BONNYVILLE – The MD of Bonnyville has approved a $1.5 million request for funding from the Village of Glendon, for the Glendon Arena Modernization and Renovation Project 2025 (GAMRP).
The request was approved during the May 13 council meeting, following a Jan. 28 delegation where the Glendon Agricultural Society presented the request for financial support for the project, and updated council on how the MD’s previous funding in 2024 had been used.
Coun. Ben Fadeyiw clarified that the Glendon Agricultural Society is a managing partner for the Glendon Arena, but the capital belongs to the Village of Glendon.
On May 8, The MD of Bonnyville administration received a segregated budget from the Village of Glendon that included a funding request of $1.6 million for the GAMRP, to cover the entire cost of phase 2 of the project.
Lisa Folliott, Director of Planning and Development for the MD of Bonnyville presented the request to council. Glendon Mayor Nick Werstiuk and CAO Krista Freland addressed council during the meeting.
Werstiuk stated that phase two of the Glendon arena will be a “show piece” for the MD of Bonnyville, and they are anticipating a large increase in people using the facility.
Folliott highlighted past contributions the MD of Bonnyville has made towards the Glendon Arena, including approximately $1.1 million in operating grants to the Glendon Ag Society over the past 12 years. Currently, the Glendon Ag Society receives $150,000 annually for operating grants. There was also $319,000 in previous requests for funding between 2011 and 2016.
“Additionally, under the Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework (ICF) between the Village and the MD, dated Jan. 8, 2020, the MD currently provides the Village of Glendon with $700,000 annually for identified shared services located in the Village that are utilized by MD residents,” said Folliott.
Coun. Dana Swigart commented on the large amount of MD residents using the Glendon arena, and though it is something he feels the MD should support, he felt the Village of Glendon should also make a contribution to the cost of phase 2 of the project.
“It would make it easier for the MD residents to help us support it if the Village of Glendon was able to put a little bit of money into phase two,” said Swigart.
Werstiuk commented that the Village of Glendon has already invested $900,000 into the project with the addition of $360,000 toward the repair of a condenser this year.
Werstiuk said he feels the Village of Glendon council would support investing in Phase 2, but that they are budgeting for infrastructure issues they are experiencing that could reach $3.8 million.
“We’re doing what we can with the funds that we have. I do think that this is a great project for the area and for the community,” said Werstiuk.
Calvin Bespalko, interim general manager of Corporate Services, at the request of Swigart, calculated the financial impact that recent increases in revenue within the annexed area of ID 349, which is directed by an order in council, will have on the Village of Glendon. The order in council is not associated with the arena project, but it impacts the Village of Glendon financially.
The Government of Alberta annexed ID 349 into the M.D of Bonnyville in 2020.
“The amalgamation . . . will see the ID 349 land mass also known as the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range absorbed into the borders of the M.D. The M.D. will act as an administrator, distributing the tax revenues collected from the area to our neighbouring municipalities — City of Cold Lake, Town of Bonnyville, and the Village of Glendon,” states information from the MD of Bonnyville.
“The Village of Glendon gets four per cent of the total amount, and in this case that would increase their order in council disbursement by $57,996,” said Bespalko.
Swigart commented that this increase merits some investment in the arena project.
“You’re getting an extra $57,000 that you probably didn’t know about, so it would at least show good faith if you were able to put that in and maybe a little more. If we’re going to make a motion to support for $1.6 million, I’d ask that we drop that down a bit,” said Swigart.
Coun. Mike Krywiak expressed his support for the “very ambitious project,” saying that “a state-of-the-art arena used by not only the Village of Glendon but the MD is very good news.”
Coun. Don Slipchuk said he was in favour of supporting the project with the Village of Glendon’s request of $1.6 million, saying that he believes the facility will support economic growth, and is also an investment in the youth who will use the facility.
“They have got infrastructure issues they have to deal with, and they still have to keep the Village viable. I know a high percentage of our residents use the facility. And that’s why we did a tax increase, not only for maintaining services but to keep investing in our community, and I believe the people using this facility in the year to come will be thankful that we made this decision,” said Slipchuk.
Though Coun. Josh Crick commented on what a great project the Glendon arena is, he raised concerns around the amount of investment the MD is putting into the Glendon Arena in comparison to their investment within the MD itself, citing the requests he has made to fund more trails within the MD, and the rink in Fort Kent that exists within their own municipality.
“I don’t have anything against the project or against Glendon, but I do have a problem with funding it to the amount they are asking when we don’t seem to have the money to do projects in our own municipality,” said Crick.
Fadeyiw shared his disappointment at the lack of an asset management plan to ensure the Glendon facility stays updated, and raised concerns that without reserves for maintenance, there is a possibility that the Village of Glendon will come back to the MD of Bonnyville to help fund future repairs.
Wertiuk cited the reliability of the Glendon Ag Society – a group that celebrated 50 years in the community, and explained that they have funded repairs in the past.
“There's been constant improvements along the way that have been funded by the Ag Society, the Village, and the community itself. It’s a major capital improvement and upgrade to the facility and this is not just the Village of Glendon that’s using this facility, it’s all of the MD,” said Werstiuk.
Reeve Barry Kalinski commented that the phase two upgrades should help decrease operating costs, which could suggest that their annual $150,000 operating grant from the MD of Bonnyville could be decreased.
The motion to approve the request for funding for $1.5 million was carried 5-1 with Crick voting in opposition.
