The Town of Minto will provide an interest-free loan of $30,000 to help the Clifford Recreation Association (CRA) put the finishing touches on a new Sports field.
Council approved the loan at the July 8 council meeting, after hearing from CRA representative Paul Wightman, who advised council the association has secured about $44,000 in donations from local community groups toward the project.
However, Wightman said roughly $30,000 more will be needed to complete work on fencing, lights and hydro service at the Rotary Park, which also includes a soccer field and was officially opened in September of 2013.
Wightman said the CRA feels it would be better to do all the work on the park at once, rather than in stages.
“It was felt rather than dragging it out over years and years and years and raising funds in the process, that we ought to just do it, get it done and then commit some dollars and then repay it as quickly as possible,” said Wightman.
“We believe this to be a win-win situation as the Sports facilities will be completed correctly for the community with a sizable donation already complete,” stated CRA president Randy Ruetz in letter to council.
“We would propose as a group we could replay this amount back over the next five years by either running events on the facilities or by future donations.”
Councillor Ron Elliot said the town’s experience with the Norgan Theatre, which was upgraded by the town with a community group repaying a loan for the project, shows the format can work.
In 2007 the town provided a loan of just under $180,000 to a volunteer committee to cover a portion of a restoration project required when the theatre faced closure due to structural issues.
The amount owing on the loan was down to around $51,600 by last spring.
“If you’re going to build something, get it up and get it running and do it properly,” said Elliott.
“I see no problem with this committee raising that over five years.”
Mayor George Bridge also expressed confidence.
“They’re just all positive people up there and all working hard at it,” the mayor stated.
“The facility is gong to be next to the best one around. They did a lot of work to get this there.”
A motion to approve the $30,000 loan passed unopposed.
