Memorial Arena ice pad on Tuesday September 12th. (Photo Credit: Town of Tillsonburg) The Tillsonburg Shrine Club won’t be holding its 64th annual Pork Barbeque today since the ice pad has already been set up at Memorial Arena. TILLSONBURG – The Town of Tillsonburg has issued a statement regarding the cancellation of the Shrine Club’s 64th annual Pork Barbeque. The event was scheduled for today, but the club opted to cancel it because they can’t use Memorial Arena. They were informed in late July that the arena floor would not be available as the town decided to have the ice pad ready earlier than usual. Julie Columbus, Director of Recreation, Culture, and Parks, mentioned there’s a growing demand for ice time. “Usually the ice in Memorial is ready for use by October 1st. This year, user groups asked for it to be installed sooner so they could have access by September 18th. Since installing ice takes several days and can be affected by weather conditions, we had to start the process earlier and unfortunately couldn’t accommodate the Shrine Club’s event on the Memorial Pad. We looked into substitute venues as alternative options, but sadly none were suitable for the Shrine Club.” CAO Kyle Pratt stated that while the Shrine Club has positively impacted the community over many years, it’s essential for the town to treat all user groups fairly. “The Tillsonburg Shrine Club has been an integral part of our community’s social and charitable life for generations and is a key partner. Our staff makes efforts to meet all user group needs. Sometimes schedules clash and regrettably this time we couldn’t find any suitable alternatives that worked for them. I want residents to know that we’re going to review our policies and processes so this doesn’t happen again.” Mayor Deb Gilvesy recognizes why people are upset about this cancellation and feels things could have been handled better. “I’ve heard from countless people in our community about their disappointment with this long-standing event being canceled, and I share those concerns. The barbeque is a beloved annual fundraiser in Tillsonburg that raises significant funds for various local causes including our hospital. While I understand Town staff’s intention to accommodate everyone involved, more communication was needed here given its over 60 years of history.” A photo shared on social media showed a grey bare floor at Memorial Arena on Monday. Columbus responded saying: “Making ice during warm weather requires a slower approach. Although it might have looked like nothing was happening with making ice, that’s certainly not true.” The Town shared an updated image yesterday showing an arena floor covered with ice. Source link
