DIDSBURY - Town council has approved financial relief for the Didsbury Curling Club.
The move came by way of motion at the recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
In February club officials appeared before council to outline challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Restrictions that came into effect in December essentially shut down the season for the club, members heard.
“Their annual lease with the Town of Didsbury runs from Oct. 15 to March 15 each year. Monthly costs to the Town Didsbury for the club include $4,500 a month for their lease and an estimated $2,000 a month for utilities, or about $6,500 a month,” administration said in a briefing note to council.
The town has received a request for relief of lease and utility payments for the term from Dec. 1 to March 15.
Reasons given for the request included pro-rated refund of 80 per cent of membership fees (valued at $23,000), loss of revenue related to the bar being closed, loss of inventory of bar stock due to closure, increased costs of sanitation supplies due to COVID-19 protocols, loss of advertising revenue and loss of bonspiel revenue.
The town’s strategic planning committee recommended that $9,887 be waived and be funded by proceeds of the federal MOST grant program.
As recommended by the committee, councillors passed a motion to approve financial relief of $9,887 to be funded by the grant program.
