No twp. money for wagon rides

If the wagon rides linking the tourist train to downtown Elmira continue this year, they’ll do so without financial aid from the township.

As a special budget meeting last week, councillors voted against providing Elmira Wagon Rides with a grant, noting the operation is a private business that benefits downtown merchants and, to a lesser extent, the Waterloo Central Railway (WCR).

Elmeda Weber, owner of downtown’s Kitchen Kuttings, launched the service last year, running a tractor-drawn wagon between the core and the industrial area in Elmira where the train stops on market days. It was largely financed by $12,000 from the Elmira Business Improvement Area, which this year pledged $2,000 towards the $16,000 Weber is looking for.

Since first coming to council looking for $14,000, Weber has secured assistance from the railway, which will cover the cost of insurance (about $3,800) and hopes to provide up to $2,500 in sponsorship sales.

WCR will also promote the wagon rides aboard its tourist train, which runs from St. Jacobs to Elmira, interim CEO Randy Bird told councillors Jan. 26, adding the service has been a boon for the railway.

“It gave people a reason to get off the train,” he said. “Otherwise, they’d be getting off the train in the middle of nowhere.”

Bird noted the “railway is poised for substantial growth” this year. He expects ridership to jump to 30,000 from about 20,000 now, adding his operation and the wagon rides can both benefit from a working relationship.

Other revenue and savings will come from buying a wagon for about $6,600 instead of renting one, which cost $4,500 last year, said Weber. There will also be fundraising drives such as barbeques, and perhaps a money box onboard the wagon to solicit donations.

That still leaves a substantial shortfall that, even with the $2,000 she’d hoped to get from council, exceeds $4,000.

Most of the councillors weren’t swayed, however, citing the lack of township-wide benefit and the limited impact – about 1,800 rides last year.

“It’s very expensive,” said Coun. Patrick Merlihan of the cost of operating the service. “I don’t think that taxpayer money should go ... to this venture.”