MAPLETON – Alma Community Recreation Association (ACRA) members are asking council for additional funding to complete an accessible swing set for Wallace Cumming Park.
Project coordinator Amanda Reid came to council on Nov. 26 asking for an in-kind donation to cover the cost of labour, still to be determined, to see the project completed.
In total the project is expected to cost over $25,000.
The township has already supported the project by awarding the 50/50 funding in the amount of $5,000 to the ACRA.
The township has also alloted an additional $10,000 within the capital budget.
A further $7,000 was donated by a community member and an additional $3,000 from the Alma Optimist Club.
In recent conversation with the township’s public works department, Reid said the organization realized funding for labour has not been accounted for.
“Labour would include such items like removing the existing pea gravel at the park, removal and replacement of all the borders, removal of sod where the swings will be installed and adding mulch to the area for accessibility to all of the playground and swing area. And then trucks to haul that material away,” explained Reid.
Councillor Marlene Ottens asked why the ACRA was requesting additional funds.
“Within your budget … there is $5,000 there to remove topsoil and add mulch and then existing playground, you have $6,500 to remove the pea gravel and add mulch. So is that not the labor to do those jobs?” she asked.
Reid told council those costs were not related to the installation labour but were the costs for the materials themselves.
“Those numbers are not labour related at all. They’re actual materials,” said Reid.
According to a report, local farmer Wallace Cumming donated 25 acres of land in 2006 for the purpose of building a park.
“Since that time, many park development projects have been completed: walking trail, children’s playground, picnic shelter, wetland boardwalk, community centre, toboggan hill, beach volleyball court, labyrinth and memory arboretum,” the report states.
