PLAMONDON - The 50th annual Rendezvous and Outdoorsman Show being hosted by the Alberta Trappers Association in Plamondon July 4 and 5 will receive $15,000 in funding from Lac La Biche County.
According to information presented to council at the June 24 meeting by GM of Corporate Services Hafsa Mograhbi, the event includes a trade show, demonstrations, seminars, and entertainment and returned a profit of $30,000 last year.
“Previous host municipalities for this event have given between $5,000 to $15,000. This is not an annual event. This is a one time,” said Mograhbi, noting policy is to bring one-time events to council for consideration and that there is $25,000 remaining in the event and sponsorship program budget for 2025.
“Just to ensure that we have that $25,000 for the rest of the year for those one offs that we do get, those smaller events grants that we do get. … Administration does recommend approving the $15,000 and it would be coming out of accumulated surplus,” said Mograhbi.
Ward 6 Coun. Sterling Johnson said the Rendezvous is a signature event for the trappers.
“When they have this in Lac La Biche, it's the biggest event in Alberta for the trappers. They have this event fourfold to any other community that does it, or any other region that does it,” said Johnson.
Mayor Paul Reutov said he also supported the request because the organizers do have other sponsors contributing significant funds to it.
“They're not asking the county to bankroll this. This is just in addition to some serious major sponsors that are also participating,” said Reutov.
Ward 2 Coun. Kevin Paré said bringing 1,000 people into the community fills hotels and restaurants.
“We're not only sponsoring events here people. We’re actually creating economic development when we do that. So, we got to look at it in that kind of form too. It's just not about giving events money, it's actually creating economic development for the for the region,” said Paré.
Ward 3 Coun. Colette Borgun made the recommended motion to fund $15,000 in event grant funding for the Rendezvous and Outdoorsman Show. The motion carried with unanimous support.
