The Bearspaw Glendale Community Association (BGCA) can get started on some renovations to the Bearspaw Lifestyle Centre in time for the approaching winter.
Rocky View County council approved a funding request of $64,000 to go towards upgrades and maintenance of the community hall, Nov. 5.
”As local recreation amenities and gathering places, the centres are valuable assets to the community,” said Reeve Rolly Ashdown.
The centre, which includes a gym, dance studio and meeting rooms, serves about 2,500 Rocky View residents, providing programming for people of all ages.
The money will go towards a furnace replacement, exterior insulation and finishing system and minor repairs and upgrades.
“Some of the furnaces are 25 to 30 years old and they service major parts of the facility,” said Jens Lipper, chair of the BGCA, adding it’s time to replace them with new, more environmentally friendly renovations.
The total projected cost is $128,756 and the association applied for a $63,698.92 grant from the County’s Community Facility Enhancement Program. About $1,000 will come from the BGCA’s coffers. The rest comes from the county contribution.
Lipper said the association is currently working on an expansion project and County’s help for these renovations means the BGCA’s reserve funds can remain allocated to the expansion project.
The Beaupre Community Association also received money towards upgrades to its 10-year-old facility. Council granted $15,174 towards the Beaupre Community Hall upgrades.
“We think it’s great,” said Linda Thomas, vice president of the Beaupre Community Association.
“Our hall is 10 years old now, it’s starting to deteriorate it gets an awful lot of use,” she said.
The hall, located near Cochrane, serves a local community of about 300 to 400 people as a public gathering place. They association plans to replace the exterior doors, gravel the driveway, replace picnic tables, build a new picnic shelter, paint the facility, insulate pipes and the furnace room and replace kitchen appliances.
The total costs come in at more than $67,000 and the association is looking at four funding sources including the $15,174 from the County, $26,000 from a community infrastructure improvement fund from Alberta Government, $12,819 from the Municipal District of Bighorn and $13,281 from the Beaupre Community Association.
CAN YOU GET A REACTION FROM SOMEONE THERE – TRY CALLING THE HALL.The hall is used for outside rentals for weddings, reunions and any number of things people need a space for, Thomas said. As well, the association has six functions per year such as a spring tea and Christmas craft sale.
