Three local organizations in Fernie and Sparwood received funding this year through the B.C. government’s Community Gaming Grants program.
The program provides $140 million every year for not-for-profit organizations throughout the province, “to support their delivery of ongoing programs and services that meet the needs of their communities,” reads the government of B.C. website.
In Fernie, funding was awarded to the Fernie and District Historical Society (FDHS) for $10,000, and the Fernie Alpine Ski Team for $30,000. The Sparwood Skating Club received $10,700.
READ MORE: Provincial gaming grants support East Kootenay sports, arts and culture
Sara Edmondson, the executive director of the FDHS, said this year’s money will be going towards their archive program, which runs out of the top floor of the Scotiabank building.
The FDHS holds an extensive archive of paper records from Fernie’s “quite long history,” she said.
“People can come to us. Maybe they’re researching family, or maybe they’re writing a novel, and they’re wanting some factual information about a person or an event in town. They can contact us and we can do the work to actually find that information for them.”
About 70 per cent of the funding will go towards staff wages. The other 30 per cent will be put towards things like insurance, telecommunications, internet, shipping and postage services, and storage like archive boxes and supplies.
“It’s not necessarily the most sexy story… But it is something that is obviously important work for the community, because at the end of the day, we’re in charge of keeping the history protected,” Edmondson said.
The FDHS was founded in 1964 and operates The Fernie Museum and The Fernie Archives Centre and Collections Centre, which protects and preserves over 10,000 documents, photographs and historical artifacts.
“The work that’s undertaken using these grant funds is something that’s essential to our community.”
Rod Timm, program director for the Fernie Alpine Ski Team, said the funding will go towards equipment to operate the team, such as gates, netting, drills, and timing equipment.
He provided an example of safety netting on the side of a hill, saying that one net costs a little over $500. The price tag adds up quite quickly, he said.
“[The funding is] greatly appreciated, and I think it really effects the ability of our club to be more professional out there with the right gear to make it happen.”
The Sparwood Skating Club president, Kayla Stanley, said that the money will go towards coach and ice expenses.
“We keep our registration costs lower to help make skating affordable for all families in Sparwood,” she said.