New Acton sports facility to cost more, but organizers close to fundraising goal

An Acton businessman stepped forward Tuesday to pledge more cash for the Acton Agricultural Society's It's More Than Fair building campaign, moving the group closer to its goal of a new indoor sports and community facility. The Acton Agricultural Society began fundraising in earnest this spring to raise money for a 21,000 sq. ft. multi-use facility to be located in Prospect Park. Two of the primary users will be the Georgetown Soccer Club and the Acton Soccer Club for indoor soccer play during the winter months. The building will accommodate a soccer pitch of 110 ft. by 170 ft.-- big enough to allow teams to play eight players per side. The Society intends to use it for its annual fair, plus rent the facility's boardroom out for workshops, seminars and other community events. This spring, council approved a $1.3 million 10-year loan to the AAS, provided that group came up with $350,000 in funding commitments, plus the original $250,000 down payment. At Tuesday's meeting, council approved a motion from Mayor Rick Bonnette to award the tender (higher than expected) to Tambro Construction of Guelph for $2 million, on the condition that the AAS assumes the additional financing shortfall of $123,000. While their new immediate goal is $473,000, campaign fundraiser Drew Brown announced at the meeting that $466,744 has been raised to date leaving organizers only $6,000 short. It was also announced that the businessman-- an owner of a major Acton industry-- pledged $80,000, in addition to the $20,000 he already contributed. "We've gotten off to a tremendous start, and I believe it's only going to get better," said Brown. "We've had not one refusal-- that's very unusual." More importantly, said Brown, the contributors are donating more than what is being requested of them-- $11,000 is the average amount of each gift. Brown expects more money to follow once people see the building going up. The AAS's long-term goal is $750,000. Earlier this year, Dufferin Aggregates donated $200,000-- combined in cash and materials-- to kick-start the campaign. The AAS is also applying for a $100,000 Trillium grant to pay for the artificial turf. The Town will add about $352,000 worth of improvements to the building. The Town had also committed $20,000 to a new building when the old Acton Arena was torn down several years ago. Also on Tuesday, council agreed to waive all other Town-related development fees-- about $4,000-- plus the cost of the building fees will come from the Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve. Bonnette described the building as a tremendous asset to the community and would not have been possible without the commitment of the Georgetown Soccer Club to move its indoor league there. He agreed with Brown that it's "a truly Halton Hills project" with donors from across the town and the region contributing. Fourteen companies bid on the project with Tambro submitting the lowest bid. Construction could begin in early to mid-October and completed by late spring in 2007 with the official grand opening set for next year's fall fair.