through the following link.
http://www.culture.alberta.ca/cip/default.aspx
The next deadline for applications is January 1, 2010.
A collection of "How-to" articles /comments for like-minded folks in the special transportation industry (especially rural Alberta). Drop us a line and pass on your thoughts and ideas. blog@rockyviewbus.ca
http://www.culture.alberta.ca/cip/default.aspx
The next deadline for applications is January 1, 2010.
Jerold LeBlanc
Staff writer
A cash infusion by city council has prevented the Wetaskiwin Community Transportation Society from coming to a screeching halt this month.
At its Sept. 28 regular meeting, council unanimously accepted to turn over $26,710 from the Senior Games Legacy Fund.
In 2006, the $50,000 fund was used to buy a van for the group, formally known as the Wetaskiwin Handivan Society.
Major overhaul needed
Society president and Ald. Mark McFaul, said the move is a stop gap measure for a group that needs to undergo a major overhaul if it expects to survive past January 2010.
“The operations costs about $12,000 a month to operate right now, and currently we have about six of that, so basically 50%.
“We are looking at all other aspects, and there are going to be changes, andbe there is going to be some fine-tuning of things to try to bring it in line.
“Our biggest concern is that there is no money to carry us through to resolve some of these issues. Our day-to-day problem is trying to find operating capital. This gives us the operating capital to operate through to January, and then of course, the new budget year kicks in – the City contributes, the County will contribute.
“It gives us quite a bit of breathing space,” said McFaul.
As for how the society has fallen onto financial hard times, McFaul said he’s not 100 per cent sure.
“I think it was the transition period from Senior Homes and Community Housing, which was at the time operating it, to when the point was when Bethany Group took over our Seniors Homes and Community Housing, that didn’t go with the flow.
“At that time, everything was operated through them, and probably funding through the City and County still kept it viable, and they were managing it in all aspects of it,” said McFaul.
“We are looking at all aspects of costs – from maintenance to tires to fuel. I have had talks with our fuel supplier, our tire supplier.
“Actually, we’re going to be piggybacking on the City to buy tires.
“I would have to say that the Co-op is giving us the best price they can, which I appreciate, and we’ve had a little bit of an influx of cash from the County and from the City to keep this viable this year. It’s an important part of the city.”
“I don’t want to say gone, or never, but we would have had to find another way of operating it,” said McFaul.
Ride costs rising
To help offset some of the costs, riders pay $4 per trip, but McFaul said it is increasing to $5.
“I am just guessing the average cost of a ride is $8. The problem being is most people using the services are on very fixed incomes, and $8 is not a doable fee in their lifestyle.
If the service wasn’t available, McFaul said those people would shut ins, and community programs dependant upon the transportation service would suffer.