Christian Gammon-Roy
Tribune
Things are continuing to shape up for L’Élan, Crystall Falls’ upcoming social club, which resident René Daoust has been hard at work building up since the summer. The plan is for a club where Crystal Falls residents can gather for events, meals, and community support. Daoust was, until recently, waiting for an answer from the Diocese of Sault Ste Marie, regarding the use of the building at 547 Crystal Falls Road, previously the Club des Bons Amis. On September 18, he announced that they confirmed interest in moving forward on that proposal.
While the announcement is good news, more does need to happen before the club can officially open its doors. As Daoust explains, the next steps involve lawyers preparing a lease agreement, and also determining the level of insurance that the club will require. That assessment will then give Daoust an idea about how much fundraising will be required to cover those costs. “Once we get the okay from the lawyers, then there’s going to be funding. So, we’re going to do maybe a small fundraiser to catch up some of that money. I can front some of it, but obviously not all of it, so we’ll get the community together and maybe do a barbecue or something to maybe get some donations,” Daoust explains.
There are also some other details to check on before agreeing to move in. “Hydro is a big one. We’ll have to turn on the hydro, make sure everything works properly, turn on the pumps, all that,” he explains. Should there be any repairs, Daoust is pleased that he has some work connections on board with helping out. “Northern Construction Technology Inc. (NCTI) said they would front some of the materials, so we have that, and Cass Construction said that once we get everything signed, to go see them and they’ll do the same,” he announces.