PARCS continues efforts to bring new field house to Ponoka

PONOKA -- The Ponoka Arts, Recreation and Culture Society has raised $450,000 as part of their efforts to bring a new field house to Ponoka.

This comes as discussions around the possibility of constructing a new field house in Ponoka have been ongoing since 2006. In 2017, PARCS became involved in the project, and over the past 12-18 months, the organization has undertaken various fundraising initiatives aimed at moving the plans ahead. PARCS Board Member Dez Robinson says that while progress has been made, a lot more work remains to be done.

"What we've come to understand about the process of getting a facility like this built is quite complex and can take some time," said Robinson. "Essentially, where we're at right now as a PARCS Board is we're raising private donation dollars through our registered charity status. We've raised about $450,000 to date, which is a drop in the bucket for a project like this. So, now we need to essentially get more traction with business owners, private businesses, and affluent individuals, to build up that private donation base. Once you get that private donation base built up, then you start to turn the heads of local, provincial, and federal governments with grants and such." 

Robinson notes that a major project of this nature is anticipated to cost at least eight figures to undertake, and that feasibility work is slated to take place this coming winter to determine what exactly the town wants to see in the new facility. This could range from a generic field house type facility with an indoor turf field and walking track, to a complete multi-recreational facility with a field house, ice rink, a gym, etc.

"What we've seen with projects like this is you need the municipality involved, you need local businesses and organizations involved as well," said Robinson. "You get these individuals around the table, then you can start to do more of a feasibility of process to determine what the plans, or what the actual rendering of this facility would look like."

He notes that a study of this nature could take anywhere from six to twelve months and that seeing the new facility finally come to fruition could take several years. The speed in which the project moves forward will also be contingent on the will of the municipality and the surrounding community.