March 8, 2022
For Immediate Release
Wellesley Township Recreation Centre Capital Campaign Off to a Good Start
Capital Campaign announces major donation and name of recreation centre
Wellesley Township, ON – The “Something for Everyone” Capital Campaign that kicked off last month is off to a great start with a major donation.
“I am very proud of our community and pleased with the support we have received in the first month of the capital campaign,” says “Something for Everyone” Campaign Chair, Chris Martin. “Today we are pleased to announce that the campaign has a received a $1 million donation from Bill Gies, and that the recreation centre building - which is forming part of the new Wellesley Township Recreation Centre - will be known as the Bill Gies Recreation Centre.”
Bill Gies was born and raised on a farm in St. Clements. He became a home builder in 1954 and has been helping build the community ever since. In 1973, Gies bought a farm in the village of Wellesley which has since been developed. Bill’s latest project, headed by his son James and his grandson Reagan, will see the family further contribute to the growth of the Township with another development. But at 90 years of age, Bill says he is getting ready to retire and feels this project very fittingly conveys his connection to this community.
"My heart's been in Wellesley Township for quite a while,” he says. “This was a chance for me to say 'Thank-you Wellesley' and donate to the capital campaign."
Along with an NHL-sized rink, the 62,000-square-foot facility at Queens Bush and Hutchison roads in Wellesley Township will include eight dressing rooms (two fully accessible), a dressing room for the Applejacks Junior C hockey team, a youth centre, seniors’ centre, a gymnasium that can serve as a community centre, meeting rooms, fitness centre, a walking track and a commercial kitchen. It is this portion of the complex that will be named the Bill Gies Recreation Centre. The outdoor portion of the complex will also include a multi-use court, skateboard park, active outdoor play centre, two soccer fields and outdoor walking trails.
The township is also in negotiations to include space for a community health centre at the location, with costs to be recovered from leasing the space.
“We are very grateful to Bill for his generous donation that helps us get the campaign closer to our fundraising goal of $2.5 million,” says Martin. “Although the campaign is off to an impressive start there is still a significant amount of work to be done to engage with the community so we can all take ownership in this tremendous facility.”
To find out more about the Wellesley Township Recreation Centre and the “Something for Everyone” Capital Campaign, go to www.something4everyone.ca.
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For More Information and/ or Interviews please contact
Chris Martin, Campaign Chair
‘Something for Everyone’
Wellesley Township Recreation Centre Capital Campaign
519-502-7158