Lawn bowling, baseball groups seek loan deferrals

City council will decide Monday whether to grant one-year deferrals on loan payments for two local sports groups impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. At a Feb. 8 general committee meeting, council gave preliminary approval to the Peterborough Lawn Bowling Club and Peterborough Baseball Association to defer 2020 loan payments. Council will vote to ratify the decision Monday. The PLBC borrowed $600,000 from the city in 2011 to help pay for construction of the McDonnel Street Activity Centre attached to the PLBC’s lawn bowling greens. The club is partners with the Whitlaw Mariners Seniors Club in the building. The loan agreement requires the PLBC to pay a minimum of $25,000 annually to the city with the full amount due by June 2021. There is $145,000 outstanding and the PLBC is also requesting the payment deadline be extended to June ’23. The club said in a letter to the city it has virtually no revenues in ’20 from banquet rentals, membership or sponsors because its season was cancelled by the pandemic. In addition, the club has ongoing maintenance expenses. The Peterborough Baseball Association also requested a deferment of its annual $10,000 payment on a $150,000 loan for its contribution to the building of the Trent University baseball diamond in ’15. The PBA also requested its payment period be extended from Nov. 30, 2029, to Nov. 30, ’30. As well, the PBA cited in a letter to staff its lack of revenue from the impact the pandemic had on its ’20 season.