The sports field renovation project at WDSS is set to receive some municipal dollars.
Chatham-Kent council approved a motion by Wallaceburg Coun. Jeff Wesley on Wednesday night, during night five of the 2016 budget deliberations.
A one-time cost of $133,750 will be moved from the active and healthy communities reserve to go towards the project.
The figure represents 25% of the total cost of the $535,013.46 project at Wallaceburg’s high school.
“This project is all about promoting and maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle for all of our youth right up to our senior citizens,” Wesley said.
Letters of support from various groups were forwarded to council, including: the Defiance Running Club,
Chatham-Kent Cougars Football Club, Chatham-Kent Seniors +55 Senior Games, Wallaceburg Minor Lacrosse and the Canadian Cancer Society.
Wesley said moving the funds will still leave the active and healthy communities reserve with over $435,000.
“Reserve #43 has been inactive… this project is definitely all about an active and healthy lifestyle,” Wesley said.
The Lambton-Kent District School Board will be assuming the responsibility of all future maintenance of the sports field and track.
Wesley said this funding provided by Chatham-Kent will allow the project to be wrapped up.
“Grades 7 and 8 were recently moved into WDSS… so this school and its location, next to Sydenham Pool and the future splash pad, has become a focal point in the community and this one time funding will allow the project to be completed,” Wesley said.
Other items dealt with during Wednesday’s budget deliberations:
– Council earmarked $1.5 million for the Ontario Sustainable Crop Research Innovation Centre at Ridgetown College. This will be paid over the course of five years from the community initiative fund.
– Chatham Coun. Brock McGregor entered a successful motion to add $50,000 from general reserves in order to contract fundraising services for the new animal shelter in Chatham.
– Chatham Coun. Michael Bondy entered a successful motion to remove the new fire inspector position from the budget, which had been added the night before.
– A motion by East Kent Coun. David Vandamme requesting $75,000 for a sports field project in Ridgetown was turned down by council. Some councillors felt more information was needed about the project before it could be approved.
The tax impact now sits at 3.12%.
Deliberations continue on Thursday.
