Children in the hamlet of Neuhorst will be playing on new playground equipment next year.
Corman Park Councillors passed a resolution at their December 21, 2020 meeting to allocate $82,695 from the RM’s Municipal Reserve Fund to the Hamlet of Neuhorst to exupgrade playground equipment at the Neuhorst Community Centre.
The hamlet board requested the funding to provide a “safer” playground for young children in the area. The playground will be designed and installed by 1-Stop Playgrounds, a company based in Humboldt.
Hamlet board spokesperson Dave Bueckert said in the group’s grant application that the community “desperately” needs to improve and expand the existing playgrund facilities.
“This improvement would help keep our children off the street and would also benefit neighbouring children,” said Bueckert. “We have raised $3,895 so far through various fundraisers like barbecues and car shows.”
Previously, in 2015, the hamlet received a grant of $13,862 for improvements to the community hall and outdoor rink. The RM’s Municipal Reserve Fund currently has a balance of $2.1 million.
Corman Park Division 6 Councillor Bas Froese-Kooijenga spoke in favour of the grant, saying the community has “done its due diligence” through fundraising efforts.
Corman Park Council also voted at its December 21 meeting to provide a one-time $10,000 grant to the South Corman Park Community Association (SCPCA) to help offset operating costs of the community-owned hall, known colloquially as the ‘log cabin.’
SCPCA board member Kevin Aebig said in a presentation to the December 21 council meeting that the annual operating cost of the hall is approximately $12,000. He noted that 65% of the cost is related to liablity insurance coverage because the building is home to a cooperative preschool and a ‘before-and-after school’ program.
Aebig said the community association relies heavily on hall rentals to subsidize the cost of the preschool and other programs as well as pay for building maintenance. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, income from rentals has dried up, he said, adding operating costs are being paid for out of the community association’s financial reserves.
“What we’re asking for is a grant to help carry us through until we can rent out the hall again and generate an income,” said Aebig.
A motion to provide a one-time grant of $10,000 to assist the community association was passed.