City Hands Out $330K In Community Grants
Reps from local non-profits gathered for today's cheque presentations at City Hall 250News photo
Prince George, BC – The City of Prince George has handed out just under $330-thousand dollars to local non-profit organizations today, under its newly-established myPG Social Development Fund.
The Fund is an amalgamation of the former Social, Cultural, and Community Enhancement Grants that used to distribute City funds to community groups. Today, group reps joined Mayor Shari Green and several members of City Council as 27 cheque presentations were made in the Conference Room at City Hall.
In thanking the Adjudication Committee for its work in determining this year's recipients, Mayor Green said it was great to be able to recognize the hard work of organizations that make our city a "great place to live, a great place to work and play and learn, and retire."
Green said the projects these grants will help to fund are great examples of how local citizens are contributing to a shared vision of building pride, creating a culturally rich and diverse city, and a safe community for everyone.
Among the recipients was the group of neighbours responsible for the Candy Cane Lane holiday light display…
Wayne Cameron (centre in photo with Mayor Green and Councillor Lyn Hall) is one of the original residents involved in what's grown over the past 30-years to be a local tourism draw every Christmas season.
It started with a neighbour stringing a single strand of lights across the street, now, Cameron says, set up begins in early November with the rental of a bucket truck to ensure the many lights criss-crossing the Van Bien neighbourhood at a safe level.
While the neighbours set up their own elaborate displays, Cameron says the city grants assist with communal efforts like the truck rental.
Dave Abernethy was on-hand, as a vendor and Director of the Prince George Farmers' Market to receive a grant towards the cost of a recent outdoor patio, which features a small stage for live performances, at the permanent market location on 6th Avenue.
Other groups receiving grants today include the BC Schizophrenia Society's Volunteer Kitchen program, the Multicultural Heritage Society's Canada Day celebrations in Fort George Park, and the Prince George Naturalists Club's Hudson's Bay Wetland Project.
Comments
so friends at candy cane lane got a grant, surprise, surprise…..
this council is getting more disgusting as time goes on.
that is my opinion anyways….
I gotta agree, I had no idea that a group of homeowners who string coloured lights are on par with a volunteer kitchen program for social funding. Wow.
Trouble affording a bucket truck to install christmas lights = First World Problem…
This is a definite positive for the whole city, free to all and they get these negative comments, amazing.
I think the grant is great we took visitors there 3 times last xmas. The only negative was you needed a 4 wheel drive as this area was not plowed either. What a shame.
So I have to pay 24000 to have sewer brought to the road in front of my house in the hart and the city is handing out money for Christmas lights. Something seems seriously wrong with this picture.
How much is a new sewer field?
you mean free to all after subsidized by tax dollars, eh seamut
Eh interceptor I’ll enjoy the show from all the great people in that neighbourhood. I wouldn’t expect you to understand, eh.
I understand and it is a great show. The people in that area work their tails off. However POCs comment above has merit, no? I also recall someone on this board screaming that they were a resident of candycane lane and they received NO help from the city. Turns out they do…
One more point – what is the parameter for getting help from the city on something like this? One house? Two? Ten? There are other streets that also put on some pretty impressive displays, should they get help? Is it a pedestrian counter? A vehicle count? When and how does one qualify for city funding of private Christmas lights?
“When and how does one qualify for city funding of private Christmas lights?” Organize a committee and apply for the grant if there’s one available. Who qualifies? Those who meet the criteria set out when the grants were initialized. A sewer probably doesn’t meet the criteria for Social, Cultural, and Community Enhancement initiatives. If there were initiatives to get rid of septic fields for the greater goo of the community, grants might follow. So while I respect POC’s concern the surface, one could also ask why should a handful of homeowners get a tax funded grant when it will only benefit that homeowner and not the community. Why would the tax payer of PG want to fund a neighbourhood while they had to pay for their own sewer through the purchase price of the land /home.
Greater good. haha
If all property owners with current septic systems wanted city sewer installed on the tax payer dime, what would that cost be? I know I wouldn’t want to foot the bill. Maybe if those who feel they shouldn’t have to pay for their own sewer, opened up their bathrooms to the public, grants might become available.
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