Council has voted to commit to three years of consistent grant funding for the Squamish Off-Road Cycling Association and agreed to look at new models at assisting the organization.
District staff asked councillors for direction at a committee meeting on March 27.
Currently, SORCA receives thousands of dollars every year in a Community Enhancement Grant but has no guarantee of the grant from year-to-year. The organization has difficulty with long-term budgeting without stable funding.
"I think what they are looking for is to stabilize the municipal funding, so they can help bring in staff to help them leverage other funding opportunities," said the Districts chief financial officer, Christine Mathews.
"They want something tangible so that they can stabilize things and they know they won't have to beg for it next year," she said.
This year SORCA requested $85,000 from the community enhancement grant but were granted $75,000. In 2016 the organization received a grant for $65,000. All groups that receive grants must apply each year.
The amount of the SORCA grant is unique. Almost all the other grant requests are for under $20,000.
The funds go toward enhancing and maintaining trails, which are used by the local mountain biking population as well as tourists. Hikers and runners use the trails as well.
SORCA president Jeff Cooke previously said almost 500 new members signed up from 2016 to 2017. He said more funding is needed to keep the busy trails maintained.
Long term, the organization is aiming toward securing $150,000 annually for trail maintenance. They are hoping that number could be achieved by leveraging tourism dollars, not necessarily from the municipal government.
To give both District staff and SORCA time to come up with a different model, councillors voted to support a three-year commitment for the grant funding. The motion will need to go to a regular council meeting for final approval.
The policy doesn't prevent other groups from seeking a similar arrangement, and notes that the solution is temporary until an "alternative funding mechanism be investigated."
Mayor Patricia Heintzman said ideally by the end of the summer season a new model would be arranged.
Coun. Susan Chapelle opposed the motion. She said as a mountain biker she is very supportive of SORCA, but struggled with giving the group special treatment.
"Everybody wants continued funding, and I'm not sure why SORCA above all else. Why not the hospice, why not the Women's Centre? We have important groups that every year we grant the exact same amount," said Chapelle.
She pointed out that SORCA collects fees from a growing membership.
"We need to look at a fulsome way to fund trail maintenance and tourism infrastructure," she said. "I think this really warrants a community conversation."
