There’s just over one month left in 2018, and for the town of Outlook’s new swimming pool, as well as its dedicated fundraising committee, it means the end of one final calendar year before looking ahead to what will be a monumental occasion when the facility actually opens for business in 2019.
Over the past few months, the pool has seen major progress such as paving and stonework being completed, as well as tests having been run to check for any issues in early October. To date, the change room building is the only other major aspect of the project that is still under construction, and the indoor work will allow crews to continue through the winter weather, ensuring that there are no hiccups as it relates to the pool’s timeline for opening in the spring.
As the construction crew continues its work, so does the pool’s fundraising committee, which has managed to raise some monies here and there over the past few weeks. Recently, approximately $1400 was raised by running a concession during Equinox Theatre’s recent run of ‘The Little Mermaid’, and the committee also took in $600 from the Legion’s social night on November 23, as well as $420 from the Grey Cup Pool.
The committee continues to raise funds and every dollar certainly helps from any sort of venture, but there is also a lot riding on the group’s recently-announced charity supper and auction sale event that is being planned for April 5, 2019 at the Outlook Civic Centre.
The idea is that this event will be the final major fundraiser for the new pool, so fingers are crossed and hopes are high that it will turn out to be a big success, particularly for a small committee that has worked doggedly to find monies to help ensure that this community’s new pool becomes a reality.
“We ask people and businesses to donate new items for the sale and ask supporters to come out to what will likely be the last major fundraiser that this committee will organize,” said Tony Peter of the fundraising committee.
It’s unknown exactly just how much more the new pool needs in order to completely pay for itself, but Peter notes that more money has been spent than what’s been raised to date.
“We have raised over $1,370,000, but we need more,” he said. “How much more, we don’t know because the project isn’t finished, and all the bills are not in. We do know that we have spent $253,000 more than we have raised, so it is paramount that donations continue to come in.”
The fundraising committee hopes that during this season of giving, the public will perhaps consider giving a gift in honor of one’s children or grandchildren, the generations who will hopefully go on to enjoy the new swimming pool for years to come. As well, with the end of the tax year looming, people are being reminded that a financial gift to the pool through the Town of Outlook will earn donors a tax credit.
