Rocky View County (RVC) council reviewed funding requests recommended by the Regional Recreation Board at a meeting on May 12, and approved operational funding for three of the County's four regional facilities.
Rocky View County (RVC) council reviewed funding requests recommended by the Regional Recreation Board at a meeting on May 12, and approved operational funding for three of the County's four regional facilities.
The City of Airdrie's request for $135,369 in operational funding was approved unanimously by RVC council, as was a request for $137,500 from the Spray Lake Sawmills Recreation Park Society in Cochrane.
Springbank Park For All Seasons' (SPFAS) request included $320,000 for operational funding, $90,000 for life cycle replacement, and $295,500 in storm water mitigation funding - for a total of $705,500. However, RVC administration recommended that council approve funding to SPFAS for $400,000.
“This provides the board with flexibility to prioritize funding for the stormwater enhancement project and places this urgent and important project before the proposed life cycle replacements, like hockey boards,” said administration's report.
SPFAS' 50-year lease with the County acknowledges the SPFAS board is the operational authority for the lands and facility, which includes the responsibility for maintenance and improvements to the site. According to RVC administration, there is no current cost-sharing agreement in place, and under the current Community Recreation Funding Policy, the County is under no obligation to contribute more than the maximum of $400,000.
“Administration has determined that the drainage enhancement project falls within the responsibility of the Board,” said RVC's Manager of Recreation and Community Support Corwin McCullagh.
“The stormwater mitigation project does not meet the emergency criteria, and the SPFAS board has the capacity (with $400,000 in uncategorized funding and $1.6 million in its capital reserve account) to complete this project without an impact to operations and service levels, and without additional County funds.”
However, Springbank area Councillor Jerry Arshinoff said the SPFAS board has been informed that unless the stormwater project is dealt with soon, it may result in a higher cost to the facility.
“The issue is to fix the problem before it is an emergency,” he said. “Are you suggesting that we wait until the cost is three or four or five times as much?”
According to McCullagh, the board indicated they would be “taking action” regardless of what the County does.
“We have to work within the boundaries of what exists in the way of policy, in order to make sure that all groups are treated fairly,” he said.
“In this circumstance, we are holding a bit firm.”
Deputy Reeve Lois Habberfield said administration's recommendation for RVC to provide an uncategorized $400,000 would still leave the board with $105,000 in available funding to put toward other projects, after the completion of the stormwater project at the estimated $295,500.
“Until we change the allocations we provide to regional recreation facilities or the way we fund them, I think we should stick with this,” she said. “I like the idea that we are allowing them to decide what their priorities are for this $400,000.”
Arshinoff proposed a slight amendment to administration's recommended motion, moving council not only approve the $400,000 for operational and capital needs, but also an additional $295,500 for the stormwater project. However, Councillor Rolly Ashdown motioned to remove Arshinoff's amendment, which was passed 8-1 with only Arshinoff voting in opposition.
Administration's recommended motion, to provide $400,000 in uncategorized funding, was approved unanimously.
