Centre Culture La Ronde is getting closer to reaching its fundraising goal.
Today, the centre kicked off a fundraising campaign for its new building that will be located at the corner of Mountjoy and Algonquin Boulevard.
Before the pandemic, the goal of the campaign was to raise $6.5 million. With the federal government’s funding announced last week, the final cost will be announced in the next months and is expected to be higher due to the cost of materials going up.
“We’re happy that we got the funding of $2.5 million that puts our thermometer to $5.6 million. Super excited, what a great number,” said La Ronde’s executive director Lisa Bertrand. "We're very, very excited."
To raise money from the community, the centre will be hosting an online progressive raffle, Catch the Ace. There will be online weekly ticket sales with 20 per cent from the sales going to each weekly draw winner, 30 per cent to the jackpot and 50 per cent toward the construction of the new centre.
Ticket sales will open Wednesday, June 2.
La Ronde’s volunteer Ludger Cloutier said the fundraising committee will be raising awareness about the campaign by putting up lawn signs around the city. The committee was looking into doing 50/50 draws but didn't want to compete with the hospital's draw, he said.
"This is something a bit different, something going around in Ontario and Canada. We've seen some places where it really, really works," he said.
For more information about the raffle and how it will work, visit larondeacetimmins.ca.
