Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board of directors Nov. 10 approved the allocation of $19,500 in Community Works Funds (CWF) to supplement funding for Edgewater Community Hall HVAC upgrades.

The funding is to facilitate the use of the facility as a warming and cooling centre during emergencies and it adds to what Columbia Basin Trust’s (the Trust) Community Readiness Program has provided.

The Trust has approved a Community Readiness Project grant of $90,000 for HVAC upgrades on the Edgewater Community Hall. Supplementary Community Works Funds of $10,000 were allocated to this project at the February 2022 Board meeting, providing a project budget of $100,000 total, explained a report to the board from Christina Carbrey, RDEK Protective Services Manager.

“Due to increasing costs this project is currently underfunded and requires additional funding to implement the upgrades. A request has been submitted to CBT for additional funding of $19,500 and is currently in their review stage, however, the project is under time constraints with a contractor waiting for confirmation to begin work,” Carbrey outlined.

“If unable to begin work on this project within the next few weeks, the contractor will require a cost revision (increase) for equipment pricing. The approval of additional CWF funds would allow us to commence work on the community hall and order the HVAC system to complete the upgrades in time for next summer’s heat waves. If the funding request is approved by the CBT, these funds will not be required.”

The board unanimously approved the expedited funding.

e-KNOW file photo

e-KNOW

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