Council has agreed to waive the rent for 2023 for the Sicamous Curling Club should the club not receive grant funding.
At its Oct. 12 meeting, council considered a request from the club for support/financial assistance, as well as related recommendations from staff.
In a Feb. 14 letter to council, club president Brenda Devos and vice president Scott Grey noted the club’s lease agreement for the district-owned curling rink expires on April 30, 2023.
“Reviewing the financial situation of the Sicamous Curling Club including projected revenue and expenses, we will not be in a financial position to renew the existing lease terms,” wrote Devos and Gray, suggesting the district could help by either renewing the lease for five years at $1 per year, or by taking on the cost of propane.
District chief administrative officer Kelly Bennett said the club pays an annual rent of $5,600 per year as well as between $7,000 and $8,000 in propane costs. She said it costs the district between $22,000 and $25,000 annually to maintain the facility.
“The $12,600 we receive from them for rent and propane recovery helps offset those costs and there’s still a cost to the district,” said Bennett.
Bennett noted the club has since applied for $65,000 in provincial gaming grant funding which, if approved, will go towards one-time equipment costs as well as rent and propane. She noted in a report to council that staff met with Devos and Gray and had a good discussion regarding ways to increase programming and maximizing use of the facility.
“I know the curling club would like another five-year lease, but I would recommend that we keep the lease as is, modify this year as per council’s direction, and then we actually revisit that lease and go through it a lot more thoroughly and figure out a best use for that… with the District of Sicamous and our rec department in the summer months,” said Bennett, adding the community’s pickle ball club has expressed interest in using the facility.
Couns. Colleen Anderson and Malcolm Makayev spoke in favour of a staff recommendation that rent essentially be waived for 2023, subject to receipt of the gaming grant, and that the district negotiate another five-year term when the current term expires.
Coun. Jeff Mallmes raised concern over the district subsidizing the curling club, asserting it should be self-sustaining. Makayev stressed it would be only for this curling season and subject to the club receiving the grant.
After council’s vote, Devos stressed the club is doing everything it can to generate revenue.
“We’re just society, we’re all volunteers trying to make the best we can of this club and trying to keep it going,” said Devos.
In September the curling club received a cheque for $12,000 from the Sicamous Legion. The money was going towards the purchase of a new set of curling stones.
Read more: Sicamous Legion donation provides rocking start to curling season
Read more: Sicamous Curling Club Day League hosts Funspiel
lachlan@saobserver.net
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