The Community Foundation of Northwestern Alberta is aiding Nitehawk Year-round Adventure Park in its efforts to fund a new ski lift and associated infrastructure. The partnership will allow Nitehawk to solicit charitable funding from the Foundation.
A landslide in May 2020 significantly damaged several ski hills at the park, rendering it unsafe for public use. Up to $2 million is reportedly necessary to build a new ski lift.
The idea is for the Foundation, as a registered charity, to accept donations on behalf of Nitehawk and issue charitable tax receipts as applicable. CEO of the Community Foundation Laura LaValley says the park reached out roughly a month ago for help to get back on their feet.
“We’ve created the Nitehawk Landslide Recovery Fund and we’re looking to accept donations on their behalf and issue tax receipts to donors in the community where they apply,” she says. “That’s the main framework of the relationship, we’re going to accept those donations and at a time when they’re ready to move forward with a new lift of some sort, then we’re going to extend their funds that way through their municipality.”
Nitehawk General Manager Johnathan Clarkson says the hope is to have the money raised by the end of the winter season.
“A lot of things changed here for us with the landslide. The main objective and goal for the next six months is to raise money for [the] new lift,’ he says. “What that looks like, we’re not sure yet as we continue working on the geotechnical engineering side of things.”
LaValley adds the fund established at the Community Foundation is something that was just announced, Monday. She says the team has high hopes for the platform, given the affection present in the Grande Prairie community for the Nitehawk facility.
“We’re certainly recognizing that there is a pandemic and an economic downturn and that there’s lots of challenges… but with a community group like Nitehawk that is our outdoor recreation hub in our region they’ve not only dealt with the challenges the pandemic has brought but also a natural disaster.”
The Community Foundation will hold all donations made to Nitehawk until the facility is ready to utilize them to generate a modicum of investment income on top. Donations can be made online or via physical cheque delivered to the Foundation in person.