City Council to decide future of Edmonton Ski Club with funding request
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A committee of city council recommends that the Edmonton Ski Club receive one-time funding of $800,000 to operate the facility.
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Club officials submitted a three-year funding request to the Planning Committee on Tuesday to demolish the existing clubhouse, install, manage and lease temporary structures that will be used by the club and the Edmonton Folk Music Festival until a new pavilion is built.
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“The $800,000 funding will allow the Edmonton Ski Club to safely continue operations outside of our current facility footprint using temporary modular buildings for the next two to three years,” said Sandy. Fleming, chairman of the club’s board of directors.
« Because we are a community-based organization, we were able to take advantage of significantly lower construction costs than would be achieved through a city-led bidding process. »
Councilors voted to recommend that city council increase the community recreation and culture operating budget by $800,000 on a one-time basis, using reserve funding, to support the ski club.
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If the board does not approve the requested funding, the ski club will not operate for the 2022/23 season and beyond. The city would also be liable for approximately $150,000 in demolition costs if operations cease.
Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said he was in favor of funding the ski club, noting it is an important facility with a long history in Edmonton.
“These things add so much value to the tourist attraction, to the economic growth, to the enjoyment of Edmontonians and some members of the marginalized community,” he said.
The committee also heard that the ski club will be asking City Council during budget discussions for capital funding to support the construction of a new green energy outdoor activity centre. Councilors asked the administration to prepare a package of services to be considered for upcoming budget deliberations to provide an estimated funding of between $3.5 million and $4 million for the project.
The federal government has already committed $6.6 million for the new building.
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