In partnership with the Rath Group, the owners of Oxford, Tatamagouche & Wallace Home Hardware stores lays down a cool $100-thousand for naming rights in the new Oxford & Area Community Centre.
An approaching storm couldn’t stop the community spirit on Monday, as the Oxford & Area Community Centre (OCC) Committee welcomed Dana Fraser, the dealer-owner of Oxford Home Hardware Building Centre, and store manager Neil Patriquin. Fraser was on-hand to make official the donation of $100-thousand dollars for the new centre, an amount that gives Home Hardware the naming rights for the new facility’s gymnasium: “The Home Hardware Gymnasium.”
Fraser says the goals of the community centre fit right in with Home Hardware’s philosophy: “Home Hardware and the ownership groups and the general managers are all very focused on community and … we want to be here with Oxford, we want Oxford to be supported properly by our store and we’re very fortunate to have good people like Neil running the store here in Oxford and all our staff there. We’re fortunate to be able to be in that position to help out with this community centre and hopefully it’s going to give young kids and and all the community members of the area the opportunity to have a better lifestyle and a place for the community to come. We’re fortunate to be involved in it.”
Fraser says it was the long-time relationship between the Bragg Group and the Rath Group that made this donation happen: “As the dealer/owner of Home Hardware in Oxford, Wallace and Tatamagouche along with my partners Raelee & Lorna Rath, this joint donation is built upon the partnership that Duane and Stu Rath formed with the Bragg Group when they started the communications company ‘way back when.”
“Oxford Frozen Foods and the Bragg Family are community leaders. Recognizing their contribution to this project, it made us want to jump on board, to join in on what they’re doing. We’re fortunate to have that type of family in the community.”
OCC Committee representative Jordan Burkhardt welcomed the support: “We are very grateful for the significant contribution from Home Hardware. Without the support of the businesses and individuals whom have contributed none of this would be possible. This really defines the “community” portion of a community centre.“
“We have seen many members in the community stretch themselves — no matter if this is 100 dollars or 100,000 which shows the commitment from the members within Cumberland County. We can’t wait to get it open and start enjoying the benefits this will bring.“
One of the fundraising avenues for the $24.5-million facility is the awarding of naming rights to specific rooms of the building. Last summer, the CIBC provided a $100-thousand donation for the right to co-brand with the Oxford Branch Library (which will relocate to the building from its current location on Rideau St.) as the CIBC Community Learning Centre.
Naming rights for the overall facility are held by the Bragg family, which has contributed at least $7-million through the philanthropic organization it founded, the River Philip Foundation. An announcement on the centre’s name is expected to come in the next few weeks.
The Oxford & Area Community Centre is planning to open its doors in late Spring, with an official opening (and community celebration) on July 18th.
OCC committee members Leta MacDiarmid, Jordan Burkhardt, Paul Jones, Matthew Bragg, Chrystal MacNutt, David Hoffman, Troy Miller, and Connie Pettigrew with Home Hardware dealer/owner Dana Fraser & Oxford Home Hardware Manager Neil Patriquin in front of the soon-to-be completed Oxford & Area Community Centre.
