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RVC council approves recreation funding

Rocky View County (RVC) council unanimously approved more than $1.3 million in capital and recreation grants for local groups during a regular meeting May 28.
RecFunding
Rocky View County council approved more than $1.3 million in grants for local recreation groups during a meeting May 28. Photo by Ben Sherick/Rocky View Publishing

Rocky View County (RVC) council unanimously approved more than $1.3 million in capital and recreation grants for local groups during a regular meeting May 28.

“[The] Community Recreation Funding Policy enables the resourcing of recreational development and ongoing partnerships with provision of recreation facility services and programs for county residents,” said Community and Recreation Co-ordinator Susan de Caen, adding non-profit organizations with a recreation mandate apply for funding, and administration reviews the applications for eligibility.

In total, more than 40 recreation groups throughout the County will receive funding, following the decision. According to de Caen, four capital district recreational funding requests were recommended for council’s approval by local recreation district boards. The Bearspaw Glendale Community Association will receive $16,275 for the installation of an air-conditioning unit in the banquet hall, stage and kitchen of the Bearspaw Glendale Lifestyle Centre – a project that will cost a total of $32,550 and will help mitigate complaints about the heat during certain events and rentals at the facility, de Caen said.

Meanwhile, the Bow Valley Community Club will receive $7,113 to put toward a new ice scraper, $9,566 will enable the Delacour Community Club to replace flooring in its hall, and $10,000 will be used by the Greater Bragg Creek Trails Association to place GreenDrop Trail Gravel on the two-kilometre Banded Peak Trail.

“The Rocky View West District Recreation Board did not recommend funding of $800,000 to help construct a 4,500 square foot arts pavilion at KO Arts Centre Society of Calgary,” de Caen said, noting the museum is not connected to a recreation facility, does not allow reasonable access to the public and included an incomplete submission.

Council also approved $632,716 in operational funding requests for nine recreation districts in the County.

Separately, council approved $30,832 in operational funding for the Chestermere-Conrich Recreation district, along with $7,500 for Crushers Baseball, $5,944 for Synergy Youth and Community Development Society and $10,651 for the Chestermere Regional Community Association.

According to Community Services Co-ordinator Althea Panaguiton, Chestermere Mayor Marshall Chalmers notified RVC the City was formally withdrawing from the Chestermere-Conrich Recreation Board Dec. 20, 2018, and repealed the Chestermere-Conrich Regional Recreation District Bylaw Jan. 15, formally dissolving the board.

“Chestermere and RVC administration met Jan. 18, with an understanding that although there is no longer a functioning recreation board, there is still a need for community support for these recreation groups and for residents,” Panaguiton said. “To ensure that community needs are met, the County and the City have agreed to continue to address funding requests through separate grants. One will be administered through the County and the other by the City.”

Subsequently, Coun. Jerry Gautreau made a motion arising directing administration investigate an emergency funding request by the Chestermere Regional Recreation Centre and report back to council by the end of July. The request had to do with safety issues at the facility’s parking lot.

 “We had an elderly gentleman actually fall and hurt himself,” Gautreau said. “This is something that is very dangerous.”

Finally, council approved funding applications totaling $659,020 recommended by the Governance and Priorities Committee (GPC), doling out $159,020 to Spray Lake Sawmills Recreation Park Society, $100,000 to the Bow Valley Agricultural Society, and $400,000 to the Springbank Park For All Seasons.

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