THEY'RE JUST HOPING FOR A SPORTING CHANCE
Kanata, Ottawa Nepean Canadians clubs see fundraising dry up during pandemic
For many years, a couple of local sports clubs have been not only a meeting place where friendships have blossomed, they've also been tremendous community supporters, raising millions of dollars for youth and amateur sports.
Like everyone else, they've been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only has their fundraising dried up, it's been a struggle for both the Ottawa Nepean Canadians Sports Club and Kanata Sports Club, both not-for-profit organizations, to even stay alive. The clubs raise money through bar sales, memberships and events — all of which were adversely affected by the pandemic. And with COVID numbers skyrocketing in the Ottawa area, both clubs are worried about what will happen if they're shut down again.
The Kanata Sports Club, located on the second floor of the Jack Charron Arena, has initiated a Go Fund Me campaign to try to raise $25,000 (it was at a bit under $8,000 as of Friday) to cover its costs.
“When COVID hit, we were heading into our busiest time of the year. All the men's hockey parties were about to come up at the end of March, early April — we lost all of them,” said Kanata Sports Club treasurer Jamie Duckett. “We normally operate two darts leagues, they haven't started yet, they could start in January — reduced. We've lost a lot of revenue, but we're trying our best to hang in. We want to survive until next fall. And when that comes, we're hoping things are back to normal.”
The Ottawa Nepean Canadians Sports Club (located at 1125 Cobden Rd.), which has raised more than $3 million over the years, still comes up with $50,000$60,000 per year to help youth sports. Their hours have also changed — during the week, it's basically 11 a.m.-7 p.m., with last call Fridays at 11:59 p.m.
“From March 17 until July 18, there was zero money coming in because the doors were closed,” said Ottawa Nepean Canadians Sports Club treasurer Steve Boston. “We started a campaign and named it Keep the Lights On. We reached out to membership. And we ran a Go Fund Me, we were just a little shy of $15,000 — that helped get us through the period before we could get into the government subsidies.”
With a commercial rent program helping out with 50 per cent of their rent and their landlord giving them a 25 per cent break, the club was fortunate. It was ironic they closed down March 17 — it was the same date, 37 years earlier, that the first beer was served at the club. When the Ottawa Nepean Canadians club reopened, it took extra precautions to ensure the safety of its membership, many of them seniors. Allowed to have a bit less than 100 people during “normal times,” the capacity is now 32. The floor plan has been changed, with a pool table covered and used as a table.
“The sports club is very much like a Legion — there are a lot of seniors so we have to be very cognizant of our membership base,” said Boston. “We have to protect them. We're nothing without our members. A member's wife pulled me aside and told me her first time into the club since we reopened, she was outside hyperventilating. She works in a doctor's office and understands the risk of social gatherings. So she was nervous as all heck coming in and she's in four or five times a week now — this is the only place she'll go to, she's that comfortable with the way we've set it up. We've got another member who has significant lung issues — his doctors told him, `If you get COVID, it's not a case of if you will die, it's when.' And he is comfortable, he's in two to three times a day. They're very short visits, but he comes in, sees the guys and steps out.”
Similarly, the Kanata Sports Club, which shut down March 15 when the arena was closed, has had to make significant changes — with safety in mind. With nothing going on in the arena at night, bar hours have been reduced — 2-7 p.m. from Monday-Saturday and 12-6 on Sunday.
“We're trying to be as safe as possible — we realize, like everywhere else, if we get a case, nobody is going to come,” said Duckett.
The Kanata club has lost more than $125,000 and business. So far, the Glen Cairn Men's Hockey League (which donated $10,000) and Glen Cairn Ladies Ball League have sent donations their way. A recent takeout roast beef dinner — 178 meals were prepared — raised $2,000. Capacity of the club's bar, which can hold up to 110, has been reduced to 50.
The Kanata Sports Club pays its rent to the city, which has given the club a 25 per cent relief on the money owed. Alive for 34 years, the club has raised and contributed more than $1.5 million to amateur sports in the area.
Both clubs are waiting, fingers crossed that the government doesn't force them to close their doors again.
“Being closed, without our fundraisers — things like bingos and Nevada tickets — we weren't getting any money in,” said Ottawa Nepean Canadians Sports Club president Rob Clouthier. “Obviously, that's impacting us trying to help amateur sports. It's definitely my fear (we'll be closed again) when you see what's happening in Quebec — they're shutting them back down. It took a lot of work to get where we are coming back. It would definitely be hard to take to have to go through it again.”
As for his club's future, Duckett said: “We're probably not going to do any donations until we get back to normal. We need the money to keep us surviving.”
From March 17 until July 18, there was zero money coming in because the doors were closed.