The Dartmouth Commons (Arthur H. Merrick) Baseball Diamonds have been a cornerstone of our community for decades. Generations of families have cherished these fields, creating countless memories and fostering a love for baseball among our youth.  Today, these historic diamonds are under threat. HRM City Planning intends to remove all existing baseball diamonds and convert the space into a single‑use cricket field by 2028.

Cricket’s growth in HRM is exciting and worth supporting—but not at the cost of dismantling the foundation of youth baseball in Dartmouth. 

Why this matters: 

Preserving 100+ Years of Local Heritage: The Commons are a cornerstone of regional baseball history, dating back to landmark games in 1876. Crucially, these fields are named in honor of Arthur H. Merrick, who co-founded minor baseball in Dartmouth in 1950.

Central Community Accessibility: The central, prime location of the Commons provides unparalleled access for local families. It functions as an integrated hub where baseball operates alongside the walking paths, playground, central parking, and city transit. Removing baseball fundamentally changes the dynamic of this central park, forcing families away from a highly accessible, safe, walkable neighborhood asset to more peripheral diamonds.

A System Already Under Strain: Youth baseball registration in Dartmouth grew by 30% this year alone. Kids are already landing on waitlists due to the current baseball diamond shortage. Removing these fields entirely would severely limit active recreation baseball opportunities for youth within the community, especially at our foundational 7U Rally Cap Program.

There is a better way forward.

Instead of displacing existing programs, we’ve proposed a shared‑use model that keeps baseball and welcomes cricket. With $1 million in provincial funding currently available, HRM has the resources to engineer a multi‑sport solution—or to build a dedicated, high‑quality cricket facility elsewhere in the municipality.

Dartmouth deserves a win‑win, not a plan that sacrifices youth sport, our history, and our green space.

Please sign this petition to tell Halifax Regional Council to preserve the Dartmouth Commons baseball diamonds as a multi‑sport, accessible community asset for generations to come.