By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle

Osoyoos council awarded a total of $214,167 in grants to 26 community organizations in its annual exercise of disbursing grants from its own Community Services Grants program as well as the Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) Visitor Activity Enhancement Fund provided by the Province. 

The annual RMI funding is aimed at enhancing the visitor experience through funding support for the development and production of a wide range of festivals, events and entertainment. This funding is only available to RMI-designated communities and can only be spent on tourism enhancement projects.

The Grant Evaluation Committee met on Nov. 28, 2024, and reviewed all applications. The committee is made up of Gerald Davis, Director of Community Services, and two council members – Jim King and Johnny Cheong. 

The committee highlighted that it strove to be “fair and provide funding assistance in a balanced and equitable manner”. As in past years, the committee set aside a contingency amount to ensure funding for other groups that might come forward during the year. 

The committee also invited groups that requested more than $15,000 or who requested a substantially greater amount from the previous year to a committee of the whole (COW) meeting in order for  council to ask questions and get a better understanding of their request. Two groups – Music in the Park and Desert Park Exhibition Society – both made presentations to the COW.

Cheong added that the committee will meet soon to consider disbursement of the remaining funds. 

 

Community Services Grants

Wide Arts National Association – All Hallows Festival – $12,000 ($15,000)

Osoyoos Beach Volleyball Association Park – rental, licensing, insurance $5,000 ($5,000)

Oyster Festival – advertising/branding/social media – $2,500 ($5,000)

Osoyoos and District Arts Council – Spring Festival – $8,000 ($8,000)

Osoyoos Festivals Society – Cherry Fiesta – $7,500 ($6,000)

S.O. Similkameen Pride Society – Pride Festival – $8,000 ($8,000)

Music in the Park – bands, insurance, advertising, marketing – $32,500 ($38,000)

  • Number in brackets is the requested amount
  • A total of $75,500 was allocated out of the total $86,367 with $10,867 remaining

 

RMI Visitor Activity Enhancement Fund

High School – bursaries – $4,500 ($4,500)

Sports Team/Individual – Provincials support – $2,000 ($2,000)

Osoyoos Actors Studio – production costs – $1,000 ($1,000)

Desert Valley Hospice – community bus use – $3,000 ($3,000)

S.O. Mental Wellness – support group – $2,000 ($2,000)

Osoyoos Beach Volleyball – equipment – $5,000 ($10,000)

Osoyoos Curling Club – building improvements – $3,000 ($3,500)

Osoyoos Festivals Society – fireworks  $7,500 ($10,000)

Osoyoos Lake Water Quality Society – program expenses – $3,000 ($3,000)

Osoyoos Museum Society – informational signage – $3,500 ($4,000)

Portuguese Canadian Cultural Society – dishwasher/ext door – $5,000 ($10,000)

Osoyoos Traditional Archery School – archery equipment/targets – $4,000 ($8,000)

Osoyoos Desert Society – barrier free washrooms, parking, pathways – $4,000 ($8,000)

Lake Osoyoos Sailing Club – accessible washroom upgrades – $2,500 ($5,000)

Big Horn Air Cadet Squadron – rolling staircase – $500 ($2,000)

Osoyoos Lawn Bowling Club – fencing – $2,500 ($2,500)

Osoyoos Elks Sr Citizens Society – subsidized activities/building improvements – $2,500 ($2,500)

Arts Council – track lighting repair/replacement at art gallery – $1,800 ($1,800)

Desert Park Exhibition Society – barns A & B improvements/maint – $0 ($35,000)

Osoyoos Childcare Centre – appliance replacement – $5,000 ($10,000)

  • Number in brackets is the requested amount
  • A total of $62,300 was allocated out of the total $127,800 with $65,500 remaining