In the near future the Barrhead Regional Aquatics Centre will have a new name and in all likelihood it will have Elks in it.
On Jan. 23, Barrhead town councillors unanimously agreed to delay making a decision on granting the naming rights of the aquatic centre for 25 years to the local Elks chapter in exchange for $150,000. The delay is to give administration more time to finalize the agreement details.
This is on top of the $100,000 the service club donated in September 2016 to the Barrhead and District Agrena Society’s fundraising efforts, which went towards the construction cost of the $12.178 million facility, in exchange for the 10-year naming rights of the facility’s competition pool.
Chief administrative officer Martin Taylor said in December the Elks approached the town and the Agrena Society stating they wanted to donate an additional $150,000.
“That automatically put them into the category of naming rights [for the entire building],” he said, adding he is suggesting the name of the facility be the Barrhead Elks Club Regional Aquatics Centre. “That might change depending on what they [Elks] want.”
After the meeting we confirmed that is the name the Elks are recommending.
Taylor noted that he invited the Elks and the Agrena Society to the meeting so they could answer any questions, however no representatives were present.
Coun. Leslie Penny asked if any of the facility’s existing sign could be re-used in an effort to reduce costs.
“That is something that we will have to discuss with the architect in terms of what the letters will look like, but a lot of it will depend on what the Elks want. Is it just letters that they want or do they want to put their logo or crest on the building too. It is something I have asked them to consider,” he said. “Then we will need to have official documents detailing what they want, check patents. There still is work that needs to be done.”
Coun. Don Smith suggested it was unlikely that they would be able to use any of the existing exterior sign.
“There will be some costs involved for us to make this change. I can’t imagine we are going to be able to line up holes and other things like that no matter what style the new sign is,” he said.
Elks president Bruce McLean said after the meeting that the donation, in part, was to honour all their members who were involved in operating the Elks Beach Campground near Lac La Nonne. The club sold the campground in the spring saying their membership could no longer adequately take care of the facility.
“And what better place to put some of the proceeds, but the swimming pool,” he said.
County of Barrhead councillor and Elks member Bill Lane agreed.
“The beach [campground] over the years has generated a lot of money and 99.9 per cent of that has been spent in Barrhead and the money from its sale will continue to help not-for-profit and charity groups in our community. And it is important to remember the efforts of the Elk members, many of which have passed away, which have made all this possible,” he said.
Unfortunately Lane said many of the club’s efforts over the years are no longer remembered.
“We have plaques at the Agrena, Seniors Drop-in Centre and the other projects we have donated to, but nine out of 10 people don’t know they are there and what we have done. By having a big sign, that will be lit, at the aquatic centre, everyone who not only goes to the swimming pool, but the Agrena, curling rink and seniors centre will see it,” he said.
Lane said the Elks are hoping the extra exposure will help them recruit new members, noting they currently have about a dozen members, the majority, if not all are seniors.
Land-use bylaw
Councillors unanimously gave first reading to By-law 01-2018. which, if passed, would allow the owner to rezone adjacent lots on 50 Avenue near 52 Street from R2 residential to R3 residential. A public hearing was also set for Feb. 27 at 5:30 p.m. at the town council chambers.
“One contains a duplex with a basement suite, the other has a little house,” said director of development and legislative services Cheryl Callihoo. “Basically what they want to do is tear down the house and replace it with another duplex with a basement suite.”
Account transfer
Councillors authorized administration to transfer the remaining proceeds of a tax recovery sale from a trust account to general revenue. According to the information package the sale happened in 2007 to recover taxes owed to the town. The property was sold for $44,500. After the costs of $5,855.95 for the payment of outstanding property taxes and other administration for the sale were deducted, $38,644.05 remained.
Director of corporate services Kathy Vickery noted the town was required to keep the funds in trust for a 10 years due to requirements under the Municipal Government Act.
