Squeaky wheel gets the grease!

After a nail biting few months, provincial funding for the Brooklyn Civic Center has finally come through to the tune of $400,000.

West Hants council had been waiting for approval of the provincial B-fit grant application before moving forward with construction. With the tender deadline drawing ever closer, time was running out.

Warden Richard Dauphinee and Tory incumbent Chuck Porter presented the letter of confirmation from Pat Dunn, minister of Health Promotion and Protection, to members of the Brooklyn Fire Department on May 23, minutes before a fundraiser dance at the hall was set to commence. “I think they were expecting bad news, but there was a lot of shouting and jumping when we delivered the letter,” said Dauphinee.

Although council is still awaiting approval of federal ACOA funds, Dauphinee said he has every confidence they will begin construction this summer. “The only thing stopping us now is the ACOA funding, but I know people in the community will be very encouraged by this news.”

He adds they anticipate that ACOA number will match, if not exceed the provincial figure. To date the community has contributed over $30,000 in cash, and $70,000 from in-kind donations toward the project.

Dauphinee said the community’s commitment to this project has been outstanding, but there is no way the people of West Hants could and should carry the burden on their own. “People just can't raise this kind of money, it would be impossible. Now they can know the money they raised will go toward making this civic center something special for their own community.”

It was originally feared the upcoming election would put a hold on provincial funding and could delay construction well past the season. “We needed this now and badly,” Dauphinee said. “I'm very happy for the residents of Brooklyn. They have worked very hard towards making this a reality.”

Porter told The Hants Journal just days after the official confirmation that election results would have no impact on the center receiving the promised funds. “It's a done deal,” he said.

Since his very first meeting with the Brooklyn Fire Department three years ago, Porter made a promise to do what he could support this project. “This is a project I've worked on daily since the municipality filed the B-fit application. Thankfully, we were able to get it done in time and the timeline for this is what's most important,” Porter said.

Dauphinee said it's time to give credit to all those involved. “There has been so much work going on behind the scenes on a daily basis to make this happen, it's good to know that it's paid off.”

He added that any setbacks could have put construction well into the winter season, which in the end would increase the overall costs.

Fire Chief Mark Dearman said waiting on ACAO approval may still put them behind schedule, but being this much closer to their goal has bolstered spirits. “At this point it really doesn't matter which month it is when we finish construction, what we really need to do is get it started.”

Once tender is approved, Dearman said it could take up to six weeks to complete the design process. In the meantime, there is onsite work that could begin at any time. In this regard-- until the shovel hits the ground in earnest-- the waiting game is still on.

Mike Trinacity, a representative for Health Promotion and Protection, said funding the civic center was a perfect fit. “The Brooklyn Civic Center intends to play host to a variety of community programs involving physical activity, social and cultural activities.”