GORE BAY – Thanks to two Gore Bay service clubs, children and their families will now have a place to get shade near the town’s splash pad and jungle gym on those hot sunny, summer days.
“We just hope town residents will enjoy the gazebo and appreciate it,” said Gord Flanagan of the Gore Bay-Western Manitoulin Lions Club, on Thursday of last week. Both the Lions Club and the Gore Bay Rotary Club donated the funds for the new gazebo, which is 20×10 feet in size and has a roof on it to protect people from the sun.
“Dawn Noble, with the town’s recreation committee, had asked my son Curtis if the (Gore Bay) child care would be able to provide some kind of gazebo for the children and their parents to use,” said Mr. Flanagan. “Curtis told her that myself and the Lions Club might be interested.”
“It was certainly a good idea that was brought forward because there is very little shade near the splash pad and jungle gym for parents and children to get out of the sun.”
Mr. Flanagan brought the proposal forward to the Lions Club members and the club members were in support of it. Lion Larry Hunter pointed out the Lions Club had applied for funding under a grant available through the Dermatological Society for the gazebo, however the Lions Club was denied funding under this grant.
“And we had a quote from a local company to build and bring a gazebo from southern Ontario which would have cost over $11,000, but we (Lions) couldn’t afford these costs,” said Mr. Flanagan. “I had seen some of the carpentry work that Michael Keupher (of Evansville) has done and I asked him if he would be interested in building a shade structureand he indicated he would be.”
The new gazebo cost $6,000 and during the process of having it built Kidane Gebrekristose of the Gore Bay Rotary Club had indicated his club was very much interested in helping with the project. “So our two clubs split the costs 50/50,” said Mr. Flanagan.
Cement pads to put under the gazebo were provided by Noble Lumber and Ron Campbell provided the loader to transfer the finished product from Evansville to its new site near the town splash pad. Brad Wright of Tenth Line Timber is donating steps for the front and back of the gazebo for people to enter.
“The move was flawless,” stated Mr. Flanagan.
The gazebo has two tables that will both seat six people comfortably.
