The long-awaited second home field at Langley Rugby Club is finally over.
On Saturday, Sept. 9, the team broke in the new field with a match against the Scribes RFC after an official ribbon cutting ceremony.
Club president Mike Berg said the plan has been in place for many years.
In 2021, the club moved forward in purchasing the land adjacent to their other field off Crush Crescent.
“We have a great neighbour on the hill, the Worrell family, [who] came forward and helped us with this land – it got the ball rolling,” Berg told the Langley Advance Times.
A $250,000 Capital Project Grant as part of the Province of BC’s Community Gaming Grant program is making it possible, with matching funds raised by the 300-member volunteer-run, non-profit organization.
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Previously, there was only one playing field that is shared between all of the LRC’s programs which made it a challenge to schedule time, and has at times forced the LRC to use other fields.
Now with two fields, it’s possible to make improvements to the heavily-used original playing field, including improving its drainage to limit mud when it rains.
The new field, named Worrell Field in honour of the family that supported it, had its first game between the men’s and women’s first divisions of LRC and the Scribes.
Langley men’s won 22-7, and Langley’s women’s won a close match of 18-15.
“We’re very excited. It’s not just about our club, it’s about our community,” Berg said. “This is for everybody in the rugby community.”
The LRC has a playing enrollment of over 200 female and male players ranging in age from four and under to 40 and over.
Round 2 of the Dunbar Cup is at noon this Saturday, Sept. 16, will be on the new Worrell Field between Fraser Valley Venom and Vancouver Island Tide.
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