Centre des Loisirs des Draveurs, now a Cooperative, is welcoming back its community after what has been a tough few years under Covid restrictions. This was made possible after its partnership with Fort Coulonge based radio station, CHIP 101.9 FM.

The arena in Fort-Coulonge officially reopened on Jan. 31, 2022, for 18 year-olds and younger under Québec’s new public health guidelines. And is hoping to welcome adults as soon as February 14th.

In order to keep its doors open, the . . .

Coopérative du Centre des Loisirs des Draveurs needed $6,000. As a result, CHIP FM’s board of directors offered to donate that amount to save the community arena.

François Carrier, Managing director, explained they had wanted to help for some time now and when the opportunity presented itself, they wanted to help out in any way possible. He remembers when he was 16 years old and how much spaces like that meant to him, and noted with the pandemic kids need spaces like the arena.

The partnership will include CHIP FM hosting three events annually to fundraise to help keep the facility operating, according to Coopérative President Stéphane Béland, who said that without the partnership the fate of the arena would have been much different.

“This means a lot because it gives things for the kids to do. You really need services like this,” he said. It isn’t just a space kids can enjoy but also adults in the community can benefit from it, Béland added.

The move to creating a cooperative was with the help of Guillaume Lavoie-Harvey, Coordinateur of the arena, who outlined that the first lock down due to COVID-19 was a major turning point for the area and it was through that experience the board members sat down together to discuss the future of the facility.

The business model of the arena, also referred to as a “social economy,” has everything a private business would have, but rather than having shareholders, the business is owned by membership holders, explained Lavoie-Harvey.

“The biggest advantage is that a co-op always has to serve its members. That’s its sole purpose,” he said.

The right model for the business to succeed, he added, was to allow community members to pay for a $25 membership card. “So you kind of become a part owner of the arena.” The arena currently has 80 members and they hope they gain more by the end of the season.

When looking for partners, CHIP FM was the first organization they thought of because they showed interest in supporting the facility as they believe it’s a great place to keep residents and kids active, Lavoie-Harvey noted. “They really wanted the arena to survive.”

Not being able to be out in the community and sitting on committees has been hard, remarked Lavoie-Harvey, but seeing the way community members mobilized during their first assembly to offer themselves as board members or buy a membership made all the efforts worthwhile. Lavoie-Harvey was nervous, but to his surprise almost 80 people showed up to help save the arena.

“This community definitely cares. I love seeing people mobilizing, getting out of their house and coming to show up and just being there,” he said.

For more information visit the arenas Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/centredeloisirsdesdraveurs/

Register or subscribe to read this content

Thanks for stopping by! This article is available to readers who have created a free account or who subscribe to The Equity.

When you register for free with your email, you get access to a limited number of stories at no cost. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access to everything we publish—and directly support quality local journalism here in the Pontiac.

Register or Subscribe Today!