PUSLINCH – As part of its budget process, Puslinch has chosen to give $12,500 grants each to the Puslinch Lake Conservation Association (PLCA) and Sunrise Therapeutic Riding and Learning Centre.
The municipality held a budget meeting on Nov. 25, at which time councillors heard from both organizations, who were both requesting $25,000.
PLCA
The PLCA was looking for $25,000 to complete its final dredge of Puslinch Lake as well as creating a channel between Somme Island and the big island.
“It’s a very shallow area of the lake and we’d like to dig a navigation channel through there as well as dig two holes on either side so that obviously doesn’t fill in very quickly, that is our project for 2021,” said Art Zymerman of the PLCA.
“That would allow for much better navigation around the lake as well as water flow around the lake and so forth.”
He said the PLCA’s “big hole” project will come to an end after the 2021 project is completed and the community should be able to fund any future projects without depending on township grants.
The PLCA has been working on the project for a number of years and dredging helps to improve the lake’s water quality, recreational use and habitat for wildlife.
The application states that the township grant would be about 20 per cent of the organization’s overall budget.
“I consider [the lake] a valuable asset to the township as one of the crown jewels of the township and [the PLCA is] really keeping the polish on this crown jewel,” said councillor John Sepulis.
“I really appreciate all the work you’ve done and your team’s done and I wish you all the luck this year to keep it going.”
Mayor James Seeley said he wants to be supportive of the project, but he’s concerned because the public no longer has access to the lake.
The McClintock family closed public access to the lake on its private property this summer when COVID-19 drove more people than the beach could accommodate to the lake.
“I think our residents have concerns with providing funds and not having access,” Seeley said.
He then asked for clarification if the project was to support the McClintock’s Water Ski School.
Zymerman said it was not “necessarily” to support the ski school, however, it will open up more access from the east and west end of the lake. With homeowners and the ski school driving boats on the lake it can get congested.
“We want to make sure that we can provide for both safe passage and to make sure we alleviate concerns and so forth that might arise and just make sure that we have an environment here and a community here that we can all enjoy,” he said.
Councillor Jessica Goyda asked if the program would continue even if the PLCA didn’t receive a grant.
“We will go ahead and we will do whatever we can to make this successful,” Zymerman said.
“So if we got zero from the township this year we are still going to go and do some work next year.”
Sunrise
Ann Caine and Peter Cummins also asked for $25,000 to go towards a new building with 14 new residential suites at Sunrise Therapeutic Riding and Learn Centre to help with the acute housing shortage for adults with developmental delays.
“I just want to give my support to this project,” councillor Sara Bailey said.
“I think it’s such an innovative and unique initiative and it almost makes me speechless by how great this is and how many great ideas you’re always coming up with.”
Currently, adult children with developmental delays can only access accommodation when there is a crisis in their home, Caine explained.
“We know people who have had their children, adult children, on the list for years and years,” Caine said.
“Until there’s a crisis in the home they don’t get placed.”
In addition to providing accommodation, Sunrise will also support healthy diets, socialization and involvement in social enterprise projects.
“This model provides supportive, affordable housing which will ensure the residents are not socially isolated, which is proven to trigger mental health issues in existing models,” the application reads.
Sunrise is also looking for a township grant to prove the project has municipal support.
In order to get money from the CMHC National Housing Co-Investment Fund, which supports new and revitalization construction of affordable housing, the project needs to receive support from the local government.
“I just want to emphasize where we are in this project,” Cummins said. “It’s not hypothetical.
“We have completed a rezoning through the township and the county. We are in the process of actively conversing with the township around the site application process.
“We have an architect firm engaged and active and so that site plan application will be coming in shortly.”
Goyda asked whether a portion of the grant request would still be helpful for the project.
“I think it needs to be proportional … to the level of government,” Cummins said.
“So certainly the expectation from CMHC would be a county level, a provincial/federal level, would be greater.”
However, he said that getting any support from Puslinch is more important than the amount.
“The absolute number I don’t think is as relevant as a meaningful contribution,” he said.
In the end, council chose to give $12,500, half of the requested amount, to both the PLCA and Sunrise.
The township also included other grants in its budget process:
- Aberfoyle Agricultural Society, $3,000;
- Aberfoyle Farmers’ Market, $3,000;
- Friends of Mill Creek, $0 (requested $3,000);
- Sunrise Therapeutic Riding and Learning Centre, $2,000 (requested $3,000);
- Wellington Plowman’s Association, $180; and
- Whistle Stop Cooperative Preschool, $1,000.
