Cookstown Horseshoe Club has use of hut for the 2007 summer season
by Michelle Minnoch

Although the Cookstown Horseshoe Club (CHC) requested council to allow them use of the outdoor pits for the summer of 2007 and half of the indoor pits in the quanset hut for the 2007/2008 season, council decided the CHC is permitted to use the outdoor pitches for the 2007 season only and further requests are to be discussed with the Parks and Rec. Department.

The CHC was approved for the 'right of use' of the quanset hut from the Cookstown Agricultural Fair Board in 1992. The lands have since been acquired by the town for the development of the new Cookstown Library/Recreation facility.

Deputy Mayor Gord Wauchope said he spoke with Bob Browne, Manager of Parks and Rec, and it was decided the quanset hut was the most ideal building for the town to use for equipment storage, especially through the winter months.

Councilor Paul Wardlaw stated he would like to see the CHC use the facilities for one more year as "they have put a fair bit of money into it over the years."

For winter usage, the CHC wired the quanset hut by installing 11 eight-foot florescent lights and electrical outlets. Floors and walls were painted, a furnace was installed for indoor winter pitching, a new oil tank was installed in 2006 to comply with 2006 regulations, clay courts were built to comply with the NHPA, the driveway and parking lot were graveled for parking, and grading was done on the property.

According to a letter sent to the town from John Farmer, President of the CHC, "all maintenance, improvements and upgrading is completely carried by the CHC at no cost to the Cookstown Fair Board.

Councilor Lynn Dollin, who represents Cookstown, said the optics of taking away the only recreation Cookstown has is "going to be a hard one for us."

Councilor Bill Pring questioned why this issue was not brought up during negotiations with the Cookstown Fairground people. "This should have been brought up when we were buying the property."

Councilor Rod Boynton said the obligation is to the residents, and they are obliged to use the property to the best of its ability. "We have to look after, and store our equipment."

Councilor Dan Davidson agreed, saying he did not mind the CHC's summer usage of the grounds, but in the winter the town's equipment should be stored in the quanset building.

Although Councilor Dollin said she could see it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to see the recommendation for 2007/2008 usage of the building wouldn't fly, she amended the recommendation to reflect usage for the 2007 outdoor season only.

Council passed the recommendation.