Goderich is the winner in the Kraft Heinz Project Plan contest.
The announcement was made at half time on TSN's CFL telecast last night and a huge crowd at the Maitland Rec Centre erupted when the winner was announced.
Goderich spokesperson Steve Hewitt had trouble describing what he felt just before the announcement was made. He was confident but at the same time recognized that nothing was guaranteed. He said the 250-thousand dollar first-prize money is great and actually puts the Ag Park project at or over the fund-raising goal, but he also pointed out the extra bonus is how the contest brought the community together.
Hewitt also thanked the number of people who live outside of Goderich but voted for the project. He adds he believes the fact the Ag Park is a multi-use facility helped in the voting because it had the support of several clubs or organizations.
Hewitt says the upgrades to the Ag Park will go to tender sometime in October and they hope to have shovels in the ground shortly after that.
“It's hard to explain a feeling like this ... the anticipation and the build-up and then in the back of your mind realizing that you might not be the named community and then you have to think to yourself how well a contest like this has brought our community together.”
“We have multi-use facilities. We have minor soccer, we have adult soccer, we have minor baseball, we have slo-pitch, we have fastball, we have the skate park community and the pavilion as well as the playground. This park is going to be used by people of all ages.”