KENILWORTH – A grant of $2,100 will help pay for new windows and steel siding at Epoch’s Garage in Kenilworth.
Wellington North council approved the Façade and Signage Improvement Grant during an Oct. 6 meeting.
The grant is part of the township’s community improvement program (CIP).
Epoch’s Garage is a 110-year-old, third-generation, family-owned company located at 9128 Highway 6 in Kenilworth.
The updates will include replacing three front windows (which are about 50 years old and made of wood) with new white vinyl windows and removing the existing damaged siding and replacing it with new siding and trim.
According to a township report about the grant, “the company was started by brothers Wilfred and George Epoch in 1915, primarily as a repair/black smith shop.
“Later, Wilfred took over and his son, Frank, joined him. They continued to build the business as a car/truck repair shop. In time, Frank married, and he and Verna started running the business together.
“Today, Epoch’s Garage Limited is being 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.”
Councillor Sherry Burke said “it’s really nice to see some activity for the community improvement program outside of both of the urban areas.”
She noted, “There is still three months left within the calender year, and there’s still some budget dollars, so hopefully we will continue to get applications.”
Applicants are eligible for grants covering up to $2,500 or 50% of improvement projects.
Since the CIP launched in 2011, 176 grants have been awarded.
In combination with the township’s downtown revitalization program, about $500,000 in grants has been awarded to support over $4-million worth of improvements.
Between 2022 and 2024, an average of 11 applicants received grants of, on average, $2,250 each year.
So far in 2025, six applicants have received grants, also averaging $2,250 each. That leaves nearly $20,000 of the $35,000 community improvement program still available.
