Creston Town Council got good news from Director of Finance Steffan Klassen at Tuesday’s regular meeting when he announced that $200,000 is forthcoming from the Columbia Basin Trust for the Creston Education Centre purchase.
Klassen said that there will be no strings attached to the grant and that the contribution will simply reduce the amount that will come out of Town of Creston coffers when the purchase is finalized on January 1st.
“This is great news for the Creston Valley,” Mayor Ron Toyota said on Wednesday. “Full credit to our staff for working on this application with such determination.”
The Town of Creston negotiated the purchase of the Education Centre building and property, as well as the two buildings and property on Canyon Street west of 16th Avenue for $550,000. The purchase was made after a years-long scramble to keep Homelinks and early childhood and family programs under one roof when School District No. 8 announced it was closing the facility and selling the property.
Toyota said the business plan for the CEC is for the education umbrella to be cost neutral, with rents covering the operating costs.
In other Town Council news:
• Council responded positively to a Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce request for support for the 2019 Grand Fondo cycling event planned for September 21, 2019. This particular ride includes three distances for cyclists: the Gran (157km), the Medio (101km) and the Pico (58km).
Chamber manager Vern Gorham said that Grand Fondos draw as many 500 riders, along with their spouses and families, and are major economic drivers to the host communities.
“Cranbrook has hosted a Grand Fondo for the past six years, and this past year, pre-sold its 500 rider spots several months in advance of the race date itself,” Gorham said in his report.
The Chamber, he said, is working with the Department of Highways to work out road closures and safety plans for the route.
• A delegation updated Council on Creston Valley Early Years Society activities for pre-school children and families over the past year.
• A development variance permit application hearing to consider the construction of a residence at 1210 Hillside Street was held, and Council subsequently approved the permit.
• A development permit application was approved for Pine Profiles Inc. to construct a new 686 square metre building for sawing logs, resawing and sorting lumber on its property at 515 Davis Drive.
• Housekeeping updates to Town procedures bylaws were approved.
• A donation request for sand for First Creston Scouts to make sandbags for their annual fundraiser.