ArcelorMittal Dofasco is investing $250,000 over 10 years to ensure that a Pan Am Games legacy soccer program in its own backyard will be a success.

The Hamilton Athletic Trust will also kick in $25,000 a year for the first four years of the program.

The grassroots soccer program is focused on Ward 3, which houses the CIBC Hamilton Pan Am Soccer Stadium (Tim Hortons Field) and the extended area around the stadium precinct, but there are no geographical barriers.

The accessible program will be free and is designed for children five to 13, and will concentrate on skill development and fun, informal play. In its first year, 100 children will be involved and next year it will reach its capacity of 500 for the 10-week program.

Program activities will take place in Tim Hortons Field (the formal name of the stadium, except during the Pan Am period) until they move into the new sports park north of the stadium when that park is completed. There are 20 neighbourhood mentors who will work with the players in the program.

All children in the program, and their parents, are receiving a ticket to a Pan Am soccer game this July.

Grassroots soccer is a program of the Ontario Soccer Association, first developed about five years ago. The Hamilton and District Soccer Association will administer it in Hamilton.

"I think it fits in perfectly with our mission statement, which is to grow the game," said association president John Gibson. "Maybe the next Christine Sinclair or Dwayne De Rosario or John McGrane will come from this program."

Sean Donnelly, CEO of ArcelorMittal Dofasco, said, "This is consistent with our values. It's in our area, and we believe in the program.

"This is a neighbourhood which has not had its own soccer program, and we're happy to help that change.

"We're the official steel supplier for the (fire) cauldron of the Pan Am Games, and it will be made of 34 tonnes of ArcelorMittal Dofasco steel."

A second cauldron will be made and will remain in Hamilton as a legacy piece after the game.

Saad Raffi, the CEO of Toronto2015 who made the trip from Toronto on Pan Am Play Day for Ontario elementary schools, said "ArcelorMittal Dofasco is a truly great supporter of the Games."

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John McGrane, who learned most of his soccer in the nearby area and went on to represent Canada 17 times internationally and play in North America's top pro leagues said, "I came here as a 12-year-old and got a chance to play at half time of a game between Glasgow Celtic and the Hamilton Primo team, with 25,000 people here at the old Civic Stadium."

McGrane then told about two dozen of the participants in the new program, "this was my field of dreams. This fantastic new soccer facility is your field of dreams."