A Chatham councillor wants the municipality to put its money where its mouth is when it comes to their new animal shelter.
As the deadline to raise $2-million for the new shelter on Park Ave. E fast approaches, Councillor Derek Robertson is asking Chatham-Kent contribute $500,000 over two years to help fund the facility. Council originally endorsed the fundraising effort back in 2015.
"Very much like other projects, we need to demonstrate our investment, our support for the project, and for the community that's leading the project," says Robertson. "We need to pay for our own assets."
Chatham-Kent owns the shelter, and contracts animal control services out to the OSPCA. While Robertson has stated in the past the OSPCA should be more involved, he commends the shelter's fundraising committee for their work so far.
"They're having a good strong support, but the question is proposed from time-to-time: what's the municipality's investment in the project? The answer of 'good will' is certainly not enough," says Robertson.
The Chatham councillor will put his motion forward at Monday's council meeting. If approved, Chatham-Kent would contribute $250,000 towards the new shelter in 2017 and 2018.
