The Western Canadian Baseball League's Board of Governors has given the ownership of the Cactus Rats four days to come forward with a plan for finishing the construction of their stadium and balancing their financial standing with the league. The ultimatum places the future of the club's home ground squarely in the hands of its owners over the coming days.
According to the league, plans for the stadium were initially announced six years ago, and construction crews broke ground on the project about a year later. Since then, the build has faced what the league calls numerous delays, both during the COVID period and beyond, leaving the venue far behind its original schedule.
Today, the structure still stands incomplete. As a result, fans of the Cactus Rats have been forced to take road trips in order to watch their team play in person, rather than attending games at a finished home ballpark in their own community.
The league's president cautioned that even if Tuesday's meeting goes well, there is no guarantee that supporters will get the chance to see the team play at the stadium this season. The message tempered expectations even as a key decision point approaches for the club and the league.
There is a possibility that the Board of Governors will green-light the field for games on Tuesday night, but officials stressed that this would not automatically clear it for fans. The league still needs to receive further information, and permitting from the City of Spruce Grove would be required before spectators could be allowed into the ballpark, with field quality and player safety also weighed.
The Cactus Rats did obtain an occupancy permit from the City of Spruce Grove that would allow players and team staff to take the field for a home game scheduled on Wednesday. The board is expected to reach a decision on the status of that game on Tuesday night, while the organization, according to its latest statement, says it is hopeful it will be able to welcome fans into the ballpark sometime within the next month.