Summerside -
"Into sport and out of court" is the motto and the promise of well-known Summerside developer Eric Johnston.
And he has made good on that promise by donating land for a top-notch athletic field that's being used for soccer competition at the 2009 Canada Games.
"Certainly, I'm proud," Johnston said. "I'm very proud to do this and maybe this is not the end. Maybe this is only the beginning."
Civic officials, provincial government representative and Canada Games organizers were on hand on the weekend to help dedicate the new facility.
"My motto is 'Into sport, out of court' and this is what I think about a facility like this, and the facilities like the tennis courts and so forth that we worked with the city to put in there," Johnson said.
"If it's going to work, we have to keep them on these fields.
"Let's just keep the children in sport because, I'll tell you this, it gets them doing the right thing in life and it puts their minds the right way."
Wayne Carew, vice-president of Friends of the Canada Games, said the new facility will provide a lasting legacy for the city and provide young athletes with a first class field on which to train and play.
"Inspiring dreams and building champions is what the Canada Games motto is all about," he said. "That's what we're going to be doing here for the next decade - tens of thousands of aspiring young athletes, our future leaders, will take advantage of this facility."
