MD OF BIGHORN – The MD of Bighorn will fund $34,927 in community service grants in 2024 to support everything from pancake breakfasts to acquiring a winch for search and rescue vehicle operations.
MD council noted the spend is about $10,000 more than what the MD allocated for community grants in 2023 and 2022.
“I do notice that there are a few new grant requests here that I haven’t seen before and I think that’s great that more people are looking at applying for these grants,” said Reeve Lisa Rosvold.
Coun. Alice James asked how the increase measures up to amounts allotted by the MD in previous years.
Municipal staff said the increase is a natural marker of population growth but not a marked one compared to asks in prior years.
“It fits a very regular pattern over 25 years. There doesn’t seem to be anything that really stands out to me that’s a puzzling thing outside of the pattern,” said Doug Saul, community services coordinator with Bighorn.
Saul noted there are several factors that could play into fluctuating amounts, including newly formed community associations such as the one established in Dead Man’s Flats in 2018.
“Thereafter, there were grant requests coming from Dead Man’s Flats Community Association and then as we know, Dead Man’s Flats grew quite a bit recently, and so that’s reflected in the grant requests.
“There was an amazing amount of volunteer work and so now there’s [also] this fantastic multipurpose, multi-use recreational surface [in Dead Man’s Flats] also called the ODR – the outdoor rink – but it’s a year-round facility, so there’s gonna be grant requests related to that facility.”
The community association will receive all of its $8,500 ask for 2024 to purchase tools, equipment, materials, labour and to support ongoing operation and maintenance of the rink, Zamboni, garden and other community association assets.
Saul pointed out many young families are also moving to MD communities, particularly Exshaw, which is also reflected in grant amounts.
The Exshaw Community Association has been allocated $10,000 of its $12,000 ask to support various initiatives and host family and community-oriented events throughout the year, including paint nights, movie nights, a Christmas market, baseball tournament and more.
Annual funding averages for the community associations from 2000 to 2024 are $5,800 to Exshaw, $3,429 for Dead Man’s Flats, $2,760 to Harvie Heights, $753 to Beaupre Community Association, $420 to Benchlands, $320 to Water Valley, $244 to Lac Des Arcs and $100 to Jumping Pound.
For 2024, there’s also $2,000 for the McDougall Stoney Mission Society for events that provide MD residents opportunities to learn more about Îyârhe Nakoda First Nation culture and traditions. The society is a frequent applicant.
The total budgeted in 2024 for community grants is $66,000, but also includes 75 per cent coverage to front liability costs for five community associations, which was approved at a total of $5,828 for 2024, as well as grant requests for groups such as the Exshaw Library Society, Bow Valley Victim Services and Cochrane and Area Victim Services, approved at $24,250 in 2024.
MD director of corporate and communication services Brenda Hewko said any unused money allocated for community grants could be put into reserves for future years. That discussion is expected to come to council in the coming months and will also determine limits on grants.
“It’s going to help with that ebb and flow between the years, so that if there is an extraordinary ask or something like that, there is capacity,” said Hewko.
The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. The position covers Îyârhe (Stoney) Nakoda First Nation and Kananaskis Country.
