Pride Fest funding approved
COUNCIL APPROVES $30K FOR 10-YEAR CELEBRATION
The Lethbridge Pride Fest organization has come a long way over the past decade. Organizers are planning a big celebration in honour of Pride’s 10-year milestone in the city next year.
Derrick Antson, Katherine Culley and Mackinley Miles of the Lethbridge Pride Fest Society came before city council on Monday, asking for $30,000 from the Major Community Event Hosting Grant to fund part of the budget shortfall.
The funding source was later amended to council contingencies. Council voted 7-2 in favour.
“We’re excited. We’re over the moon,” said Antson. “It shows how far Lethbridge has come as a community and it’s really going to be the biggest and best Pride Festival yet.”
Lethbridge Pride Fest began with a small barbecue and out-of-town dance in 2008 and has evolved into a major event. Last year, Lethbridge Pride Fest hosted 49 activities and about 11,000 people took part, some travelling from the United States or Eastern Canada.
Antson said you used to have to “know someone who knew someone” to learn about Pride events in Lethbridge, but now they have people knocking on their door to ask how they can get involved.
Lethbridge has already gained a reputation across Alberta and nationally for being “one of the most inclusive and diverse Pride celebrations,” said Antson.
“And (next) year we’re just going to knock it out of the park.”
Pride Week is June 15-23, 2018. Activities will include the popular Pride Parade and Party in the Park, but also a variety of presenters to speak about LGBTQ+ issues, authors, and several “big name performers,” said Antson. They will also hold flag raisings throughout southern Alberta, an awards gala, speed-dating session, Pride art display and more. The budget is estimated at just over $110,000.
Lethbridge Pride Fest was originally approved for $5,000 through the Heart of Our City grant. However, they can only accept funding from one City of Lethbridge grant source, so they will return the $5,000 to be re-allocated.
Antson said they applied due to the deadline involved, as they weren’t certain they would secure the larger grant from council.
Coun. Joe Mauro said he supports the spirit of the initiative, but could not support taxpayer money going towards it. Mauro said he typically votes no to similar funding requests from other organizations.
“It’s a great celebration. The events that take place totally enhance our community and make our community the better for it,” said Mauro during the presentation. “When I see there is tremendous support for this from all the letters supporting this ... I just don’t believe it should be tax dollars that go to this. I believe the community has proven that the community itself has risen and the community itself will support this.”
Coun. Blaine Hyggen also voted against the request. He said he understands how diverse and inclusive Lethbridge is and how big it has become, but he agreed with Mauro’s view that it could be funded through other means, including the Heart of Our City grant they were already approved for.
Mayor Chris Spearman first leaned against supporting the request, but ultimately voted in favour. Spearman said he hoped there could be a policy in place for the Major Community Event Hosting Grant.
“There has been a great impact on the community, but 10 years I’m not sure it’s the same as 50 years or 60 years,” he said. “There would be many organizations qualifying for 10 years or 20 years and they could all come forward asking for a Major Event (grant). If we keep making the precedent of funding it, we’ll have a moral obligation to fund them all and that creates a dilemma in my mind.”
Coun. Ryan Parker disagreed. He said council drops “hundreds of thousands of dollars in celebrating and bringing in numerous sporting events ... and we do not blink twice about it.”
He said Lethbridge has “come a long way, not only as a community, but as a human race,” and the city should celebrate that, regardless of the number of years attached.
Coun. Jeff Carlson said it’s not just a week of events, but an entire month of educational and inclusion events.
“When I look at council’s strategic plan, which we’re still operating under, it’s about diversity and inclusion and this really ticks a lot of the boxes of council’s strategic priorities.”