Calgary to get its 9th cricket pitch at Prairie Winds Park

Good news, Calgary cricket players.

The city is getting a ninth public pitch for the ever-growing sport.

Last week, the city announced that Prairie Winds Parkis gettinga facelift.

The northeast Calgary park willbe getting a new playground, a wading pool with a lazy river, and the old baseball diamond is going to be replaced with a junior-sized cricket pitch.

It's very good news for cricket players in the city, saidSalman Khan, the president of Cricket Calgary.

"I can tell you there's a huge demand here," he told the Calgary Eyeopeneron Wednesday.

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The new pitch, expected to be built in time for next season, will allow the league to bring in more teams and players. Currently, there are roughly 80 teams and about 1,000 full-time members.

This season, there will be a dedicated junior league for younger cricket players, something advocates for the sport have long wanted.

But if you're looking to get into cricket, make sure you've got some extra time on your hands. Games can last up to eight hours, said Khan.During that time, you get two water breaks and one lunch break.

"It's a huge commitment and we get a huge response from people," he said. "The majority of people want to play eight hour games."

Khan said the cricket community in Calgary is thrilled with the news.

"Myself and my team and all the cricket lovers in Calgary, they're loving it."