The Municipality of Kincardine is getting involved financially with this year’s Tiverton Old Boys and Old Girl’s Reunion.
Council has agreed to provide a 20 thousand dollar grant to the event, along with a 30 thousand dollar loan for any extra costs.
Committee Member Nancy Alexander says they are very pleased with council’s decision to extend the help.
The reunion will also become a committee of council, meaning it will have to follow municipal financial and organizational procedures.
One of those includes not staging a so-called “shirt tail parade” at the reunion where participants usually show up in pajamas.
The parades are a liability concern.
The committee had requested a 50 thousand dollar budget, but a staff recommendation called for just 10 thousand, based on Tiverton making up seven percent of the total municipal population.
Alexander says the committee didn’t think it was any way to decide how to provide loans and grants.
In 2006, the municipality supplied 15 thousand dollars for the Bruce Township Reunion.
In 2008, over 40 thousand dollars went towards the reunion held in the former Town of Kincardine.
The committee intends to make the Tiverton reunion inclusive and welcome to all Kincardine residents.
Councillor Kenneth Craig, also a member of the municipal Community, Heritage, Arts, and Tourism Committee says council’s decision gives the reunion a source of financing that lets them go ahead with their planning and the reunion will be a success.
The Tiverton Old Boys and Old Girls Reunion takes place from July 31st to August 3rd of this year.