Dave Leaderhouse
Special to the Herald
“Tonight we are gathered as a community for a meaningful person!”
Those were the words an emotional Felix Casavant chose to use as part of his opening address to a small crowd gathered in Kinsmen Park on Monday evening when the two ball diamonds in that area were renamed Ernie Marcotte Diamond #1 and Ernie Marcotte Diamond #2.
“Ernie Marcotte will be remembered for respect and gratitude,” continued Casavant, a life-long friend who spearheaded the project to rename the diamonds for Marcotte, who passed away suddenly while returning from a family vacation a few years ago. “By renaming them the Ernie Marcotte diamonds it confirms his contribution and dedication.”
Marcotte was a long-time city employee who spent many years making sure ball diamonds and other facilities in the city were properly maintained and manicured. He was also involved in the sport of softball as both a player and a coach for many years making the choice to dedicate the diamonds in his memory an easy decision.
Casavant said getting to this point was a long process as city council had to approve the renaming and then funds were needed to complete the project that will see major improvements and renovations to the existing diamonds.
Those funds eventually came from the World Cup Legacy Committee, which when all is said and done, will be a $30,000 commitment.
Prince Albert was the host site for three major world softball events in the last eight years with profits recorded from those events going into a legacy fund. That fund is managed for special projects and with the ball diamonds at Kinsmen Park used by house-league ball teams on a regular basis, the dedication to honour Marcotte checked off all the boxes.
It also must be noted that the City of Prince Albert wholeheartedly supported the project with several department managers on hand for the ceremony.
Also among the crowd to see the formal dedication being unveiled were Marcotte’s children Todd and Monique. Both expressed overwhelming gratitude for the honour bestowed upon their father.
“This is an incredibly special moment for us,” said Todd. “Renaming these diamonds… we will cherish this forever.”
“Dad loved the game, but it was more about what it brought to the people,” added Monique. “To see his name here where so many games will be played is incredibly fitting.”
“On behalf of all of us, thank-you for remembering Dad in this way,” concluded Monique.
To formally christen the diamonds Monique showed her pitching technique while Todd squatted behind home plate to catch the first pitch ever thrown on Ernie Marcotte Diamond #1.
Then it was show time with an under-11 girl’s game taking to the field. High above there, undoubtedly, is a smile crossing the face of the namesake of the diamond the game was being played on.
