Duane Hicks
Plans for this year’s “Fun in the Sun” activities are at a crisis point as the committee is not getting as much money it had hoped for from the town.
At the April 12 council meeting, Scott Turvey, on behalf of the “Fun in the Sun” committee, asked council to provide $10,000 for fireworks this upcoming Canada Day—$5,000 more than the town usually gives each year.
But on Monday evening, council agreed to a recommendation from the Administration and Finance executive committee that the town’s grant this year remain at $5,000—the amount it already had earmarked in the 2010 budget.
Turvey said yesterday he’s disappointed with council’s decision, adding council’s contribution to the July 1 celebrations has not changed in many years.
He noted $5,000 doesn’t even begin to pay for a fireworks display, which nowadays cost a minimum of $10,000 each year.
“I am disappointed in our town council in that they have not foreseen the need of an increase after so many years,” Turvey remarked.
Coun. Paul Ryan, who sits on the Administration and Finance executive committee, said the town can’t afford to give any more than $5,000.
“We have to tighten our belts,” he stressed, explaining the 2010 budget is not finalized yet as council still is waiting to find out whether or not there will be a change in the funding apportionment formula for the local District Social Services Administration Board.
If that formula does change, the town will have to find another $100,000 to cover its operating budget deficit.
Coun. Ryan also noted the FITS committee’s request was forwarded to the Economic Development Advisory Committee to see if it could find any possible grants that could be applied for to help pay for Canada Day celebrations here (in addition to the Department of Canadian Heritage’s “Celebrate Canada!” grant program, for which FITS already has applied).
Turvey said the FITS committee is going to have to look to corporate sources for funding, but admitted that will be difficult.
And at this late date, they have very little time to plan for an “effective” Canada Day.
Besides the grant money from the town, the FITS committee essentially has no money to put into Canada Day events.
Turvey said the FITS committee has done fundraising raffles in the past, and had hoped to do another fundraiser this year.
But those plans have not moved ahead because the town hasn’t given them approval yet.
“We’re tied both ways,” he remarked. “They’re not giving us funding nor are they expediting a fundraising procedure.”
As noted above, the FITS committee has applied to the Department of Canadian Heritage’s “Celebrate Canada!” grant program, just as it has in the past.
Unfortunately, the committee does not find out how much money they’ll be getting, if any at all, until literally a day or two before July 1.
“That doesn’t help us significantly at all,” said Turvey, adding that fireworks have to be ordered several weeks in advance.
As well, any commitment to staging fireworks has to be made right away because, since the passing of Charlie Turgeon, they have to bring in a person from Manitoba who’s licensed to set them off.
Turvey said the FITS committee will be meeting next week, and within about two weeks should have made a definite decision as to what it will do for Canada Day this year.
But he conceded that “realistically, at this late date, it is going to be very difficult to put on a quality production.”
Turvey said he personally finds “the possible loss of [July 1] celebrations in a border community to be devastating.”
At this time, Turvey said the FITS committee needs all the help it can get to try and keep the “Fun in the Sun” tradition going here.
“We are at a crisis point,” he stressed, adding if there’s corporate sponsors or individual sponsors out there, they are encouraged to contact one of the FITS committee members as soon as possible.
“Realistically, we need to know in the next week to 10 days,” Turvey said.
Those wanting to help out the “Fun in the Sun” committee can contact FITS chair Paul Bock (274-5353) or Turvey (276-0800), or e-mail fitsff@shaw.ca
