Whether it involves a new playground to swing in, a better bike track to do loops on, or updated gymnastics equipment to flip on, children and youth throughout the Columbia Basin will have access to new and improved sports equipment and spaces.
There are 24 projects being supported at a cost of over $377,000 in grants from Columbia Basin Trust.
“Basin residents told us that investing in projects that encourage children and youth to get involved in sports and physical activity was a priority,” said Aimee Ambrosone, Columbia Basin Trust Executive Director, Delivery of Benefits.
“These projects improve accessibility and expand the quality and diversity of relevant infrastructure and equipment to get kids moving.”
The Revelstoke Acrobats Club got more than $10,000 to purchase large gymnastics equipment.
Children visiting or staying at Blue Lake Camp near Canal Flats, run by Columbia Outdoor School, will be getting a new challenge: a high-ropes course. This will help users practise their skills in areas like balance, climbing, teamwork and problem solving.
In Cranbrook, the East Kootenay Disc Golf Club will make the city’s three disc golf courses more appealing for youth. It will add nine holes to one course to make it big enough for school groups, add a washroom to another, and make a difficult course more youth-friendly by adding short-distance tee pads.
The Nelson Rowing Club will upgrade its old, sinking dock with new floatation units, decking and more, making it better able to withstand time and resist chewing muskrats, beavers and otters. This work will directly benefit people of all ages—including hundreds of children and youth each year—as they row, paddle and sail.
The Taghum Community Society will convert a currently unused space outside Taghum Hall into a playground for ages five to 12, along with a landscaped area for running and games.
The Village of Fruitvale will collaborate with Beaver Valley Little League and Beaver Valley Girls Softball to improve the baseball and softball facilities in Haines Park. This will include upgrading the batting cage surface and installing safety netting.