August 24, 2011
Council hears pitch
for new community centre
by Vance Gutzman
There was a special sort of council meeting in Deep River last week, in
that it wasn't a council meeting at all.
Instead, what took place, an hour prior to last week's regular council
meeting, was a session called "Stand Up and Be Heard," through which
residents could bring forward ideas or concerns to council in an
relatively informal venue.
There were three delegations on the agenda for the open forum, the
first being Katie Robertson, president of the "Deep River Residents for
a Community Centre" (DRRCC).
Although the DRRCC was only formed a few short weeks ago, it has
already piqued the interest of a number of area residents who are
seeking the development of a multi-use community complex.
"We've been doing the social media thing as well," Robertson told
council members, noting the DRRCC has 127 members signed up on Facebook.
Several community groups, she added, have expressed interest in having
a multi-use complex, which would, ideally, house gym space, gymnastics
space, a teen centre, curling rinks, lawn bowling, transient meeting
and office space, as well as permanent office space which could be
leased by charitable organizations like North Renfrew Family Services.
And the ideal location for such a complex, Robertson said, would be the
McElligott Drive area where the arena, lawn bowling and curling clubs
are currently situated.
But turning such a dream into reality will be a long-term endeavour for
the association, which wants to work with the town of Deep River, and
surrounding municipalities, to address the immediate need for space,
primarily for youth organizations and the gymnastics club, which is
losing its long-time home at Mackenzie.
"We need temporary space now," Robertson said last week.
So the DRRCC is keeping busy in the interim, researching grants and
whatever available funding options may be out there to help pay for a
new-build project.
The association is also developing a survey to garner community
interest and input it can incorporate into its proposal.
Deep River Mayor David Thompson told Robertson at last week's forum
that feedback from the last such survey, conducted in 2009, was mainly
negative towards the idea of building a new community centre, and he
asked her what might have changed since then in terms of public
perception of the idea.
Plenty, according to the DRRCC's president
"We feel the demographics have changed dramatically," said Robertson,
who pointed out in her presentation that 500 new military families have
been posted to CFB Petawawa this past year, and many of them have
chosen to call Deep River and surrounding municipalities their home.
"And the needs of many of the organizations have changed, especially
the gymnastics club," she added.
With that in mind, the mayor said the association's plan to conduct a
new survey sounds like a good idea, adding that the town is facing
financial constraints that weren't there in 2009, such as the potential
$300,000-plus in upgrades its facing for the arena.
"We're not going to close prematurely any doors," Thompson told
Robertson, adding that the DRRCC should approach Laurentian Hills with
its proposals as well.
"Laurentian Hills is very much a partner here," Thompson said.
"We're going to need all hands on board."
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