Piccini celebrates $110,000 in local grants
Curling club and the Gathering Place received aid from Ontario Trillium Foundation
MPP David Piccini came to Trent Hills today to highlight two grants the province’s Ontario Trillium Foundation has made to local groups.
First, he stopped by the Campbellford & District Curling and Racquet Club that received a $45,800 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation as part of the post-COVID Resilient Communities Fund.
Later, he participated in the grand re-opening of the Gathering Place at St. Paul’s Church in Warkworth. A $64,600 grant received last fall was used to improve accessibility by installing two automatic entrance doors. The organization also installed new carpet in the main room and new laminate flooring in the entry way.
“This investment has supported exceptional renovations that make The Gathering Place a safer and more welcoming location that meets the expectations of this community,” Piccini said.
At the curling club, Piccini noted that the latest grant brings the provincial assistance to more than $207,000 since 2021. An earlier grant allowed the construction of an accessible washroom and accessible entrance.
“The Resilient Communities Fund was a result of the pandemic and the premier’s and government’s recognition that you are the lifeblood of communities like ours,” he said.
Former director Carol Currelly-Burnham, who led the grant-writing efforts, said the grant “allowed us to extend our facility manager’s hours from 24 to 40 hours per week which has been great. It also allowed for some professional development for both boards in the area of equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility and reconciliation.”
“COVID really knocked the starch out of our organization as it did many and it's been great to be able to have a full-time manager again,” she added.
She said the funding also led to the writing of a land acknowledgement that is now posted in the foyer.
Has David been an outspoken critic of the government reaction to "covid" and the Dave to the community? Nope.
That is great to see. I hope MPP makes more trips to Trent Hills with money. Thanks to the citizens that made the applications