Three groups received a combined $67,000 in Community and Recreation grants from the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George.
During their December meeting, the RDFFG awarded 35-thousand dollars to the Tabor Lake Clean Up Society for the new purchase of a new weed harvester.
Tabor Lake Society Director, David Mothus told MyPGNow.com they weren’t expecting the major contribution.
“We were fully prepared that we were going to be fundraising for the next five years, we’ve been doing golf tournaments and pub nights and we were geared up that we would have to do that. And of course, for a smaller, not-for-profit society, it’s a big undertaking to put these events on.”
“It was the coolest moment in the world as one of their members turned and looked at us and told us we were doing a great job fundraising and all of this science on how you are keeping the lake alive for the region and he told us we got our funds.”
In addition to the harvester, the society also bought a conveyer trailer so they can take the harvester in and out of the lake and assist other lakes in the region with the same problem.
The total cost of the project is around 110-thousand dollars.
Mothus admits the current piece of equipment they had was well past its prime.
“The existing harvester that we had was anywhere between 40 and 50 years old and our issue as a non-profit is that we don’t have mechanics or people who can weld on our board so we started fundraising to get a newer machine.”
Willow River’s Volunteer Fire Department received 18-thousand dollars for its operating expenses while the Buckhorn Volunteer Fire Fighters Association got a 14-thousand dollar boost to invest in some apparatus equipment.
Other approved funding requests include:
- $2500 to the Pilot Mountain Volunteer Fire Fighter Club for volunteer appreciation
- $10,800 to the Buckhorn Recreation Commission for insurance, sea-can concrete slab, administration expenses, and swimming lesson
- Â $2500 to the Pineview Seniors for a Christmas dinner
- Â $2900 to the Giscome School PAC for swimming lessons
- Â $500 to the McBride and District Housing Society for start-up expenses
In addition, the Regional District approved a Temporary Use Permit for a work camp set up by the Trans Mountain Pipeline near Valemount.
The camp will house about 600 people with the capability to expand to 900.