Fundraising for Brantford's Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre going slow

The city's fundraising campaign for the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre is falling dramatically short of its goals so far.

The campaign kicked off with the hiring of KCI Ketchum Canada in December 2011. The initial work and reports from the fundraising consultants showed the potential to raise between $3 million and $5 million. About $1 million of that amount would support the construction of the Brantford Sports Hall of Recognition, with any remaining funds offsetting the construction costs of the centre's $64-million redevelopment. The campaign was officially launched in June 2012.

While KCI indicated at the time it can take up to two years to cement big-dollar donations, as of the last public announcement at the end of June, the campaign had raised a total of about $700,000. The largest donation to-date has been $200,000 from SC Johnson, targeted for an outdoor play structure.

Many of the other donations that have been made have been tied to specific parts of the centre or equipment within the centre, such as the $25,000 donation by BMO Bank of Montreal for a new timing system and display in the 25-metre pool.

The fundraising consultants were hired at a cost of $25,000 a month for 14 months. The last month KCI was working on this fundraising campaign was April of this year ? with the city having paid a minimum of $350,000 drawn from the pot of money being used to finance the overall reconstruction. The thought at the time was the payments for the professional fundraisers would be taken out of the monies raised for the overall project.

?People so far have been willing to donate for specific projects,? general manager of community services Greg Dworak said this week. ?There is still some money that will be general donations and that will go to payment of KCI's fees.?

Dworak said there are more sponsorship agreements coming to council for approval this fall and the volunteer committee continues to work to solicit donations and work to solidify potential donors who've shown an interest. But as of this week, when amounts dedicated to specific items are discounted, the dollars raised aren't enough to cover KCI's costs.

The campaign's shortfall to-date hasn't impacted the facility itself ? the third large phase of reconstruction that included a new gymnasium, six-lane 25-metre pool, warm-water therapy pool, new change rooms and fitness studios opened over the month of June. The fourth and final phase involves the reconstruction of the change rooms in the old 65-metre pool and should be complete by the spring.

hugo.rodrigues@sunmedia.ca

twitter.com/EXPHugo

Source: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/2013/07/31/fundraising-for-brantfords-wayne-gretzky-sports-centre-going-slow

google earnings pat burrell hilary rosen grilled cheese allen west north korea missile don t trust the b in apartment 23