Nearly $1.4 million was distributed to City of Powell River and community organization projects from Powell River Community Forest Ltd.’s best year of harvesting.
At the Thursday, May 7, council meeting, Greg Hemphill, president of the community forest, arrived with the 2014 dividend cheque for $1,364,055. There was applause and exclamations of surprise when the over-sized cheque was revealed to the audience that filled council chambers and spilled out into the hallway.
“This is a record amount for Powell River Community Forest,” Hemphill said. “Most of the logging we did was last spring when the market was strongest. We feel good about it.”
In announcing this year’s recipients of the 2015 grants, Hemphill said the way the community forest is structured, the community forest organization recommends grants but the city approves them. Council unanimously approved the recommendations.
There were six city grants announced at the council meeting:
• Millennium Park, $1,020,642 for the buyout timber rights held by Island Timberlands.
• Powell River Recreation Complex Evergreen Theatre, $98,175 for lower bowl seating replacement.
• Sunset Park and Mowat Bay Park, $85,000 for playground equipment replacements.
• Powell River Recreation Complex swimming pool, $20,500 for replacement of the one-metre dive platform.
• Powell River Historical Museum and Archives, $12,000 to move the Anderson historic sawmill back to Powell River from Burnaby’s museum.
• Powell River Fire Rescue, $9,500 for a fire extinguisher training system and educational display.
Hemphill congratulated city council for finalizing the deal for the Millennium Park trees.
“We are certainly pleased to have been able to facilitate the buy-out in one shot,” Hemphill said. “It’s probably the best example of a legacy project. In 10 years and 100 years, it will be seen as an excellent decision, investing in the town.”
The community forest was also benevolent toward five non-governmental groups:
• Powell River Lawn Bowling Club, $57,000 for renovation of the club’s building and improvements to the pitch.
• Stardusters Square Dance Club, $58,839 renovations to the Timberlane club building.
• Pacific Region International Summer Music Academy (PRISMA), $11,640 for a festival performance tent.
• Powell River Parks and Wilderness Society, $6,000 for building supplies for the Stanley Creek overnight shelter on the Sunshine Coast Trail.
• Powell River Yacht Club, $45,000 to purchase three additional Laser sailboats, an inflatable, plus board racks.
Hemphill said there is still $230,000 remaining in proceeds from the community forest’s harvesting fund.
