The local Lions Club, which spearheaded the revitalization of the Palmerston Railway Heritage Park, will now make its permanent home there.
Minto council approved an agreement at its Feb. 5 meeting that will see the Palmerston Lions Club take over operation of the building known as the CNRA Clubhouse.
The agreement extends an arrangement to allow the club use of the building that has been in place since the Lions took over operation of the facility from the now-defunct Palmerston Lawn Bowling Club.
The lawn bowling club ceased to operate in the spring of 2012 due to declining membership and the cost of maintaining the property on an ongoing basis.
In a report at the Feb. 5 meeting, Minto recreation services manager Matt Lubbers explained the town owns both the building and the land it occupies and will be responsible for any future upgrades for accessibility and health and safety.
The Lions will use the facility under an arrangement similar to the lawn bowlers. There will be no charge to the club for the use of the building, but the club will pay all operational costs.
One change is that the town will waive all water and sewer charges in exchange for free use of the facility by the municipality.
The club will also absorb the cost of electrical power for some lighting and other features for the adjacent park.
The Lions Club will look after the building and keep all revenue from any bookings. Major capital costs will be the town’s responsibility, while the club will do minor repairs to equipment and fixtures.
Lubbers said waiving the water and sewers charges should prove worthwhile for the town, as there are a number of meetings for which the club house is used and he is planning to utilize the facility for a number of other activities “from a programming perspective.”
Lubbers explained that, while the facility is not licensed, the town could cater to events there under the municipality’s permanent liquor license.
“This agreement ensures that a valuable landmark in our community can continue to operate cost effectively while providing ideal space for the Lions Club to meet and the community to rent,” stated Lubbers in his report.
“I think this should work well for the club and for the town.”
Councillor Ron Elliott, a member of the Lions Club, said, “Even though we haven’t had a signed agreement, it’s been a good working agreement for the past year.”
He noted the club is planning an official opening of the building in the near future.
Name that facility
Minto’s recreational facilities could someday bear the name of a sponsor.
At the Jan. 24 parks and recreation advisory committee meeting, facilities manager Al Carr reported that the number of arena board advertisements at all three local rinks is on the rise. Carr asked the committee to consider other forms of advertising, including selling naming rights for local recreational facilities.
