WHITEWATER REGION —
Whitewater Region council provided five community groups with funding totalling $8,000.
This is funding from the second intake of the Partnership and Sponsorship grants, which was a budget program that started this year.
Chief Administrative Officer Robert Tremblay said council set aside $30,000 for the program. There was $24,000 for the first intake, which was in March, and $6,000 for the second intake.
However, he noted that the Active Transportation group received $2,000 in the first intake, but the project the group was going to do didn’t happen, so returned the money.
CAO Tremblay said like the first intake, there were quite a few requests and some tough decisions had to be made by those reviewing the requests – Corporate Services chair Councillor Cathy Regier, community services manager Jordan Durocher and himself.
He noted that not all that applied received funding, including the Muskrat Watershed Council, which received $4,000 in the first intake; the Whitewater Historical Society, which was hoping for funding for a laptop and camera but were advised a laptop could be provided courtesy of the township and Ottawa Valley Yoga, which is not a business, therefore does not qualify.
BORCA (Beachburg Off Road Cycling Association), which is creating a multi-age, multi-skill bike park in Beachburg, received $2,000, CAO Tremblay said. It’s a large project of $100,000.
“This group is very active in the community and before council received money to do Little Lakes, (BORCA) was a driving force for Little Lakes.
“They have a proven track record of working with the township.”
The Cobden Rec Association received $3,000, which will help with various events in Cobden, including public skating, Halloween and a winter carnival, CAO Tremblay said.
The Lanark Renfrew Health Services/Whitewater Bromley Community Health Centre, received $1,000 to help with its fitness classes for older adults, he said.
Muskrat Minor Hockey received $1,000 to help with fee reductions for the hockey initiation program and the all-skate program.
“Both are skill development programs for youth and are healthy living programs,” CAO Tremblay said.
Whiskers of Whitewater received $1,000.
This group began a few months ago following a visit to a council meeting to talk about the feral/stray cat issue in Cobden. A group has been organized to help with any cat problems throughout the township, he said.
“The money will be utilized for veterinarian costs and equipment,” CAO Tremblay said. “They will ensure cats are healthy and dealt with in a humane fashion.”
Councillor Daryl McLaughlin, who isn’t in favour of this funding for Whiskers of Whitewater, wanted it made known to the group the money can only be used for veterinarian costs.
“I would be in favour as long as the money is used for only veterinary uses,” he said. “I’m not really in favour of it, period, but if it’s used for vet assistance, then I’m in favour, but make it very strict that that’s what it’s for, it’s not to buy feed. It’s strictly vet use.”
CAO Tremblay said the animal control services is working on a report as to how other municipalities are dealing with cat problems and there should be a report in November.
“A grass-root efforts to deal with those types of issues, that do not require us to have bylaws and enforcement, is way cheaper for us to support those efforts than to have a bylaw,” he said. “If we have to do enforcement or programs, it could cost the township anywhere between $10,000 to $20,000.”
Councillor Regier agreed, saying, “We do not have a cat bylaw, so when you have a group of individuals who are willing to take this on, I think it’s a great thing. Hopefully it will work.”
Councillor Chris Olmstead is hopeful a report can be brought to council as to how many groups were assisted through this new Partnership and Sponsorship grants. He believes previously, councils could only provide help to about five groups, whereas now, council is providing financial assistance to about 20 groups.
Mayor Hal Johnson said he has been approached by several mayors about this program, understanding it’s a way of supporting community activity “without having an open basket.”
“There are people now in councils, across our province, that are looking for ways to do this more fair,” he said. “We have a criteria, and I explained it to them and they were quite impressed.”
Mayor Johnson concluded, “This has worked extremely well for our first round.”
