The Lakeland Yellowjackets could be the hosts of events like provincials and zones, all that stands in their way is some equipment.
The local track and field club is on the hunt for financial support, and have reached out to the Town and MD of Bonnyville in search of funding to help cover the cost of track and field equipment.
On Tuesday, June 12, Yellowjackets coach Larry Godziuk pitched the club’s case to town council.
The $20,000 would be used to purchase equipment that puts them on the list of places who qualify to host provincial tournaments and zones for track and field.
According to Godziuk, the equipment comes with a hefty price tag.
The list, which totals $115,000, includes national-standard hurdles, high jump mats, starting blocks, and throwing implements.
But one of the club’s major purchases, a pole vault, would mean Bonnyville is the only Alberta community east of Sherwood Park with a pole vault facility. The cost of this set up alone is $25,000.
By purchasing pole vault equipment, they will be helping schools in Bonnyville, Glendon, and St. Paul, avoid sending their athletes to Edmonton to practice.
“I’m hoping, that through the school boards, yourselves, and the MD, that we can find the means to put together a facility that the town can be proud of, and that can bring events to the community that would benefit the whole area,” Godziuk said.
So far, the club has received $4,000 from Conseil Scolaire Centre-Est, as well as $57,000 in Community Facility Enhancement Funding. Both the Town and MD of Bonnyville agreed to contribute $20,000 each, while Northern Lights Public Schools has decided to support the initiative to a tune of $10,000.
The funding hadn’t been included in town council’s 2018 budget, however some councillors agreed it was worth shuffling funding for, while others would prefer to see it deterred to 2019.
“If we’re going to do this, we need to do it now, not wait until 2019. As our CAO pointed out, we will probably be able to fund this out of reserves without a problem. If we’re going to do it, I would want to do it in 2018,” expressed town Coun. Brian McEvoy.
One thing Mayor Gene Sobolewski stressed, was the importance of the equipment being accessible to the community.
Godziuk agreed, but explained why there would be a charge for some schools and not others.
“The schools that put (money) into the equipment would have it available to use as freely as they wish. For the schools that don’t, they would have to pay a usage charge or fee so they can help cover some of the replacement costs,” he said, adding it could be years before the equipment has to be replaced.
“A lot of this equipment is not consumable. The lifetime of the hurdles is basically a lifetime, unless someone breaks one.... You’re not looking at purchasing the equipment every five years.”
Describing their financial support as a “one-time investment” Godziuk explained the impact it could have on the track and field community,
“We have a couple of kids who are nationally ranked in track and field events. A facility like this allows them to practice and train to get even better. It will attract more kids to the sport,” he said.
For example, zones could bring as many as 500 to 600 athletes and parents to the area. Once they have the proper equipment, they are added to the three-year rotation.
When it comes to provincial championships, the number of attendees jumps from 1,200 to 1,600. Bonnyville would be able to host these events every seven years.
Providing a space for track and field athletes to practice, the opportunity to host provincial tournaments, the ability to store it on-site, and the benefits to local schools were just some of the reasons the Town and MD jumped on board.
The MD has directed their funding towards purchasing hurdles for the field, while the town has decided to provide a lump sum.
Sobolewski said, “It’s our job to rationalize the type of investment, it’s an investment to the community and an investment to the youth. For me, I think this is a no-brainer, because of the fact that we have been involved more indirectly through the construction of the track and the approval of the track, with the overall goal that this would be a facility used by not only by our youth, but also to bring in others and showcase our community.”
