Greenwood, Midway chase recreation dollars
By Erin Perkins
Like the rest of the Boundary, Greenwood and Midway submitted applications for projects they’d like to have funded through the new provincial Community Recreation Program.
Greenwood asked for $329,000 toward the $394,800 project to upgrade the city ball field. The project would include the installation of a new bocce pit, replacing the concession, realigning of the soccer field, fencing and a walking trail.
The concession stand is especially in need of replacement because it is “falling apart and leaking” and needs to be brought up to code, said Greenwood mayor Nipper Kettle.
“It will be a big upgrade for the whole area,” said Kettle.
The park is used for nearly every city-wide event including Canada Day celebrations, the Blue Grass Festival, softball and baseball tournaments and Founders Day.
“It’s kind of a focal point for the whole community and used throughout the year,” said Kettle.
Midway also proposed an upgrade project. The village is asking for the full $400,000 to upgrade the change rooms at the arena.
“The arena has served the community well since the roof went on in 1986, but it now needs an overall upgrade,” said Midway mayor Randy Kappes.
The village has been trying to upgrade the arena for the past five or six years and have already had the plans engineered. Right now the change rooms are so small that when larger out-of-town teams come to play, they have to use two dressing rooms, Kappes added.
The $30 million provincial program was launched in September 2011 and aims to help communities meet their recreational infrastructural needs by investing in local government capital projects to promote active living.
The grants are for 80 percent project funding up to $400,000 with the rest of the funds expected to come from the community who applied for the project. The Community Recreation Program allowed for one proposal per municipality and three per regional district.
Other projects proposed from this region included upgrades to the Dick Bartlett Park by the City of Grand Forks, a new pedestrian bridge for Christina Lake and upgrades to the Trans Canada Trail between Grand Forks and Christina Lake.
For more information about the Community Recreation Program visit, http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/infra/infrastructure_grants/community_recreation_program.htm.
