The St. Thomas Jumbo Jets Swim Team is encouraging the City of St. Thomas to apply for Provincial grant funding to bring a new community centre with an indoor pool to the City. The 50 swimmer nonprofit group presented council with a nearly 300 signature petition on Monday night (October 15) in support of the funding application.
The group currently practices out of the YMCA which is only indoor aquatic facility in the City and is 41 years old.
Executive Member Jessica Patterson says that a new aquatic centre would help grow the program.
The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) is providing $30 billion to municipalities through cost-sharing with the federal, provincial and municipal governments. The group says that while the total cost of a community centre would depend on the services council would like to provide, they estimate that a proper performance pool would cost $2 million.
City Councillor Steve Peters says that while he is supportive of a proposal, he believes neighbouring municipalities should help the City fund it.
The program has 4 different streams that municipalities can apply to: rural and northern, public transit, community culture and recreation and a green initiative. Each municipality can only apply for 1 project through the funding.
The City has until November 12th to submit a funding application for this program. Staff have been monitoring their application options and are planning on providing council with a list of potential projects to apply for at Monday night’s (October 21) reference committee meeting.
