After starting with a variance application from the planning department, which received no objections and passed fairly smoothly through Council, the first half of this week’s Neepawa Town Council meeting turned quickly to a series of presentations by applicants to the town’s annual granting program.

While it’s not a requirement for funding, the town welcomes requests from applicants to make presentations on their organization and their grant request to the Council. The three presenters were the Margaret Laurence Home, a local museum, ArtsForward, the arts and cultural hub for the community, and a joint application from the Neepawa Titans Hockey Club and NACTV for a broadcasting project at the Yellowhead Arena.

The town receives applications for its Community Grants Program every winter, with a deadline of December 31st each year. Funding categories include Direct Award grants, Strategic Plan grants, In-Kind Contribution Grants, Special Event Grants and Community Event Grants. Most applicants are seeking a direct award grant, and all successful applications must present a report to Council on their use of the grant, normally within the next calendar year.

The Margerel Laurence Home Committee is seeking general support from Council for their operations in the town. Margaret Laurence is a nationally recognised figure in Canadian literature, and the town trades on that name for local tourism purposes; it even inspired part of the towns slogan, “Where stories take a beautiful turn.” The former home of Margaret Laurence itself operates as a Level II museum in the province, and the committee also holds several events throughout the year including author readings, literary trivia, and an art in the garden tour. While most groups seek funding for a specific project, the MLH, which operates primarily from May to September, is looking just to keep their doors open for another summer.

ArtsForward gives a Powerpoint presentation to the Council outlining their activities over the past year or so including classes, performances, and special events. The facility is open year round and not only hosts its own activities but is available for private and community events, one of the only facilities of its size in the area. The Town of Neepawa has supported the arts council for several years with varying contributions towards special projects or general operations. This year ArtsForward is requesting funds towards capital projects and Indigenous Culture Day, which is held each year on or around September 30.

NACTV has partnered with the Neepawa TItans Hockey Club to construct a new broadcast booth at the Yellowhead Arena. The current booth is in the corner of the arena with a limited view of the ice, whereas the new booth would be built at centre ice-side and would not only host local broadcasters but also visiting journalists. NACTV broadcasts all of the Neepawa Titans home games from the Yellowhead as well as covering many other events such as figure skating, curling, and large-scale performances such as circuses. The partners have already secured sponsors for building materials and engineering plans, and are seeking support from Council for items such as construction labour, plexiglass, and electrical.