Financial struggles plague the Whitecourt Curling Club as they seek support to remain active

Two directors from the Whitecourt Curling Club presented to Woodlands County Council last week in hopes of receiving financial help from the municipality. Gord Nendsa and Ken Astil attended the May 11 meeting to share the club’s unfortunate situation. “The club, at this point, is in financial trouble. Our request is for funding to carry us through to the next season and over the summer months. At this point right now, we basically don’t have enough funding to cover utilities,” remarked Nendsa as he began the presentation.

“Over the past six years, we’ve invested all of our cash reserves to cover any additional repairs to the facility. Our plan to replenish our capital fund was quashed by COVID. We had two seasons, and a bit cancelled. We had no revenue coming in, so now we can’t even cover our utilities. Without bar revenue and membership revenue, we really fell flat. At this point, we’ve done everything we could to come up with the funding to cover us for the season and pay our utilities. We are at the point now where we require assistance.”

He explained that to get them through from June to September, the Whitecourt Curling Club needs $15,800 to cover their utilities. Then, from October to next year, they require another $25,760. “Those are estimated costs based on the budget. We do have County residents using the facility when there is a league, and that split is about 30 percent. So, 30 percent of members are from the county, and 70 percent are from Whitecourt,” said Nendsa.

He explained the club has an agreement with the Town of Whitecourt to look after the building envelope, roof or walls, but that much of everything else is up to the club. “Our ask right now for Woodlands County is to provide 50 percent of the deficit, which is $41,560 and that equates to $20,780.” He said the other half would be asked of Whitecourt. “We require $12,193 of funding for 2022 and $48,587 in 2023.” Nendsa said that the club would likely fold without funding by June 1. The presentation included a slideshow of their budget information which showed what they presently have, need, and anticipate getting in the fall.

Councillor Dave Kusch asked about Woodlands County’s policy for supporting their own clubs and wondered how much they receive compared to what was being asked of them by the Whitecourt Curling Club. “Have we taken a look at the numbers they have and rolled it into our policy and see what those numbers would look like versus what we pay for our ice rink in Fort Assiniboine, based off their ask? I know we did reduce a whole lot of what we’re paying to other ice rinks and stuff that we have. No offence to the club. I know they offer a lot, but we have other ones that we do take care of and if we are paying, say ten to fifteen thousand there, and you’re asking for forty, then it’s kind of a hard ask when we have another rink that’s not getting that.”

Heather Anderson, Community Services Coordinator for Woodlands County, said they had not compared the numbers yet as this was the first time a request of this nature had come through. “We do fund our curling rink in Fort Assiniboine 75 percent of their operating/utilities, and then we actually help them with their ice-making, but we haven’t actually compared to this.”

Astill explained that though COVID restrictions played a significant role in keeping players off the ice, other issues had also helped. “In 2019 and 2020, both years, consecutively, we had major problems with the ice plant to the tune of nearly $50,000 total. We had a reserve capital fund in the club for emergencies. Consequently, paying those bills, and then the next year, we had four games, and then they cancelled the season. From that point on, it just snowballed.” He said they also missed an opportunity to hold a casino event which tends to really help bring in funds, and that loss was really felt amongst everything else. “Generally speaking, the club is self-sufficient, and I believe that if the county and the town help us out, we can get back to that state. To get there now, I don’t think it’s likely.”

Reeve John Burrows asked for clarity on if this were a one-time ask. “It’s not designed to be a recurring funding request year after year?” Astil said that it was a one-time help out. Councillor Jeremy Wilhelm then asked if a similar request had gone to the town, to which Astill noted that it had. Councillor Wilhelm asked what the response had been. “I think their response was to bring it to your guys’ attention because the club is 30/70, and they just wanted to see what funding we could get from Woodlands County and then the town would probably look at that and figure out what they would do.”

Councillor Bruce Prestidge asked why they asked for fifty percent rather than thirty percent given the usage split they mentioned in the presentation. Nendsa said that the request was put out with hopes of receiving funding and that any help would be well received. Reeve Burrows noted that the problem is that Woodlands County has their own facilities. “We have other facilities that are located out in the municipality, so there’s kind of a pot of money that we have to support all those, and we have to look at that before we do something else.”

He then added that though COVID “might be over,” the ripple effects would be felt for a long time. “We’re going to have to prepare ourselves to see continued issues like this. The best thing I can say in a time like this is to get out and support your community clubs. Sign up. Buy a membership. Become involved in the community.”

Councillor Alan Deane then asked for clarity on their finances to wrap up the presentation. Astill said that come June 1, there will be zero money in the club’s bank account to pay their bills. He explained that there is typically a bit of money left over in the account in the offseason to keep them going but that they’ve eaten it up. “That is why if this doesn’t happen, the club will fold.” Woodlands County Council accepted the presentation as information and added the funding request to their 2023 budget deliberations.