Council amends funding resolutions
MOVE TO HELP GROUPS WITH FUNDING FOR PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE, TRADE AND CONVENTION CENTRE
Those in favour of building a new performing arts centre or an Exhibition Trade and Convention Centre will have a greater ability to find funding for their projects.
Lethbridge City Council agreed to amend two resolutions previously approved in May 2013.
Both resolutions had funding set aside in the 2018-2027 Capital Improvement Program Budget Plan, with certain conditions.
The first resolved to commit $10 million in funding for the performing arts centre, if the balance of $50 million was secured through other sources. The second committed $25 million towards the Exhibition Trade and Convention Centre expansion, if the balance of approximately $66 million was secured through other sources.
“Both of these resolutions had conditions attached to them that made it very difficult for administration to actually go ahead with finding funding sources and putting together a financial strategy,” said Councillor Jeffrey Coffman.
“What council did today is we removed those restrictions and created an environment which we can talk about them inclusive of the 2018 CIP.”
Coffman said it was important to make amendments because nothing has been done with the resolutions over the past four years.
The primary conditions were that federal and provincial funding had to be approved first, and the provincial source could not include the present Municipal Sustainability Initiative or any subsequent replacement grant.
“The City wouldn’t do anything until those funding sources were in place,” he said. “Those funding sources aren’t going to come unless somebody does the work to put them in front of federal and provincial government.”
Both organizations have experienced some challenges with securing funding, Coffman said.
“The Exhibition has a formal structure, so they’ve had some success but it’s still a challenge without the help of the City. In terms of the performing arts centre, that’s been more of a challenge because it’s individuals or small groups of organizations trying to put this together, and without some sort of oversight that does make it a bit of a challenge.”