Community projects create new opportunities to explore, learn and grow

FOR RELEASE
January 14, 2014

WHITEHORSE—Eighteen community organizations will be able to upgrade equipment, facilities and programs using nearly $540,000 from the Government of Yukon’s Community Development Fund (CDF).

“The Community Development Fund’s flexibility means that it can be used to assist with a wide range of projects,” Minister of Economic Development Currie Dixon said. “Communities are able to access funds for their specific priorities and that’s why we see so many worthwhile initiatives benefitting from the fund.”

Among the recipients is the Teslin Historical & Museum Society, which will use the funds to add a large house-front facade, painted with a Keith Wolfe Smarch Inland-Tlingit design, to the George Johnston Museum. After several years of improving the building’s physical structure, the society turned its attention to increasing the museum’s visibility and appeal to highway travelers.

“As a traditional Tlingit design, the facade will invite more visitors to explore Teslin’s heritage and emphasizes the museum’s connection to the community,” society president Tip Evans said. “We appreciate the generous support from the Community Development Fund and we look forward to unveiling the cabin’s new look next summer.”

Local residents and travellers in Yukon will benefit from improvements planned at the Copperbelt Railway & Mining Museum. An investment from the Community Development Fund will provide for new property and nature trail signage and improvements to trails and guest amenities. Museum executive director Joelle Hodgins looks forward to bringing more visitors to the 10-acre property to enjoy mountain biking, hiking and dog walking during its summer operations and snowshoeing and skiing during the museum’s winter closure.

“The museum has been updating individual signs over time as our finances allowed, but this funding means that we will be able to dramatically improve the property and its trails in time for activities next year,” Hodgins said. “Visitors will be better able to enjoy the museum and its grounds, especially as we expand the amount of information available in both French and English.”

The Community Development Fund offers three funding levels. Tier I funding is available for requests up to $20,000. Tier II funding is available for applicants requesting $20,001 to $75,000, and Tier III funding is available for requests over $75,000. The next intake deadline is May 15 for Tier I and Tier II applications.

Organizations are encouraged to contact the Community Development advisors well before the deadlines for assistance with their applications and developing project ideas.

Learn more

Community Development Fund: www.cdf.gov.yk.ca 
Telephone: 867-667-8125 or 1-800-661-0408, ext. 8125

-30-

See backgrounder below.

Contact:

Elaine Schiman
Cabinet Communications
867-633-7961
elaine.schiman@gov.yk.ca

Shay Kokiw
Communications, Economic Development
867-456-6529
shay.kokiw@gov.yk.ca

—

Backgrounder
October 2013 Tier I Community Development Fund Projects

City of Dawson – $15,536 for a winter light display for the outdoor skating rink along the waterfront. The project will create 30 hours of employment for two people.
Contact: Marta Selassie at 867-993-2350

Girl Guides of Canada, Yukon Area Council – $700 to publish “The Last 25 Years of Guiding in Yukon History Book.”
Contact: Janet Mann at 867-667-2455

Kwanlin Dün Cultural Society – $20,000 to develop a long-term strategic plan and undertake research into business model options to achieve sustainability as a non-profit cultural centre. The project will create 175 hours of employment for two to four people.
Contact: Patti Balsillie 867-633-7805

Many Rivers Counselling and Support Services – $16,242 to train 20 individuals to facilitate the Nobody’s Perfect Parenting Program, to be delivered in Whitehorse and in Yukon’s rural communities. The project will create 80 hours of employment for one person.
Contact: Brent Ramsay at 867- 667-2970

Miles Canyon Historic Railway Society – $20,000 to improve the visitor experience, including property, nature trail and way-finding signage. The project will create 200 hours of employment for three to four people.
Contact: Joelle Hodgins at 867-667-6355

Recreation and Parks Association Yukon – $19,951 to offer aquatics training courses for lifeguards, instructors and other pool staff in Yukon communities. This project will create 400 hours of employment for three to four people.
Contact: Richele Bauer at 867-667-4873

Society for Health and Response for Emergency (SHARE) – $19,234 to support health and emergency response initiatives in rural Yukon with a volunteer network of responders building capacity for assistance and training for community members.
Contact: David Guhl at 867-335-2782

Tagish Community Association – $650 to obtain an engineer’s assessment to determine if windows can be installed in the community hall. The project will create four hours of employment for one person.
Contact: Colin Hickman at 867-399-3407

Tennis Yukon – $20,000 to determine the optimal facility type and operating model for an indoor facility primarily for tennis and possibly other activities such as badminton and climbing. The project will create 240 hours of employment for one person.
Contact: Stacy Lewis at 867-393-2621

Teslin Tlingit Council – $19,500 to complete a Teslin Tlingit Language Revitalization Strategy with the long-term aim of having the Tlingit language a widely spoken language across generations and throughout the community. The project will create 750 hours of employment for five people.
Contact: Doug Smarch Jr. at 867-390-2532, extension 308

Town of Watson Lake – $15,279 to purchase a new sound system that is compatible with the Northern Lights Centre’s projection system. This project will create 16 hours of employment for one person.
Contact: Heather Berg at 867-536-7827

September 2013 Tier II Community Development Fund Projects

Church of St. Christopher’s – $21,852 to complete detailed construction plans as the second phase of the construction of a stair and lift addition to the Church of St. Christopher’s in Haines Junction. The project will create 190 hours of employment for five people.
Contact: Lynn DeBrabandere at 867-634-2360

Council of Northern Economic Developers – $5,000 to hire a pre-conference planner to work towards delivering a community economic development conference in March 2014.
Contact: Jillian MacIssac at 867-332-4933

Dawson City Museum – $50,930 for a needs assessment considering various options that will maximize the use of the building, taking into consideration visitors, traffic flow, accessibility and room for expansion.
Contact: Laura Mann at 867-993-5291

Dawson Golf Association – $59,891 to purchase a hybrid photovoltaic power system and ancillary equipment, replacing the outdated diesel generator currently in use at the facility.
Contact: Patrick Habiluk at 867-993-6988

First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun – $75,000 for construction of an outdoor skating rink and playground area for children 12 months to 12 years in the C-6 Subdivision. The project will create 900 hours of employment for six people.
Contact: Andrew Sprokkreeff at 867-996-2265

Teslin Historical & Museum Society – $67,598 to build a large Tlingit house-front facade, painted with a Keith Wolfe Smarch Inland-Tlingit traditional design, on the highway face of the George Johnston museum. This project will create 520 hours of employment for 15 to18 tradespeople.
Contact: Sylvie Binette at 867- 667-4681

Town of Watson Lake – $71,320 to replace three old, used and unsafe bowling lanes with synthetic glow overlay and to install an automatic scoring system. The project will create 20 hours of employment for one person.
Contact: Marie Wilson at 867-536-8022

Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre – $21,038 to replace the aging, inefficient boiler system, chimney and oil tank in order to continue operations, retain longevity of the infrastructure and decrease energy expenses. The project will create 56 hours of employment for five people.
Contact: Hillary Aitken at 867-667-2693

News release #14-007

NT5