Londoners will be able to take in behind-the-scenes public tours of the city’s historic Labatt Memorial Park this summer as part of a larger push to market southwestern Ontario as a baseball heritage hotspot.
Announced Tuesday, the initiative, called the “Southwestern Ontario Baseball Heritage Pass,” will allow baseball fans to take in three baseball sites — Labatt Memorial Park, The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in St. Marys, and the Beachville District Museum near Woodstock — with just one ticket.
“This partnership will include a dedicated website, itineraries, travel booking and one ticket into all three attractions, encouraging guests to visit each location and explore the entire Southwestern Ontario region,” read a joint statement from the city, which owns Labatt Memorial Park, and Tourism London.
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At the world’s oldest baseball diamond, attendees will be offered “exclusive behind-the-scenes public tours” of the facility, with artifacts and historical stories about some of the greats who have passed through it, the statement says.
“Labatt Memorial Park is a gem in our city and we’re thrilled to be able to begin offering tours to showcase its incredible history,” said Jon-Paul McGonigal, the city’s head of culture, special events and sport services.
“With our recently announced investment, as well as this additional programming, we’re excited for the future of Labatt Memorial Park and we look forward to continually welcoming guests for years to come.”
That investment, announced earlier this month, includes nearly $1.5 million in federal and provincial dollars to replace Labatt Memorial Park’s bleachers, upgrade its field lighting, and install accessible washrooms. The city will fork over $542,735 for the improvements.
More information on the upcoming tours can be found at labattparktours.com.