Community Grants Presentations – for 2018

Applications for Community Grants for inclusion in the 2018 budget closed on October 31.  The Town then called a Public Meeting at 6:00 pm on November 13 to allow the applicants an opportunity to sell their proposal to Council.  Only two applicants took advantage of this: Cycle Transitions and Marie Dressler Foundation.  Deputy Mayor John Henderson did not reveal how many applicants were received  – he wanted to vet them and then the applicants who had met all the conditions would be made public and included in budget deliberations.  The total amount of money available for 2018 Community Grants was set last year as the amount approved for grants in 2017 ($47,951)  plus a cost of living adjustment.  

Grants Presentations

Cycle Transitions

These are a group who were established in 2012 and provide low cost support to cyclists in Cobourg.  For a small fee, bike owners can use their workshop to repair their bikes with assistance from volunteers.  They also sell refurbished bikes, conduct classes at schools on safe bicycle riding, help with the Town’s summer waterfront bicycle rental program and more.  Up to a few months ago, they have been using Northam Industrial Park Building 13 (and paying  a small rent) but with Venture 13 taking over that building, they need a new space.   They asked the Town to provide such a space since they cannot afford any of the available spaces/buildings in Cobourg.  They are looking for about 1,500 square feet of space for their bike shop and another 300 square feet for bicycle storage.  They are currently paying $500 rent (presumably per month) so they want an “in kind” grant for the difference in value of the space provided.  One suggestion was the old Works Department building on King Street West.

Rick Miller
Rick Miller

Their request will be part of budget deliberations.

Marie Dressler Foundation

Rick Miller, the chair of this charitable group, laid out the ambitious program planned for 2018 to celebrate Marie Dressler’s 150th birthday.  Some of the events are fundraisers (e.g. the Vintage Film Festival) but other events have no entry fee and/or are beneficial to the Town in that they will attract visitors. The grant requests are:

Project Name Category Amount Requested
ReaRView DocFest Community Project $1,000
150th Exhibition at AGN Special Event $3,000
Lamp Post Banners Special Event $1,200
Lecture Event / Birthday event In-kind $1,000
Total   $6,200

There will be more detail of the events available on Cobourg News Blog starting in January 2018.