The Hay River Ski Club (HRSC) is running out of cash due to government funding cuts.
The clubSA国际影视传媒檚 budget has been cut by almost two-thirds, with the loss of about $33,000 per year from the Department of Municipal and Community AffairsSA国际影视传媒� Legacy Retailer Grant Program, a five-year interim arrangement put in place after it, and other non-profits, were refused funding from NWT Lotteries back in 2014.
In a stark assessment of the clubSA国际影视传媒檚 finances, a Dec. 12 news release states, SA国际影视传媒渋t is simply not feasible for the HRSC to take on fundraising our annual operational budget in addition to being responsible for maintaining the trails and facilities and providing a wide variety of recreational and sporting programs. The very existence of the HRSC is at risk.SA国际影视传媒�
The club can survive this season and the next thanks to the terreitorial governmentSA国际影视传媒檚 NGO Stabilization Fund, but SA国际影视传媒渁fter that, the financial future of the ski club becomes very unclear.SA国际影视传媒�
MACA rejected multiple grant funding applications from the club though a SA国际影视传媒�(Regional Youth Sport Events Program) application was re-submitted and eventually approved for one third of the amount requested. It is evident that submitting applications is one step, but receiving funds is another,SA国际影视传媒� it states.
The release states MACA advised the ski club to appeal to the Town of Hay River and Cross Country NWT, its territorial sports organization, for funds but SA国际影视传媒渘either the town nor our TSO has committed to providing financial support to the ski club and have re-directed us back to MACA.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淭he HRSC is caught in the middle, and no permanent funding source from any level of government or agency has emerged,SA国际影视传媒� it continues.
At the clubSA国际影视传媒檚 2021 annual general meeting, members sanctioned a 50% fee increase for adults and 35% for families to help plug some of the gap left by the drop in government funding.
In addition, the club has partnered with the Hay River Golf Club to host the SA国际影视传媒楥hase the AceSA国际影视传媒� fundraiser.
BREAKER: Ski club SA国际影视传媒榠mportant to a lot of people in Hay RiverSA国际影视传媒�
Trails supervisor and biathlon coach Chuck Lirette said he was SA国际影视传媒渧ery surprised to have our funding completely cut and that they had no intention of renewing it.SA国际影视传媒�
The clubSA国际影视传媒檚 annual operating budget is about $50,000 per year, which pays for everything to run the facility from fuel to equipment repairs and replacement, he said.
One of the biggest expenses is electricity as the club has about five kilometres of lighted trail, which can cost up to $12,000 a year.
Replacing the old lights with more energy efficient LEDs would save the club $2,000 to $3,000 a year in operating costs, said Lirette, but a grant from the GNWT to undertake the project was recently denied SA国际影视传媒渁nd we tried with the town in terms of their Community Enhancement Program to see if we could get the funding that would allow us to swap out the lights and we just recently learned that their finance committee is going to recommend that that be denied as well.SA国际影视传媒�
Despite the setbacks, Lirette said he appreciates the support he has received from Hay River MLAs, Rocky and R.J. Simpson and from the community at large.
After an initial appeal for support, R.J. Simpson received between 50 and 60 emails from concerned residents asking MACA to reconsider the funding cut, said Lirette, who is asking residents to email MACA Minister Shane Thompson to express support for the club.
SA国际影视传媒淲e really hope that our MLAs and minister Thompson from MACA agree to reverse that decision,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e estimated that we had around 600 people at the trails at one point or another during the winter last year. The ski club is important to a lot of people in Hay River.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淚 want to stress, weSA国际影视传媒檙e a volunteer organization,SA国际影视传媒� he continued. SA国际影视传媒淣obody gets paid a salary. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 just a group of people that put a lot of time and effort into providing the ski club and the programming to the people of Hay River and the North.SA国际影视传媒�
Involved with the club in one way or another for about 18 years, Lirette called it the SA国际影视传媒渦nofficial biathalon capital,SA国际影视传媒� of the North. SA国际影视传媒淲e have the 16-lane facility here, we just hosted the Polar Cup races this weekend.SA国际影视传媒�
He also wanted to emphasize SA国际影视传媒渢hat the Hay River Ski Club is more than just a ski club.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e tried to try to make it a family destination,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淔or example, we have a tobogganing hill, weSA国际影视传媒檝e put a picnic table and fire pit that people can use, we have a cabin across the river thatSA国际影视传媒檚 a popular destination, weSA国际影视传媒檝e put in bird feeders on one of our loops that people can go to.SA国际影视传媒�
It also has a multi-use trail called the Tigger Trail where SA国际影视传媒測ou can go with boots, you can go with skis, you can go with snowshoes and you can take your dogs.SA国际影视传媒�
