CORKERY – The 2019 Corkery Community Association (CCA) annual general meeting’s (AGM) highlight was the announcement of a $1.5 million for an expansion of the community centre. The 2020 AGM unveiled the ask.

Last Tuesday (March 3) the CCA unveiled some artist renderings they will submit to the city for consideration.

“This is not what the building is going to look like, this is our proposal to the city,” CCA President Katherine Woodward told the roughly 20 community members attending the AGM.

Woodward updated the community with where the project is at.

“Currently the city has a tender out for a designer,” she said. “That’s kind of where we are right now.”

The proposal for the community centre expansion was created by a special Building committee put together by the CCA. The committee is made up of community members Woodward, Bob McCormick, Peter KleinBeernink and Joseph Forte.

“What I would like to see is a very large, open room for our fitness class, rentals, community events, things like that,” Woodward said.

The large addition is proposed to attach to the present community centre on the opposite side of the outdoor rink and between the playground.

The CCA proposal features a 2,400 to 2,500 square-foot hall, a 400 sq.-ft kitchen and a small meeting room.

“It will be really nice to have a proper meeting room.” Woodward said. “It will just allow so many things to happen at once.”

The CCA wants to maintain as much of the existing space in the current community centre. They hope to turn the largest room in to a skate change room and maximize the remaining space.

“We’ll install some things that will help with our outdoor space as well,” vice president Andrew McIsaac said. “We want to maintain as much of the existing space as possible. If we tear down this building, we are spending money on that instead of creating more useable space.”

The new proposed building will also provide an assist for the nearby, existing playground.

“A lot of parents talk about the lack of shade at the playground,” Woodward said. “So, with the building there, we can have a retractable yawning.”

As the process continues, Woodward said “there will be lots of information coming.”

The CCA has created a special page on their website to provide updates on the expansion project.

CCA treasurer Debbie Bernhardt presented her last budget report. Bernhard is stepping down from the position following the financial year end.

“We had a good year last year,” Bernhardt said.

Last year the CCA had a new source of income after taking over the organizing of the Concerts in the Park Series held in Fitzroy Harbour each year.

“Concerts in the park was a big bump and yoga did way better then we thought it would,” Bernhardt said.

The total income was $48,377. Total expenses came in at $39,070.22, for a 2019 surplus of $9,307.

CCA secretary Gill Foss was also stepping down from her role as well to focus on publishing a book of poetry. All executive positions were open for 2020, but all four positions were acclaimed.

Woodward will remain as president; McIsaac will remain as vice president; Cindy Wasylnyuk will serve as treasurer; and Jenne Stamplecoskie will serve as secretary.