INNISFAIL – Town staff is developing a fundraising consultant plan for the planned $28.5 million state-of-the-art aquatic centre that could ultimately see the municipality hire an expert to launch a fundraising campaign throughout the community and beyond.
And it's possible the campaign’s scope could include the Innisfail Twin Arena and the Innisfail Skatepark.
Funding for the proposed 22,600 square-foot aquatic centre project has been on the minds of administration and mayor Jean Barclay since the project’s validation report was released last March.
Barclay has been busy talking and meeting with senior provincial government officials about securing multi-million dollar grant help.
As well, serious discussions with Red Deer County are expected to start soon about making a significant financial contribution to the project.
The current fundraising consultant idea was advanced to Innisfail town council by Todd Becker, the town’s chief administrative officer, at a council meeting in the fall.
“During the budget process council brought up the idea of hiring or bringing in or pulling information regarding fundraising consultants to help with a fundraising campaign for the proposed aquatic centre project,” Becker told council.
“If that's the case, I’m asking council to formalize the request of administration to research and bring back to council a fundraising consultant plan for a fundraising campaign for the proposed aquatic centre project.”
The mayor asked Becker whether the scope of the campaign would be broadened to include the Innisfail Twin Arena and the Innisfail Skatepark.
Becker said a consultant could educate administration and council on that point, adding he saw an opportunity of pulling the recreational facilities together as “one hub” that could be developed as a single market for the entire area.
“What we're going to do is get educated,” Becker later told the Albertan. “And what does it mean to have to bring in a consultant to help the fundraising campaign, or build one? So, what is it? How do they support us?
“What is the marketability of our aquatic centre proposal, but also a lot of recreation facilities?” added Becker. “So really, right now it is to understand the benefits and opportunity of using a consultant.”
Council unanimously approved a motion directing administration to research and bring back to council a fundraising consultant plan for a proposed project fundraising campaign.
In the meantime, Becker and town staff, who have just worked on the challenging 2024 municipal budget process, will figure out how to pay for a fundraising consultant, which could be pricey.
“I think there's a few options that come to mind. If a consultant is for the aquatic centre it could be a capital expenditure, so it would be built into the development of the project,” said Becker, adding the town could draw from the facilities reserve, which now sits at about $1.6 million, that was established for the new aquatic centre project.
“It could be considered at year end when we see any surplus dollars associated with the 2023 year end, or there could be a budget adjustment in advance of the tax bylaw review in the spring.”
