At its May 6 regular meeting, Smithers council approved sending a slew of letters of support on behalf of various groups in town for several different grant applications.
First Council approved support for the Smithers Skate Park Expansion Project Phase 3 grant application to the Canada Community Building Fund through the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako. This also included approval to enter into an agreement with the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako if the application is approved, and agreeing to follow a purchasing agreement in the implementation of the expansion.
The RDBN intends to consider an application for $100,000 for the project. If approved, the Town of Smithers would act as the financial partnering organization as required by the grant application. The town and Smithers Skate Park Society have an ongoing partnership for the implementation of the Smithers Skate Park Expansion Project, which began in 2022.
The society has led all fund raising efforts for all phases of the Skate Park expansion with the exception of a $75,000 contribution from the Town of Smithers for landscaping improvements.
The society is planning on finishing the project this year with the third phase, which includes lighting, a shaded structure, a sign, a water filling station and landscaping at a cost of just over half a million dollars.
Next on the agenda was a letter for the Northern Edge Sport Association's (gymnastics club) grant application for HVAC upgrades to the Canada Community Building Fund through the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako.
The regional district requires the Town of Smithers, as the land owner and final owner of the facility improvements, to submit an application in partnership with the Northern Edge. The RDBN intends to consider an application for $150,000 for the project. If approved, the Town of Smithers would act as the financial partnering organization.
Northern Edge Sport Association has been working since 2021 to develop plans for the improvement of its LB Warner Site facility. The facility improvements will result in improved recreation multi-use infrastructure to deliver programming and assist in reducing the carbon footprint of the facility.
Then, council directed staff to provide a letter of support to Smithers Citizens on Patrol for its application to the Wetzin’kwa Community Grant Program, to assist with the purchase of a dedicated patrol vehicle. The Smithers Citizens on Patrol Society (SCOP) is a local registered not-for-profit society recently reestablished in the community. The Citizens on Patrol Program is part of a B.C.-wide network to observe and report suspicious activity.
The town currently provides a patrol vehicle and maintains insurance coverage for it. The vehicle is a town-owned asset utilized by staff during daytime hours and is also frequently used for out-of-town travel to attend conferences and other official events. In the evenings, the SCOP program is granted access to the vehicle, at which time magnetic decals are placed over the town’s logo.
According to a report from town staff, a dedicated vehicle would provide the SCOP program with increased access to a vehicle, enhancing their ability to conduct regular patrols. It would allow for appropriate SCOP branding, as well as recognition of businesses and organizations that support the program. A highly visible patrol vehicle would serve as a deterrent to high-risk activity and provide reassurance to members of the community, the report stated.
Next, council agreed to provide a letter of support to the Proton Foundation to accompany its Wetzin'kwa Community Forest Corporation grant application to host the 2025 Main Street Market.
Town staff and the Smithers Proton Foundation plan to host another Main Street Market this summer. This event aims to support community-based participation in arts and culture, social services, and community economic development.
Finally, council approved a Smithers Fire Rescue grant application for $100,000 to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities – Community Emergency Preparedness Fund Next Generation 911 Grant program. If successful it will be used to purchase trucks to support Next Generation 911 and Computer Assisted Dispatch.
According to Deputy Fire Chief Matt Herzog, Next Generation 911 is designed to support first responders by upgrading the analog systems to IP-based systems. This will allow faster transmission of information and provide more accurate location information for first responders, he said.
The system also allows pictures and videos to be sent directly to first responders to provide a more informed idea of what they are dealing with. Next Gen 911 was first discussed in the early 2000s and is now being implemented in the region over the next 18 months.
