A number of fee for service agreements were on the agenda at the March 22 District of Invermere (DOI) regular council meeting.

In total $75,000 was given out through the service agreements which allows council to provide core funding for volunteer groups in exchange for a tangible public service that provides some form of benefit to the community.

The money being distributed will be as follows:  the Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce -$30,000, Toby Creek Nordic Club – $3,000, Windermere and District Historical Society – $7,000, Columbia Valley Arts Council – $20,000 and Groundswell – $15,000.

Each group has certain responsibilities that come with the money.

The agreement requires the Chamber to provide visitor information services including the visitor information kiosk that may be placed within the downtown core at a mutually agreeable location.

The Toby Creek Nordic Club will be required to provide grooming and maintenance services for the Lake Windermere Whiteway, to improve trails for its Jackrabbit program and community use.

As part of the agreement with the Windermere and District Historical Society it will be required to extend museum hours to seven days a week throughout the summer tourist season, offer additional displays and children’s programs to enhance the knowledge of our valley’s local history, and to continue to promote the economic tourism marketing of the District.

The agreement requires CV Arts to operate Pynelogs Cultural Centre and to organize

and promote the following annual events:  Art from the Heart – Children’s art from the elementary cchools, REACH: David Thompson Secondary School Art Show, Wings over the Rockies Art Show Mountain Mosaic Arts Festival along with other miscellaneous musical, film and cultural events.

Groundswell (formerly Columbia Valley Botanical Gardens) is required to operate the community greenhouse. It is also expected to work on the implementation of a community composting program for the adjacent residential neighbourhood; continue the promotion of the DOI’s water conservation initiatives; and develop a community garden along Westridge Drive that will create a fully landscaped public entrance into the greenhouse and promote locally grown food and produce.

To date the agreements have been effective in providing visitor information services, increasing the level of service at the museum, providing programs for children and overall increasing the availability of services to the community.