Summer funding is here

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/08/2022 (279 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

We have been blessed with a great summer so far here in our beautiful Lagimodiere community!

I’m sure that many of you have spent time in our neighbourhood, enjoying walks, bike rides, and other summer activities, many of which may have taken place in areas like Seignieurie Park in Island Lakes, or Ron Duhamel Park in Sage Creek. I am happy to share with you that the funding I championed has proven, and will prove to be, very beneficial to these places in our neighbourhood. The Island Lakes Residents’ Group received provincial Building Sustainable Communities funding to support the construction of the much awaited SEIG Pathway, a paved path that now safely connects Seignieurie Park to the main intersection at Lagimodiere Blvd (Hwy 59) and Sage Creek Blvd. The Sage Creek Residents’ Association also very recently received BSC funding for the upcoming Ron Duhamel Park Enhancement Project, which will consist of two elements; one being an accessibility equipment enhancement to the existing playground, and the other a covered deck/space stage for community events.

As the Minister of Sport Culture and Heritage, I was honoured last month to announce the brand new Arts, Culture and Sport in Community Fund. This program allows local arts, culture and sport organizations to innovate and respond to emerging community needs. This is a much-needed relief in our community, after the challenging years many of our organizations have had to endure. As part of the Recover Together 2022 Budget, the initiative to strengthen, invest and build, our government is committing $100 million, over three years, to the ACSC fund, beginning with $34 Million this year alone. This historic $100 million investment will help inspire Manitobans, and foster creativity and innovation in local arts, culture, and sports initiatives, while ensuring that Manitobans have access to high-quality programming and facilities in their communities for generations to come.

Rising costs are affecting all Manitobans, so the addition of this fund will help organizations continue to provide affordable sport, culture and heritage opportunities province wide. The ACSC funding is available in three program types: Large Capital Projects, for requests over $300,000 and up to $5 million; Small Capital Projects and Special Initiatives, for requests up to $300,000; and Community Celebrations for requests up to $5,000.

I strongly urge any organized community groups out there, who have applicable projects planned, to review the ACSC Fund guidelines and begin their submissions as soon as possible. The application window opened Aug. 16, with the submission deadlines drawing to a close for Small Capital Projects on Sept. 26, and on Oct. 31 for Large Capital Projects, with ongoing ACSC Funding availability open to Community Celebrations only. For more information about this program, please visit https://www.manitoba.ca/acsc/

Andrew Smith
Lagimodière constituency report

Andrew Smith is the PC MLA for Lagimodière.

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