Two local organizations will receive grants-in-aid totaling more than $13,500 from the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako.
At its April 16 meeting, the regional district’s board of directors agreed to provide $10,000 and $3550, respectively, to the Grassy Plains Community Hall and the Tchesinkut Lake Watershed Society.
The Grassy Plains Community Hall organization will use its grant to assist with the cost of hiring live entertainment for the Southside’s annual summer festival in July. Festival organizers have also applied for a provincial community gaming grant of $11,325, but according to applicant Jan Owens, they “will not know the results until May, which is far too late to try to book bands for July.”
Funding allocated to the Tchesinkut Lake Watershed Society will help defray the cost of water testing there.
Society director Ron Miller, who submitted the funding application, said the group hopes to purchase “some equipment to measure pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and conductivity of the water of Tchesinkut Lake.” The group also wants to send some samples of lake water for chemical and bacterial analysis, as Tchesinkut is a source of domestic water for many area residents.
“Our society was started in 2000,” Miller stated in the application. “Since that time, no water studies have been conducted (on Tchesinkut Lake).”
Miller went on to note that the mountain pine epidemic destroyed many trees in the watershed and resulted in some logging there.
“Because of higher density of humans and livestock (in the watershed), we would like to study the water quality and make sure it is safe for human consumption,” he explained. “The lake is used for recreation, fishing, boating, and sailing. These activities rely on a good water source, and that is what we are trying to provide and also protect.”
Both the Grassy Plains Community Hall and the Tchesinkut Lake Watershed Society operate within Electoral Area B (Francois/Ootsa Lake Rural) of the regional district, which is represented by director Eileen Benedict.