Western Isles Council is set to turn down a crowdfunding donation to open Lewis Sports Centre on Sundays.
Campaign group, Families into Sport for Health (Fish), will have to keep the £11,400 it raised through an internet drive.
However, Fish is still going ahead with a public relations event to present the cheque to the council early next month.
A council source said the cheque cannot be accepted as it would “give the wrong impression”.
The council stressed Sabbath observance is not the reason why councillors voted against seven-day opening.
The local authority said a vote against the extended opening was “based on an objective assessment of the likely costs and the employment and operational issues involved – not just purely financial issues.”
A Fish spokesperson said: “We feel it is necessary to hold a public event for this offering as throughout this campaign there has been public confusion.
“We would like the council to provide an official and public statement in light of funds now being available as reasons against opening on Sundays have been ever-changing and the process for achieving community engagement ambiguous.”
Western Isles Council leader, Angus Campbell, said : “The decision of the council was not to implement a pilot.
“We have been very clear that this decision was not only based on the financial implications but also on the employment and operational issues involved and the need to represent the views of the majority of people in our wards.
“Members of the community had the opportunity to engage with our 31 elected members across the length and breadth of the Western Isles and the numerous representations made were not only taken into account fully, but also reflected in the majority decision not to go ahead with trial opening period.
“Therefore, it would be wrong to give the impression that money raised could change that democratic decision.”