Feds follow through on fitness funding
Small Communities Fund puts $447,514 toward village fitness centre
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, March 24, 2016
LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Fort Simpson is still taking a crack at public consultation but a proposal for a new fitness facility has one less road block now that the federal government has agreed to chip in some funds.
At a public meeting held in February at the village recreation centre, councillors heard from residents who felt more information was needed on operational cost and public support before a proposed fitness centre moved forward. Councillors for the village who attended the meeting sat at a table facing the audience while Mayor Darlene Sibbeston, not pictured, introduced each topic. Councillors Chuck Blyth, left, Marie Lafferty, Liza McPherson and Bob Hanna were present for the meeting. - NNSL file photo
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On March 16, the Government of Canada announced funding for 13 infrastructure projects in the Northwest Territories, to the tune of $16 million.
That money was allocated under the Small Communities Fund.
In late 2015, Fort Simpson applied for funding to build a new fitness centre. At that time, they also commissioned an architect to draw up proposed floor plans.
The facility itself would cost around $750,000 to build. Fort Simpson now has access to $447,514 under the Small Communities Fund to offset the total amount.
On Feb. 16, Fort Simpson held a public meeting where they received feedback on the fitness centre's floor plan. At that time, councillors decided to put the brakes on the project until they had estimates of operations and maintenance costs, and until more public consultation could be done.
Although plans for the fitness centre are not set in stone, at a March 21 meeting of village council, members of council reported that feedback they have received on the proposed project has been overwhelmingly positive.
Mayor Darlene Sibbeston and senior administrative officer Beth Jumbo drew up a rough estimate of what operations and maintenance could cost, which they said could fall between $200,000 and $220,000 each year.
In terms of consultation, Sibbeston said that after phoning 20 or 30 residents over the past weekend, everyone she phoned was in favour of the facility - even if operations and maintenance costs mean the village has to increase taxes.
Coun. Muaz Hassan said he received the same feedback on a survey he ran at the Unity convenience store.
"Forty-five out of 47 (responders) said yes," he said.
Deputy Mayor Jarret Hardisty canvassed his co-workers to resounding positive results.
Coun. Mike Rowe said he has asked around 15 people so far whether they are in favour of a fitness centre and received mixed results, with around half saying yes.
James Chow, spokesperson for Infrastructure Canada, stated in an e-mail the Small Communities Fund program ends March 31, 2024.
If the village were to decide to cancel the fitness centre project, it would lose the money allocated under the Small Communities Fund.
"Funding for a (Small Communities Fund) project must be used for the specific project for which it was approved," Chow stated.
"A town council could opt to cancel the project. It would then be required to return any allocated funding - including spent and unspent funds - from that project to the federal government, which would then be available to the territory to put (toward) a different project."
Village council will continue to seek public feedback.
