M.D. Dismisses Pontiacs’ Request for Borrowing Bylaw

The Bonnyville Pontiacs hopes of having the Municipal District (M.D.) of Bonnyville and Town co-sign on a $150,000 loan to help alleviate debt were dashed on Wednesday morning.

During the most recent M.D. meeting, the borrowing bylaw request to support a loan for the Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs was dismissed at second reading by a vote of 4-3.

Reeve, Greg Sawchuk, who voted to decline the motion, said he is “worried about the precedent it would set” in regards to backing other institutions, including the Cold Lake Ice, for example.

The financial institutions had required that the Pontiacs have both the M.D. and Town of Bonnyville approve before moving forward on a loan.

The Town had approved the request Tuesday evening.

Director of Business Operations, Robb Hunter, said “We’re just surveying some options, and we’re just figuring out the best course of action for us moving forward.”

The loan would help with some of the debts the teams have accrued over the years and put the team in a better situation financially, Hunter said on May 16.

Recently, the Bonnyville Pontiac’s were running a tie-in promotion with the World Junior A Challenge. The purchase of Pontiac’s season tickets was tied into a special early bird sale for World Junior A Challenge tickets for December, which gives the buyer an assigned seat and the full-event package for $149.00.