Council considers grant program applications as part of budget process
By Anneleen Naudts

Each year, King Township supports community groups or members with financial assistance through its grants program.

This year, the Township received 21 grant applications, totalling $161,230.

Before considering the applications, council recently heard from some of the applicants who wanted to speak on behalf of their proposals.

Nobleton Women's Institute (WI) Vice- President Robin Pereira addressed council with regard to WI's application for $1,500. The grant would be used to fund their 100th anniversary celebration, said Pereira. The group also applied for a federal grant. Being able to show that the Township supports them would strengthen the federal application, she explained.

Dr. Henry Barnett of the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) also addressed council. He spoke on NCC's application for $50,000, to be allocated over five years. The grant would be used to acquire two properties in Happy Valley Forest.

Barnett reminded council of a promise made by Prime Minister Stephen Harper when he visited King last year. Harper said the government would donate $250,000 to NCC, provided the donation would be matched by the conservancy.

Barnett stressed the importance of conserving Happy Valley. With the Township's assistance, NCC would be able to preserve forest that has been untouched for more than 100 years, he said, telling council the forest is home to numerous disappearing species, including a butterfly never before known to exist in Canada.

Blair Day, of the Nobleton and King City Horticultural Society, spoke on behalf of two applications submitted by the group. The first was for $2,189.36, which would finance a flower show to commemorate the society's 50th anniversary, Day explained. The second application, for $1,500, would fund the promotion of the show.

The Community Home Assistance To Seniors (CHATS) program, a program dedicated to assisting seniors with an independent lifestyle in York Region, applied for $1,000. Carol Edward spoke on behalf of the application, stating the grant would help offset the cost of CHATS' Meals on Wheels program, which delivers meals to 27 seniors in King.

Nobleton resident Taylor Jackson, who will be doing humanitarian work with the Global Volunteer Network in Uganda this summer, addressed council regarding her $4,500 grant proposal. This grant would fund her travel and project costs. Jackson told council she would greatly appreciate any contribution from the Township, adding she has been actively fund-raising on her own, and plans on contributing some of her own funds.

King Equestrian Trail Riding Association (KETRA), a newly-found club, requested funding to establish a horse back riding trail association for King. The grant would assist the club in getting launched, said KETRA Vice-President Sandra Kendall and Treasurer Stephanie Barett. They were looking for $5,000 to go toward maintenance of trails and liability coverage.

Other applicants included Arts Society King, Hospice King-Aurora, Kettleby Village Association, Kingcrafts, Kingfest Inc., Lloydtown Rebellion Association, Nobleton Firefighters Association, Nobleton Lions Club, Nobleton Schomberg District Chamber of Commerce, Oak Ridges Trail Association, Town of Aurora, and York Pioneer and Historical Society.

Council refrained from approving the applications at the meeting. Councillor Bill Cober suggested carefully considering the proposals before taking any action.

Council did pass a motion to set aside $2,000 from the grants program for high school awards and the Poppy Fund.