Grant Helps Repair Rec Centre Roof
Renovating the 50-year-old washrooms at the Mannville Gadsden Recreation Centre was the plan when Les McLaughlin applied for a grant from ADAMA Canada’s Stomping Grounds community investment initiative, but a leaky roof has put those plans on hold.
“The grant money was supposed to upgrade our toilets and sinks but the roof is leaking so we’re most likely going to have to put those funds towards that,” says McLaughlin, president of the Mannville and District Agricultural Society, which is responsible for the care and upkeep of the rec centre.
McLaughlin applied to Stomping Grounds for the washroom renovation grant last fall, but by the time he was informed in early April the project had been selected for a $7,500 investment they were dealing with a leaky roof and very thankful for the grant.
“The roof project is going to be a major cost, and we were super excited when we found out that we were selected,” he says. “A grant like this is a huge benefit to us and a real shot in the arm. Fundraising takes time, everyone is busy, and this is like us putting on a major fundraising event.”
Stomping Grounds
The Mannville Gadsden Recreation Centre is one of 23 community projects from across Canada that received funding from ADAMA Canada this year. The company invested a total of $127,000 into the 23 projects and has contributed over half a million dollars since 2018 to strengthen the fabric of rural communities.
Kalir St. Amand, North Central Alberta Area Business Manager with ADAMA Canada, had the honour of personally delivering the cheque to McLaughlin, who gave her a tour of the facility.
“It is a bit serendipitous our investment was on the way when the roof started leaking and when Les asked permission to redirect the funds to that project, there was no hesitation. Keeping community gathering places like this going is what Stomping Grounds is all about,” says St. Amand.
“A leaky roof could ruin the whole facility, and this situation just reminded me of the relationship between farming and the weather – you hope for the best but plan for the worst,” she says.
McLaughlin says the rec centre is a multi-use facility the community depends upon and includes a hockey and curling rink, community hall and gym.
“It’s the real focal point of our town and surrounding community,” he says. “The rinks bring us together in winter and the hall is where we celebrate weddings, graduations and host all kinds of events.”
St. Amand says she is looking forward to returning to the facility in the future to see how all the hard work the Mannville and District Agricultural Society is putting into maintaining and improving the centre turns out.
“They’ve done a great job keeping up with repairs of an older facility and I’m glad ADAMA could do something to help,” she says. “I hope they are able to get back to their original plans for the washrooms as they need some work too, but it is nice knowing they’ll have a solid roof over their heads until then.”