The Cottonwood Lake Preservation Society has announced $15,000 in new funding as it works toward purchasing land around the regional park targeted for clear-cut logging.
Society spokesperson Andrew McBurney said Saturday during a community event at the park outside Nelson that Royal Bank of Canada is contributing $10,000, while the Nelson Rod and Gun Club is adding $5,000.
McBurney said the donation from RBC will help the society’s efforts to find other corporate sponsors.
“That represents the beginning of, for lack of a better word, corporate inertia,” he said. “It’s a big deal to get Royal Bank to support something like that and we hope institutions begin to follow suit.”
The donation from the Nelson Rod and Gun Club was previously contingent on a deal being made with the Nelson Land Corporation, which intended to log approximately 600 hectares around Cottonwood Lake.
“The Rod and Gun Club have been doing events up here for decades,” said McBurney. “Father’s Day fishing, they do amazing things up here. This area is very near and dear to them. They’ve been stalwarts for us and this project.”
McBurney said the event Saturday, which included food, live music and skating, was meant to celebrate the society’s progress.
“It’s Valentine’s Day weekend, a love weekend and we love this place. So the theme seemed to fit.”
Last December the society announced a deal with the timber company to purchase 40 hectares of land around the lake, while another 21 hectares was bought by the Regional District of Central Kootenay for $450,000.
Nelson Land Corporation has committed to halt logging while the society fundraises. McBurney couldn’t give an accurate estimate of its current amount raised, but said the land would cost approximately $400,000 and a total of $750,000 was being sought to cover ancillary costs.
He added the society needs to raise $180,000 before a scheduled meeting with the timber company on April 30.
“The wheels are turning, doors are being knocked on, large corporations are being sought out. We hope to have some good news pretty soon.”
Related:
• More land to be purchased from Cottonwood Lake logger
• RDCK to purchase portion of lands around Cottonwood Lake
tyler.harper@nelsonstar.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
