County of Grande Prairie Council approved the 2024 County Operating Assistance funding request from the Hythe Athletic Association.
According to the county, $131,840 with a three percent escalator was approved for the HAA, and County Reeve Bob Marshall says most of the funding will go towards facility operations such as programming, minor maintenance, and utilities.
“The funding request is going towards the operation of the facility, whatever they need to do to have the facility open for our minor hockey, figure skating programs, public skating programs, anything in there.”
“The building is one of the central points in the community so we want to keep that open and going for the residents, and the surrounding areas as well.”
Marshall adds that the move is a significant one for the entire county, not just Hythe, as regional programs like Beaverlodge Minor Hockey depend on the facility.
“Most of our ice surfaces are regional in nature.”
Additionally, council directed administration to work with the HAA on creating an Operating Reserve Fund and transfer the estimated surplus into the reserve. The county is currently estimating around a $1,000 cash surplus and Marshall says the reserve will be utilized for any unexpected costs for the facility throughout the year.
“It’s just over $1000 they had leftover from last year’s operating fund, so not a huge amount but it’ll go into a reserve, so any minor repairs or anything they need to do throughout the year, they can dip into that.”
County council is scheduled to deliberate major capital grants in their next meeting, and any additional HAA funding for building or major repairs will come from that.