It would only be the decent thing to do to thank an organization that has granted you over $9 million in just three years.
And that’s just what the City of Belleville did today (Thursday).
The city hosted an OLG Community Recognition luncheon at the Gerry Masterson Community Centre.
Mayor Mitch Panciuk stressed how much the casino cash helped numerous community organizations and all of the city’s taxpayers.
“This money helps us do the extras, some nice things, and it also helps us speed up hard infrastructure projects, to get things done. And at the same time it takes the pressure off taxpayers.”
Andy Lacroix of Shorelines Casino had high praise for the way Belleville councils had chosen to spend casino dollars. All of the grants are split up into various reserve accounts.
“And the $200,000 to help get the Bell Boulevard widening project was a good move. It’s going to really grow the local economy.”
Discussing the same project, Mayor Panciuk said it was an important step preparing for an “economic explosion” making reference to the Costco store and other developments proposed for the Bell Boulevard corridor.
One of the reserve accounts using casino cash is for social infrastructure. Last year council granted over $344,000 to various social service organizations and at the luncheon, Jena Bailey of the Quinte Community and Housing First Partnership and Ted Parker of Youth Habilitation Quinte, described how money from the fund helped build and sustain some affordable housing units in the city.
Executive Officer of The Children’s Foundation Connie Reid described how the money helped provide special programs and bursaries for youth under the care of Highland Shores Children’s Aid Society.
Other groups receiving cash from the same fund included the Children’s Safety Village, Grace Inn Shelter, Community Development Council, the Canadian Mental Health Association, the Warming Centre, and Quinte Hospice.
The social infrastructure fund has proved very popular with groups looking for financial support. Last year the amount of money requested by organizations from the fund totalled three times the $344,000 available.
Despite the high demand, Mayor Panciuk said he didn’t think council would be increasing the social infrastructure account’s share of casino money above the 10% level it’s sitting at now.
“The provincial government has been downloading social service programs as it deals with its fiscal issues but I don’t think we’ll be able to pick up the slack on all of the programs they’re eliminating.”
