SUNDRE – More than half of the $50,000 budgeted by the town for the municipality’s 2023 grants to organizations program has been awarded with two intakes yet to go.
The grant review committee, comprised of members of council mayor Richard Warnock, Todd Dalke, Jaime Marr, and Owen Petersen, met on Feb. 2 to review 15 applications that were received on or prior to the Jan. 31 deadline and to make recommendations.
All members of council were physically present during the regular Feb. 6 meeting except for Coun. Chris Vardas, who had provided notification in advance that he would not be able to attend.
The Grants to Organizations Policy outlines the possibility of three annual intakes of applications for funding for non-profit organizations, charities, as well as local business operators that meet the criteria. The committee’s recommendations to council amounted to a sum of $26,904.
“That’s what was put forward through the group by scrutinizing the applications,” said mayor Richard Warnock. “And so as you can see, it ate up more than 50 per cent of our annual funds. I think that’s a big number, but we had to be somewhat judgmental on some of these applications.”
Working through one application at a time, council approved the full amount of $1,000 requested by the Main Ave Kidz Club, which sought funding for an after school program intended for children in kindergarten to Grade 5.
Coun. Paul Isaac said he was not opposed to supporting that initiative, but asked if the committee had considered other local organizations that seek funding for kids’ recreation.
“Those were discussed,” said Warnock.
“The age range played a role in this as well in determining the funding amount that we’re recommending,” said Marr.
“It is – to my understanding – a free program for children after school,” added Petersen, who also supported the recommended amount.
Without discussion, council also awarded the full amount of $600 requested by the Olds & District Kiwanis Music Festival in support of the event, which the review committee also recommended.
Next up was a request of an in-kind contribution of $1,604 for seven months of use of the Sundre Community Centre by the Sundre Seniors Indoor Walking Club that the review committee also fully supported. Following a brief discussion, council approved the full amount.
Conjuring up a more in-depth, back-and-forth conversation among council was the Foothills Terrace Condominium Association’s request for $4,562 – of which the review committee recommended granting $1,000 – for the installation of a safety beacon in the one-way back alley immediately north of the Highway 27-Main Avenue corridor between 2nd and 3rd Streets NW.
“I would be curious to know how this discussion went,” said Isaac. “I’m not sure why we, as a town, would support this.”
Petersen reminded his colleague that the condo association had previously approached council to express concerns about motorists who do not respect the one-way direction in the back alley, creating a safety issue when residents egress from the building’s underground parkade.
“Ultimately it would be their infrastructure, so I didn’t make a motion to give them all of the money requested,” said Petersen. “They’re asking for a lot of money, but giving them a bit of money to get strobe lights on there is – I believe – an effective strategy to make that back alley a little more safe.”
Echoing Petersen’s comments, Warnock said the review committee could not support recommending the full amount requested, but agreed to at least offer a portion to promote safety.
Presenting a contrasting point of view, Dalke said, “I do believe it’s up to the building’s owners to install these to ensure the safety of their own residents.”
The recommendation to compromise at $1,000 “was not unanimous,” he added.
With six members of council present, the motion to award the $1,000 tied at three and was therefore defeated by default. Warnock, Petersen and Marr voted in favour while Dalke, Anderson and Isaac were opposed.
Marr, who felt council should uphold its commitment to find a way to help the association following the group’s last presentation, made a motion to award $500.
“They have come up with methods on their own to try to improve safety,” she said. “They presented to council, we gave them ideas, and they’re going with these ideas. I think the work and the partnership that has happened, we should honour that.”
Anderson asked if anything else could be done to ensure traffic goes the right direction, and asserted that flashing lights won’t change driver behaviour.
Petersen countered by adding that regardless of whether a driver is going the wrong way, a strobe light will still improve safety by alerting everybody that a motorist is emerging from the underground parking.
“I’m not opposed to having it safe,” said Isaac, adding the issue dates back many years and has involved the community peace officer as well as the RCMP and the eventual introduction of the one-way.
“I think there’s a danger in supporting a financial cost,” he said, asking if the committee had considered what happens in the event the strobe lights for whatever reason cease functioning.
“Are we liable for the cost for the next one?” he said, reiterating that the municipality has endeavoured to improve safety in that alley.
“My only reason for not supporting it is because it’s a financial cost to the town that I don’t necessarily think we should incur.”
The motion was again defeated along the same lines.
The Slingshot Garage had also submitted an application requesting $2,000 to support the annual Slingfest rally that promotes Sundre and draws visitors from as far away as the U.S. Following a short discussion, council carried a motion approving the committee’s recommended amount of $1,100.
“With the (limited) dollars that we have, we just can’t give everybody 100 per cent of their ask,” said Warnock.
The Sundre High School Grad Committee’s request for $1,700 was approved in full to help cover costs like the photographer, DJ, sound services and event rentals.
Offering context, Petersen said the grad committee has in the past traditionally covered its costs largely through the May Queen fundraiser but that the COVID-19 pandemic derailed that effort.
The full amount of $1,500 requested by the recently rebranded West Country Cruisers-Sundre to assist with marketing, materials, as well as volunteer shirts for a Canada Day show, was also approved.
A motion to approve in full a request of $2,400 from both the Sundre & District Historical Society and the Sundre & District Chamber of Commerce to support Winterfest activities also carried.
The Foothills Bluegrass Music Society was among the applicants, submitting a request for $2,000 to support the group’s annual multi-day Shady Grove Bluegrass Music Festival hosted at the Sundre Rodeo Grounds.
Growing steadily in attendance since first relocating to Sundre several years ago, the music festival was said to have the potential to become the community’s second-biggest event after the rodeo, Warnock said.
Isaac, who supported the motion to approve the full amount requested, suggested the municipality should ask organizers of outside events that bring people to Sundre to record attendance numbers to verify projections and measure year-over-year growth.
Council then awarded $2,000 from a requested $6,000 sought by the Sundre Volunteer Search and Rescue Society to be used for electrical and heating installation in the proposed expansion project at the Sundre Airport where the society has a storage building.
The Sundre Rodeo and Race Association received $5,000 from a requested $10,000 to help promote the upcoming event as well as provide enhanced policing.
Suds & Sundries, which sought $5,000 for store front improvements to awnings, received the full amount.
The Greenwood Neighbourhood Place Society sought $2,000 to support the Sundre Seniors Connection program, and was awarded the full amount.
Creating the most discussion were two requests submitted by the Sundre Minor Hockey Association, which applied for $3,000 to purchase new nets for the arena as well as another $7,380 for new jerseys.
As replacing worn out nets is already factored into the community services’ department’s budget, the grant review committee did not recommend awarding any funds.
Anderson said nets should be ordered sooner than later or risk not being received on time for next season, and council carried a motion deferring the item to community services for immediate action.
As for the $7,380 for new jerseys, council was not prepared to approve any funding.
“There was much discussion here as well,” said Marr, referring to the grant review committee.
“I definitely have to stand behind the zero dollars because I believe it would set precedent,” she said, adding the request also does not fall within the grant’s purview.
“If we’re going to start sponsoring jerseys, I feel like our next grant intake may be full of all of our sports teams,” she said.
Anderson added that the minor hockey association had in the past approached local businesses seeking sponsorship and secured upfront all of the funding required to purchase the jerseys currently in use.
“And they can do that again, but they haven’t even tried,” he said. “They’re just asking for a handout.”
The mayor added the association in its application had not even presented an offer to share the cost of the jerseys and sought the full amount from the municipality.
The conversation concluded with Isaac adding minor hockey had to his understanding for the past 30 years made arrangements to purchase its own jerseys.
