North Dumfries says yes to $5M in federal funding; less than expected

Some help but not what was hoped for from the federal government for an additional ice pad at the North Dumfries Community Centre, or NDCC.

Township Council had asked the feds for $11.485 million to help fund the $20 million project but were offered just $5 million instead, and given 24 hours to respond.

Mayor Sue Foxton called an emergency council meeting March 13 to discuss the offer from the Federal Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program, which was less than half of the original ask.

“Do we take $5 million with the hopes that we’ll eventually be able to build based upon the possibility of provincial grants that we just heard about, to keep the steel makers working,” said Mayor Sue Foxton. “If we don’t build, we give the $5 million back. I’d rather take the $5 million and then give it back because we couldn’t proceed then lose the $5 million, because we will lose it.”

Discussions on whether or not to proceed with the project at all, will be ongoing in the coming weeks.

Back in 2009, the Centre for the Community Group (CCG) raised $1.5 million to support development of the Community Complex in North Dumfries. Seeing that success, they began raising additional funds to support a second ice pad, raising an additional $700,000.

Some of those funds have been transferred into a trust fund with the Cambridge and North Dumfries Community Foundation. The plan is to hold onto it until the township moves ahead with building a second ice pad.

Mike Pley, representative of CCG, delegated during the emergency council meeting, showing support to take the federal government’s offer, taking less then what they asked for.

Pley said there won’t be too many opportunities to get funding with how unpredictable things are with the looming thought of a federal election.

“We’re in support of proceeding and making a commitment. Once you say no to it today, I think all opportunities will be lost for at least the foreseeable future.”

North Dumfries’ CAO said that there could be targeted subsidies or grant programs coming from a response to tariffs from the province that the township could take advantage of, but that it is all just a possibility right now.

The motion was carried during the meeting, but not unanimously.

Coun. Alida Wilms was concerned about loading on too much debt, since the whole project was seemingly going to cost $20 million.

“I think already $6.8 million is extremely high for a municipality and for a single project and for that reason I don’t feel comfortable saying yes.”

Foxton agreed that it is a lot of debt to take on but argued that staff could look at ways to slim down the overall bill.

“Shame on us if we don’t look at all the options. We have to look at all the possibilities and all our options, that’s our job. Then if we can make it work, we make it work. If we can’t then we step up and say we can’t do this,” said Foxton.

“If we give it back now, were not going to ever get it again.”

That Community Complex, is located at 2958 Greenfield Rd. in Ayr.

Councillors have already voted to hire a consultant to help with the fundraising capacity for the twin pad project.