COBDEN — Whitewater Region Township council will take the lead in applying for an Ontario Trillium Grant for next year’s World Kayak Championships hosted by Wilderness Tours.
Joe Kowalski sent a letter to the township asking if it would apply for the grant.
Chief administrative officer Christine FitzSimons advised the township can only have one active application at a time. It currently has an application for the Foresters Falls Library, however, libraries are exempt from the one application rule. Therefore, council can apply for the trillium grant for the event at Wilderness Tours.
She told Matt McGuire from Wilderness Tours, who is working on the grant as well, that they will be responsible for the lion’s share of the work, which was agreeable to him.
The next intake for a trillium grant is Nov. 1.
Councillor Daryl McLaughlin questioned the request, noting the event is next summer, which means until the money is spent, no other trillium grant application can be applied for. He recalled when the Forester Falls Athletic Association wanted the township to apply for a trillium grant on its behalf, that wasn’t possible to do, because all of the money from the Taste of the Valley trillium grant hadn’t yet been spent or reports not sent in.
Ms. FitzSimons said that occurred prior to her coming on board and it has been resolved, which means it won’t have an impact on this application.
Councillor Joey Trimm noted it’s not the fault of the organizer when the event is held or when trillium grants can be applied for.
“Let’s make sure this application gets tidied up so we don’t get caught in another year with a legitimate group that can’t apply, like the last time,” he said.
Mayor Jim Labow noted this grant will be active for at least a year, because this event isn’t until the summer of 2015, which means, no other organization can apply for a trillium grant through the township.
“That’s where I struggle with doing this,” Coun. McLaughlin said.
Coun. Trimm said, “The fact is, we have a request now. We don’t know if anybody’s going to make a request in the future. But, we have a request before us and certainly I am going to vote in favour of this request. We can certainly help them. They will be cautioned to make sure that the paperwork and everything is all done, so we don’t have a problem afterwards.”
Deputy-Mayor Izett McBride said the township should be included on any signage that is displayed regarding this event.
Mayor Labow said part of the funding requirements is that trillium be mentioned and it can be noted that the township would like to be mentioned as well.
The motion to apply for the trillium grant was passed unanimously.
