TCAG strengthens bond with community through new programs

After a few difficult pandemic years, the Thorold Community Activities Group (TCAG) is doing better than ever.

“It’s been nice because we have had quite a nice rebound in terms of our programming,” says executive director Megan Gilchrist, in an interview with ThoroldToday. “We just got lots of different projects kind of converging all at once.”

The recreational group is currently holding its annual Poinsettia sale.

“It’s been running for a number of years and it’s one of our major seasonal fundraisers,” says Gilchrist. “We work with a green house, and all of the plants are delivered to the centre and then people come pick them up. I’m looking forward to seeing all the flowers in the lobby.”

On Nov. 19 the TCAG is hosting a trivia night.

“The trivia nights are very popular,” Gilchrist says. “They usually sell out so I think we can probably do another one in the spring. We were thinking of perhaps doing a music theme for that one.”

Recently, the TCAG announced it’s partnering with La Maison de la Culture franchophone Niagara.

“This is going to be a pilot project,” says Gilchrist. “It will be family programming where families can come in and basically they’ll be offering a variety of arts and crafts, and games in French. If it works well we’re hoping to be expand some of our French language programming in partnership with them in 2023.”

The TCAG will also have their own float in the Thorold Santa Claus Parade on Nov. 26.

“We’ll be collecting donations of toys, clothing, and anything that folks would like to donate to us towards their holiday drive,” says Gilchrist. “We’re going to have folks walking along besides the float and they will be there to collect it.”

Registration for the group's holiday camps have also recently opened.

When it comes to sports, the TCAG is once again offering a variety of different programming.

“We’re starting to see people coming back and asking about programs like pickle ball,” Gilchrist says. “Our volleyball league is back. That’s been really great too and we’ve been able to take advantage of the new space in the Canada Games Park.”

Unfortunately, the roof of the TCAG is in need of replacement and Gilchrist says the TCAG will launch a fundraiser in hopes of installing a green roof.

“The entire cost of the roof is well over 300,000 dollars,” she says. “There is grant money available that we’re applying for but most of the grants require that we raise a certain percentage ourselves to show that there is community support. We’re hoping to raise about 40,000 dollars.”

With so many different projects on the horizon one thing’s for certain: the TCAG is doing better than ever.

“It’s been going really well,” says Gilchrist. “I feel like the community has been really supportive of the things we have been doing which has been really lovely.”