Small Town Field of Dreams
Seven years ago, when a wind storm destroyed the first base dugout at the Glenboro baseball diamond, not many would have predicted that that event would spark a series of major changes for S.A. Oleson Park in Glenboro; population approximately 650.
This season, Pembina Hills hosts AAA teams at all three age groups: 13U, 15U, and 18U. The youngest and oldest teams play out of S.A. Oleson Park in Glenboro that has turned into a “diamond” of a facility since the start of the renovations in 2016.
That first year, improvements included installation of backstops on multiple diamonds and the rebuild of dugouts on the main senior diamond. 2017 brought on the acquisition of assets to maintain the facility, the building of a batting cage and storage shed, as well as removal of white rock on the base paths and mounds, and replacing it with clay. A huge addition in 2018 included the construction of a central building that included a canteen, bathrooms, maintenance shed, and picnic shelter. From 2019-2022, further improvements were completed including the construction of four dugouts on the two fastball diamonds, outfield fencing, and further assets being purchased such as pitching machines and a utility vehicle. Just this season, the group is proud of the addition of a newly constructed announcers booth on the main diamond, complete with a PA and sound system.
None of this happens without the vision and dedication of volunteers, and Rob Gudnason has been an integral part of the transformation of S.A. Oleson Park over the last 7 years. “My main motivation was to provide a place for our kids to play ball. We have turned our facilities into one of the nicest in Manitoba to play ball.” Gudnason admittedly can’t work alone on improvements of this extent. He says there are multiple other volunteers who have put in countless hours and resources to make this facility so attractive: Corey Forbes, Mark Shearer, Corey Anderson. Gudnason also mentions that Kevin Sholdice of Sholdice Construction and Mark Shearer of Shearer Landscaping have been very generous in providing labour and equipment for their multitude of renovations.
Mark Shearer mentions that whenever projects need to be done, it isn’t only the dad’s coming out to put in the work. The volunteers’ kids play a big role in the grit and elbow grease that has gone into the facility. The kids are not only community members, but also all play at the facility and have a lot of pride in the park! Shearer says he can only hope that this next generation can keep the legacy of the park going for years to come.
Volunteer dedication aside, there is still one thing these types of improvements require: financial support. Mark Shearer credits Gudnason for spearheading all the funding and grants for the facility. When asked what advice he’d lend to others wanting to secure financial resources for facility improvements, Gudnason says “You need someone that is good at filling out grant applications.” Grants have been plentiful for this group, but only because they actively sought out opportunities and put the work in to secure the grants and partnerships. Gudnason specifically mentions: Richardsons, Brandon & Area Foundation, Enbridge, Glenboro & Area Foundation, Province of MB - Small Communities Fund, Building Sustainable Communities, Arts, Culture and Sport in Community. The group also provided opportunities for naming rights to the diamond buildings and batting cage, and proudly display their supporters on the Donor Wall, located at the canteen.
The current state of this facility has brought many opportunities to the Pembina Hills Association, and the town of Glenboro. They have hosted multiple league tournaments for Pembina Hills, as well as tournaments for high school fastball and baseball. The Pembina Hills AAA teams are also largely based out of this facility. Gudnason adds “We hosted MHSAA Baseball Provincials June 1-3. We hosted the 55 plus games in 2018.” Many of these events not landing in Glenboro or the Pembina Hills region, without these extensive improvements and maintenance of this facility, let alone the continued dedication of volunteers to make it happen. Cody Benson attended the MHSAA Provincials at S. A. Oleson park in June as the coach for the Stonewall High School Baseball team. “That diamond and setup are awesome and they did such a great job. From Forbsey (Corey Forbes) and the organizing committee, Rob (Rob Gudnason) and the facility crew, they ran a flawless high school provincials and it is a really great place to play. You feel welcome as soon as you drive up.” Donnie Smith, coach of the Garden City Gophers and Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, echoes Benson: “I highly commend the team of volunteers who helped run one of the best tournaments I’ve been in attendance for. From the field maintenance, social media, concessions and friendly atmosphere, it truly was an amazing experience.”
Next time you are in the Pembina Hills region, check out S.A. Oleson park to see the amazing things that can happen with dedicated volunteers!
