More funding for mountain bike trails and a new craft beverage festival were two requests supported by the District council last month as part of the community enhancement grants program.
As of December, council had considered 36 grant applications from a wide variety of community groups, including Quest University, local schools, environmental groups and recreation groups.
So far, the largest chunk of grant funding will once again go to the Squamish Off-Road Cycling Association, whose members maintain and oversee Squamish’s extensive mountain biking trails.
During the presentation to council, president Jeff Cooke explained the requested increase in funding but said in the long-term the organization needs even more funding, to the tune of around $150,000 to keep the trails in good shape for both locals and tourists.
“The trails have become so popular over the last five years, and we’ve had so many new visitors, that we really are playing catch-up,” he said.
“Our membership has soared,” he said, sharing numbers that saw close to 500 new members sign up from 2016 to 2017.
The long discussion at District council revolved around how the municipality can help SORCA grow and permanently fund their operations beyond the large annual grant request.
Cooke said ideally they would like to see businesses that benefit from the trails – like hotels and other tourist amenities – contribute more funds.
“Like every great tourism asset, if you’re not putting money into the infrastructure, you’re only paying money into drawing people into the place, eventually people won’t show up anymore because things will degrade,” he said.
This year SORCA asked for $85,000, an increase of $10,000 from last year.
The newly formed Craft Beverage Association is also requesting funding for a new festival event, that the organization’s treasurer Marc Roberts described as “essentially a farmers market meets the Squamish Beer Festival.”
The group consists of 13 businesses that include breweries, coffee, kombucha, distilleries and cideries. Roberts said the organization exists to encourage cooperation between small local businesses and encourage visitors to enjoy Squamish’s artisan offerings.
“We really try to support each other, which I think is really important, especially for new businesses,” said Roberts.
The organization asked for $1,000 in-kind from the District, possibly to help with a venue rental, which was supported. An additional request for a one-time $2,000 in cash to help get the new family-friendly event off the ground was also approved.
Other items that were supported by council include funding for an LGBT+ “Day of
Discussion” event and funding for the Our Futures 2.0 conference.
The District also agreed to continue funding for the Arts Council, the Hospice Society, the downtown BIA and the Seniors Centre Society.
Requests for funding that were not supported by council include cash for the Aligned Collective’s “education space” and a yoga program at Don Ross Middle School.
Money for the Vancouver International Sculpture Biennale, a new outrigger canoe for the Squamish paddling club and a requested $27,720 for the Sea to Sky Forestry Centre Museum were also turned down.
