The next meeting of Clinton’s Communities in Bloom committee will be held in the meeting room at the Clinton Library, 1506 Tingley Street, at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 6. There will be two key items on the agenda at this meeting, which is open to any and all prospective members.
The first point of discussion will focus on the finalization of the committee’s plans for “Seedy Sunday” which will take place on March 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Clinton’s Memorial Hall. This popular annual event is a way for locals to share seeds, plants, and garden knowledge.
The TNRD will be out in full force on Seedy Sunday, with their Bear Aware and Invasive Plant programs, as well as a composting workshop and the latest information on the ever-expanding recycling program. Watch for more info in the next few weeks.
The next topic on the meeting agenda for Feb. 6 is the CiB’s 2019 Community Garden project. The project will include a “Plant a Row, Grow a Row” campaign that builds on the long-standing tradition of gardeners reaping joy from the pleasure of sharing their harvest with others.
According to Yvette May, B.C. CiB Chair, the Community Garden project is a “people helping people” program that assists the community by helping to feed the hungry via collaboration with the Clinton Food Bank.
Funding opportunity: Community Resilience Through Arts and Culture
The Community Resilience Through Arts and Culture program’s 2019 intake is open for applications. The program supports small, rural, remote, and Indigenous communities by providing grants of $2,500 to $15,000 for arts and culture events or programs that support resilience and community building.
The focus of the program is on communities experiencing hardship, historic oppression, or other challenges that would benefit from the power of arts and culture to promote healing, resilience, and connection.
This year the program is offering a streamlined online form with the option of written, oral, or recorded applications. The intake for this community grant application closes at noon on Friday, Feb. 15. To find out more, visit http://bit.ly/2TLpn93.
Society AGMs
The annual meeting of the Bonaparte Watershed Stewardship Society will take place on Thursday, Feb. 21 at Chums Restaurant in Cache Creek, beginning with a no-host lunch at 11 a.m. The agenda will cover updates on watershed sustainability, fire and flood mitigation efforts, and overall strategy going forward. If you plan on attending the meeting, please RSVP to Allen Midgley at caribooal@gmail.com.
The South Cariboo Historical Museum Society will hold its annual general meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. in the Clinton Library meeting room. Everyone is welcome. For more information, feel free to contact Edith McLorn by phone at (250) 459-7988 or by email at 1edith@telus.net.
Village of Clinton Council updates (VCC)
BC Rural Dividend funds to benefit Clinton’s Green Spaces
A recent news release announced the Village’s receipt of $67,000 under the special circumstances provision of the BC Rural Dividend program.
Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, said that the organization is aware that some communities are facing greater challenges than others in the aftermath of wildfires.
“We’ve prioritized certain project applications to help First Nations and rural communities ensure they remain healthy and economically viable places to live and raise families,” said Donaldson in the news release.
The funds allocated to the Village of Clinton will be used to develop a parks and recreation master plan that provides information and direction on recreation facilities, parks, trails, and open spaces for the community.
“The Village of Clinton Council had a vision to improve the recreational opportunities in the community and made this a strategic priority,” said Mayor Susan Swan of the news. “Recreation benefits residents.” She added that that the money received from the BC Rural Dividend will help Clinton increase tourism through a recreation master plan. The plan signifies the first phase of improved recreational and green space opportunities for the community.
“Funding opportunities such as the BC Rural Dividend program allow small communities to make their dreams a reality,” said Swan.
In 2018, the province committed to extending the $25 million per year Rural Dividend to 2020-21. From 2018 to 2019, $3,801,294 has been awarded under special circumstances throughout the province.
Final decisions on project applications from the fifth intake—for single applicants up to $100,000 and partnerships up to $500,000—will be announced next month. In January 2019, the province provided $673,124 in project development grants to 68 local governments, First Nations, and not-for-profits throughout B.C.
VCC approaches “paperless”, councillor to attend 2019 Forestry Conference
At the Dec. 12 meeting, council passed a motion allowing Councillor Christine Rivett to attend the Council of Forest Industries (COFI) 2019 Conference, one of the largest gatherings of the forest sector in Western Canada. The conference takes place in Vancouver this year.
On Jan. 11, village councillors each received new iPads that were purchased through a grant at no cost to the Village. The hope for the devices is to eventually create a paperless environment at council.
To review meeting agendas, please visit the Village’s website at https://village.clinton.bc.ca/.