Four Chilliwack youth sports organizations are receiving funding from the B.C. government through the ‘Local Sport Relief Fund.’
The $1.5 million fund has been earmarked to help sports clubs hit hard by the COVID 19 pandemic. Many Chilliwack organizations are in that boat, only able to offer limited programming while fundraising is hindered.
The Chilliwack Curling Club along with Chilliwack Minor Baseball, Chilliwack Minor Football and Chilliwack Minor Lacrosse are among 124 Lower Mainland groups getting support from the government.
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“Coaches, volunteers and board members have worked around the clock to ensure people can keep active and gain the physical and mental benefits of sport during the pandemic,” said Melanie Mark, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. “We heard their challenges to meet financial pressures with current health orders in place and are proud to provide this additional support so our communities can continue to offer sport in a safe way.”
The Chilliwack Curling Club hasn’t been able to effectively run programs since early December and announced last week that the ice plant is being shut down a month before it normally would, due to provincial health orders restricting adult sports.
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The Local Sport Relief Fund covers administration and operational costs for organizations like the CCC. Eligible expenses include insurance, administrative costs, rent, storage costs, equipment essential to providing sports programs and COVID-19 related supplies, such as cleaning products, signage and personal protective equipment.
“Local sport programming delivers profound benefits to the health and well-being of communities and individuals across our province,” said Charlene Krepiakevich, CEO, viaSport. “Delivering these community benefits are local sport organizations that have been hit hard during this time. This funding provides much-needed financial relief to sustain these organizations during these challenging times and enable these valuable services to continue.”
The full list of Local Sport Relief Fund grant recipients is posted online at viasport.ca/grant/local-sport-relief-fund