The Elkford bike park project is getting ever closer to its $385,000 funding goal and hopes to break ground in late July.
The initiative, which seeks to build a bike park for kids in town, received two recent funding bumps, according to Elkford Biking Club president, Jason Meldrum.
On Tuesday (May 17), Len Gostick (who sits on the District of Elkford council) donated $15,000 to the cause through his company, RMR Radiators. Before that, on Friday (May 13), Tate Clarkson of Clarkson Contracting donated $500. Clarkson also offered to help with some labour needs for the project.
Speaking about the two most recent donations, Meldrum said: “They’re good, they’re big.”
“It’s nice to see (Gostick and Clarkson) look after the community.”
Teck recently announced that they would match donations to the cause up to $25,000. The last two donations, amounting to $15,500, bring the recent donation mark close to that $25,000, which will be matched by Teck once it is reached.
“Between those two, it’s almost completed the matching program of Teck.”
READ MORE: Teck to match Elkford Bike Park donations
To fill the remaining gap needed for the Teck match, Meldrum said: “We’re just going to rely on the rest of the local businesses within Elkford and the Elk Valley to come to the plate and help us out.”
Meldrum also said that Gostick and Clarkson’s donations were not due to the announced Teck match.
“They just wanted to do something for the community.”
There is also another $35,000 pending from the Columbia Basin Trust (CBT), which was recommended through the District of Elkford in April and still has to be approved by the Regional District of East Kootenay. The CBT donated $250,000 to the cause in March.
Meldrum said that, in the best case scenario of Teck matching $25,000 worth of community donations and including the pending $35,000, there would be a remaining $25,000 left to go before reaching the $385,000 goal.
They also anticipate putting on a fundraising raffle in June, for which the Gear Hub in Fernie recently donated over $700 worth of gear for prizes.
He said they are hoping to break ground at the Boivin Creek location on July 27.
“I think we’re going to do it.”
If anyone wishes to donate for the Elkford bike park project, they can contact Meldrum at elkfordbikingclub@gmail.com.
READ MORE: Elkford’s bike park $250k closer
READ MORE: Elkford wants a bike park
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josh.fischlin@thefreepress.ca
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