At the final Board meeting of the funding cycle, The Nechako-Kitamaat Development Fund Society Board of Directors approved $153,721 in grant funding for six new projects.
Grassy Plains Community Hall Association was approved $50,000 to assist with repairing the foundation of the Grassy Plains Hall and restoring the venue for community use. The Grassy Plains Community Hall is a well-utilized community asset used to host holiday events, community barbeques, emergency support training and workshops, family dances, softball tournaments and summer festivals. The facility has also been used during wildfire events as a staging area for support services.
The Lakes District Fair Association (LDFA) received $40,000 to complete upgrades at the Eagle Creek Fairgrounds ahead of the upcoming 78th annual Fall Fair that will be held September 6-8.
An additional hydro pole will be installed to accommodate food vendors and the expanding fair which set a record in 2023 with over 3000 people in attendance. As well, a variety of upgrades to the fair grounds including putting in an access road and replacing/repairing picnic tables and grandstands will be completed.
Fraser Lake & District Senior Citizens Home Society was granted $38,375. The Silver Birch Lodge, operated by the Fraser Lake and District Senior Citizens Home Society, is a 23-unit apartment and the only independent senior housing complex in Fraser Lake. Originally built in the 80s, Silver Birch Lodge was one of BC’s first rural seniors housing projects. The funding will be used to replace the current sidewalk and pave five parking stalls in order to enhance safety.
The Village of Burns Lake was granted $8,000 toward the set up of a KAYAKOMAT, an automated self-service kayak rental kiosk. Users who wish to rent a kayak can do so on-line and will receive a code for a smart-lock on the KAYAKOMAT station. The station will also include access to safety equipment and PFDs. The KAYAKOMAT will be stationed at Radley Beach in Burns Lake and will be available for the public to rent kayaks 7 days a week.
The Nechako Valley Sporting Association Nechako Nordics received $11,000 to purchase and modify a 40-foot C-can to create a shop for equipment repair and summer storage of grooming equipment. The Nechako Nordics maintain 11.4 km of ski trails in Vanderhoof and membership has steadily increased since the pandemic.
The Omineca Ski Club in Burns Lake received $6,346 to upgrade the onsite fuel storage system in order to facilitate more efficient grooming of the network of ski trails. Founded in 1927, The Omineca Ski Club lays claim to being the oldest cross-country ski club in British Columbia and possibly the oldest club in Canada.
Quotes
Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation
“We are supporting the Nechako-Kitamaat Development Fund to build strong and resilient communities throughout the region. These grants foster economic development by making investments in the social, cultural, and recreational infrastructure that will enable people to thrive in the communities that they call home.”
Devrie Sanghera, Business Partner for Communities and Social Performance at BC Works
“The proposed projects from NKDF funding will provide great investment to senior livelihood, infrastructure upgrades and recreational opportunities to communities within the Bulkley-Nechako region. These investments continue to build strong and diverse economies in the area.”
NKDF Chair Cindy Shelford
“We are pleased to provide grants for these worthwhile projects across the region and support Seniors and recreational opportunities for residents and tourists. Our communities are vibrant and healthy thanks to the dedicated volunteers that make these projects possible.”
The next application deadline is July 31, 2024. For more information, please visit http://www.nkdf.org/ For requests under $5,000 applications are accepted on a continuous basis.
For more information on past projects funded throughout the NKDF investment area please visit http://www.nkdf.org/projects or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NKDFS
The Nechako-Kitamaat Development Fund Society was jointly established in 1997 with a combined contribution of $15 million by the government of British Columbia and the former Alcan Inc., now Rio Tinto. The Fund’s investment area includes lands impacted by the original Kemano project and focuses on the communities in the Ootsa, Lakes, Nechako and Haisla regions of the north.
The Society encourages applications from local governments, local First Nations governments and legally incorporated non-profit organizations. NKDF invests in projects that create sustainable employment, diversify the economy, and improve the basic infrastructure needed for community stability, quality of life and growth.
In 2013 NKDF provided seed capital to fund an Accessibility Audit of what would be required to develop the Lakes Outdoor Recreation area as an accessible region in northern British Columbia. It proved that people with...
