Stormy skies and the threat of wet weather couldn’t dampen the spirits of the 144 golfers who showed up to tee off for a good cause on Friday.
Bradford’s annual Mayor and Council Golf Classic managed to stay mostly dry over 18 holes at The Club at Bond Head on Sept. 6, and while the final numbers are still being determined, the unofficial total raised by the charity tournament was $100,000 to be split between the town’s celebration of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) centennial back in June, as well as proposed amenities for Bradford’s future town hall.
Mayor James Leduc praised the effort of local Ferguson Mobbs in leading the organization of the celebration, and hoped the tournament would be a way to give back.
“I love supporting our armed forces,” he said. “It’s a proud moment for myself and council to be able to do that.”
Recalling how popular the parade and air show was with attendees and the screams of joy from the nearby students at Fieldcrest Elementary School as the Canadian Armed Forces SkyHawks parachute team glided down from the sky, the mayor called the event “a super success,” and “a proud moment for Bradford West Gwillimbury.”
While the exact details for the new town hall haven’t been finalized, Leduc said he’s hoping to include an installation in the lobby that helps connect visitors to the town’s agricultural history, possibly including an antique tractor.
“We’re going through growth and our community is changing, but I want them all to see our roots, and our roots are about farming. I want to do something that identifies that and shows what our history is about,” he said.
Despite some rain Thursday night and Friday morning, the mayor noted the course was in “fantastic shape,” and he thanked The Club at Bond Head and Golf North for their help.
While he was hoping to come in at least one or two under par for the full 18 holes, the scorecard wasn’t the most important part for Leduc.
“We’re just out there for fun,” he said. “It’s not about winning it today. It’s about enjoying it and networking.”
Angelo Bitondo and Anthony Tiberini of Bayview Wellington Homes, the event’s premier sponsor, both joined the mayor on his team.
“We’re a big supporter of Bradford,” Bitondo said. “It’s a great way to give back to the community.”
He credited the mayor for “carrying us” through the tournament and said he’d be happy with five or six below par as a final score.
“It’s just a continuation to show our support and involvement in the community,” Tiberini said of sponsoring the tournament.
He called Leduc a “rock star,” on the course, and joked that even 17 below par wasn’t out of the question.
Ward 6 Coun. Nickolas Harper took a more modest approach by measuring score in the number of balls lost, and said it felt “really good,” to be a part of the team.
“It’s always a pleasure to play with the mayor and have good sport in competition. I think we embody that in all aspects,” he said.
As a veteran, Harper said he “couldn’t be happier” to be supporting the Canadian Armed Forces and especially the RCAF, plus the new town hall which is “desperately needed to build stability for the future of our town.”
While the tournament is usually held in June, this year it was moved to September to accommodate the RCAF event, and is expected to return in June next year.
Last year’s event also raised $100,000, in that case for the a new nature centre at the Scanlon Creek Conservation Area.
