The St. Albert Soccer Association is throwing a party Sunday and everybody is invited to attend the 60th anniversary bash and grand re-opening of the Riel Park fields.
SASA president Kevin Jones can’t wait for the festivities to kick off.
“I’m really looking forward to it. It will be lots of fun. Hopefully the weather continues to co-operate,” Jones said of the event that will go as scheduled rain or shine. “All our members, which is about 5,000 people, and the community are invited to come on down to the club and enjoy the celebration. If they all come it could be quite a party.”
The shindig starts at 2 p.m. with numerous family friendly games and activities, inflatable fun and bubble soccer.
Five food trucks – Dedos, LaPoutine, Punky Potato, Fire Truck, Creamery and Bicycle Frozen Treats – will be on site, plus an Over The Top birthday cake.
The SASA lounge will also be open for business and a DJ will play music all afternoon.
A variety of displays in the clubhouse will feature SASA’s rich history, including the beginning years of the St. Albert Hercules Sports Association, which initially started as a boxing club formed by Len Dawson in 1955, as well as the legendary Rangers’ soccer team and the Impact program.
“It’s 60 years of proud history of all kinds of sports and recreation services to the kids of St. Albert. It started out with lots of different things and activities and over time it’s narrowed down to a focus on soccer but it really started out as a community club bringing activities to the kids of St. Albert,” Jones said. “It’s been fun digging into some of the archives and seeing some of the history of our club beyond my almost 30 years of volunteer experience.”
The opening ceremonies and presentations begin at 4 p.m. from the clubhouse balcony, followed by the ceremonial kick-off on the main pitch and an official ‘21-Gun Salute.’
At 4:20 p.m. the Founders Wall will be unveiled in the SASA lounge.
“It’s a way to honour and recognize long serving and significantly important members of the club,” Jones said. “It will be used to recognize the big builders of our club but also to generate membership for a booster club. It’s a way of building a bigger social network within the club.”
A co-ed game involving U16 Impact players will grace the pitch at 4:30 p.m.
The division 1B Impact teams in the Edmonton District Soccer Association have matches on tap at 5:30 p.m. The Impact men (3-1-1) face-off against the Liberian Lone Stars (1-2-1) and the Impact women (3-1) play Sherwood Park Phoenix (2-0-2).
The Riel Park fields re-opened this month after the completion of the reclamation work and outdoor facility enhancement projects that started in August of 2012.
“It’s great to have our fields back,” Jones said.
An evening barbecue will wrap up the busy day.
“It’s been about eight months in the planning,” Jones said. “It’s going to be a fantastic day. I can’t wait.”
Visit www.stalbertsoccer.com for more information.
