PALMERSTON – The town of Minto has approved sponsorship-in-kind support for a local curling club event to help keep costs affordable for participants.
Approved at a Minto council meeting Tuesday evening, the decision will allow the Palmerston Curling Club to use the Palmerston and District Community Centre and arena for free to host the 2025 Elementary School Curling Championship, an annual provincial curling event, in April 2025.
Delegating at this week's meeting and in June, Palmerston Curling Club President Chrissie Schneider said the in-kind sponsorship will help keep costs affordable for the over 250 kids from grades one to eight anticipated to attend the event.
Council deferred its decision in August to ensure approving the club's request won't interfere with other groups' abilities to apply for facility credits in 2025.
A 100 per cent donation of in-kind support will cost the township $6,000 in 2025 and requires an adjustment to the $4,000 annual facility credit budget.
The approval wasn't without pushback from Coun. Paul Zimmerman who said he felt some trepidation about the whole township being asked to support an event in Palmerston, especially when another curling rink in Harriston is already "all setup and ready to go."
“I hate to look at the dark side of things but you’re asking the tax payers from all of Minto to give in-kind a donation,” said Zimmerman. “I’m struggling to find the benefit for the whole town when this is being held strictly in Palmerston."
Schneider said they chose to host the event under one roof because they felt it would create "a unified event" and "a memorable experience" for participants.
The town of Minto will be recognized as a platinum sponsor for the event.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
