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Airdrie Agricultural Society receives $84,000 grant

The Airdrie and District Agricultural Society’s fundraising campaign for its new community facility is underway.

The Airdrie and District Agricultural Society’s fundraising campaign for its new community facility is underway.

Rocky View County council approved up to $84,000 from cash-in-lieu funding to assist the society with phases two, three and four of its fundraising campaign. The money will be used to conduct a business plan, feasibility study and economic assessment to make sure the project is sustainable.

“This will go a long way to setting things up for us to start bringing in some funding to get the project underway,” said Ron Hanson, chair of the site development committee. “We don’t want to get started and can’t see it finished.”

If the studies support the project, fundraising will begin immediately and construction of the agricultural centre will begin as early as next spring, according to Hanson.

“We have got to have all of this in place before we start going out to raise money,” said Hanson. “We think that will give our sponsors and the people that help us confidence that this is going to work. We want to make sure we get all the answers before we start and spend other people’s money.”

The completed project will include a 125-vehicle RV park, an agricultural-based commercial centre, stalls for up to 600 head of cattle, an outdoor skating rink and 40 acres of native grassland.

The Society has garnered interest from a BMX group, the Airdrie Rodeo Association and the Calgary Stampede.

“There will be all kinds of opportunities for the community to volunteer or use the facility,” said Hanson. “I think it will be the same to Airdrie and Rocky View as the Stampede is to Calgary.”

To date, the Agricultural Society has spent about $3.2 million towards the project, said Hanson.

“It has been really well received,” he said. “There has been very little dissent and lots of positive response. Rocky View has really been supportive with us and guided us through the project, and we are very thankful for that.”

Reeve Rolly Ashdown said he was pleased to approve the funding, based on a recommendation from the Rocky View Central Recreation Board.

“When you get a recommendation by a board located in that community, it only makes sense they know what is best for the residents in that community,” said Ashdown. “Even though we are the stewards of that money, we value their recommendations.”


Airdrie Today Staff

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