This past week saw the creation of our new facebook page and this website. As we move forward I will be posting weekly updates to the blog here at sconapoolcf.com and sharing them with the people involved in our efforts.
This foundation remains focused on purchasing, repairing, and reopening Scona Pool to ensure everyone has access to swim lessons and aquatic activity space. Individuals have overwhelmed us with their support both financially and non-financially. We recently accepted pledges for printing services from Scona Copy and Print on 106 street and 80 avenue, a live painting or previously completed piece of art for auctioning, and are over $11,000 raised in financial pledges.
Monday November 7, I(Andrew) met with Terry Parker of Building Trades of Alberta(BTA) and Jacquie Tackaberry of the John Tackaberry Memorial Foundation. BTA is a trades union group comprised of 18 different unions in the construction trades. They have over 60,000 members and are dedicated to advocating for these members and the unions they are part of. In our meeting I learned of the focus BTA has on collaboration and community investment. I was able to share drowning statistics and information on the huge gap in demand and availability of swim lessons throughout the capital region. We discussed how BTA can help empower us to bring these stats down and where repairs could be funded or completed by BTA and its member unions. Through our conversation I heard stories from both Jacquie and Terry about how they have struggled to find swim lessons in the past. By the end of our short meeting I was ecstatic to shake hands on an agreement for BTA to provide at least $350,000 toward the repair of Scona Pool. This extremely generous contribution means that we will be able to apply for CFEP grant funding of at least $362,000 and gets us much closer to our goal of $1,000,000 raised.
Building Trades of Alberta Logo
Currently, we await the City Manager, Mr. Andre Corbould's response to our business plan. Regardless of the result of this, we are determined to adjust, improve, and adapt our plans to create a model that works for the City and for the citizens. I will also be meeting with Mr. Corbould and Adam Laughlin, Deputy City Manager - Infrastructure, to discuss our proposal and how we can collaborate.
Our founding members and the five current prospective board members will be meeting once each week to discuss strategy, planning, and opportunities. Anyone is still welcome to volunteer to the board and I encourage you to contact me directly if you would like to get involved. If you haven't done so yet, please consider making a pledge through the embedded form on our home page today.
Andrew Burke
Director of Business Development and Programs