Community groups to compete for new restoration funds

$50,000 grant from Hitmen Foundation has already sparked much local interest

Communities looking to upgrade parks, arenas or playgrounds are being invited to apply for a $50,000 grant from the Calgary Hitmen Foundation announced Tuesday as part of a new community restoration program.

And with so many community associations struggling with growing need, deteriorating infrastructure and limited funding, it’s expected the list of competitive applications will be long.

“We work with well over 200 community associations across the city and we hear from them all the time about their need to upgrade their recreational spaces,” said Kendra Varoney, City of Calgary acting manager with neighbourhood services.

“Communities could do a lot with $50,000,” Varoney added, like building new playgrounds, outdoor rinks, putting up boards or roofs around outdoor ice.

Some may even construct what’s become the latest fad in outdoor play spaces, she explained: “adventure outdoor playgrounds,” which include playgrounds in natural settings with hills and boulders for climbing and dirt for digging.

Officials with the Calgary Hitmen Foundation announced the available funds Tuesday, partly-earned through 50-50 draws at Hitmen games, as part of an effort to support healthy living.

“We’ve already made tremendous impacts in the community in education, recreation and wellness,” said Candice Goudie, executive director of charitable foundation sand community investment with the Calgary Hitmen.

“But this will be working with communities help them build or upgrade parks, playgrounds, play spaces and whatever else influences good health. “We want to be part of a process that encourage kids to be outside.”

Community associations will have the next six weeks to complete an application and may be chosen as one of three finalists by early April. At that time, community leaders and Calgarians will be urged to vote online for their favourite applicant with a winner to be announced April 26.

“We want to really encourage communities to work with their residents to get them involved in the voting process,” Goudie added.

Leslie Evans, executive director with the Federation of Calgary Communities, expects competition for the funding will be heavy.

“The need out there is huge,” she said, explaining that a growing number of inner city communities who are losing play grounds because they are deteriorating and unsafe, have difficulty replacing them.

Michelle Dice, executive director with the Bowness Community Association, said her community has a wide range of growing needs and would be very interested in applying for funding.

“We need to do a lot of upgrading to our facility here, but funding is a constant challenge ,” she said, adding that as the community of Bow ness welcomes a growing number of young families, high quality recreational facilities are in high demand.

Upgrades required at the popular Bowness community hall and arena facility include better accessibility to the second floor, updated flooring to the gymnasium, and initial work on a second sheet of ice.

Dice said, as a not-for-profit group, the Bowness Community Association is often turned down for grants that are only available to charities. But the Hit men restoration program is available to communities registered as charities and thoseregistered as not-for-profit organizations.

For complete application and eligibility details, goto Hit men Hockey. com/ Community Restoration Program.

We want to really encourage communities to work with their residents to get them involved in the voting process.