The Town of Banff is kicking in $5,000 next year to help Bow Valley True Sport and Recreation Council get off the ground.
The sporting group asked Banff town council for $10,000 over the next 10 years as part of the municipality’s 2016 operating budget deliberations, but Banff’s politicians decided to contribute $5,000 for next year alone.
“The $5,000 for 2016 is to help this organization to start up, and to see where they’re going,” said Mayor Karen Sorensen. “I’d like to see what sustainable funding they will be able to achieve.”
The registered non-profit sport and recreation council was incorporated in July.
It was a group that wanted to build on the success of the 2014 Alberta Winter Games hosted by the Bow Valley, where a number of sports groups, coaches and volunteers met each other for the first time.
Specific tasks of the sporting council will include creation of a sport organization directory, including facility listings, as well as physical literacy education, and training and development for coaches, officials, parents and athletes.
It will also do up a calendar of who’s offering what program and when, creating the opportunity for groups to purposely schedule sport programs to allow greater access and participation.
“The Bow Valley True Sport and Recreation Council will become the centre for sport and recreation information for participants and providers alike,” said the sporting council’s Bill Fisher.
“It will provide tools, resources and connections to strengthen the work sport and recreation providers are currently doing, improve program quality, facilitate access, encourage collaboration and remove barriers to entry.”
