On June 21, the provincial government made several announcements regarding grants for our local area. The money has been earmarked to Niverville and Ritchot through the Building Sustain Communities Grant Program.
“I am proud to highlight our PC government’s investments in local projects that will help build thriving, sustainable communities for everyone’s benefit,” said MLA Ron Schuler at the announcement outside the Legislature in Winnipeg. “These grants will help boost community organizations during these unprecedented times as we begin to rebuild our economy beyond the pandemic.”
The grant program was expanded for 2021, with up to $13 million made available by the province to support 305 individual community development projects.
For Niverville, the grants include $22,499 for the 2022 Manitoba Winter Games. Specifically, this money will go toward the purchase of a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) and a wrestling mat. Some money will also be set aside for programming to take place after the Games.
Additionally, Clipper Ice Sports will receive $8,471 for a rink divider, to optimize and modify the ice surface at the Centennial Arena.
The third project in Niverville is an expansion of the dog park. The province has given the town $35,000 in order to repair and resurface the park, improve drainage, plant grass seed, install a new fence, and plant trees.
Finally, $517 is being provided to Niverville through a separate grant, the Heritage Grant Program, which is funded through the Department of Sport, Culture and Heritage. This money will go towards developing two interpretative signs for the Niverville Heritage Wall, which will soon be erected along Main Street next to the Niverville Credit Union parking lot. Interpretive Signs. The signs will expand on the history of the town.
A wide array of community projects have also received funding throughout the RM of Ritchot.
The first is $117,195 for the new boat launch in Ste. Agathe. The money will be used to finish the boat launch and construct a dock along the river. Once complete, the site will include lighting, signage, and bank stabilization.
The Ste. Agathe Arena is getting some necessary equipment upgrades, to the tune of $43,585. This will come about in the form of a dehumidification unit and a replacement ice resurfacer.
Speaking of arenas, the Île-des-Chênes Arena will get a new wheelchair ramp and an automatic door opener at the top of the ramp. The project will receive $9,902.
In St. Adolphe, the arena and community centre will be given $34,584 to tackle mould remediation. The need for these improvements, which include the removal and replacement of a wall with significant mould damage and a new fire-rated wall, came to light earlier this year when St. Adolphe made the top four finalists in the annual Kraft Hockeyville contest.
The St. Adolphe Arena will also be given $6,047 for facility upgrades, including the replacement of the compressor room roof and brine pump.
Accessible washroom and shower upgrades are coming to Ste. Agathe, with $42,366 being spent on replacing an existing washroom and shower facility with one that is accessible.
Finally, the Seine River Minor Ball organization is being given $10,155 to complete upgrades to its park. Dugouts and fencing will be upgraded to increase safety, and a storage garage for maintenance equipment will be built.
At the announcement of these grants, Schuler noted that the 2021 program intake was expanded by more than $5 million so that larger-scale capital projects could be supported. The maximum grant contribution is 50 percent of eligible capital project costs of up to $300,000. Other community projects have continued to be eligible for funding for grants up to $75,000.
