Canadian Rugby Bids Goodbye to Fletcher's Fields
Canadian Rugby Bids Goodbye to Fletcher's Fields
MARKHAM, Ont. – Full time is being called on Fletcher’s Fields, the home of rugby in Ontario.
This year marks the final season of rugby to be played at the ground under the current structure established in 1966.
The 20-acre facility in Markham, Ont. was sold to the City of Markham in 2021, with the new owners set to take possession of the property following the completion of the 2024 rugby season in October.
With 58 years of history to commemorate, the Friends of Fletcher's Fields are going all in to give the facility a proper send-off, launching the 2024 Summer Celebration of Rugby. The season-long event will feature several high school, collegiate and club tournaments, as well as youth festivals, development opportunities for players, coaches, referees, and rugby administrators, and elite-level matches throughout the Ontario rugby season from May to October.
“This summer will be unlike any rugby season Fletcher's Fields has ever seen over its illustrious, 58-year history,” said Pat Hodgins, Fletcher’s Fields Chief Executive. “Our 2024 Summer Celebration of Rugby will have something for everyone, from minis picking up a rugby ball for the first time to well-seasoned Old Boys, and will ensure Fletcher’s leaves a lasting legacy for generations of rugby supporters to come.”
The Summer Celebration of Rugby will kick off with a series of high school tournaments for boys and girls that will run throughout May, featuring a several divisions of varying levels of play to ensure each team has a fun, skill-building, and enjoyable competition.
Space in these tournaments will be limited, and high schools are encouraged to register early to secure their entry. Important additional announcements about the 2024 Summer Celebration of Rugby will be available in the coming days, including a detailed event calendar and a team registration portal.
“Fletcher’s Fields has left an indelible mark on the millions of people who have come through its gates over its six decades as the home of rugby in Ontario,” said Graham Brown, Fletcher’s Fields Trustee. “The Summer Celebration of Rugby, with its full calendar of events, will ensure everyone can make at least one more unforgettable memory at a place that has created so many special moments over the years.”
“From the clubhouse to the parking lot, to the grass pitches and the uprights, the facility is being prepared from top to bottom to host the rugby community for one last big, bold season. We can’t wait to welcome you back to the Square.”
Fletcher’s Fields Limited, which owned the facility, has six equal shareholders that call the ground home: Aurora Barbarians Rugby Football Club, Markham Irish Canadian Rugby Club, Rugby Ontario, Nomads Rugby Football Club of Toronto, Toronto Saracens Rugby Football Club and Toronto Scottish Rugby Football Club.
Featuring six grass pitches, including a stadium field and a central clubhouse with change rooms, shower facilities and an upstairs lounge for patrons, Fletcher’s Fields has long welcomed muddy warriors and parched bystanders inside its perimeter.
The hallowed ground has also hosted many international test matches over the decades, with Canada facing the likes of Argentina, England, USA, Wales, Ireland and Japan.
The Fletcher’s Fields facility is named after one of the founding fathers of rugby in Ontario, Denis Fletcher. Fletcher, a rugby enthusiast originally from England, thought that through his organizational prowess and persuasive pen, he could convince teams to work together to buy land north of Toronto and create a collective space to play and grow rugby beginning in the mid-60s.
Visit https://fletchersfields.ca/ for more information.
