The Rotary Club of Ingersoll has signed a long-term agreement with GM Canada to transform the former CAMI gymnasium into a community warehouse. The building, located next to the Seniors Centre in the town, will support non-profits that assist citizens with food insecurity and other social challenges.

The repairs on the building are expected to start this spring and should be completed in summer 2025. This project was initially proposed by Ingersoll’s former mayor Ted Comiskey, who envisioned Inter-Church having a location where volunteers could put Christmas hampers together to help those in need during the holidays.

Comiskey began reaching out to GM and made connections with people in Oshawa. Along with past Rotary Club president Fred Freeman, they brainstormed ways to make the project work. While they initially considered incorporating recreational uses like pickleball, zoning restrictions limited the space to storage purposes. Despite these hurdles, they decided to push forward, meeting contractors and gathering quotes between July and October. With an estimated $100,000 needed to fix up the site, they ultimately decided to proceed.

Rotary Club member Jeff Funnell said that there are several ideas for utilizing the space to better support existing community programs. He envisions STICH (Stronger Together Ingersoll Community Harvest) having a dedicated area with freezers and storage, while the Inter-Church would also have space for their needs. Ingersoll Minor Baseball could benefit from storage, as volunteers currently keep equipment at home due to limited space. The goal is to provide non-profits with resources rather than creating new programs, though they are open to supporting new initiatives.

While the Rotary Club is covering the initial expenses, a capital campaign is planned to help fund ongoing improvements. An open house on Feb. 20 at 1:30 p.m. will provide more details on the project’s timeline and expectations for user groups.

Source: The Hamilton Spectator