Why do I need to contribute, wasn’t there an endowment fund that can pay for this?
The Plast Toronto Endowment fund was created to help sustain our programs and operations in Toronto. Income from that investment contributes at least $200,000 a year to our budget. When necessary, we are able to draw additional income to help support special projects, but we need to keep reinvesting in that Endowment to ensure that it continues to grow and can keep supporting our operating needs in Toronto into the future, while keeping up with inflation.

Doesn’t Sich have a contingency fund to pay for capital expenditures?
Sich as a whole is funded by fees from cottagers at Sich and Krym members and by Plast Toronto along with revenues generated from renting our camp facilities. However, Sich has consistently operated at a deficit.

We are exploring many options to ensure our costs are covered in the future, however, the cost of maintaining shared facilities at Sich, such as the pool, are shared between Plast Toronto members and Sich cottagers and Krym renters. This is why we need the support of ALL of our members!

The last 5 years have been challenging, not just because of Pandemic closures and rising costs, but because of things such as climate change which have had a significant impact on Sich. With Lake Ontario waters rising and falling, our shoreline has dramatically decreased and in 2018 we had to invest $32,000 to place boulders to help protect the shoreline. This is just one example of some of the challenges we face in maintaining the facility.

It is our plan in 2023, Plast Toronto’s 75th Anniversary year, to create a Legacy Fund that will help us better manage both planned and unexpected capital expenditures and we will require support from our community to ensure that Sich will continue to be a place for all to enjoy.

Hasn’t the pool been an issue for a long time, why was it so urgent to do now with limited planning?
Yes, the pool has been something that we knew that we needed to address for many years. The pool was built in 1962 and over the years we have fixed it as best as we could. Since 2019 it was clear that more needed to be done and we were exploring many options including rebuilding the entire pool.

In 2021 the stability of the north wall of the pool came into question and the Plast Toronto Executive decided that not fixing it was a risk they were not willing to take. Core samples and scanning confirmed that the wall was not structurally sound and we had to act quickly to ensure that the pool would be available for the summer as it is such a critical part of camp life. We were able to raise money from generous community partners and foundations and borrowed funds from the endowment fund to pay for the balance of repairs.

Isn’t there someone that is managing the Sich that would have suggested a plan?
We have always depended on our volunteers to help run Sich and they have done an incredible job in maintaining the existing infrastructure and we are grateful to them. But running two large facilities is a full-time job, and in this modern age it is neither fair nor feasible to put the entire burden solely on volunteers. To be more proactive we have invested in hiring a Facilities Manager for Plast Toronto. Together with an eager committee of Sich volunteers under the leadership of our VP of Operations, the Facilities Manager will be responsible for the maintenance of Sich and ensuring a plan is established so that we can try to stay ahead of all the mounting repairs at both facilities.

Is the money just for the pool or will it help with other areas of sich?
The funds we are raising today will help us repay the money we borrowed from our investments to pay for the repair of the pool this past summer but will also help us complete some additional repairs this spring. Once the repairs are complete, any additional funds we may raise will help with other improvements, like building a new fence and ensuring barrier free access to the pool. By helping us invest in these upgrades means that we will not have to redirect funds from other planned improvements and modernizations at Sich.

How do I know that my donation is going directly to the pool?
When you make a donation to the Pool Repair Fund, that money is restricted specifically for that project, as per CRA guidelines.

Do I get a tax receipt?
Yes. Every donation will be issued a tax receipt. Whether you donate by e-transfer, cheque or secure online donation via CanadaHelps.org. Donating by cheque or e-transfer ensures that not a penny is lost to fees.

Can I donate by cheque?
Yes. Please make your cheque out to Plast Toronto Branch and be sure to put “Pool Repair Fund” in the note field. It can be dropped off or mailed to the Plast Toronto office at: 516 The Kingsway, Toronto ON, M9A 3W6

How are donors being recognized?
Donors will be recognized in our donor lists, which are published in our newsletter, in our annual reports, as well as in a special donor wall to be displayed at the pool entrance3