At the AKBLG convention in Kimberley at the end of April, a number of Columbia Basin Trust grants were announced.
In addition to the $143,000 for the Rotary Kimberley spray park, the City has received a CBT grant of $350,000 for the north wall of the civic centre.
The north wall project has been looming for some time, as it was always intended as a temporary wall.
“The program will cost considerably more,” said Don McCormick. “We’ve allocated money in the budget, but now we have $350,000 in matching funds. It’s been 55 years waiting for this. The longer it has gone on, the more legendary the wall has become.
Even the reasons why it was temporary vary.”
In any event, the wall will be redone this year and the project will also include extending the indoor walkway all the way around the arena, which means seniors, and others, can use it as an indoor walking track in the winter
In addition to the north wall grant, the Kimberley Trails Society has received $80,000 from CBT for their Bootleg Trail project.
“These are all visible, needed projects,” McCormick said. “There are so many things underway in Kimberley right now, including the repaving of Gerry Sorensen Way. That makes people feel good. There is an amazing momentum in the city and a lot of reasons to feel really good.”