WINDSOR JUNCTION: Steve Streatch said he will work with the volunteer board of the Windsor Junction Community Centre (WJCC) to ensure it remains safe and secure.
The councillor was responding to a question from The Laker about a meeting HRM staff had with the volunteer board of the LWF Ratepayers Association (LWFRA).
At the meeting on June 29, LWFRA board members said HRM staff gave no reassurances the WJCC, which is a popular facility for those in the community, would be safe beyond the next year due to the elimination of the surplus from the area rate collected by the LWFRA. That surplus has gone out in the forms of grants through a grants program during the past two or three years to groups and organizations that applied through their application process.
Streatch said he had yet to be informed by staff of how the meeting went, when he was asked shortly before lunch at the Waverley Legion. He was there to make a $10,000 cheque presentation from his councillors account to the Legion.
“I want to assure the community and the WJCC board of directors that they have my confidence and indeed I will be working for long-term sustainability of the WJCC,” he said.
He said it is not an adversarial situation between the LWFRA and HRM.
“Right now, the WJCC is funded and I will make sure we continue to collect the area rate taxes that are needed to fund that facility as a core mandate of the area rate in this community,” said Streatch.
Streatch said he intends to make it clear to HRM finance staff that the WJCC is a “jewel in this community” and it needs to be persevered.
“No one should fear a cut in funding for the WJCC,” he said . “That is not on anyone’s radar, especially mine as the area’s councillor.”