Twenty-two Coquitlam groups will split more than $300,000 after being awarded 2011 Spirit of Coquitlam grants this week and seven of the recipients are repeats from last year.
The Community Festival Planners' Network, Coquitlam Heritage Society, Family Fishing Society, Place des Arts Society, Kinsmen Club of Coquitlam, Terry Fox Foundation and Vancouver Korean Dance Society also scored 2010 Spirit grants.
The grants are funded by 12.5% of the casino revenue Coquitlam receives as host city to the Boulevard Casino.
Since the grant program started in 2002 under the name Community Capital Fund grants, 129 community groups have collected $4.8 million in casino cash, with the Coquitlam Heritage Society, Place des Arts and the Kinsmen Club collecting nearly $200,000 each.
Earlier this year, council tightened the evaluation criteria, requesting applicants show, among other things, how their program, event or activity will be funded and sustainable, and benefit a large number of Coquitlam residents.
Meanwhile, city council on Monday also handed out $14,458 in Active grants to the Kateslem Youth Society ($4,890); Omega Gymnastic Society ($4,568); and KidSport Tri-Cities ($5,000), all of which also received grant money last year. Active grants were established two years ago to promote and increase physical fitness in children involved in sports and recreation programs.
According to a city staff report, all of this year's applications for the Spirit and Active funding grants were approved but not all Spirit grant recipients got all the money they requested.
This year, the city is doling out a total of $317,208 in Spirit of Coquitlam grants to (in alphabetical order):
Coastal Sound Music Academy Society: $61,595 for choral risers and choral shell;
Community Festival Planners' Network: $25,000 for the 2012 Coquitlam event guide;
Coquitlam Amateur Radio Emergency Services Society: $1,869 for a portable outdoor shelter;
Coquitlam Heritage Society: $8,035 for outdoor upgrades to Heritage Square;
Coquitlam Minor Lacrosse Association: $25,000 for board and volunteer development and training;
Coquitlam Search and Rescue: $45,419 for a helicopter external transport system;
Coquitlam Sports Hall of Fame: $15,000 for sports celebration days and community sports fair;
Evergreen Cultural Centre: $15,000 for emerging talent and teen projects;
Family Fishing Society: $1,500 for a Lafarge Lake fishing weekend;
Kinette Club of Coquitlam: $25,000 for outdoor adult fitness equipment at Town Centre Park;
Mundy Road elementary PAC: $20,293 for playground upgrades;
Oakdale Heritage Society: $2,500 for Oakdale Park upgrades;
Our Lady of Fatima school: $17,203 for playground upgrades;
Palme's Performing Society: $1,280 for Russian Christmas in the Coquitlam Winter Festival;
Place des Arts Society: $16,314 for teaching studio and performance hall upgrades;
Theatrix Youtheatre Society: $4,700 for portable lighting and stand unit;
Rochester elementary PAC: $15,000 for playground equipment;
Riverview Horticultural Centre Society: $2,000 for Treefest 2012;
Société francophone de Maillardville: $3,000 for St. Jean Baptiste celebration 2012;
The Kinsmen Club of Coquitlam: $1,500 for community trailer equipment;
The Terry Fox Foundation: $5,000 for Coquitlam Terry Fox Run 2012;
and Vancouver Korean Dance Society: $5,000 for the 16th annual Korean Dance Festival.
