Rural Communities Foundation grant
New Brigden Community Association awarded $18K towards new hall.
The Rural Communities Foundation is pleased to announce the winners of the $100,000 grant.
The community of New Brigden lost their hall due to a fire in December of 2022. FILE PHOTO
The four communities who will share the $100,000 grant are:
The Cotillion Butte Recreation Association was awarded $32,000 towards their hall replacement. Construction has already begun on the new hall and will be energy efficient and designed for community use. With the old hall in disrepair, fewer people were using the facility and the community was worried it would lose its cohesiveness. The new hall will ensure the community stays connected and families have a place to come together for meetings, weddings, social and fitness activities.
The Wembley and District Agricultural Society was awarded $25,000 for new flooring in their community recreation centre. The former curling rink has been turned into a multi-purpose room for weddings, trade shows, conferences and dance festivals. The addition of the new flooring to the 7,000 sq. ft. space will make it more aesthetically pleasing and allow it to be used for competitive basketball, volleyball and other sporting events.
The Friends of Morrin School Council were awarded $25,000 for the renovation of the old school gymnasium to a community and school hub. With an agreement between the community and the local school division, a breezeway will connect the new school to the old gym where students can take automotives, shop, carpentry and industrial arts classes. Community members will also be able to use the facility for 4-H, fitness, arts, meetings and other activities.
The New Brigden Community Association was awarded $18,000 towards their new community hall. When a fire destroyed the hall in 2022, the community knew they wanted to rebuild. The hall was the hub of the community and used for weddings, fitness activities, Christmas concerts and school activities. The new hall will be wheelchair accessible, have a larger kitchen and bathrooms and will once again be the heart of the community.
Congratulations to this year’s recipients.
“Choosing just four winners was difficult for the judges. The strong applicants from across the province show the vibrancy of rural Alberta and the residents who are committed to keep rural Alberta sustainable,” said RCF board chair, Jennifer Wood.
“Through these applications we saw the strength of rural communities and the commitment by volunteers to keep their communities a place to live, work and play.”
The mandate of the foundation is to improve the sustainability of farmers and ranchers in Alberta by improving access to funding for educational, recreational and cultural facilities and programs in Alberta.