On Tuesday, February 25, a public meeting was held at the Caledonia Community Centre in St-Bernardin to discuss its future operations. The main topic of debate was whether The Nation Municipality or community volunteers should shoulder the responsibilities for the continued management of the centre.
The Caledonia Community Centre, Limoges Sports Complex, and the St-Isidore Arena are all facing the same issue—running large deficits annually for the municipality. The Caledonia Community Centre alone runs a deficit of $77,137.29 annually.
Mayor Francis Brière, alongside Councillors Tim Stewart and Alain Mainville, hosted the public forum where residents voiced their concerns.
Stewart opened the session by stating the financial realities The Nation faced, with approximately $15 million over the next 10-15 years needing to be dedicated to the 45 bridges and culverts requiring refurbishment and reconstruction. Stewart highlighted that the municipality also had no money in its reserves for these upcoming projects.
He then emphasized that The Nation runs both discretionary and non-discretionary departments, “where discretionary departments allow us to have a say in how to spend the little money that we have, while non-discretionary ones do not.”
“With the provincial rules and guidelines, right now, the municipality is about $7,500,000 behind in what we should be putting in just to maintain our assets,” Stewart said.
“We’re looking to find a solution to improve this hall and to keep it open in the long-term. I think we can help with lawn maintenance and snow clearing, as well as grant-finding and writing. We’re looking to the community because the community can take the money and stretch it much farther than the municipality can.”
Residents in attendance expressed frustration as to why the municipality could not handle the financial responsibilities of the community centre and questioned the perceived lack of transparency given by the council.
Stewart responded by stating, “I’ve been as honest as I possibly could since day one. I’ve been as transparent and as forthcoming with every bit of information I could give. I agree, it’s frustrating, but something has to change because the status-quo isn’t working.”
Concerned residents also brought up the perceived lack of awareness on this issue, citing that The Nation Municipality did not effectively communicate the proposed public forums or the state of the community centres, forcing some residents to print out flyers to inform other members in the community who may not have a Facebook account, at their own expense.
“We are willing to hear out all potential solutions to these issues and present them to the rest of council,” Brière concluded.
A similar upcoming meeting about the Fournier Community Centre’s future will take place at the centre on March 4, beginning at 7 pm.
Community members interested in sharing their ideas or volunteering as part of an administrative council for the centre can email [email protected] or [email protected] before March 15.
