The Barrhead Regional Aquatic Centre has a name, or at least part of it does.
On Tuesday, Sept. 27, during their regular meeting, Barrhead town councillors unanimously approved an agreement with the Barrhead Elks Lodge 332 for exclusive 10-year naming rights of the aquatic centre’s competition six-lane pool in exchange for a $100,000 donation towards the capital costs of the new centre. In April, construction work of $12.178 million facility officially began. Besides the competition pool, the building will include a 25-person hot tub, steam room and a leisure and learning pool with a current channel.
The funding for the construction of the building comes from a combination of $10 million split equally between the town and the County of Barrhead with the remaining funds coming from a fundraising campaign spearheaded by the Barrhead and District Agrena Society, which is where the Elks’ donation is going to.
Bruce McLean, Barrhead Elks president, said the donation is contingent on the town advertizing the fact that the organization is making the donation in the local media.
In the information package provided to council, McLean states advertising should include a half page advertisement in the Barrhead Leader.
He said although the local Elks chapter is very active in the community, the public doesn’t realize it and, as a result, it is impacting its membership.
“We are a service club. One of the few that are left,” McLean said. “They are all folding because they are losing members and they aren’t being replaced. It is the same with the community clubs. It’s a sign of the times. The younger generation doesn’t seem to want to do anything.”
McLean added it is important for the community to continue to support service clubs, such as the Elks, because if they didn’t exist it would leave a large vacuum that would be difficult, if not impossible, to fill.
“This year, if you include the donation to the pool, we poured between $130,000 to $140,000 into this community,” he said. “And that is not chump change for a club that only has 10 to 12 people.”
Mayor Gerry St. Pierre agreed, saying the Elks’ contributions to the community are significant and that the organization should receive more recognition for its efforts.
“We will express (in the advertising) our sincerest appreciation toward your (Elks) contribution towards the pool,” he said.
Coun. Ryan Warehime, who is a member of the Elks, also expressed his appreciation for what the organization has done for the community.
In addition to the donation to the pool, Warehime noted the organization made sizeable donations towards the kitchen facilities at Barrhead Agrena and one of the seniors’ lodges.
“I want to add my thanks to Bruce and the other Elks for what they have done and continue to do in our community. They are a fantastic group that doesn’t get enough recognition, but they touch hundreds of organizations every year,” he said, adding one of the reasons why they don’t get as much recognition is that Elks members don’t do it for the fanfare.
Coun. Roy Ulmer added his thanks for everything the Elks have done, adding as a former Kinsmen, he understands the challenges of a declining and aging membership.
Coun. Ty Assaf also expressed his gratitude and asked how interested individuals could join the Elks.
McLean said it was as simple as coming to one of their monthly meetings and applying.
