Energy City Cactus Rats given 4 days to announce plan for new ballpark

As construction drags on at the Energy City Cactus Rats' new ballpark, the Western Canadian Baseball League has given the team until June 16 to present a plan.

The Western Canadian Baseball League has issued a deadline for the owners of a Spruce Grove ballpark to get their act together.

The Energy City Cactus Rats have yet to play in the new Energy City Metro Ballpark despite announcing the team’s home opener would be played there without fans last weekend.

The ownership group now has until June 16 to come up with a detailed plan for getting the facility into compliance with league standards.

The league announced its unanimous board of governors vote in a social media post Friday afternoon. It also expects a timeline for full completion of facilities, including how the ballpark owners will pay back financial obligations to the league.

The Cactus Rats previously blamed cancellations on rain and lagging facility approvals. The team has said multiple times in the last week that the ballpark would be ready to welcome fans this season, but has not given a date.

The ballpark has been under construction for the last three years.

The upcoming Okotoks Dawgs vs. Energy City Cactus Rats game on Saturday, which was scheduled to happen in Spruce Grove, will instead be played at Seaman Stadium in Okotoks.

The Cactus Rats vs. Lethbridge Bulls game set for Sunday at the ballpark has been postponed. It will be made up as a doubleheader on July 26.

The Fort McMurray Giants matchup at the ballpark scheduled for June 15 will instead become a doubleheader on June 21.

The league says it will make a final decision about play at the Energy City Metro Ballpark this year after a board meeting Tuesday night.