PUSLINCH – Council here wants to help the Puslinch Minor Soccer Club after an Oct. 23 fire at the Badenoch soccer field destroyed a storage shed and all the equipment in it.
Councillors did a little negotiating on the fly at the Nov. 6 meeting to find a solution that would work for the township and the soccer club and not burden the taxpayer.
Club president Bruce Joy thanked the township for improvements to the soccer pitches at the Puslinch Community Centre (PCC) and asked council to consider giving the club a larger grant in the 2025 budget to help cover its losses.
Joy said the club had applied for a $3,500 community grant to buy special training equipment, but now it is seeking $10,000 to $12,000.
“Hopefully the township can increase that for one year, but we don’t want to take from other organizations in the township,” he said.
He estimated about $25,000 worth of equipment was destroyed in the blaze. The contents of the shed were not insured.
“We don’t anticipate asking the township to pay for all of it,” Joy said, adding there have been numerous offers of support since news of the fire broke.
And since the township would likely be building a new shed, he hoped council would consider other improvements at the Badenoch site.
That includes electricity and lights that would allow for night games and a larger shed with a roll-up door and roof overhang, where teams could huddle and stay out of the rain.
The club could also use a new backstop at the main field behind the PCC, Joy said.
Following the fire, township staff had quick consultations with a few builders, who thought the concrete pad under the burned-out shed was still usable and a replacement shed would cost about $18,000.
And it could be constructed through winter if necessary, said Mike Fowler, director of public works, parks and facilities.
He noted that because of the bedrock in the area, it’s not possible to install lights at that field.
Mayor James Seeley wanted to determine the soccer club’s priorities.
“Do you want the shed quicker or bigger?” he asked Joy.
“Our preference would be to build the shed now,” Joy replied, noting soccer season starts in May and the club has to order equipment now to have it in time.
Without a storage shed, he’s storing the equipment in his garage as it arrives, he said.
Seeley suggested the township go ahead and build the shed, using funds from the cash-in-lieu-of-parkland reserve.
“It’s a lot of money but it gets you guys set up for spring,” Seeley said. “I do not suggest waiting until January or February.”
Councillor Jessica Goyda noted the outpouring of community support for the soccer club.
“If there’s not a huge urgency, there are many excellent contractors in the community who might want to contribute to a shed,” she said.
“Shouldn’t we explore those options first?”
Councillor John Sepulis agreed and put forward a motion, approved by council, to:
- support construction of the shed;
- help the soccer club seek financial support or in-kind donations on the township’s website;
- have staff report back on Nov. 20 on the outcome of the ask for donations; and
- pay for the remainder of the cost of a shed from the cash-in-lieu-of-parkland reserve.
Council will make a decision on the community grant request at a future meeting.
