It won’t be called the Island Savings Centre beyond October.
The 10-year naming rights agreement between the Cowichan Valley Regional District and Island Savings expires on Oct. 6 and as such, the regional district is entertaining offers.
Will it revert back to the Cowichan Community Centre? Will another corporate sponsor rename the facility? The CVRD is “examining the potential” of a new naming rights sponsor, according to a press release issued by Kris Schumacher, the regional district’s new spokesperson.
He said the public will be kept apprised of any future decisions.
CVRD board chair Jon Lefebure said the Island Savings Centre Commission will take the lead.
“The Commission will have to come to a decision about how to deal with the change including whether or not to look for a new sponsor,” he said. “Then the decision will go to the board for ratification.”
The decision to accept funds in exchange for a corporate logo on the building was controversial back in the summer of 2008 when the Cowichan Community Centre took on the Island Savings name.
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ISC Commission chair Sharon Jackson praised the long-term sponsorship saying the benefits “cannot be overstated”.
The CVRD received $100,000 a year from the credit union for capital projects including facility upgrades, a new parking lot, new sound systems, a new Zamboni and more.
“Many of these projects were required to maintain the programming available at the Centre, and this partnership was equal to $1 million in funding that would have otherwise come from taxpayers,” Jackson noted. “We thank Island Savings for their support and look forward to continuing our positive working relationship in the future.”
The relationship was mutually beneficial, according to Island Savings president Randy Bertsch.
“Our partnership with the Island Savings Centre has been an incredible journey; it is truly such an important pillar in the Cowichan community and we are proud to have our name connected to so many great events that have taken place there,” he said, before noting that the end of the contract offers a new beginning.
“We are firmly committed to Cowichan and the conclusion of our ISC sponsorship will enable us to initiate new community partnerships and provide support to some of the amazing initiatives happening locally,” Bertsch said.
READ MORE: Sponsorship plan draws fire
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