Sterling Industries Sports Park - Diamond #5

In 2026, Council approved $290,000 from the 2026 Capital Budget for the construction of a fifth ball diamond at Sterling Industries Sports Park. The original budget was based on developing a diamond similar to the four existing diamonds already within the park that are geared more towards fastpitch and slo-pitch.

In further discussions with Blackfalds Minor Ball, it was requested to increase the size of the baseball diamond to a U18-sized diamond which Blackfalds currently does not have; subsequently increasing the initial budget for this project by an estimated $120,000 (taken from Capital Reserves)

In total, the project is estimated to cost $410,000.

With the increased number of sports teams, and players, an additional diamond was needed to ensure all ages of sports have the opportunity to play in Blackfalds. Our current diamonds are at capacity, and it was identified in our priorities to construct an additional diamond to help accommodate all requests.

As for increasing the size of the anticipated diamond, this comes from discussions with Blackfalds Minor Baseball. It was important to consider the long-term impact of this investment on baseball development in Blackfalds. Currently, the community does not have a U18 baseball team, requiring local players to compete in Red Deer or Lacombe. Constructing a regulation U18 diamond could help support the creation of a local program and provide opportunities to retain youth athletes within the community. It is difficult to determine the amount of revenue that will be gained, but this addition will help fill a gap by providing a ball diamond for U18 as well as improve our park for hosting ball tournaments.

The two soccer pitches located where Diamond #5 is going will be moving to the north side of Duncan Ave to the newly constructed football field and the adjacent retention pond.