Last October, the Kimberley Nordic Club approached Council for assistance with their goal of bringing the trails up to FIS standards so that the club can host larger events.
This involves a process called homologation, in which consultants from Cross Country Canada visit, and some trails are expanded and widened in the race areas. As club representative Frank Ackermann explained to Council at the time, the club believed Kimberley was ideally suited to host larger events such as the Western Canadian Championships and NorAm races that could potentially attract between 400 and 700 athletes and support people.
The Nordic Club approached Council, not asking for money but for assistance in grant writing, which Council was happy to provide.
Economic Development Officer Kevin Wilson met with club members and helped edit the grant application. Last week, Wilson informed Council that the grant, submitted to the BC Rural Dividend Fund, had been successful.
The Kimberley Nordic Club will receive $55,100 to make the necessary improvements to the trails.
Work on the project will begin this spring.
Coun. Darryl Oakley said that getting the grant was a major coup for the club.
“It’s amazing. It will put Kimberley on the map,” he said.