Monster March gets $500 infusion from township

ELORA – Barb Lee was hoping for a break, and she got one from Centre Wellington council at the Aug. 24 meeting.

Lee, co-chair of Sensational Elora, which organizes Monster Month in Elora and the Monster March parade, delegated at the meeting hoping council would consider the Monster March as a “legacy event” and therefore the township would waive fees it charges for setting up and taking down road barricades.

It wasn’t a big ask – about $500 – but it’s a big enough number to cause concern for the volunteer run, non-profit organization, Lee said.

“The march costs about $4,500,” Lee said, adding Monster March is a parade where people put on costumes and walk down the main street.

It’s very popular, Lee said, it’s free to watch or participate in, and it’s a great, festival-type vibe.

“We animate the downtown, people shop. People enjoy the plain energy of the parade.”

Last year the organization ran a small deficit, Lee said.

Managing director of community services Adam Gilmore said his department is doing a fee study and looking at events like Monster March and the Santa Claus Parade to consider if the township can offer a subsidy to these events.

“We currently don’t have a legacy list,” he said. “We charge based on the (fees and charges) bylaw.”

Gilmore said the township cost is for staff time to drop off and pick up the barricades. As such the cost Monster March will incur isn’t known until after the parade. The $500 cost is a deposit and could be more or less than that.

Councillor Bronwynne Wilton put forward a motion to waive the fee for 2026 and consider legacy events when the staff report comes forward in 2027.

Councillor Kim Jefferson noted that with work currently being done in the Green Space that’s forcing many events to find different venues, this is a good year to waive the fee.

Council approved Wilton’s motion.