Mountain View County council has received updates on community, playground and cemetery grant funding OK’d earlier by the community services grant review committee.
The move came during the recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
A total of $125,565 was approved by the committee.
Cemetery grants totalling $16,545 were approved for 19 cemeteries in the municipality. The total was equal to the amount requested.
“Grants may be used for general operational expenses such as grass cutting and general maintenance,” administration said in a briefing note to council.
“Operating costs would only be approved to cemetery boards using the services of a yard care maintenance company. Approved funding may also be used for fixed outdoor assets such as benches, signage, mapping, garbage and recycling collection and storage sheds that would enhance the ambiance of the cemetery.”
Special project requests were considered on a case-by-case basis, council heard.
Each registered cemetery organization would apply for grants up to $1,000 under the county’s cemetery grant program.
Funding approved this year included for fence replacement at the Bergthal Mennonite Church cemetery, tree planting at the Carstairs cemetery, installation of benches at the Cremona cemetery, and floor replacement and ramp construction at the Water Valley cemetery.
Last year the committee approved $13,600 in cemetery grant requests.
The committee approved $20,000 in playground grant funding, including $10,900 for playground replacement at Ecole Olds Elementary, $1,500 for playground equipment at Rugby, $1,600 for swing set or climbing ladder at the Coburn Community Hall, and $6,000 for playground equipment at Dogpound.
“Successful applicants will receive 75 per cent of the funding approved. The remaining 25 per cent will be provided upon the conclusion of the project once Mountain View County has received written confirmation and completed an inspection of each site. A minimum of 50 per cent needs to be raised or committed,” administration said.
The committee approved grants totalling $44,019 in rural community grants, including $2,000 for publication costs for the Bergen News, $2,250 for the Carstairs Heritage Festival, $2,500 for the Carstairs High School rodeo club’s annual high school rodeo, and $5,000 for the Mountain View Arts Society’s Days of Yore.
The committee approved $45,000 in transportation and operating assistance grant funding, including $8,900 for Accredited Supports to the Community, $2,800 for Cremona School Enhancement Society, and $2,500 for Olds and District Evergreen Club.
The grant is allocated to provide funding to community organizations throughout the county that provide transportation benefits to those with no transportation options.
Council received all of the grant reports as information.
