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Cricket equipment and historical artifacts belonging to one of Ontario’s oldest cricket clubs were destroyed in a fire in a storage container at a sports field in north London.
“This is devastating for the whole London cricket community,” said Arun Jentrick, president of the London Cricket Club established in 1856.
The club learned about the fire in an email Thursday afternoon from the city that also asked what was stored inside the container at the Northridge Fields on Adelaide Street North, he said.
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Photos taken by the club show the rectangular structure it uses as a clubhouse lost its walls and top in the fire that left a layer of charred debris on the floor.
Damage is estimated at more than $50,000, Jentrick said, but no one was injured.
The London fire department and London police have not released any information about the fire that occurred overnight Wednesday.
More than equipment was lost in the fire, said Jentrick, who became president of the London Cricket Club this year.
“The destruction of our historical memorabilia and modern equipment is a devastating setback for our club, our players and our supporters,” he said.
The memorabilia included photos and trophies that were nearly 100 years old, Jentrick said.
“They represented the rich history, pride, and spirit of cricket in London, and generations of players, supporters and volunteers have contributed to this legacy.”
The clubhouse was donated by one the club’s oldest members, Jentrick said.
He said he’s not sure if the club can rebuild the clubhouse because it doesn’t have any sponsors and runs solely on memberships, volunteers and donations.
The club has been running a program for school kids as cricket has experienced exponential growth in London in recent years because of an influx of residents and international students from countries where the sport is popular.
The city has two cricket leagues and cricket grounds at Northridge Fields, North London Athletic Fields and Silverwoods Park.
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