Central Frontenac Council seeking grant to build a multi-use Trailhead building in Sharbot Lake

Jeff Green | Jul 14, 2021

(with files from Jeff Green - this is an updated version of an article that will appear in the July 15 print edition)

Central Frontenac Council is seeking a $214,000 federal grant to finance most of the construction costs for a multi-use Trailhead building. The matter was discussed a at a Zoom meeting of Council on Tuesday (July 13).

If constructed, the building will be located across from the township office, at the site where the former Sharbot Lake train station was located before it was torn down some 50 years ago. The K&P and Trans Canada Trails converge at that location.

The proposal rekindles an idea that was proposed a number of years ago by members of what is now known as the Central Frontenac Railway Heritage Society (CFRHS). The original intent of the SFHRS was to build a replica of the station to house a railway museum.

The museum plan was eventually scaled down to a smaller building that would include washrooms and more limited programming space. About ten years ago, when the township said no to putting a building at the site, the CFRHS shifted their focus and began to develop the Railway Heritage Park at

But is seems that the original blueprints for the project are still hanging around.

The plan under consideration now is for a trailhead building that will include: “Public washrooms, an upper viewing deck, a shade structure, accessible individual and group seating options, accessible paths to connect to K&P and the Great Trail (aka Trans-Canada trail), bike racks, water bottle station or vending machine, a map/ directory to local attractions, as well as other interpretative historic and cultural elements,” according to a staff report to council.

The proposal comes from the Downtown Revitalisation Project for Sharbot Lake that is set to complete its mandate in August. Under the direction of project coordinator Adriana Barbary, the project identified the need for the amenities that are included in this proposal.

There is a new federal funding program, the Canada Community Revitalisation Fund (CCRF), which will cover up to 75% of eligible costs for new projects. The first CCRF application deadline is July 23rd, so Council needed to make a decision this week.

The projected cost of the building is just over $285,000, and the maximum grant from the CCRF is $214,000 (75% of construction costs).

In addition to 25% of construction costs, the township will be on the hook for an extra $21,400  if the grant comes through. The extra money would go to GrantMatch, a consulting company that the township retained in May on a 1-year trial to help identify and secure grants. GrantMatch is paid 10% of grants that they help secure up to a grant value of $1 million, and 5% for any amount over $1 million.

Between the township share of construction costs, and a fee due to MatchGrant if the grant application is successful, the cost to Central Frontenac would be $91,000. The money would have to come out of reserve funds because the project is not included in the 2021 township budget.

Adriana Barbary thinks that this project will have a good chance at funding because of the terms of reference of the CCRF.

In her report to Council, Barbary said, “The Canada Community Revitalisation Fund aims to help communities across Canada build and improve community infrastructure projects so they can rebound from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. With a national investment of $500 million over two years, the Fund will support not-for-profit organisations, municipalities and other community groups, as well as Indigenous communities to: build new community infrastructure and revitalise existing assets. - bring people back to public spaces safely, as health measures ease - create jobs and stimulate local economies”.

An accessible multi-use building that incorporates washroom facilities fits the first two criteria mentioned by Barbary, and has the possibility of stimulating the local economy as well.

Coun. Victor Heese questioned the GrantMatch funding model.

“I’m all for getting grants,” Heese said, “But we have to be ready to pay.

“And I look and see that grants of $1,000,000 are available and if we were to get one of those, then we’d have to pay $100,000, which would be a significant expense to the budget. Should we be putting some money away for these sorts of things?”

Council Brent Cameron, in his capacity as a member of the economic development committee, said he was concerned about all the attention that is being paid to Sharbot Lake, which is only one of four hamlets in the township.

 “We are the economic development committee for the entire Township, not just Sharbot Lake.

“I’m all for getting grants too but using Sharbot Lake as a template, we should be looking at downtown revitalization for Arden, Parham and Tichborne,” he said.

CAO/Clerk Cathy MacMunn said that while revitalization for other hamlets was on the wish list, one of the things that made this grant application possible is there are already plans and blueprints available.

“Because of the multi-use centre committee and the trailhead, we already have plans for a lot of these things,” MacMunn said.

By a show of hands, Council approved the funding application.

GrantMatch will only get paid if the application is successful.