Over $225,000 in community facility enhancement grants will assist local organizations to improve facilities to benefit the entire region.
Banff-Cochrane MLA Cam Westhead presented cheques yesterday to the Girl Guides of Canada (Calgary region), Camp Cadicasu, Cochrane Minor Ball and Cochrane Lions Club.
Camp Jubilee, operated by the Calgary region of Girls Guides of Canada, received $107,545 to assist with re-establishing and vastly enhancing its playground at their Bow River camp. Jubilee's playground was destroyed by the 2013 flood but even prior to that the need for an upgraded playground was recognized, explains Calgary region commissioner Arzmund Teja.
"After the flood, we did do the cleanup of the playground so that was part of the reason we why we had to have a new one, but there had been issued with the playground before. So it worked out timing wise with the flood doing its business, too, but we haven't had a playground for five years."
It is a natural playground designed to provide play opportunities for those 5 to 17 years old.
"We've had a lot of planning go into it," explains Teja. 'We did focus groups with girls to talk about what they like. We talked about the natural environment and ensuring we preserve that and the environment of the camp so the playground is a natural playground and not your standard bright red painted metal playground. That was important to us because it's a wildlife corridor so we wanted to make sure it's safe for all of its occupants."
The playground is part of a three-phase project. The Guides have already completed their team adventure park and in addition to the playground aim to develop an amphitheatre. They only construct when all funds are in place and fundraising continues.
"With the community support that has been extended by Cochrane Rotary as well as some of the other organizations that have expressed interest, we're thinking two years might be a reasonable timeline," she says.
Camp Jubilee is widely used in the region by the Guiding Movement, which numbers nearly 5,000 girls in their Sparks, Brownies, Guides, Pathfinders and Rangers age groups. In 2018 alone the Camp Jubilee accommodated over 12,225 girl nights and about 4,000 adult nights. In addition, the camp is used by outside groups.
The camp was in desperate need of new washroom facilities and the $62,938 provided through the grant will cover half the cost of constructing four new ones, explains executive director Heather O'Neill.
Kevin Firkus, of the Cochrane Lions Club, says their $44,601 grant will be used towards nearly $90,000 in upgrades being completed to the rodeo grounds and Cochrane Lions Events Centre. Last summer the club constructed new bleachers, completely rebuilt the grounds concession and did a general cleanup to its rodeo grounds. It also continues to upgrade the Cochrane Lions Events Centre and, in part, that money will help improve the overall aesthetics of the building that previously was home to the Cochrane Curling Club.
Hall usage continues to grow, he says and there are already over 50 upcoming bookings for this year and it's only February. The club is also organizing more community events, like this weekend's Valentine Dances. Friday night is for the entire family to enjoy. Saturday is for adults only.
The Alberta Government administers its Community Facility Enhancement Program through its Culture and Tourism ministery and is funded through the Alberta Lottery Fund. It provides financial assistance to acquire, build, purchase, repair, renovate, upgrade or expand sports, recreational, cultural or other related public-use community facilities.
Sat, Apr 20, 9:00 AM
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