Plympton-Wyoming to set up donation fund for applications in 2026

Heather Wright/The Independent

Plympton-Wyoming will honour its commitment to provide a $10,000 grant to both Petrolia and Forest.
But the municipality plans to set up a grant program to decide what organizations and municipalities get Plympton-Wyoming’s cash.

Councillors recently decided against entering an agreement with Petrolia to formalize a grant provided to help pay the cost of the Greenwood Recreation Centre. The agreement contained a clause which would increase the donation each year in line with the cost of living.

Councillor Mike Vasey again questioned why the town was subsidizing another’s recreation venues when Plympton-Wyoming including beaches, boat ramps, ball diamonds and volleyball courts which people from around Lambton use. And he says, Plympton-Wyoming does not get reimbursed for its costs.

The issue came up again during budget talks Jan. 29 where other councillors seemed to agree with Vasey’s position.

“It does keep it simpler if we stick to our own groups and societies and facilities and non-profits,” said Councillor John Van Klaveren.

“It’s complicated because it seems like we’re overlooking some of our own and others by muddying the water.

“We’re giving money to them, and support them where we want to keep it here at our municipality….so it flourishes.”

Councillor Bob Woolvett agreed. “Either we’re taking care of limited Wyoming or we’re taking care of all of our neighbours.”

CAO Adam Sobanski suggested a grant program be set up to deal with not only the arena grants but the small grants it provides to local organizations such as agricultural societies and children’s groups. He suggested setting aside the same amount of money the town donates now for 2026 and that the organizations have to apply for funding.

Councillor Alex Boughen agreed saying council needs to “avoid this problem.

“We really need to build something better than this process, whether it’s you have a grant program, there’s this much money per year, and you have to be a Plympton-Wyoming organization or demonstrated serving Plympton-Wyoming…we can’t do this every year… We have to have a formal program here…we have to do something different.”

Vasey agreed. “I would like it, with this grant application, that we agree on a pot of money, and then they (organizations) all apply to it. So, if we want to use up $20,000 of our pot on two arenas, that’s where it goes, and the rest of these people will get next to nil,” he said.

“I would be okay with that discussion at that time when we put in a formal new program.”
Council directed staff to come up with a donation policy for council to discuss.