Only in Westlock would most bet on the Westlock Community Enhancement Society being able to come up $550,000 for its spray park before the Town of Westlock and Westlock County could come to an agreement on what’ll truly determine whether it becomes a reality, namely the operational costs.
Yes, the society has only raised $5,500 or so and have a long, long fundraising road ahead of them. And yes, no one knows how generous a UCP government is going to be with matching grants, like the CFEP program to which the enhancement society is applying to.
But even with those facts in mind, most know that getting the town and county to agree on anything, especially something as contentious as recreation funding, would be like getting North Korea strongman Kim Jong-un and U.S. president Donald Trump in the same room … wait, that actually did happen.
So where there’s a will, there’s a way, right?
In this case, the province is forcing all municipalities to sign what’s known as intermunicipal collaboration frameworks by March 30, 2020.
We won’t go into all of the details, but the government webpage detailing these ICFs states they’re intended to “provide for integrated and strategic planning, delivery and funding of intermunicipal services” and “ensure municipalities contribute funding to services that benefit their residents.”
Hmm, sounds interesting, doesn’t it?
Each framework, the page also notes, must address the following services; transportation, water and wastewater, solid waste, emergency services and, you guessed it, recreation.
Ahh what we wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall at those upcoming meetings between the town and county.
As town councillors told the society during their May 13 visit, which saw the municipality designate land at Eastglen Park and write letters of support for their CFEP application and sponsorship package, the spray park will only happen if the town and its municipal partners — Westlock County and to a lesser extent the Village of Clyde — pony up.
Coun. Murtaza Jamaly didn’t mince words.
“Without (a) joint operating (agreement) the town won’t foot the bill. At least from my opinion the town can’t feasibly foot the bill and pay for another rec facility on the backs of the (town) taxpayer.”
Without the two sides being forced to table, all bets would have been off, but with the ICF deadline looming, well, folks in favour of the spray park should have some hope.
