The Huntsville Curling Club is moving ahead with plans for a new multi-sport facility and will hire a facilitator in the next few weeks to carry out a feasibility study to determine what that facility will look like, where it will be located and how it will be funded.
The official announcement of provincial funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation for the Multi Use Facility Feasibility Study was made at the Huntsville Curling Club on October 14.
Tony Clement MP for Parry Sound Muskoka, Norm Miller MPP for Parry Sound Muskoka and Huntsville mayor Scott Aitchison, were all on hand supporting the project.
The Steering Committee has now received $225,000 in grant money leading Club Treasurer Doris Kelly-Capyk to say the Ontario Trillium Foundation must see some real value in what the club is hoping to do.
Tony Clement told the audience that “these things don’t just fall from the sky. You have to apply and there has to be a lot of transparency, a lot of accountability, so a lot of commendation should go to all the partners for making this possible.”
The Trillium Foundation awarded a $75,000 grant to hire a facilitator after earlier giving the club $150,000 for a new ice making machine.
Mayor Scott Aitchison commented on the collaboration of the Huntsville Curling Club with Huntsville High School, Muskoka Hornets Baseball Association, Huntsville Soccer Club and the Town of Huntsville.
“It not only has brought everyone together to work on this project but has put heat on the councillors to step up and contribute to it as well when the time comes.”
I’m excited to see what kind of facility will grace this community next. We have a long and proud sport tradition and I see this being the next crucial step in that process.Mayor Scott Aitchison
Another $18,744 was presented to the club Friday night from the proceeds raised from a golf tournament. That brought the total raised from golf tournaments over the last three years to $55,000.
Curling Club president John Furner said the committee has begun its search for a facilitator and has had discussions with one recommended company. The committee and its partners have developed an eight page document outlining what information the successful candidate will need to include in their report.
At a meeting last month it was agreed that the new building must be a multi-sport facility, not just a new curling club.
“We now have the opportunity,” said Furner, “to examine the community, the curling club and partners in the community and deciding what size, shape and location for our new multi sport facility. Our new facilitator will not only get that information but come forward with a plan to pay for it.”
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Debbie Kirwin says
It was unfortunate that I was not able to attend the Friday night celebration due to the lack of wheelchair access, but I look forward to curling in a new facility that will be fully accessible. Curling is an all inclusive sport, with no limits to who I can play with.