Brooke-Alvinston council says it will contribute to the renewal of the community centre if a local service club can raise enough money for the project.

The Alvinston Optimists are in the middle of trying to raise over $400,000 to build a pavilion, washrooms and ball concession booth at the Brooke-Alvinston-Inwood Community Centre.

It’s raised over $30,000 so far in the community as is working with an architect on detailed drawings of the plan.

The municipality has been looking for ways to create a lasting legacy of Canada’s 150^th Birthday. Councillor Jeannette Douglas is part of a committee which has been discussing a legacy project and she believes the pavilion and washrooms would be the best place for the town to put its money.

“No one has come forward with suggestions for major projects,” she says. “With the money we have set aside (for a 150^th project) I think that we should support the Optimist project.”

Deputy Mayor Jim Hayter – who is a member of the Optimist Club but has been reluctant to support the clubs entire plan which includes major work on the arena – agreed with donating town money. “I don’t care what ayone says, we need decent washrooms up there. If that’s the project that is on the go now, then that’s what we should do. “

Councillor Frank Nemcek, who is also an Optimist but did not want to put municipal money into the project, believes this is a good idea.

It (the money set aside for Canada’s 150^th) is going to be spent anyway, why not spend it wisely?

“This will be here forever; your grandkids are going to see it, your great grand kids are going to see it. If it was new money, I would say no.”

Council voted in favour of donating $20,000 to the washroom facility but only if the Optimist were able to raise three-quarters of the cash necessary from alternative funding sources.