rugby in Ontario.
Murray collects first win of the season as Senators upset Flames 4-1
CALGARY — Shuffled to centre as a result of Tim Stutzle being added to the NHL's COVID-19 protocol, Ottawa's Nick Paul stepped up with a big performance on Thursday night. Paul scored twice in the first period and Matt Murray made 27 saves for his first win of the season as the Senators won 4-1 over the slumping Calgary Flames. "Wherever I play, I try to do my role, which is create space, win battles, take pucks to the net," said Paul, who had scored just once in his previous 19 games. On Thursd
AP Was There: Magic plays center, Lakers clinch NBA title
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (AP) — Rookie Earvin "Magic" Johnson steps in and plays center for the injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Game 6 of the NBA Finals with his Los Angeles Lakers holding a 3-2 series lead over the Philadelphia 76ers. Johnson, a 6-foot-9 point guard, finishes with 42 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists to help the Lakers clinch the title with a 123-107 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. The Associated Press is republishing verbatim the story on Johnson's position switch to help clinch
Five-time Olympic medallist Hamelin headlines Canada's short-track team for Beijing
Short-track speedskating star Charles Hamelin has become a Canadian fixture of the Winter Olympics, an almost sure bet to climb the medal podium. But at 37-years-old, and with the COVID-19 pandemic upending the Canadian team's preparation, nothing is routine around what will be Hamelin's fifth and final Olympic appearance. "(Beijing) is I think the hardest one, yes, a little bit because of the age, but for sure because of the pandemic, it didn't put us in a perfect situation," Hamelin said. "Wel