Kelly Friesen of the Southside Economic Development Association (SEDA) would like to see as many people as possible cast a vote for the development of a Takysie Lake Adventure Site and Nature Trail at the current BC Forest Rec. site at Takysie Lake. Friesen has posted the project to the Aviva Community Fund website in an attempt to raise up to $50,000.
“We already have up to $60,000 committed in matching funds from the Nechako Kitimat Development Fund (NKDF), but we’ll need to raise the matching funds first,” said Friesen. “The more support we can get the better. This is going to cost over $200,000 by the time we’re done,” she said.
The current site is run down and in need of a face lift. “We’ll have a climbing wall, a bouldering wall, a dock, a boat launch, a BBQ pit and a trail,” said Friesen. “We want to get more and more people coming over to the Southside.
SEDA has been working to develop the recreation site for a number of years. In 2003 they had funding to develop trails in the area, but they ran into issues with private property interests that prevented the completion of the enhancement. “We’ll build a trail that stays on the rec site,” Friesen said, “but the Lakes District Trail Society will build a trail that links with ours.”
The Aviva Community Fund is a one million dollar fund that will be shared by winning entries that make it through semi-finals and finals. Entries move on from one stage to the next through public voting.
“We got started too late to get enough votes in the first round voting,” said Friesen. Every entrant has three chances to move from the preliminary round to the semi-finals. Her proposal didn’t get through in the first round, but she’s optimistic about getting through in this the second round of voting.
“We’ll need at least 2000 votes to get through to the semi-finals,” said Friesen. Anyone can vote. Just head over to the Aviva website and register to vote.
SEDA’s entry in the 2012 Aviva Community fund can be found at: http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf15175. Voting has already begun.