The family after whom a Truro community center is named has pledged up to $500,000 as initial funding to establish a foundation aimed at coordinating events that would generate financial support for the facility. A gathering was convened in December by a group known as Friends of the Rath Eastlink Community Centre, which saw the participation of members from Colchester and Truro councils. Presentations were delivered during the hour-long meeting by former facility board members and the Rath family, who had contributed $1 million towards the center’s construction over a decade ago.
The community center, featuring amenities such as an NHL-sized rink, rock-climbing wall, pool, and fitness center, has been under the management of the Central Nova Scotia Civic Centre Society since its inauguration in 2013, with joint ownership by the Town of Truro and Municipality of Colchester. However, the operating agreement is slated to expire on January 31 following a decision by Colchester council in October, citing breaches in contracts signed by society CEO Matt Moore, including agreements related to the Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition Complex in Bible Hill, N.S., which were subsequently terminated.
Duane Rath, a local business owner who served as the society’s treasurer for nine years, emphasized the need for additional revenue beyond the current $1.5-million annual grant from municipal owners. Rath acknowledged that raising ice and membership fees could only suffice to a certain extent and expressed the foundation’s intent to take charge of organizing events previously overseen by the society, like the Nova Scotia Stampede.
In a step to bolster the facility, the Rath family has committed an initial $250,000 to establish the foundation and will match donations up to an additional $250,000. This move is envisioned to alleviate the financial strain faced by the center, which reported a nearly $91,000 deficit at the close of the last fiscal year, with total debt amounting to almost $1.3 million. Councilors from both municipalities have shown interest in exploring the foundation model as a potential alternative to terminating the operating agreement.
Amid concerns raised by Truro resident Ibel Scammell regarding the center’s declining condition and management issues, the focus has shifted towards revitalizing the wellness facility. Scammell highlighted infrastructure problems, lack of maintenance, and management challenges, advocating for a stronger emphasis on the core facility rather than external distractions like the exhibition grounds.
Although Colchester Mayor Christine Blair and Truro Mayor Cathy Hinton were absent from the meeting, Millbrook First Nation Chief Bob Gloade, a sponsor of the community center and its events, emphasized the importance of collaboration in sustaining the center through hosting additional revenue-generating events.