Federal Gas Tax Funds were meted out at the Thompson Nicola Regional District (TNRD) Board of Directors meeting held Mar. 24 in Kamloops.
An area non-profit to benefit from a portion of those funds will be the North Thompson Fall Fair and Rodeo Association (NTFFRA) who will receive $45,000 towards electrical and plumbing upgrades at their facilty in Barriere.
NTFFRA president Jill Hayward commented Tuesday, “This funding will go a long way to upgrading areas within the facility that are old, some outdated, and most importantly will move us into being much more energy and water efficient.”
Hayward thanked the hard work of TNRD Electoral Area “O” director Bill Kershaw and TNRD staff for all their work in helping the group to put their application together.
“Without their assistance and the hard work of some of our association members this would never have become a reality,” said Hayward.
She also noted that another major project will be completed at the facility in May when BC Hydro connects three phase power and it is brought into the North Thompson Agriplex.
“We’ve been working on fundraising for this project for over three years,” said Hayward, “Thanks to Barb and Carman Smith, and the Farm Credit Canada Agri-Spirit Fund for helping us to meet our target for funding the final component of the project.”
The TNRD also awarded Gas Tax funding to the following: $20,000 to Electoral Area “I” (Blue Sky Country) for funding infrastructure upgrades to the Village of Lytton pool; $15,000 to Electoral Area “P” (Rivers and the Peaks) for refurbishment and replacement of flushing infrastructure for the Pritchard Community Water System; $7,300 to Electoral Area “E” (Bonaparte Plateau) to reimburse the South Green Lake Volunteer Fire Department for “green” and energy efficiency upgrades; and $24,000 to fund the expansion of the handicap-accessible Isobel Lake Trail Network.
The Gas Tax funds come from: Area “B” (Thompson Headwaters); Area “I”; Electoral Area “J” (Copper Desert Country); Electoral Area “L”(Grasslands); Electoral Area “O” (Lower North Thompson); and Electoral Area “P”.