This year, Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows have been flooded with tens of thousands of dollars from provincial grants to help support their sports, arts, and culture programs.
These Community Gaming Grants are given to not-for-profit organizations that help enhance people’s lives, according to Anne Kang, Minister of Municipal Affairs.
“Healthy, vibrant communities are key to a healthy, vibrant province and these grants are one way our government is helping people in communities thrive,” said Kang.
RELATED: Province announces $1.1 million grants for Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows
Arts and culture programs in the Lower Mainland received approximately $11.5 million from the province, while sports-based not-for-profit organizations were given $16.7 million.
The Maple Ridge portion of these grants worked out to be $737,250 spread out across 23 organizations, with $536,500 going to sports programs and the remaining $200,900 being given to arts and culture programs.
The list of Maple Ridge recipients includes:
Ridge Canoe & Kayak Club - $19,500
Haney Seahorse Swim Club - $19,000
Ridge Meadows Speed Skating Association - $7,500
Meadow Ridge Female Minor Hockey Association - $42,300
Ridge Meadows Minor Softball Association - $48,500
Golden Ears Winter Club - $10,000
Ridge Meadows Minor Hockey Association - $100,000
Ridge Meadows Minor Lacrosse Association - $80,000
The Haney Neptunes Aquatic Club - $30,000
Golden Ears Athletics Society - $9,250
Maple Ridge Burrards Lacrosse Association - $7,000
Albion Football Club Society - $25,000
Meadow Ridge Football Association - $20,000
Catalyst Initiative Athletic Club - $10,500
Ridge Meadows Soccer Club - $97,800
Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Art Council - $97,000
Maple Ridge Historical Society - $31,200
Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows Agricultural Association - $11,000
Polonez Polish Canadian Dance Society - $22,000
The Adam Tarn Polish-Canadian Theatre Society - $2,000
Emerald Pig Theatrical Society - $16,000
Maple Ridge Choral Society - $4,000
Surrey German Language School Society - $17,700
RELATED: Maple Ridge receives more than $860,000 in annual provincial grant money
Pitt Meadows received $19,500 spread out across three not-for-profit programs in the community.
The list of Pitt Meadows recipients includes:
Port Coquitlam Speed Skating Club - $7,500
Optimist Junior Interclub Curling League - $8,000
Pitt Meadows Heritage and Museum Society - $4,000
Maple Ridge-Mission MLA Bob D’Eith and Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows MLA Lisa Beare praised these grants, which were distributed between April and November of this year, calling them a vital resource to support community growth.
“Arts, culture, and sport are some of the things that turn a town or city into a real community,” said D’Eith. “Maple Ridge and Mission have so much to offer in these sectors and I’m incredibly grateful to be part of a government that supports organizations that give people a chance to follow their passions.”
“Support from the province is key to making sure that our communities are full of activities that keep us connected,” said Beare. “We have some amazing coaches, teachers, volunteers, and workers in the arts, culture and sports sector in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, and I’m glad that we can support organizations like minor hockey, the Maple Ridge Historical Society, and the Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Art Council, to name just a few.”
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