It’s Opening Day at Arctic Field!

After years of dreaming and months of hard work, Opening Day at Arctic Field has arrived! The Winkler Whips open their home schedule tonight at 6:30PM against the visiting Pilot Mound Pilots.

The first 350 fans to arrive at the game can grab a free pork-on-a-bun, graciously supplied by Manitoba Pork, Winkler Meats, and Winkler Co-op. An opening ceremony will begin at 6:30PM, with player introductions, sponsor introductions, ceremonial first pitches, and Oh Canada.

And of course, there’s no admission at the gate — simply bring your family down for a great Friday evening at the ballpark.

There’s more to come for the Arctic Field project over the coming months. Today is a day to celebrate all the hard work and contributions from the local community!

We’ll see you tonight at Arctic Field!

Arctic Field Progress Update: Dugouts, Outfield Fence, and Inaugural Game Announcement

The snow has finally melted. The sun has started to shine. And the work continues to have Arctic Field ready for Opening Day 2023!

Since the end of March, Arctic Field has seen lots of construction. The dugouts are now closed in, ensuring players and coaches are protected from the elements. Dugout benches, field-level fencing, and field-level benches should be installed over the next few weeks to allow for ample seating inside the dugouts. Electrical should be completed over the next few weeks as well, allowing for in-dugout electrical equipment to be operated and for further expansion for game-day entertainment.

The outfield grass received near-perfect weather in the fall and the infield sod continues to root. Additional landscaping is slated to take place over the next few weeks to allow for more true bounces in the infield and a more level surface for running in the outfield. Given current conditions and the speed at which the project has taken place between the Fall of 2022 and Spring of 2023, we expect some landscaping fixes to be required throughout the 2023 season.

Finally, the most visually impactful change at Arctic Field this spring has been the installation of the padded fence. The royal blue padding has been affixed to the existing chain link fencing and provides a safer environment for outfielders tracking down fly balls. Arctic Field’s new dimensions — 315’ to the right and left field corners and 380’ to straightaway center field — should lead to more exciting plays at the fence. With the added traffic at the fence, the new padding should ensure players have a safer field environment.

As work over the coming weeks ramps up, the group is excited to announce the date for the first game to be played on Arctic Field. May 26th, 2023, the Winkler Whips will host the Pilot Mound Pilots in the inaugural game at Arctic Field. The Winkler Whips have a few exciting events planned for the inaugural game, including a barbecue and a pre-game ceremonial first pitch. 

The group continues to thank the community for the incredible support over the last 24 months. Together, with the following major sponsors and donors, we’re excited for the first pitch to be thrown May 26th:

• Arctic Spas Manitoba

• The City of Winkler

• Pinnaco

• Manitoba Pork

• Sunvalley Tire

• Little Morden Service

• Rosenort Credit Union

• Pembina Valley Physiotherapy

• Inground Construction

• Haskett Growers

• Mid City Redimix

• Parkside Home Building Center

• Thunderstruck Sales & Marketing

• Access Credit Union

• Sunvalley Cabinets and Construction

• D.A. Loewen Electric

Thank you everyone!

Arctic Field Progress Update: Infield, Dugouts, and Backstop

Work continues to drive forward on the Arctic Field project. Since the official sod turning back on August 15, 2022, Arctic Field has seen a removal of the old gravel infield, excavation and rebuild of new concrete dugouts, and the initial construction of a brand new backstop. Further work has been completed on the outfield grass to level out the playing surface and to provide fresh new grass for play in Spring 2023.

The Winkler Whips would like to thank all those involved in the continued work on the project, and specifically the following partners:

• Pinnaco

• Triple L Excavating

• DnP Construction

• Giesbrecht Excavating

• Wallace and Wallace

• Maximum Construction

• Inground Construction

The Whips would also like to thank the Winkler Minor Baseball U18 team for helping lay sod this past weekend.

Arctic Field Groundbreaking Event Brings Out Local Dignitaries

Left to right: Travis Friesen, Russ Penner, Henry Siemens, Mayor Martin Harder, Matt Friesen, Hon. Cameron Friesen, Scott Beattie, John Krahn, Kris Teichroeb, Frank Loewen, Jordan Driedger, Josh Ginter

The Arctic Field project is officially underway!

This morning, local dignitaries turned out for the Arctic Field sod-turning event, marking the beginning of a project years in the making.

“I looked through my email last night to see when this project first graced my inbox, and it was January 2019,” said Russ Penner, player and executive member of the Winkler Whips. “This project has been through ups and downs with COVID and we are very appreciative of all the support we’ve received to get this project off the ground.”

Individuals attending the event included (from left to right above):

• Travis Friesen — Executive Member, Winkler Whips

• Russ Penner — Executive Member, Winkler Whips

• Henry Siemens — Councillor, City of Winkler

• Mayor Martin Harder — Mayor, City of Winkler

• Matt Friesen — President, Winkler Minor Baseball Association

• Hon. Cameron Friesen — MLA, Morden-Winkler; Minister of Finance, Province of Manitoba

• Scott Beattie — Vice-President, Arctic Spas Manitoba

• John Krahn — President, Pinnaco Inc.

• Kris Teichroeb — Project Manager, Pinnaco Inc.

• Frank Loewen — President, Arctic Spas Manitoba

• Jordan Driedger — Director of Community Services, City of Winkler

• Josh Ginter — Executive Member, Winkler Whips

The Winkler Whips would like to thank all those involved — from the name sponsor support from Arctic Spas Manitoba to the general contractor support from Pinnaco Inc. to the flexibility provided by the City of Winkler — to get this project off the ground.

Update:

Pembina Valley Online has a great commentary roundup on the official sod-turning from August 15, 2022. Don’t miss it!

Backstop and Dugouts Are Down, Excavators Ready

Though the Winkler Whips season came to an end last night in Altona, there was lots going on at Arctic Field to get ready for August 15th excavation. The old chain link backstop has been removed, the long foul territory fences and posts have been unearthed, and the site is just about ready for heavy duty shovels.

It’s just about time to make a mess!

Arctic Field Receives First Official Signage

Winkler’s Arctic Field has its first official signage.

Placed along Winkler’s 15th Street ballpark entrance and facing the Winkler Parkland’s 4-plex softball diamonds are two brand new signs. These signs highlight the Arctic Field project and the partnership made between Arctic Spas Manitoba and the Winkler Whips Senior Baseball Team.

New signage facing Winkler’s 15th Street.

Though the signage is temporary — both signs will be taken down when official signage is installed during the project — the signs provide the first visual indication of the large project to come.

Shovels hit the dirt August 15, 2022 — only three weeks away!

Arctic Field: Winkler Whips, City of Winkler Announce Partnership With Arctic Spas Manitoba

The Winkler Whips Senior Baseball Team, the City of Winkler, and Arctic Spas Manitoba are excited to announce a partnership that will see Winkler's Baseball Diamond #5 be named Arctic Field. The senior baseball diamond is home to five different baseball teams ranging from under-18 baseball players to senior baseball players.

The sponsorship agreement includes exclusive field naming rights for a six-year period beginning immediately and ending in 2027.

"We at Arctic Spas Manitoba are truly excited to partner with the Winkler Whips and the City of Winkler to build a ballpark every young ball player in Winkler aspires to play on," said Frank Loewen, President of Arctic Spas Manitoba Ltd. "The Winkler Whips and the Border Baseball League provide a great baseball game each night and we want to help the Whips in their goal to give back to their community."

"Since we started out in 2016, the Winkler community has shown incredible support for our team. We want to harness that community support and build a ballpark the Winkler community is proud of. We're honoured to partner with Arctic Spas Manitoba to see our dream come true," said Russ Penner, executive member and player/coach with the Winkler Whips.

The Diamond #5 Ballpark Project will be completed in four phases, with the project getting underway in Fall 2022. The project will see a complete revamping of the infield, dugouts, backstop, fence, scoreboard, and, if feasible, lights, to provide a safer and more entertaining baseball environment.