Epoch Garage gets $4,000 grant

KENILWORTH –  Wellington North has approved a $4,068 grant for Epoch Garage in Kenilworth to update its insulation. 

It’s the third township grant for the garage in four months, bringing the total the garage has received up to $11,182. 

Council approved the most recent grant during a Jan. 12 meeting. 

It will fund 50 per cent of a $8,136 project to remove and replace insulation in the attic. 

The new insulation will “save energy by significantly slowing heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer,” according to a township report about the grant. 

The earlier grants were $2,114 for new window and steel siding in October and $5,000 for a new propane boiler in November. 

All three grants fell under the township’s community improvement program, which supports individuals, businesses and organizations in Wellington North with improvements to their buildings and properties.

The program aims to increase revitalization and redevelopment, and the township included $35,000 in the 2026 budget for community improvement. 

Since its launch in 2011 the township has approved about $476,000 in grants and loans for 180 applicants. 

Councillor Sherry Burke congratulated Epoch on the improvements and said she looks forward to seeing many more community improvement grants from businesses across the township throughout the year.

Councillor Penny Renken agreed.

Mayor Andy Lennox asked Burke if, when the initially created the community improvement program with township staff, she dreamed the township would receive as many applications as they have. 

“I did not,” Burke said. “But I’m happy to see that the uptake on the program has been immensely popular, and I hope folks continue to apply.” 

Lennox agreed: “It has been beyond my expectations for success.” 

Epoch’s Garage is located at 9128 Highway 6, Kenilworth. 

It’s a third generation, family-owned company that has been operating for 110 years, according to the report.

The company was started by brothers Wilfred and George Epoch, primarily as a repair and blacksmith shop. 

Later, Wilfred took over and his son Frank, joined him, the report continues. Wilfred and Frank expanded the business as a car/truck repair shop, and after Frank married Verna, she joined the business too. 

The garage is now run by three of Frank and Verna’s children and their families.  

They operate as a full-service maintenance and auto-body repair centre and offer agricultural and aggregate truck hauling.