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WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY MARCH 5, 1980, PAGE 3 Carnival i ifinancial trouble, Lyon is confident it wil sur"ve By MICHAEL KNELL Free Press Staff The County Town Carnival could be in serious financial trouble, however, commit- tee president Robin Lyon is confient that the most prestigious Whitby affair wil survive through it. The trouble for the com- mittee began when Whitby Town Coundil eut their grant from last year's $7,500 to $3,500. The committee had ortginaily requested $8,500 for this year. Lyon said that while he may not be totally happy with the situation, he was aware that the. grants would be eut at some point and that he was "1thankful for any kind of grant that the town may provide. " Lyon also said that he was aware that council was going to eut grants by 20 per cent across the board in ail areas but did not expect the over 50 per cent eut. 111 feel we should be in the same category as other organizations seeking a grant," he said. Lyon also admitted that the move by council could seriously jeopardize the survival of the carnival. "We may have to institute a prograni that mnay jeopar- dize the carnival this year," he said. That prograni would in- clude charging a levy to the service clubs and the organizations participating in the two week event. 4'We can't go around demanding a percentage of the gross or an across-the- board fee from each club, " he said, «"primarily because it has neyer been done before." This, however, will not prevent the commnittee fromn trying to raise money froni the groups that participate or from charging admission fees to certain events (another practice that has not been done often in the past.) "We wiil have to charge a fee te people who par- ticipate," he sai adding, "but it will not cover the loss of grant funds. " Lyon also said that it is virtually impossible for the County Town Carnival committee te charge ad- mission fees as doe« the Brooklin Spring Fair. "We don't have the facilities te charge ad- mission as does the Brooklin Spring Fair," he said. The primary reason for this is that the carnival is spread out over the entire town and takes in such facilities as the Iroquois Park Coniplex, Heyden- shore Pavillion, Kinsmen Park and Brooklin whereas the Brooklin Spring Fair is held An a reasonably en- closed, central area, Lyon said. However, Lyon is con- fident that the 15 year-old event will survive. "lCommunity spirit and service club spirit wil prevail and the carnival wil survive," he said noting that the money raised by these groups is channelled back into the community at some point. He also said that he hopes the council wiil re-consider its position and rafise the grant if by only $1,00 to $2,000. There have been suggestions that the County Town Carnival should be run along the same ines as the Brooklin Spring Fair and they wil get some agreement from Lyon. III don't deny that the Brooklin Spring Fair has one or two features that the committee should adopt," Lyon said. However, he went to great lengths to stress that the two events are totally different ideas' and the money for them is raised differently. Lyon pointed out that the Brooklin Spring Fair is an agricultural fair and is, therefore, eligible for a grant from the Ontario Government while the Coun- ty Town Carnival is not. He also said that the Brooklln event has more control over itself because it is usually held in one or two locations that are fenced ini, therefore, they can charge admission to, everyone as well as charge for specifie activities. Lyon said that it normally coets between $15,000 to $20,000 to put on the carnival and without more council assistance there is a "iserious possibility" that some of the activities will have to be eut back or drop- ped altogether. Lyon pointed out that the parade alone cost $3,500 and is the largest expense that the committee has and since attendance at the parade has dropped significantly over the past few years, it may be one of the things to go. Two other things that may go are the talent show and the Carnival Queen Contest or, at least, the committee may have to charge an ad- mission fee for these two events in order to make them pay for thernselves. Lyon, however, says that he does not blame the town for the action that it took although he expressed his amnazemnent at the timing. "I'm sure the town is not saying we're mismanaging the money although one councilor has said we're stashing it away, although I can't see how, because the books and the financial statements were open for in- spection," he said. Lyon said that the eut was ",too drastic a eut at one Urne" and would have preferred to see it staggered over a two year period s0 that the committee would have had more "breathing space" to adjust to the change. The town, however, does not lose ail the money tbey grant to the committee. " The town gives us the grant and then they charge us for facilities," Lyon said. "'They also require a deposit on the facilities that we use."P The carnival's major source of revenue is the rides and Lyon said that if it sould happen to rain during the five days they are presented then the commit- tee could lose as rnuch as $1,000 a day. Lyon said that the com- mittee executive is an able group of people and that they should be able to pull off the carnival without too many problems although there may be a tight finan- %Z7~fl~ mis & Hi PERMS ½/2PRI Mondays 0 SPECIALI aUs CHUWRENS i HAIRCUTS ICE 1/2 PRICE n Iy BLAIR PARK PLAZA 6U5441 WHITBY, ONTARIO Il cial squeeze. Mondays Only 0