City of Ottawa seeking feedback on proposed cricket pitch in south-end park

People playing cricket at Rideau Hall in Ottawa are pictured in this August 2025 image. The City of Ottawa is looking at adding a cricket pitch to Beryl Gaffney Park in the city's south end to meet growing demand for the sport. (Josh Marano/CTV News Ottawa)

The City of Ottawa has launched public consultations, including a survey, on a proposal for a full-size cricket pitch at Beryl Gaffney Park on Rideau Valley Drive.

“There has been a long-standing need to develop a full-size cricket pitch in Ottawa to meet the growing demands of the cricket sporting community,” the City of Ottawa says. “Beryl Gaffney Park has been identified as a prime site for this facility, as the park features an extensive open green space that can accommodate the required field dimensions and orientation of a full-size cricket pitch.”

The proposed project would include a 100-metre by 125-metre pitch, with an additional 10 metres of level run out area around the pitch. The project would also add 22 new parking spaces to the area, for a total of 62 spaces, and relocate the existing gravel pathway that crosses the open space where the pitch would go, to connect with other pathways in the park.

Rideau-Jock Ward Coun. David Brown, who represents the area, says cricket is one of the fastest growing sports in Ottawa.

“I believe this will be the first in this area of the city that will be regulation size, which is one of the challenges we’ve heard from the cricket community,” he said. “Where they’re playing now isn’t meeting their needs, both in size and space. We’re trying to provide an alternative where they’ll have the opportunity to play the sport they love and be inclusive.”

Brown says the proposed pitch would use one of seven vacant fields in the park, which covers nearly 100 acres in size.

“We’re talking about using approximately three acres in total, so three per cent of the park,” he said.

“What’s important for everyone to know is this is about adding a use to the park, not taking away an existing use or impacting existing users negatively.”

The park is a popular spot for dog walkers and allows dogs to be off leash. Brown says that dogs will still be welcome at Beryl Gaffney Park.

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“It won’t impact them at all,” he said. “Anyone who wants to bring their dogs to Beryl Gaffney, they’re certainly able to do that.”

Brown said, as part of the project, a chain link fence will also be included to keep pedestrians separate and protected from the field.

More information about the project, including a public feedback survey, can be found on Engage Ottawa.

Brown says he hopes to hear from members of the community.

“We do genuinely want to hear from residents in the area,” he said.

“Once the feedback period is over, staff are going to take away all of those comments, they’re going to look at what we can do to incorporate the feedback we’ve received, and then it will come back to myself, as the ward councillor, and my adjacent colleagues Coun. (Wilson) Lo and Coun. (David) Hill, to see what we do to incorporate that feedback in any proposal.”

The public consultation period runs until March 11.

City has 5 cricket pitches

In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, Dan Chenier, general manager of Recreational, Cultural and Facility Services at the City of Ottawa, said the proposal would add a new recreational opportunity without removing existing sports fields.

“The idea emerged through collaboration between the City of Ottawa and the local cricket community to identify suitable locations that can accommodate cricket pitches and support the growth of this popular and expanding sport. Across the city, there are currently only five dedicated cricket pitches, compared with hundreds of other recreational amenities, including outdoor rinks, tennis courts, ball diamonds, soccer fields, basketball courts, skateboard parks, splash pads, and pools,” he said.

Chenier added the master plan for the park included a ball diamond or other sports use in that area. No structures or lights are proposed as part of the project.

“The cricket pitch would occupy approximately 1.2 hectares (less than three per cent of the park) and would remain available for general public use when matches are not scheduled during the summer months, as well as at all times during the off-season,” he said.

“Beryl Gaffney Park is a 41.2-hectare park and the entire site is available for off-leash dogs. There are several other off-leash dog parks in the surrounding area, including David Bartlett Park, located approximately 400 metres away, which is one of the largest and most popular off-leash dog parks. These nearby options help ensure continued access for dog owners.”

According to the City of Ottawa, sports facilities include:

• 384 rectangular grass sport fields (soccer, football, and rugby)
• 315 outdoor tennis courts
• 282 outdoor rinks
• 258 ball diamonds
• 186 outdoor basketball courts
• 146 splash pads
• 21 outdoor skateboard parks
• 9 outdoor pools
• 5 artificial turf fields
• 5 cricket pitches
• 5 BMX pump tracks
• 4 lawn bowling greens

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Katelyn Wilson

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