Châteauguay to Host National Sports Competition

The City of Châteauguay will host the Eastern Canadian Softball Championships from August 24 to 27. This fast-pitch competition will bring together the 12 best female teams in the U15 category from six provinces. This event will be made possible thanks to the redevelopment of the fields at Philippe-Bonneau Park.

The local team, the South-West Dragons, will defend their championship title at home. Teams from Ontario and the Atlantic Provinces will also be on hand.

“The realization of this event could not be made possible without the support of the City of Châteauguay and its partners, in this festive year of the 350th anniversary of Châteauguay,” recognizes Hugues Boisvert, Vice-President of the Chat-O-Cats association.

“The redevelopment of Philippe-Bonneau Park was a key point in obtaining this championship and will give the Chat-O-Cats and the Dragons du Sud-Ouest the opportunity to apply for different events in the future,” he adds.

Stéphane Drouin, President of Softball Québec, agrees.

“The Eastern Canadian Championships are important events for the development of softball in Quebec. The City of Chateauguay and the local Chat-O-Cats association have demonstrated its ability to host softball championships in the past, both through the quality of the sports facilities and the solidity of the organization of the group of local volunteers,” he says.

From Four to Three Fields

The work to upgrade the Philippe-Bonneau Park fields began last fall. Valued at $2.5 million, the work is scheduled to be completed in June. The number of fields will be reduced from four to three, but they will be larger to meet the standards for the practice of softball up to the senior level. This will allow Chateauguay to host competitions at all levels, including adults. The fields will also meet the standards for baseball up to the U13 level.

“The concentration of three fields on a single site propels the city to the status of a new softball centre on the regional scene,” says the administration.

“We are extremely proud of the investments made in Philippe-Bonneau Park. Chateauguay’s softball and baseball players deserve facilities that match their talent and ambition, especially considering the Chat-O-Cats’ past successes and the team’s important place in the community,” said Chateauguay Mayor Eric Allard.

Other improvements to the park include:

-The installation of a warning track on the sides and bottom of the fields;

-The installation of a scoreboard for each field and the installation of higher fencing around the perimeter of all fields;

- Covered player shelters to protect players from the weather and sun;

-Nets at the bottom of all three fields to reduce disturbances for neighbouring homes;

-A lighting system for each field, allowing more games in the evening (only one field out of four was lit in the past).

-The reconstruction of the batting cage with the addition of a synthetic surface.