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City administration to prepare grant application to explore recreation facility feasibility

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(File photo)

City council has directed administration to prepare an Alberta Community Partnership Grant application to continue to explore the feasibility of a regional recreation facility.

The City would act as the managing partner in collaboration with Lacombe County and the Town of Blackfalds, according to council notes.

"A tri-municipal facility strategically located in Lacombe County could provide shared high-quality recreation infrastructure and contribute to long-term financial viability for all three communities. The long-range plans of all three municipalities support the exploration of shared service provision.

"The municipal representatives of the tri-party IDP/ICF Committee unanimously passed a resolution to recommend the respective council’s support an application to the ACP Program, for a Feasibility Assessment."

Matthew Goudy, City of Lacombe CAO, explained that the feasibility study would explore points such as servicing for the proposed facility, the amount of land required, the potential number of users, how it would ultimately be staffed, and approximate costs on the whole.

It would also look at the types of amenities that would possibly be featured in the facility, he said.

"Also, who would be paying for how much capital, or how much of the operating expenses - those types of things. I would see it taking anywhere from three to six months to finish that off," he said of the study.

From there, in theory, the municipalities would decide about putting funds aside for the project, he said.

"It gets you a baseline, and to get that, we are applying for the grant. The grant requires council resolutions from all three participating municipalities.

"To get them to pass those resolutions, we first had to have the tri-party inter-municipal meeting," he added.

"We are therefore at the absolute beginning stages to see if this is an idea worthy pursuing."

It was about one year ago that administration first recommended council go to a joint committee of all three municipalities to garner support for a grant application to fund a feasibility study.

Up to $200,000 is available through the Alberta Community Partnership Program, which is designed to provide funding to improve the viability and long-term sustainability of municipalities.

"It's a long process, but we are starting down something that could be pretty exciting for us," Goudy said, adding the ideal location would likely be between Lacombe and Blackfalds, "In a place that has room for further growth down the road."

There is plenty that could be established near the site, too, he said, including further commercial and possibly residential development.

"In the long run, it advances the urbanization of the corridor between Blackfalds and Lacombe, and provides more economic prosperity for the whole region."

Goudy said the idea for the regional facility has existed for several years. 

"All of the municipalities - in their strategic plans and their development plans - also have a commitment to collaboration."

 

 



Mark Weber

About the Author: Mark Weber

I've been a part of the Black Press Media family for about a dozen years now, with stints at the Red Deer Express, the Stettler Independent, and now the Lacombe Express.
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