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Curlers make pitch for COVID relief grant

Fund was set up by the District of Houston in 2020
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The Houston and District Curling Club is asking the District of Houston for a COVID relief grant. (Houston Today file photo)

A request from the Houston and District Curling Club for financial relief owing to the COVID-19 pandemic has been turned over to District staffers so they can assist the club in preparing an application for the council to consider.

The prospect for financial relief arising from the rink being closed as a result of the pandemic had been the subject of in-camera meetings but surfaced as an agenda item at council’s April 19 meeting through a motion made by Councillor Tom Euverman and seconded by Councillor Troy Reitsma.

That motion was to provide the curling club with $32,714.43 from a $100,000 fund set up by the District in 2020 using monies from a provincial grant sent to the District to ease the effects of the pandemic.

But that has now been put on holding pending an application to be made to the District, said District of Houston Chief Administrative Officer Michael Dewar.

The COVID-19 relief grant fund was set up in November 2020 with $100,000 from the $1.066 million the province sent to the District to cope with the effects of the pandemic.

Its intent is to assist community groups who provide community-based services who have been affected by the pandemic either in increased costs or loss of revenue.

To date, four local organizations have received monies from the $100,000 fund:

- Houston Link to Learning, $10,000, for food programs.

- Royal Canadian Legion Branch 249, $5,400, in support of its community van program.

- Beanstalk Daycare, $7,780, to support its services

- Silverthorne Elementary, $5,000, to support its programs providing food for students.

That amounts to $28,180 leaving $71,820 in the account.

operational needs.