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•T he IFP• H alton H ills, T hursday, M ay 9, 2013 5 316 Guelph Street, Georgetown 905-873-1818 905-874-3021 3131 HONDA georgetownhonda.ca 877-8990 118 Guelph St.Georgetown905 1ShowRoom Summer's Coming...... Don't forget to book your AC Maintenance. Proud to call Georgetown my home! Garrey Green mortgage agent #M11000828 c: 647-454-4640 email: ggreen@ggreen.ca website: www.garreygreen.ca Key Mortgage Partners #12333 An Independently Owned & Operated Corporation Let me help you own a home, not a mortgage! Town's deal with Milton franchise puts local club in jeopardy: President Halton Hills Gymnastics Centre-- still paying back a Town loan to avoid shutting down two years-- is frustrated the Town's Recreation and Parks Department has awarded a contract to a Milton company to provide similar recreational services. In a presentation to Halton Hills coun- cil Monday night, Halton Hills Gymnastics Centre's (HHGC) board of direc- tors president Damian Brooks said, "Please don't pull the rug out from under us now." Brooks said the issuance of a Request for Proposal (RfP) was not the appropriate approach for a new Movement Education program, according to Section 4 within the Town's own Rec- reation and Parks 2007 Strate- gic Action Plan. He said Town staff should have asked HHGC fi rst if they could provide this service, which he says they do. "By offering a Town program that is substantially identical to our own propos- al, will compete directly against HHGC for registration dollars in this demographic," Brooks said. "When a powerful entity like the municipal government enters a com- petitive marketplace, it fundamentally al- ters the marketplace dynamics." Brooks said HHGC's plan to repay the $324,000 12-year loan it received in 2011 depends on strong recreational gymnastics revenue. "The proposed Town Movement Edu- cation program draws participants away from our own programs, (and) it will jeop- ardize all the other (HHGC) recreational programming that the Town does not want to provide-- programs like girls and boys recreational gym, teen gym and trampo- line," said Brooks. He said this could subvert the non-profi t organization's budget just as it is moving to long-term sustainability and beginning to repay the loan. In a report to Community Affairs committee last month, HHGC re- ported they were $40,000 ahead of budget in revenue and did not have to draw on the full amount of the Town loan. "We ask that the Town re-think its ap- proach to this issue," Brooks said. Despite the HHGC's plea, Halton Hills council approved a fi ve-year $60,000 ser- vice contract to Monkeynastix, a franchise based in Milton. Owners Sean and Jennifer Heidstra attended Monday's meeting to introduce themselves. The contract is to provide Movement Education for ages 1-9. The contract is based on full cost recovery. Movement Education is a non-competitive program de- signed to get kids involved in physical activity in a fun way at a young age. It teaches early skill and social development so kids can then move on to orga- nized sports. Town staff became aware of the program in other municipali- ties and wanted to develop it here. The Town's Recreation and Parks De- partment put out a Request for Proposal (RfP) in January and received two submis- sions: Monkeynastix and HHGC. "Bids were evaluated by a staff team based on quality of submission, program- ming and fi nancial factors. Monkeynastix was determined to be the highest ranking proponent," stated a staff report. Warren Harris, Manager of Open Space and Parks, told council members Monday that the RfP was done in strict compliance with the Town's purchasing bylaw. A key criterion was to have multiple locations throughout the communities of Acton and Georgetown at a range of facilities from schools and churches. Having a High Five accreditation-- a national standard for children's recreation and sport-- was also a component of the RfP. By CYNTHIA GAMBLE Staff Writer WARREN HARRIS