More than two-dozen local and regional non-profit organizations and agencies will receive more than $60,000 in funding as Town of Osoyoos council approved its Community Service Grant applications process on Monday.

The Community Service Grant applications were reviewed by town councillor Jim King and Gerald Davis, the town’s director of community services, and forwarded to council for approval on Monday.

The intention of bringing the recommendations to the committee of the whole is not to debate the amount of allocation or merits of each project, but simply to provide information and the committee’s rationale for the recommendation.

The allocated budget for the grants for 2016 was approved for $64,000 and the total request was just over $80,000.

A total of $2,000 has been set aside annually for sports teams that have to travel outside the community to compete and another $4,000 for environmental initiatives.

The applications are grouped into different categories that include approved support, traditional support and new requests.

Sports teams funding was already approved by council several weeks ago as the South Okanagan Minor Hockey Association Bantam Thunder team travelled to Smithers to compete in the provincial championships, as did the Osoyoos Secondary School senior boy’s basketball team, which competed at provincials in Langley.

At Monday’s regular meeting of council, they agreed to use the town’s Resort Municipality Funding to pay for two requests by community groups so they could provide additional one-time funding to the Osoyoos Minor Baseball Association.

The baseball association will receive over $6,000 to purchase two pitching mounds and a pitching machine.

The request for $3,125 for the Osoyoos Lake Water Quality Society to help fund Osoyoos Lake Appreciation Day this summer and $3,000 to the Desert Park Society to pay for its inaugural jousting event over the May long weekend will be paid through Resort Municipality Initiative funding.

Council did not grant the initial request by the minor baseball association to have fees waived as it would set a precedent resulting in other minor sports organizations asking to waive fees.

The following is a list of community service grants approved by council on Monday.

Traditional support:

  • Osoyoos Festival Society – $6,000.
  • Osoyoos Elks Senior Citizens Society (property taxes, municipal portion) – $2,000.
  • Osoyoos Royalty Committee – $6,000.
  • High school bursaries – $3,000.
  • Canada Day fireworks – $6,000.
  • Osoyoos Elks Lodge No. 436 (AED purchase) – $1,500.
  • Osoyoos International Curling Club (fire exit door) – $5,550.

New Requests:

  • Royal Canadian Legion Branch 73 (property taxes, municipal portion) – $1,000.
  • Desert Sun Counselling and Resource Centre (Better at Home program) – $4,000.
  • Osoyoos Child Care Centre (playground fall surface) – $3,500.
  • Osoyoos Senior Ball Club (dugout cover, equipment storage) – $2,500.
  • Osoyoos Wildlife Federation (Fishing Forever event) – $1,000.
  • Osoyoos Seniors Centre (Hall upgrades) – $3,000.
  • South Okanagan Minor Hockey Association (Rink divider system) – $5,000.
  • Osoyoos Autism Behavioural Centre (facility rental costs/insurance) – $3,000.
  • Osoyoos and District Arts Council (light fixtures) – $500.
  • Lake Osoyoos Sailing Club (exterior painting of clubhouse) – $500.

Council is expected to hand out the cheques to the various community groups and organizations at its first or second meeting in April.

KEITH LACEY

Osoyoos Times