Academy asks directors for funding
Powell River Academy of Music is requesting continued support from Powell River Regional District.
At the rural services committee meeting on Thursday, January 15, Don James, founder and former music director, provided a review of 2014 International Choral Kathaumixw and a funding request for 2015. James said the not-for-profit academy employs 33 teachers and staff. In a Kathaumixw year, which are held on even years such as 2014, the academy has a $1 million budget, and in the years when Kathaumixw is not running, the annual budget is approximately $600,000. James said the academy features music, dance, theatre and visual arts and has 900 enrollees, ranging in age from six months for the baby music program to 85 years. James said the mortgage on the academy’s facility, which was purchased from School District 47, will be paid in full this year. The facility costs about $100,000 annually to operate.
James said the academy has three-year agreements with the City of Powell River and the school district for funding. He said the academy was seeking the same from the regional district because it helps plan over a cycle of years. James made a $10,000 funding request, including $2,500 for the academy’s scholarship program, $2,500 for the concert series and $5,000 for advertising internationally.
The regional board will consider the request at a later date.
By the book
Powell River Regional District’s committee of the whole heard that rural residents are availing themselves of the Powell River Public Library’s contents. About 31 per cent of Powell River Public Library’s patrons are regional district residents, the committee was told. Terry Noreault, interim chief librarian, provided a presentation that outlined statistics showing the city and regional breakdown of library usage. Noreault’s presentation indicated that 1,607 adults and 179 youth, for a total of 1,786 of the library’s 5,795 patrons, come from the regional district. Electoral Area C has the greatest number of cardholders, with 667, followed by Area A, with 547, Area B with 348 and Area D, with 224. The proposed regional grant requested of the regional district for the library’s 2015 budget is $234,987, up from $231,459 in 2014. This represents a 1.5 per cent increase. In 2015, this would represent a 25.3 per cent share of the library’s total revenue before depreciation.
Washroom numbers
A Savary Island resident who has been advocating for public washrooms on the island recommended the Powell River Regional District install five facilities on the island. Ron Wong, in a letter to the regional district that was reviewed by the rural services committee, suggested one washroom be located at the wharf, another at Indian Point boat launch, a third mid-island in the vicinity of the main fire hall, a fourth at South Beach and one at Duck Bay. Wong said the island has more than 2,500 visitors each year and he added that servicing five washroom units was not much more costly than servicing one. The matter will be further discussed at an upcoming regional district strategic planning session.
