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Council approves grant matching funds for Volunteer Central while calling on the province for answers

Jun 12, 2017 | 5:45 PM

Red Deer city council is doing what it can to make sure Volunteer Central is around to help with the 2019 Canada Winter Games.

Council has approved up to $75,000 in matching funds from the City of Red Deer’s tax-supported Operating Reserve should Volunteer Central be successful in applying for provincial Community Initiatives Program (CIP) grant funding.

While they unanimously passed the resolution, citing the importance of the work being done by the organization, councilors also expressed their concerns that Volunteer Central could become fully dependent on tax support from the City. They’d like to see more clarity from the province when it comes to stable, long-term funding.

“It’s unfortunate that council finds itself in the position of grappling with equitability because of the provincial government not giving an answer,” said Mayor Tara Veer. “[This] sees us through to the Games but I think we have to be clear that we don’t want to set the organization up for reliance on City funding alone.”

Volunteer Central, which provides recruitment and training services for over 100 non-profit organizations, has already received $100,000 in City funding to see them through the end of March 2018.

“VC has been very frugal in its operations with a ‘bare bones’ annual budget requirement of $150,000 to sustain the organization,” Board Chair Kay Kenney said in a funding request letter.

Volunteer Central will find out in November whether they are successful in applying for CIP funding.

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Also on Monday: 

– First reading was given to a Firearms Bylaw amendment that includes the transfer of administration and enforcement from the Inspections and Licensing Manager to the Municipal Policing Services Department and Manager.

– An application to redesignate nearly 10 acres of land at 47 Avenue and 19 Street, on the east side of Piper Creek, from Future Urban Development (A1) to Commercial (Major Arterial, C4) and Environmental Preservation (A2) received first reading.

The land falls within the Sunnybrook South Neighbourhood Area Structure Plan.

The applicant has applied to redesignate the property with the intent of building a commercial development, to be built in phases over the next three to five years. It’s anticipated the initial development will include a three-story retail and commercial facility.

Some councilors wondered whether this is the right type of development for this location, but still gave their support to first reading to allow for a public hearing. Traffic impacts and the proximity to both Piper Creek and Westerner Park were also among the concerns that were raised.

A public hearing is scheduled for July 10.