Mountain View County has been asked to contribute to the new Water Valley Community Hall project.
Harold Baxandall, new hall committee chairman with the Water Valley Community Association (WVCA), appeared before the county's policies and priorities committee on May 4. He outlined plans for the new $1,030,000 hall and current fundraising efforts.
“We will be building a new hall in Water Valley,” said Baxandall. “It's taken us about 12 years to get to this point. We have focused on engaging the community and making sure we have full support. We can honestly say we have full support. We have to have a new hall.”
It currently costs about $22,000 a year to operate the existing hall, which was built in 1942, he said.
Planning for the new hall – which will be built immediately southwest of the existing hall – has involved dozens of volunteers, he said.
The 5,935-square-foot hall would have banquet seating for 270 and theatre seating for 350.
It would also have a portable stage, a meeting/flex room to seat 50 people, a commercial kitchen, and a FireSmart Canada staging area.
“We are considering a staging area for firefighting in the area,” he said, adding that a new larger kitchen would allow for larger events, which, in turn, would generate more revenue.
To date about $500,000 has been raised through a casino, stud auction, bottle depot donations and turkey suppers.
“We've done a lot of fundraising over the last 10 years,” he said.
Ongoing fundraising has been conducted by individuals, local businesses, corporations, raffles, sponsorships and others.
“We are focused on raising $250,000,” he said. “We have a number of different things to raise money.”
The timeline for the new hall includes the selection of a project manager this month, an application to the CFEP grant program in September, application for development permits in September and building permits in January 2017.
Construction will tentatively start in June 2017.
The association is asking the county to make a $50,000 sponsorship contribution.
“With that we would look at some sort of special naming,” he said.
Coun. Duncan Milne said, “It sounds to me like you've got your ducks in a row.”
Deputy Reeve Patricia McKean made a motion that the request for $50,000 be forwarded to council. The motion passed unanimously.
The policies and priorities committee is made up of all MVC councillors. Reeve Bruce Beattie did not attend the May 4 committee meeting.
"We have focused on engaging the community and making sure we have full support."Harold Baxandallnew hall committee chairman
