Barrie Construction Association Report staff writer
A charitable initiative from former BCA president Scott Ward to provide a stage for the Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay For Life has evolved into an ongoing community-building partnership between the BCA and radio stations Rock95/KOOL Fm.
Ward and BCA volunteers decided to take their hand at building a stage for the relay but the final product looked “quite home made,” said BCA administrative director Alison Smith.
The organizers discovered how prohibitively expensive it would be to rent a professional-grade stage.
Then, the inspiration. . .
BCA volunteers discovered a stage for sale in Texas, and with the help of several members, the association arranged to purchase and transport it to Barrie. The radio stations agreed to co-sponsor the initiative, also appreciating the stage’s community-branding value.
The stage arrived in time for the BCA’s housewarming, and can now be rented at highly discounted rates for charity and non-profit events. The BCA has a crew available to co-ordinate the set-up and take-down, and the association and radio stations share its insurance costs.
The 24′ x 15′ stage can also be rented by commercial organizations and Smith expects that these rentals will ultimately cover the stage’s capital costs.
BCA members supporting the stage project include: Coco Paving, CRS-Contractors Rental Supply, Division 15 Plumbing, Mor Control, Munro Ltd., Stimer Engineering, Vipond Inc. and Walker Electric.
You can call Alison Smith at (705) 726-5864 to discuss stage availability for your event.
