The Elm Creek Rink artificial ice plant project has recently encountered some roadblocks with the RM of Grey, which could further hinder and delay it.
The fundraising committee wants to build a shed for the ice plant, which has already been purchased. However, the RM won’t give out a building permit until they have raised 80 per cent of the total $450,000 for the full project, which people close to the matter say is unreasonable.
An unnamed source close to the project has noted that the RM of Grey is jeopardizing the project by delaying it because the contractors have an amazing offer on the table.
“The future is uncertain, so this pricing may not last forever. We are reliant on this special pricing. The RM of Grey keeps moving the goalposts about getting the project to move ahead, but they also keep making excuses to delay.”
The same source notes that Elm Creek and Fannystelle council members are supportive of the project, but St. Claude councillors are against it. They may be worried about the St. Claude and Haywood Arena losing ice rentals due to the new ice plant in Elm Creek.
RM of Grey Reeve Gail Johnson may have the deciding vote on the matter, but the results are not currently made public. The RM of Grey has declined to comment on the matter and redirected all inquiries about the fundraiser back to the fundraising committee.
The fundraising committee didn’t start this push for the artificial ice plant until they had $100,000 in the bank earlier this year to designate to the ice plant.
The fundraising goal is $450,000 coming from Elm Creek Rink Board ($100,000), Scotswood Golf Tournament ($20,000), Fundraising Projects ($30,000), and Grants/Donations ($300,000).
The $450,000 budget for the artificial ice plant is then broken down as follows: Artificial ice plant and installation ($130,000), new condenser ($60,000), building ($60,000), insulation ($17,000), piping and installation ($65,000), electrical ($35,000), hydro update ($45,000), and contingency ($38,000).
During Elm Creek’s recent Canada Day celebrations on July 1, the fundraising committee raised over $20,000 for the ice plant alone.
The committee chair, Lorne Zacharias, was quite pleased with the town’s fundraising efforts on Canada Day.
“We had an excellent kickoff to our fundraising project at the Canada Day celebrations, but we’re really just getting started,” said Lorne Zacharias. “We had over $20,000 raised that day alone, and we received some great reaction from the crowd in town as well. It was good to get out there and provide some awareness to this project.”
The fundraising committee would like residents to know that every contribution to the capital fundraising campaign will help make the vision of artificial ice a reality sooner rather than later.
Tax receipts will be issued for donations of $50 and more. Donors will be recognized in a number of ways throughout the project. Cheques should be made payable to: RM of Grey. Mark cheque memo as Elm Creek Ice Project and mail to Elm Creek Skating Rink, Box 312; Elm Creek, MB ROG ONO. E-transfers may also be made to info@rmofgrey.ca with the memo also marked as Elm Creek Ice Project.
