The sign at the entrance to the Nutrien Civic Centre in Sussex, N.B., said it all Friday. “Open!” The parking lot was full, swimmers were in the pool and people were taking laps on the walking track. After being closed for almost a full week, the fitness facility and community hub opened its doors again. “Every day last week it echoed. There was five people here at any given time and it just had no life,” said Stefanie McFarlane, the centre’s executive director. “This morning it was full of life, so it was wonderful to come into.” McFarlane was forced to close the centre last Saturday because funding shortfalls meant payroll couldn’t be met. Funding comes from the Kings Regional Service Commission (RSC), who has a contract with the Town of Sussex and the neighbouring rural communities of Butternut Valley Rural Community, Valley Waters and the District of Kings. The centre’s funding comes from those municipalities through the commission, and the Nutrien Civic Centre receives $150,000 four times a year. Last Friday, McFarlane told CTV News the centre received only received $25,000 in July, far short of what she expected. “That sunk us. There was no way we could afford payroll, hydro, those kinds of things on $25,000,” said McFarlane. But the problem has been resolved, at least for now. The board met with the service commission on Wednesday about funding. The funding shortfall was a miscommunication over payment schedule that has since been sorted out, said McFarlane. “That’s what I’m going to call it. I don’t think there was any malice intended with the RSC not giving us our full payment,” said McFarlane. With the issue resolved and with some donations from the community, the centre now has sufficient funds to pay employees and keep the lights on for the immediate future. “We decided to give it a go. Are things perfect? No. Do we still have a lot of work to do? Absolutely,” said McFarlane. Members coming and going on Friday were thrilled McFarlane and the staff decided to reopen. “A lot of happy faces today compared to last week, a lot of happy faces,” said Arletta Long Hayes. Brenda Leask comes five days a week. “it’s a great place to be,” she said. Leask said for many seniors in the community, it’s a hardship not having access to the facility. “This is their big thing of the day for some of them, and they need it and everyone needs it, young and old. I don’t want to see this place go at all,” said Leask. Leask’s friend Doug Wortman has been going for 12 years. “It’s for everybody that’s got heart trouble that come here all the time. Swimming and kids, everybody. Sussex would be lost without it,” said Wortman. Having the centre closed was a big absence in Ann McRobie’s weekly routine. “I come about twice a week and to me, the civic centre keeps people out of hospitals and nursing homes,” said McRobie. McFarlane said plans for future fundraisers are in the works that should also help the civic centre’s bottom line. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
