COLD LAKE - City of Cold Lake council revisited a grant request from the Lakeland Scuba Society. The group is seeking $5,000 to purchase a new air compressor to fill oxygen tanks.
The society says it needs the equipment to continue its work in environmental stewardship and community safety, supporting local scuba divers and their efforts in lakefront cleanups. In return, the society has committed to providing $5,000 worth of in-kind contributions through volunteer hours, including cleaning up local lakes and offering educational outreach about proper diving protocols and environmental awareness.
During the Oct. 8 regular council meeting, council examined the request, considering the society’s contributions to the community and its challenges in securing full funding.
The Lakeland Scuba Society had previously indicated that, while they could only provide $2,500 in cash, they were committed to offering $5,000 worth of in-kind contributions through volunteer hours and environmental stewardship efforts, according to information from the City of Cold Lake.
Mayor Craig Copeland highlighted the society’s efforts, noting their contribution of time and labour. He pointed out the opportunity to purchase the air compressor at a very reasonable price, emphasizing the value of the deal.
“So, they're going to come in and provide in-kind for the grant for $5,000 to buy the compressors, which I think they're getting a really good deal on that purchase," Copeland said.
CAO Kevin Nagoya clarified the nature of the in-kind contribution, explaining that the scuba society would contribute man-hours to fulfill their part of the grant.
“The Lakeland Scuba Society said they didn't necessarily have any cash to be able to put towards the project at this time, and they're requesting council's consideration to pay back in terms of in-kind contributions on man hours and put it into a cleaning up of [underwater] areas of the lake," Nagoya said.
He also detailed how the volunteer hours would be calculated, stating, “So the volunteer hours, they said it works out to be about $150 per volunteer, per shift. And they would plan on spending that much time in requirements to meet your objectives.”
Copeland asked for clarification on the number of volunteer hours required to meet the in-kind contribution. Nagoya confirmed, “The shift is as long as your air can last,” referring to how long divers could work underwater per shift, depending on the depth.
Despite some concerns about the funding structure, Coun. Vicki Lefebvre made a motion to approve the grant, stating the long-term benefit to the community.
“I'll put forward the motion that we accept this presentation as it is and agree to the grant request," Lefebvre remarked. She acknowledged the work done by the society, saying, “They do a lot of work, and I think it's beneficial to all of us.”
Council made a motion to approve a $5,000 grant from the Community Capital Grant Program to support the purchase of the new air compressor.
