Community Granting

End-of-year 2022:

The Chimney / Felker Lakes Volunteer Fire Department

• The Chimney / Felker Community Association’s Volunteer Fire Department received $4905 in 2022 achieved a variety of goals.  They had a second electrical panel added to run most of the hall from a generator when needed, added a new Forest Fire Hazard Signage and purchased additional wild-land fire tools (1 ½” forestry hose and grub hoes) topping up the equipment purchased in 2021 and creating 4 “packages” meeting the BC Wildfire Service / Fire Chiefs Association of BC standards.  Annual S-100 Wild-land Fire refresher training also occurred.
• Fire Smart assessments were highly variable, indicating more work should be done in the community.

• Below is the link to the WLCF News article on the CFLVFD’s 2022 funding.
• https://williamslakecommunityforest.com/news/fire-hazard-signage-and-electrical-improvements-are-complete-at-the-cfvfd-hall/

Invasive Species Council of BC

•  The ISCBC received $4685 in 2022 and has received an extension into 2023 to complete their Native / Invasive Trail Pamphlet project.  The idea was to create a field guide aimed at young learners, describing invasive and native plants found locally, traditional Secwepemc names of the native plants and concerns about the invasive plants.  The project will be taking advantage of QR codes and technology in favour of exclusively printed materials to reduce garbage in the forest, decrease production costs and allow for edits over time.  The project is anticipated to be officially rolled out in the late Spring of 2023, so stay tuned.

Scout Island Nature Centre.

• The unprecedented high-water levels in Williams Lake in 2020 caused significant damage to many of the trail boardwalks around Scout Island.  $5000 was awarded to the Scout Island Nature Centre towards installing new boardwalks incorporating new standards & safety requirements as well as wheelchair accessibility. The Williams Lake Community Forest’s grant will be combined with other funding sources, so the timeline has been extended into 2023 to capitalize on other installations and reduce contractor travel times/costs.

April 2022:

Several of the latest WLCF Granting Program projects are now underway.  The following describes several of the projects, set to roll out in 2022.

Big Lake Community Association

• The Big Lake Community Association has maintained a Community Hall on the shores of Big Lake for decades.  The Hall is central to the community’s recreational, cultural and economic life, hosting children’s groups, fairs, school events, weddings, sports, business meetings, celebrations of life and so much more.  The BLCA will be receiving $5,000 from the WLCF Granting Program to purchase and install a dock at the Community Hall public lake access.  The dock will provide a place for various events to expand their activities to the shoreline and beyond.  It is anticipated that this dock will positively affect booking rates and the enjoyment of facility users.
  News post with pictures is below:
  https://williamslakecommunityforest.com/news/an-accessible-dock-to-all-to-enjoy-at-big-lake/

Gavin Lake Forest Education Society

• The Gavin Lake Forest Education Society’s Grade 6 Program will receive $5,000 again this year to bring an all-expenses paid forest education experience to local students.  Evidenced by the various pictures from prior years and the thank you notes that students send us, this is an amazing program enjoyed by many.

Horsefly Board of Trade

• The Horsefly Board of Trade is going to resurface their recently repaved outdoor skating rink so that it is better suited for a variety of sports during warmer weather.  The resurfacing won’t negatively impact its use as a rink during the winter, but will allow basketball, pickleball and other sports to be enjoyed by all ages with less wear and tear on equipment.  The resurfacing project is expected to cost approximately $18,000, with $5,000 of that coming from the WLCF Granting Program in 2022.

Miocene Community Club

• The Miocene Community Club is another local club whose 30-acre property will have re-sloping work funded by the WLCF Granting Program in 2022.  The Miocene Community Hall has a picnic area frequently submerged by a foot of water each spring due to improper drainage.  This area is between the tennis courts and soccer fields, and after years of ground movement it is time to regrade the area to improve its function.  This is the first project at Miocene done with financial support from the WLCF.

School District 27 – Career Program Department

• First Aid course fees will be covered by at grant for $2,750 for 12 students taking the Junior Fire Crew training through the Career Programs department of School District 27 in Williams Lake.  The Junior Fire Program is offered in partnership with the Cariboo Fire Centre for up to 20 grade 12 students.  Students are trained to become wildland firefighters through rigorous training and required coursework.  Upon completion of the mandatory training and courses, students will have the opportunity to apply for positions on the fire crew for the summer, where they will gain additional skills and experiences to help them gain a regular crew member position the following summer.

Williams Lake Cycling Club

• The Williams Lake Cycling Club will be using its 2022 WLCF Grant to improve the trail named “Hung” which is within the WLCF Flatrock block and part of the Westsyde Trail Network.  Hung is a blue, flow-style trail with some older jumps and stunts needing repair.  Repairing this trail will reinstate an accessible flow bike line from the top of the Westsyde network, down to the Log Yard / River Valley access trail.

Three other projects are in the final approval stages, and project updates will be posted on the WLCF website throughout the year

February 2022:

The Williams Lake Community Forest Standing Committee has recommended 9 projects to share $45,000 in funding for 2022.  These projects have a combined project cost of over $233,000, and the WLCF is excited to help bring these exciting projects to our local communities. Stay tuned to learn more about each project, and watch our NEWS page to see updates as the projects progress.  

The Community Granting Intake Window for 2020 closed on December 3rd 2020.

The following groups have been approved for funding – congratulations to each them!

• Big Lake Community Association
  • $5,000 – Mower purchase for summer maintenance of several Big Lake Community Sites
• Chimney-Felker Lakes Volunteer Fire Department
  • $5,000 – Enhance the forest protection ability of the CFLVFD through equipment & training
• Gavin Lake
  • $4,000 – Support of the Grade 6 program
• Horsefly Community Club
  • $4,000 – Horsefly Community Hall Kitchen Improvements, Phase 2
• McLeese Lake Recreation Commission
  • $2,000 – Picnic Seating at the McLeese Lake Community Hall Property
• School District 27
  • $4,000 – Cross Country Skiing recreation for four grade 7 classes at Bull Mountain
• SD 27 Career Programs
  • $5,000 – Junior Fire Crew First Aid course fees
• Sugarcane 4H
  • $5,000 – Establishing a 4H club, with show & sale to be held for the first time.
• WL Cross Country Ski Club
  • $4,600 – Lighting improvements at Bull Mountain
• WL Cycling Club
  • $4,000 – Westsyde Trail Improvements
• WL Field Naturalists
  • $2,400 – Hiring a facilitator for the Scout Island Nature Centre Management Plan

24 applications were received by the WLCF Granting Program between mid-October and December 2nd, 2019. From those 24, 13 Applications were approved for funding. The 13 organizations who receive grants are:

• Big Lake Community Association

• Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

• Gavin Lake Forest Education Society

• Girl Guides of Canada – Big Sky District

• GROW Parent Advisory Council

• Horsefly Community Club

• Horsefly River Round Table

• Miocene Volunteer Fire Department

• Potato House Project

• School District 27 – Grade 7 Classes

• Williams Lake Cross Country Ski Club

• Williams Lake Climbing Association

• Williams Lake Cycling Club

The Williams Lake Community Forest Standing Committee has decided to distribute $45,653 this year, almost doubling the $23,000 distributed from the 2018 applications.  The funded projects have a total value of approximately $208,000.

Follow this link to see the articles on our NEWS blog about the Successful 2019 Grant Applicants

Thank you to all the applicants, and to everyone working and volunteering to make our communities even better places to work, live, play, and do business. 

The Williams Lake Community Forest is pleased to announce the following 9 successful grants from the Fall 2018 intake process:

• The Big Lake Community Association has received $5,000 towards the purchase of a Water Tender truck for the Big Lake Volunteer Fire / Rescue Department. The new-to-them truck will allow the department to maintain their certification from the Fire Underwriter’s Survey, as trucks over 20 years need to be replaced. The BLCA and VF/R members were instrumental in protecting local neighbors and their homes in 2017 and received commendations from both the Province of BC and from the CRD for their excellent work and service as a base for the Provincial Wildfire Service.
• The Horsefly & District Board of Trade has received $4,500 to help rebuild and repave the Horsefly outdoor skating rink. The rink is used all winter-long for skating, but also serves as a community gathering-place during the ice-less months as well. Other financial partners include the Cariboo Regional District and School District #27.
• The Scout Island Nature Centre has received $3,000 that will be used to provide ecosystem programs to School District #27 students in grades 3-7, with training for elementary teachers not yet comfortable with outdoor classrooms. These funds will also be used to enhance the ecosystem content of the Earth Challenge booklet, and to advise on developing the program for grades 3-6.
• The Invasive Species Council of BC will install “Play-Clean-Go” signs that will have brushes attached to the signs to encourage recreationalists to clean off plant material and dirt before leaving an area in order to reduce the spread of invasive species. $2,000 was provided by the WLCF Granting Program for this project, which will also see direct education to several rural schools as well as to Little Moccasins’ Daycare about invasive species.
• The 150 Mile Greenbelt, Trail and Heritage Society has been developing signs to recognize the origins, community pride and history of the area. $2,000 from the WLCF Granting Program will help to pay for the creation and installation of two signs once the highway project is complete. The signs will acknowledge the ranching and mining history of the region, the old Red Schoolhouse, and will welcome travellers and visitors alike.
• The 150 Mile Volunteer Fire Department has received $1,500 to repair damage done to the 150 Mile Ice Rink during the 2017 fires when the rink was used as a staging area. Minor concrete repairs, new lights and some new boards will extend the longevity of the rink and allow continued use by residents of the area all winter long.
• Fencing panels, clipping chutes and animal walkers will be built and purchased by the Horsefly 4H Club so that their annual achievement day can be safely attended by family and friends this summer. $2,000 from the WLCF Granting Program will purchase a number of panels for penning the kids’ projects, as well as wood to build the chutes needed to safely unload / load and manoeuvre the animals as needed throughout the weekend. The kids will assist with planning efficient layout options for the fencing panels prior to the event, and they’ll also experiment with animal walker designs and then build additional (potentially enhanced versions) in subsequent years.
• The Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society has received $2,000 towards a trail and sign project being built in the Flatrock Block of the WLCF. Eight interpretive signs, with a hydrological focus including Shushwap words, will be installed along the trail, and another sign introducing the project will be installed at the trailhead.
• The WL Community Forest is providing $2,000 towards a non-competitive outdoor trail run organized by GROW from School District #27 that will be held for the next 3 years in the late Spring. This trail run encourages kids to get outside their comfort zones and experience the forest and its beauty, while challenging themselves as they tackle a few obstacles along the route.