The Love Owen Sound Committee’s latest attempt to love Owen Sound has been dealt a setback.
The committee — which represents almost 20 churches in the city — wrote to council and asked for permission to use a room at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre to stage a community event in February.
It would be similar to the Love Owen Sound event that took place last July — a free celebration that provided haircuts, food hampers, a kids carnival, a hot meal and other treats.
But the committee wants the use of the Rutherford Room for free next month, and Council denied that request at its meeting on Monday night.
Many Councillors felt it would be inappropriate to waive the 800 dollar booking fee because the city’s policy is to not grant such requests unless there is a direct financial benefit to the city.
They were not swayed by the committee’s request even though it’s an event being staged for the community’s benefit.
The letter from the committee points out that the planned free indoor carnival would be designed to help people cope with the winter blues.
They were aiming for February 4th or 18th and expected to attract 250 people.
Councillor David Adair says the first Love Owen Sound event was “absolutely spectacular” and the organizers deserved kudos for staging it.
But he agreed with other councillors that waiving the booking fee would not only violate their policy, it would invite other similar requests, and the city simply would be overwhelmed.
It was suggested that the committee use a church parish hall or perhaps rent a school gymnasium for the event.
City Manager Ruth Coursey told council the local school boards have a mandate to provide space for community events and that space would likely be available for a much cheaper price than the city wants for the Rutherford Room.
Mayor Deb Haswell is meeting this week with representatives of the city’s Ministerial Association.
Haswell says she will try to work with them to find a solution so the event can go on next month after all.
