Members of a Lions Club chapter in Nova Scotia are worried that a steadily growing sinkhole outside their hall could be endangering their entire organization.
The sinkhole in Oxford, N.S., was first discovered in July, when it was the size of a dinner plate. It has since grown to more than 40 metres in diameter – edging closer and closer to the Lions Club hall as it expands.
The hall has been shut down to the public out of concerns for the safety of people on the property – meaning weddings, birthday parties and other major events scheduled to take place at the Lions Club have been cancelled. It is still used to host a weekly TV broadcast of bingo.
The lack of events means a lack of revenue for the Lions Club, which in turn means the organization can no longer make donations to community initiatives.
“Everything we were making, we were putting back into the community,” Bruce Selkirk, who helped build the hall in 1993, told CTV Atlantic.
“That’s not going to happen anymore, because we just don’t have the funds.”
Lions Club members say they don’t expect to resume their normal club operations until at least 2019.
Even if the hall does reopen, some members worry they won’t be able to raise the money they would need to resume supporting the community.
“How are we going to fundraise? It doesn’t feel as good to fundraise for the Lions as it does to fundraise for your community,” said Lester Wah.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to support the club. It has raised about $3,000 of its $50,000 goal.
With a report from CTV Atlantic’s Kate Walker
