Ottawa, ON – In the Fall of 2023, the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) awarded Twin Elm
Rugby Park (TERP) a grant through its Capital Grants Fund for a 2024 one-year
project to install an irrigation system and purchase a zero-turn lawn mower. The grant allowed the facility to improve the natural grass field conditions in the interest of player safety, at the same time
increasing the number of useable hours for various community organizations.
The grant funded the installation an automated “pop-up” irrigation system on the front field and
to install a connection to the intersection of the four back fields to allow for manual irrigation.
The grant also funded a Zero-turn lawnmower which offered a uniform cut and increased efficiencies which allowed the volunteers to redirect their efforts into other facility improvements.
TERP has already benefitted from the project as it has hosted inter-provincial rugby
competitions between Quebec &Ontario, as well as becoming the training grounds for international men’s rugby sides from Canada and Romania. The facility also hosted the 2024 Eastern Ontario rugby finals at the U16 & U18 boys &girls’ levels, as well as the Division 1 & 2 senior men’s final. This was followed by the Eastern Canadian Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) championship to close out the summer.
In 2024 new organizations such as the Ottawa Carleton Soccer League, and the Bell Warrior's youth flag football organization were attracted to the improved field conditions for trial use, and have committed to long term partnerships beginning in the 2025 season. This Ontario Trillium Foundation grant has helped ensure the long-term sustainability of Twin Elm Rugby Park while at the same time allowing us to diversify our client base and provide much needed safer places to play to the broader community.
This investment by the Ontario Trillium Foundation to help with the modernization of Twin Elm
Rugby Park to continue to provide a high level of quality operations and capabilities is great
news for many in our community, "The impact of this Ontario Trillium Foundation grant cannot be overstated,” said Robert Orange, President Twin Elm Rugby Parl. “This grant has allowed us to significantly improve the quality of our natural grass fields to the level where they are recognized as an international training destination, as Rugby Canada continues to host major international competitions in Ottawa. Without this project TERP would be constrained in its ability to diversify use of the park and its offerings to the community. Twin Elm Rugby Park has been a fixture of the community since 1976 and will continue to be as a result of this OTF award.”
Twin Elm Rugby Park is committed to making available its facility and ensuring that it remains
accessible for as many community activities as is possible year over year. If you wish to enquire
about using the space for your meeting or hosting an event, please visit the website at:
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