PRINCE RUPERT - The Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) is looking for its next ‘Lester Centre roof’ or ‘Growing Space floor padding’ for 2016.
The PRPA released Wednesday their invitation for Community Investment Fund (CIF) applications for the coming year. The Port’s CIF is made up of a portion of its income to provide funding for legacy projects in the community.
To be considered as a CIF-funded project, the Port stated that projects must meet a list of prescribed criteria, including “demonstrating a meaningful and wide-reaching impact for a broad portion of the community they are located”.
In 2015, the Lester Centre of the Arts and the Prince Rupert Growing Space Society (among other organizations) benefited from the CIF. The Lester Centre received a new roof and the Growing Space Society received floor padding.
The PRPA’s CIF has enabled over 30 projects to come to fruition worth more than $4 million in capital costs, over $2.5 million of which has been contributed by the Port. The remainder has been funded by partnering businesses, community groups and government agencies. In 2015, the Port contributed $680,000 to initiatives in the area.
“The ability to partner with local organizations and provide new services and equipment that benefits thousands of people every year is something we cherish as an organization. In many cases, the beneficiaries are volunteer societies who have already spent countless hours organizing and fundraising to make these projects possible,” said Maynard Angus, community relations manager for the PRPA.
“Through the Community Investment Fund, we were able to get a new, proper sprung stage floor to host hundreds of live performances. We also benefited from a generous contribution to fix the Centre’s roof, which again was just a matter of providing a short submission to the Port Authority detailing the project and its benefit to the community,” said Lestre Centre general manager Crystal Lorette.
For more information, visit rupertport.com/community/investment.