Financial Help for Wallace Hits a Snag

A proposal to help the Wallace Community Centre has turned into a ‘dog’s breakfast’ for Cumberland County Council.

The long standing community facility — now named in honour J. Millard Charman — has found it increasingly difficult to maintain the hall as local activity transitions away from hall rentals to more free community services.

The idea was simply to add a penny or two to the tax rate to cover hall expenses. The volunteer board that operates the hall floated the idea that an area tax rate be applied to all properties in the catchment area, and that hit some unexpected snags.

The hall serves part of electoral District Four which stretches from Malagash to Westchester, an area that includes four or more community halls. Separating the polling districts to match coverage area of the Wallace Centre proved to be labour intensive.

It requires detailing a new map and administrative changes to the tax billing system, which consumed a few dedicated days of staff time.

When presented to county council this week, some wondered if it might be simpler to add an area rate for community halls right across the county.

Council intends to look at all options in a not-too-distant meeting.

Meanwhile, the operators of the Wallace facility want to take the question to the people who use the hall, not to mention those who would pay any new tax that is levied.

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