Lyonel Doherty, [email protected]

Columbia Valley residents will soon have their say on a slew of grant proposals to benefit their community.

Formerly known as the Community Initiatives and Affected Areas program, these resident-directed (ReDi) grants will help fund various projects in Invermere, Radium Hot Springs, Canal Flats, and Electoral Areas F and G. The program is a partnership between the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) and the Columbia Basin Trust, which provides the funds.

The RDEK is now seeking feedback on the submitted proposals for 2023/24 and will consider the recommendations at its June board meeting.

In the meantime, public meetings are being scheduled in each area, with one at Columbia Valley Centre at 6 p.m. on May 1.

Sandra Haley, community services coordinator for the RDEK, said the meetings are an opportunity for proponents to present their projects to local advisory committees and for residents to provide feedback.

“At this time, it is difficult to determine how many projects will be approved and what the value will be. This year there is $1,327,180 to distribute throughout the entire region,” Haley said.

She noted that engaging in the process gives residents a firsthand opportunity to participate by showing support for projects in their communities and expressing where they would like to see the funds utilized.

Some of the proposals include: low cost spay/neuter program, Blue Lake camp initiative for youth, Christmas for families in need, environmental education for kids, Art from the Heart show, youth soccer, invasive species prevention, agriculture in the classroom, environmental stewardship, new park development, Steamboat Mountain Music Festival, and Forster Creek foot bridge replacement.

Area F Director Susan Clovechok told the Pioneer there are so many organizations doing great work in the valley that it wouldn’t be fair to highlight one particular proposal from the 33 submissions in Area F.

“The Area F ReDi funding allocation is over-subscribed by approximately 90 per cent, which makes the community presentations critical to the tough decisions we will have to make,” she said. “Having applicants speak to their projects and answer questions will help our committee make the best funding allocation recommendations possible to the RDEK board.”

Radium Hot Springs Mayor Mike Gray said he has looked at the “exciting” grant applications, but like his colleagues, reserves judgment until he’s had a chance to meet with all of the applicants on May 1.

“The Columbia Basin Trust ReDi grant program is an outstanding way for local groups to find the funds they need to get going, and we are so thankful to the Trust for these funds which go to such good use in the Columbia Valley each year,” Gray said.

For more information on the proposals, visit https://engage.rdek.bc.ca/redi.