BELMORE – On the evening of Aug. 11, directors of the Belmore Arena Board, members of South Bruce council and staff from the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) met at the Belmore Community Centre for a formal cheque presentation to acknowledge the Community Well-Being funding that council allocated to support the renovation efforts at the Community Centre.
The Belmore Arena Board requested support from the municipality in a letter to council in early June, citing the challenges with their fundraising efforts given the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. They noted that thousands of dollars have been lost with the inability to host large events throughout the year such as the Maple Syrup Festival, wing nights, and weddings.
At the June 22 council meeting, councillors voted unanimously to contribute $20,000 from the Community Well-Being funding in support of the request.
“Council recognizes the dedication of the volunteers in Belmore who work to keep the Centre operating and serving the community, which is why we were glad to support their renovation efforts,” said Coun. Mark Goetz, who also serves on the Belmore Arena Board. “We also appreciate that Community Well-Being funding provided by the NWMO gives us the discretion to support projects that we know are important to our residents.”
The funding will help the volunteers in Belmore move forward with a number of renovations, including upgrades to the dressing rooms and painting of several rooms in the multi-purpose facility. The Community Centre includes an ice rink, curling rink, change rooms, meeting room, full kitchen, and large community hall.
“The arena board would like to thank South Bruce council for making a contribution with Community Well-Being funding to help make the renovations to the Belmore Community Centre a possibility. We appreciate the support and recognition of this important gathering place for the residents of Belmore and beyond,” Jeremy Underwood, Chair of the Belmore Arena Board, and Christine Inglis, of the Fundraising Committee said in a joint statement.
“It is our pleasure to support long-term benefits in the community of Belmore and throughout the Municipality of South Bruce,” said Tareq Al-Zabet, NWMO site director – southern ontario. “Funding is only one part of ensuring the longevity of the Belmore Community Centre. We recognize the importance of community volunteers and applaud the work being done locally within the beautiful community of Belmore.”
Every year the NWMO contributes to the Community Well-Being Fund, which is administered by council and intended to support the community’s continued efforts to build sustainability and well-being. The fund also exists to support capacity-building for the community to participate in discussions to explore partnership with the NWMO, through the development of transferrable skills.
