Mr. Speaker, it really is true, “If you build it, they will come”.
The old 1950s Hastings Park baseball field was renovated and for the first time in the tournament's 65-year history, Hastings little league hosted the Little League Canadian Championship. To make the occasion even more special, the field was renamed after Richard Saunders, president of Hastings Community Little League for a decade and current first vice.
There is no question that his decades of involvement have helped shape the lives of countless Van East youth. To the point, Hasting little league did not disappoint. It won the tournament and went on to represent Canada at the prestigious tournament held in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, the very tournament that has seen many of its participants go on to big league careers, like Canada's Jason Bay, Adam Loewen, and the Blue Jay's Michael Saunders.
Please join me in thanking Richard Saunders for his years of dedication and congratulate Hastings Community Little League for doing us proud at the Little League Baseball World Series.