The City of Campbell River has added another $500,000 to the metaphorical pot that is being used to stir up a new fieldhouse for the artificial turf field at Robron Park, bringing its contribution to the project to $1,242,990.
The fieldhouse was initially part of the plan for the redesign of the entire park back in 2010, but when the city decided to go ahead with the turf field installation, it asked the Campbell River Youth Soccer Association (CRYSA) to take the lead on the fieldhouse portion of the project.
Because CRYSA already had some money set aside to go towards the field, they used it to seed the fieldhouse project instead.
Since then, the club has received countless donations from the community, including sizable donations from Campbell River Rotary, Cermaq and Mowi (then Marine Harvest), as well as having more fundraisers itself, and has now raised over $630,000 to put towards the project.
In approving this most recent $500,000 contribution, council has pushed the project over the finish line in terms of funding, and the city will now work with the club on finalizing a construction and donation agreement.
Once the facility is complete, it will become a city owned and operated facility that can be booked by the public through the Recreation Department.
“I think this is going to be a very positive new amenity for our community,” says Coun. Michele Babchuk, adding that the amount of community participation in the project has been “fantastic.”
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Coun. Charlie Cornfield agrees, pointing out that it’s an even better project for the city because the money being spent didn’t come from public taxes.
“This $500,000 comes from the gas tax, so it’s not as a result of direct taxation to the community,” Cornfield says, “and it’s a way that we support numerous groups within the city to add to their contributions.”
In this case, Cornfield says, that contribution-matching is “roughly one-third to two-thirds, and for them to raise a third of the total project amount is pretty amazing for a small community like ours.”
Mayor Andy Adams added his thanks to the chorus of voices praising the efforts of CRYSA, as well.
“I want to applaud the Campbell River Youth Soccer Association and the initiative and initial fundraising, the major funders – Rotary Club of Campbell River and Cermaq – but also all the other financial contributors that have put forward to what will be a public building and community project.”
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