Submitted
The Town of Ponoka is excited to learn it will receive $110,000 in grant funding from Western Economic Diversification Canada through the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program.
This is part of Canada 150 Celebrates – the Government of Canada’s funding program to mark our country’s 150th anniversary of Confederation. The grant funding was announced earlier today at a news conference in Red Deer.
The $110,000 grant will be used to fund the following capital upgrades at the Ponoka Culture and Recreation Complex.
• Installation of energy-efficient LED lighting for indoor and outdoor ice surfaces, as well as the parking lot. The new lighting is expected to generate significant energy savings.
• New insulation and metal cladding on the west wall of the arena, which will minimize heat loss for additional energy savings and a more positive user experience for arena patrons.
• Replacement of arena netting to help protect the safety of spectators who attend sports events.
• Replacement of two dehumidifiers will reduce energy consumption and humidity, resulting in higher quality ice conditions and more efficient operation of the ice plant.
• Replacement of water and sewer lines that service the building and are nearing the end of their life cycle, and repaving a portion of the parking lot, which was identified as a priority in the Facility Condition Assessment Report prepared for the Town of Ponoka in 2016.
Grant frees up funding for other capital projects in Ponoka
“This grant funding will help cover the cost of valuable upgrades to a recreation facility that is vital to our community,” says Mayor Rick Bonnett. “It also frees up grant dollars from the federal Gas Tax Fund, which had previously been earmarked to help fund these arena renovations.”
“That money will now be available to fund other much-needed capital projects in the Town of Ponoka this year. It provides some welcome financial support during a tight budget year for our community,” said Bonnett, who attended a news conference in Red Deer Jan. 20.
The new LED lighting, netting, insulation and metal cladding upgrades at the arena were completed in 2016, while installation of the new dehumidifiers, replacement of the water and sewer lines, and repaving part of the parking lot are scheduled to occur this summer. The total cost of these renovations is $253,000.
The town was able to fund its portion of the renovation costs ($143,000) through Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) grant funding. The remaining $110,000 in renovation costs will now be covered by the Canada 150 Celebrates grant.
The Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program was announced in the spring of 2016. The program invests in projects that renovate, expand and improve existing community infrastructure, with a focus on recreational facilities, projects that advance a clean growth economy, and projects with a positive impact on Indigenous communities.
The Town of Ponoka submitted four applications for the grant funding program and was pleased to have its funding request for arena upgrades approved.