The District of Invermere will reduce a grant request for funding for the new multi-use centre in the hopes that asking for less money will make it more likely to get the grant.
Invermere council members resolved, at their Tuesday, October 13th meeting, to drop the district’s application to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) Strategic Priorities Fund from $6 million to $2 million.
The UBCM’s Strategic Priorities Fund is one of few that allows applicants to apply for 100 per cent funding, while most others require matching or leveraged funds from elsewhere, which is what prompted the district to request $6 million initially, said Invermere mayor Gerry Taft, speaking after the meeting.
After receiving and reviewing the request, the UBCM then asked the District of Invermere if it really needed the full $6 million.
“We (council) saw that as an indication that our chances of getting the grant would be more realistic if the amount was lowered, so that’s what we did,” said Taft. “It (the lower $2 million request) shows that we’ve got other sources of funding lined up and that we’re pretty serious about the project.”
Taft added the $2 million could help with “soft costs” for the planned multi-use centre, covering furnishing and equipment such as retractable seating for performance arts events, a lighting and sound system, and kitchen equipment.
Event fees waived
Invermere council formally resolved to waive the fees from a surprise bill charged to Heart of the Rockies organizers Bruce Stroud and Sandra Boot.
The bill, for bylaw officer services, was received by the couple several weeks after the event.
The couple had met with the Invermere Committee of the Whole to discuss what they saw as the unfairness of charging fees for unsolicited services after the fact, and the committee had then recommended council waive the fees (as reported in The Pioneer). Council gave its official approval of waiving the fees at the October 13th meeting.
Thanks for students’ safety
At the meeting, council also received several thank-you letters from the Eileen Madson Primary School Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) for constructing the separate walkway for students along 13th Street.
