The Slocan Valley Economic Development Commission has chosen four organizations to receive a combined $251,000 over two years from the Slocan Valley Community Directed Fund. The fund is a partnership between the Regional District of Central Kootenay and Columbia Basin Trust, who provided the money.
“We believe that funding these organizations will result in long term and widespread benefits to the Slocan Valley community,”said Leah Main, chair of the commission. “The commission engaged with the community extensively to determine how valley residents wanted this funding used for their economic, social, cultural and environmental well-being.”
The commission allocated $40,000 to the seniors’ housing society project which plans to build long-term housing for elders in Slocan City. The society’s committee will share its knowledge and designs with other groups that may wish to develop similar housing projects in other parts of the valley.
The W.E. Graham Community Services Society will receive $46,000 to purchase a youth/community bus. The bus will fill a need for specialized transportation in the valley for day trips, evening events and other activities that occur outside of the times and locales served by regional transit. This transportation option will enable youth and other community members to more fully participate in wide ranging events without having to own their own vehicles.
The remaining funds are directed at two food security/food hub projects; both the West Kootenay Permaculture Co-opAssociation in the south valley and the Healthy Community Society of the north valley foster and advance food production,storage and distribution as well as access to locally/regionally grown foods in our communities. These two organizations have agreed to collaborate on their projects.
“The Slocan Valley Economic Development Commission believes that by supporting the growth of a local food economy, we will strengthen the overall economy of our valley,” explained Main.