Heather Wright/The Independent

The Town of Petrolia will have less money to spend at the local arena this year.

Over the past few years, the Town of Plympton-Wyoming has paid Petrolia $10,000 to help pay the cost of upkeep on the Greenwood Recreation Centre since many Wyoming residents play minor hockey there. But in the last four years, the decision has rankled some members of Plympton-Wyoming council. Then, in 2024, Petrolia came looking for a long term agreement which would see the donation increase with the cost of inflation. That ruffled more feathers.

Jan. 22, during Plympton-Wyoming’s budget deliberations, the issue came up again. The town had set aside $30,000 to provide donations. That included the ice grant to Petrolia. 

But Plympton-Wyoming staff polled the politicians, then ranked their priorities and came up with a donation for the nearly $100,000 in asks.

That figure for Petrolia was $5,400, not the $10,000 the town was looking for.

Plympton-Wyoming was also planning to give a $4,500 grant to Lambton Shores Minor Hockey, which spelled out exactly how many PW kids were playing in their leagues.

Councillor Kristen Rodrigues was disappointed Petrolia didn’t provide the same information.

“We need to validate this (grant to Petrolia),” said Rodrigues. “This is taxpayers money that we’re approving to support … I like having that accountability.”

Councillor Mike Vasey, a long-time opponent of any grant to Petrolia for arena use, reiterated his concern. He says its come to light recently that half the people play baseball in Wyoming’s minor ball system come from Petrolia.

And Vasey says, the association rents diamonds from Petrolia as well. 

“I don’t get where we share services and we’re the only ones paying. We pay twice. We paid for hockey, we pay for ball,” he said. “There’s got to be some give and take… we seem to always like to be the giver, to be a good neighbor.”

While Plympton-Wyoming decreased Petrolia’s grant, it increased the grant it is providing to minor hockey in Lambton Shores, since it provided proof of use, as PW officials requested.