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SEE OUR AD ON BACK PAGE OF THIS ISSUE SEE OUR AD ON BACK PAGE OF THIS ISSUE ® Chronicle.WATERLOO $1.00 CONNECTED TO YOUR COMMUNITY WATERLOOCHRONICLE.CA THURSDAY JANUARY 19, 2017 Diamond dustup over park space New festival space will replace ball diamonds in Waterloo Park By Samantha Beattie Chronicle Staff Balancing sports and festival space is proving to be challenging for the City of Waterloo.Over the next three years, the city will take down two baseball diamonds at Waterloo Park and invest in diamonds in other neighbourhoods. The reason for the change is that the city is making room to build a land- scaped festival heart for people to gather as part of the Waterloo Park redesign. "People get upset when they lose diamonds, and remarkably well-used softball and hardball diamonds (at Waterloo Park)," said Coun. Brian Bourke at a committee meeting Monday. "Where are we in creating a partnership where we can build facilities that work for five and six year olds playing t-ball to more elite athletes who need more than a flat piece of gravel and bumpy outfield?" Along with investing $344,000 to improve diamonds across the city, project manager John Griffin said staff is also in conversations with school boards about how they can work together to upgrade schools' indoor and outdoor facilities. In the evenings, teams could use the diamonds. Waterloo Minor Baseball Association president Mark Schram said he's hoping the city's investment will help accommodate their players, especially the largest age group of 12 to 13 year olds. "We are very full in the diamond world," said Schram, noting enrollment went up 30 per cent last year to 850 players. "And I suspect baseball's popularity isn't waning." It turns out the association doesn't use the diamonds at Waterloo Park too often, and instead will make good use of the upgraded mesh, dugouts and infield grading planned for Lexington Park, and infield grading, drainage and player bench replacement for Regency Park. "The city has made it very clear to us there will be changes, but we won't be left high and dry," Schram said. Samantha Beattie photo Let it go moira Brubacher was the only one dressed as a princess at Waterloo's public square skating rink on Saturday. Regardless, she wore her gown with pride as she skated with her family on the crowded ice. Continued on page 7 Prostate cancer doesn't keep local man from his desire to see the world Page 11 CITY LIFE Uptown Beauty Lounge sets up shop on King Street despite construction / Page 15 BUSINESS January 11th to 31st Celebrating the tastes ofWinter. 3 Course Lunch $22 3 Course Dinner $33 595 Hespeler Rd., Cambridge 519.621.4180 blackshop.ca • 83 Erb St. W., Waterloo 519.747.5622 sole.ca •