One member of Squamish鈥檚 rugby community has an axe to grind when it comes to finding a place to play.
Dan Tanner, player and committee member of the 麻豆社国产Axemen rugby team says that he鈥檚 exhausted every avenue to try and find a dedicated space for local athletes to play the game.
Tanner says he鈥檚 been lobbying the District for about a year, but to no avail.
In his frustration, he started a Twitter campaign that gained steam locally this month. Famed 麻豆社国产athlete Jamie Cudmore recently added his voice to the matter.
鈥淗opefully council members can see the benefits of promoting a game that includes all sexes, shapes, creeds and colors and makes them better people just by being in contact with this amazing game,鈥� wrote Cudmore on Twitter. 鈥淩ugby deserves at least one dedicated field in Squamish.鈥�
It was a sentiment echoed by Tanner.
Getting that one dedicated field, however, has been a great challenge, he told The Chief.
Tanner said that District officials have told him no land is available in Squamish, but staff may be able to assist in a year or two.
However, he says the time to act is now.
鈥淲e鈥檙e at a crucial stage right now,鈥� said Tanner. 鈥淭o build this team bigger we need a field and a structure in order to bring people, bring kids in.鈥�
鈥淣o home field doesn鈥檛 really encourage parents 鈥� are they signing up to a team, or are they signing up to a mobile cr猫che [cradle], you know?鈥� he added.
If things keep going the way they are, Tanner says, he鈥檚 afraid that the town that birthed Cudmore 鈥斅燼rguably one of the greatest Canadian rugby players to hit the pitch 鈥� will be unable to add future players to its legacy.
While there are plenty of volunteers for the Axemen at the moment, Tanner fears that not having a stable home field will put a drain on the program.
Always being uncertain about plans will inevitably strain players and volunteers, he said.
As of now, the Axemen rotate between playing in Whistler, at Don Ross Middle School and Howe Sound Secondary School, but there are limits with this arrangement.
For example, the Axemen were forced to cancel a game on Remembrance Day weekend because of extra fees at Don Ross, and there were no other fields available, Tanner added.
鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty embarrassing,鈥� he said.聽
He said the District has suggested that the Axemen approach developers for land to play, but that doesn鈥檛 seem to have worked out.
鈥淣o developer will help us 鈥� no developer will even entertain the idea,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he mayor doesn鈥檛 talk to us anymore.鈥�
The District also suggested that players fundraise up to $50,000 to re-lay a gravel field with artificial turf for soccer, so in turn the rugby team could use one of the existing grass fields, Tanner said.
鈥淏ut then there was no guarantee that we would get a grass field or that soccer would get absolute use of the turf,鈥� he said.
Tanner, however, believes a solution is readily at hand.
He said that there鈥檚 land by Brennan Park that鈥檚 available for use.
鈥淭he big pavilion they鈥檝e got there 鈥� it鈥檚 never used, with all the fields in front of it,鈥� he said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e asking for use of that pavilion.鈥�
He said that if need be, the Axemen will be willing to go to great lengths to show the District that it鈥檚 available.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to go there every single Saturday and take photos in some way, shape or form,鈥� said Tanner. 鈥淎fter six months at the end of our season we鈥檙e going to give them the evidence.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e not asking anyone to make rugby a priority,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f you give us one field there鈥檒l still be 49 soccer fields. We鈥檙e just asking for a field. We鈥檙e asking for Step 1.鈥�
The District said Tanner contacted the municipality about a year ago to request a dedicated rugby field in town.
Spokesperson Christina Moore said officials told Tanner at the time that the District was developing a 20-year real estate strategy.
鈥淭he District has paused any long-term land decisions until its completion,鈥� Moore wrote in an email. 鈥淭he strategy is close to completion and community engagement will take place in 2018 as we work to prioritize Squamish鈥檚 extensive list of needs and wants across a broad spectrum of interests (recreation and otherwise). A Brennan Park Master Plan is also on deck following completion of the real estate strategy.鈥�
鈥淩ecognizing that Mr. Tanner鈥檚 wishes predated the completion of the above strategy, we suggested that he approach private landowners or the province to inquire about use of private or Crown lands,鈥� she said.
Moore said a meeting between Tanner and the mayor had been scheduled in April but Tanner had cancelled it and not rescheduled.
Moore also added that people, including rugby players, are allowed access to community multi-use fields.
