Donalds donate $50,000 for batting cages at Mount Forest diamonds

MOUNT FOREST – There will soon be a batting cage at the Donald Softball Diamond in Mount Forest, thanks to the generosity of Jim Donald and family. 

The cage will be designed to support practice and training activities for local minor baseball, softball organizations and community members. 

It is expected to include a 65’ by 16’ by 16’ chain-link enclosed batting and pitching cage with a pitching machine inside a 8’ by 1’ shed on a concrete pad within the cage. Construction is expected to begin this month. 

Mount Forest Minor Ball (MFMB) is spearheading the initiative and estimates the project will cost $49,695, including HST and a five per cent contingency, but not the pitching machine. 

MFMB secured a donation from the Donald family to cover the full cost of the project, which Rob Bodendistle is set to supervise and manage. 

Bodendistle is a construction professional with over 25 years experience managing a range of construction projects, and is the president of MFMB. 

If there are surplus funds, they will go towards a new pitching machine for the cage, and then any remaining balance will go to MFMB’s rental agreement with Wellington North. 

Some of the construction companies contracted for the project are offering discounts, and MFMB is set to acknowledge them, along with the Township of Wellington North and the Donald family, on an 8’ by 4’ sign hanging on the side of the cage. 

During a May 19 meeting, councillors all expressed appreciation to the Donald family for funding the cage. 

“I’m sure it’s going to be a great asset for the youth of our community to be able to enhance their skills,” said councillor Penny Renken. 

“Anything we can do to support youth being active in a time and age when we’re struggling to get them off their phone, is especially needed,” added councillor Lisa Hern.