Council approves funding requests for Multicultural Association, Communities in Bloom, and Toy Run

City council approved a series of requests for funding at last Tuesday’s meeting.

The Lakeland Multicultural Association was approved for a $5000 sponsorship over the year.

Communities in Bloom had a $5000 budget approved for competing in the national CIB competition.

The 3rd annual Motorcycle Toy Run received a $500 cash and another $500 in a silent auction item from the city.

Also, grants from the Cold Lake Entertainment Society and 784 Wing were given the green light from council after approval from the Recreation and Culture Advisory Committee.

Diwali night “a unique opportunity for the city”

Although the Lakeland Multicultural Association had a series of small requests in last Tuesday’s council meeting, city council elected to give blanket support in the form $5000 with their eyes on making Diwali Night, Nov. 2, a bigger event in the community.

Mayor Craig Copeland said Diwali Night has the potential to get really big, really fast.

“I think the Diwali night has amazing potential to be a big, big deal in Cold Lake and the Lakeland area, so now we’re going to come in and help the group. They’re going to sit with administration, we’re going to sit down with them and try to work on this, but council was very supportive of giving them some grant money,” said Mayor Craig Copeland.

The LMA hosted three events last year and hit a home run with their Diwali Night, as event organizers said they had to turn away people at the door due to the small capacity.

The idea this year is to use the Field House at the Energy Centre for Diwali Night.

“Cold Lake is a really multicultural community and people don’t really realize all the different ethnicities in Cold Lake. This is going to be great. And kudos to the group. I’ve really enjoyed going to their events, I think moving over to the field house is going to really attract even more people to Diwali night,” said Copeland.

The volunteer-run group has three events planned this year: Games From Far and Near, June 30, Folktales – A Storytelling Festival, Sept. 21, and Diwali Night, Nov. 2.

Cold Lake to go after national bloom recognition

Cold Lake’s Communities in Bloom wants to participate in this year’s national competition after the city received a 5 Bloom score in the provincial competition in 2015.

Their $5000 budget was given the OK from city council. The money would go towards travel costs for the national judges and tiding up the community ahead of the evaluation.

Cold Lake would be judged on a myriad of factors including tidiness, environmental action, heritage conservation, and urban forestry.

Communities in Bloom are also absorbing the operations of the Cold Lake Community Garden Society after the organizers step away.

Toy Run for Valour Place gets support

City council decided to donate $500 and an additional $500 towards a silent auction to the 3rd annual Motorcycle Toy Run.

UN-NATO Veterans were requesting sponsorship to the Toy Run which benefits Lakeland hospitals and Valour Place in Edmonton.

The toy donations go to sick children in hospitals in the Lakeland and the financial contributions are donated to Valour Place.

Valour Place is a cost-free temporary residence for ill and injured veterans, RCMP, Canadian Armed Forces members, First Responders, and their family members who require treatment in Edmonton but live elsewhere.

The 2019 Motorcycle run is May 25.

784 Wing

The 784 Wing Royal Canadian Air Force Association’s request for funding was approved by city council after the green light was given from the Recreation and Culture Advisory Committee.

Mayor Craig Copeland said the group will use the grant of just over $5000 to help cover costs of repairs to their deck to make it wheelchair-accessible.

“That association also allows a lot of nonprofits to use the basement of that building for free, so it’s great that we’re able to help the Association out,” said Copeland.

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The Cold Lake Fighter Jets received $10,000 from the city last Tuesday as well.