The provincial government announced funding for many projects across the southeast on Monday.
The Grunthal Drop Zone, a centre offering programming for youth, received $372,500.
Director Steve Elias is “pretty pumped” about the announcement. The funding will contribute towards their current project, where they are building a small gym and renovating their existing building.
“It'll be a great asset to the community of kids,” Elias says. “I think for a lot of kids, especially in winter when gym space isn't available, they'll have a place to come and play their favourite sports. A place to come just to run around. It'll mean a lot for kids that aren't involved in organized sports too."
Elias says they are making progress, as the contributions are a “big lift," bringing them close to halfway toward their goal of fulfilling the costs.
“We're super thankful to the government to consider us. They don't have to consider us, but we're thankful that they did, and we definitely want to use it to give back to the people in our community and the kids and even for rentals. It'll be a community space too, that's for sure,” he explains.
Councillor Curtis Dawydiuk offers his remarks.
“Really exciting and great for the community,” Dawydiuk says. “Their additional space will definitely add capacity and then they got some great programming going there. Congratulations to them.”
Elias says he is in the final stages of the drawings, and they are also preparing for a fundraising banquet coming up in October to make another push for their mission.
"You talk about your programs, you talk about this, what we're doing, but now we can talk about, ‘Wow, we got some future stuff, and we want you to be behind it,’” he explains. “It'll be huge for our community to hear it. And when they do, they'll be excited to come alongside it.”
With files from Carly Koop.