The Braeside Recreation Commission and its community hall serves a community of 400 in the rural area of Vanderhoof and has been providing a focus for community activities for 28 years. A comprehensive ?community needs survey? done in 1998 concluded there was a need for a larger, more suitable community gathering facility. After considering the evidence of community volunteerism and commitments from partners such as the BC Gaming Commission, the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako and Alcan, the NKDF directors decided to assist with Phase 1 of this project (doors, insulation, sheeting, foundations and electrical upgrades). The project provided an inspiring example of community participation, with up to 15 volunteers at weekend work bees, and other residents providing food for the workers. In the final report, the Commission had tracked over 1600 volunteer hours and 80 equipment hours.

The Takysie Lake Trail is an historical trail used by both first nations and the early pioneers to travel from Ootsa Lake to Takysie Lake and areas north. Local residents still use parts of this trail for hiking, horseback riding and snowmobiling. The purpose of this project was to restore the entire length of the trail and then promote it for use by tourists and locals.

The proponent is hosting a Community Arts Festival event as a step toward creating an Arts Council. While building on the strength of existing events such as the Lakes District Performing Arts Festival, the project is helping to meet the requirements to become an Arts Council, create a yearly event involving local residents, and encourage Aboriginal arts and culture awareness within the community. Artists are invited from all over the province to participate.

The purpose of the project is to assess, plan, design, educate, and promote a first class mountain biking/hybrid trail system in the Lakes District. The proponent engaged the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) to work with staff and stakeholders to complete phase one of designing and laying out the trail system. IMBA is highly reputable and recognized among mountain bikers for creating high calibre trail systems. This portion of the project is for the assessment and planning portion of the the project.