Prince George, B.C.- Call it an official changing of the guard for downtown Prince George. Two past presidents of the former Town Centre Business Association ( the predecessor of the DBIA) has closed its bank account and made four organizations very happy.

Past Presidents Ted Cool and Ray Kandola doled out nearly $14 thousand dollars this afternoon as they officially closed the books on the Town Centre Business Association.

$2,000 was given to the Prince George SPCA which Manager Anne Gough says will be used to make this fall’s annual fundraising event “Paws for a Cause” walk a success.

$2,000 was given to the Paediatric Ward of the University Hospital of Northern B.C.. Representative Belinda Maidment says they aren’t sure how the dollars will be spent yet “Our wish list is very long.”

$2,000 was given to UNBC for sports programs for kids. The balance, $7,866.97 was handed over to Dan McLaren, the Treasurer for the Downtown Business Improvement Association. He says there have been no motions passed on exactly how the money will be spent, but it will be used to improve downtown.

Former President of the Town Centre Business Association, Ray Kandola says his group had held on to the account for the past ten years, but decided now was the time to move on. “We think the new DBIA is well focused. The Town Centre Business Association used to be the voice for downtown, well, the new group is doing that now.”

The money had been raised over the years through charitable events sponsored by the Town Centre Business Association.