Paradise seeks funding to connect trails to schools

By Mark Squibb

The Town of Paradise has applied to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ (FCM) Safe and Active School Routes program for money to complete trail connections that will help some students get to and from school.
The process includes submission of a pre-application, followed by a full application if the pre-application is successful. The Town had already submitted a successful pre-application, and just needed council’s formal approval to submit the full application.
Council gave the greenlight during its December 2 public meeting, but the matter was back on the December 16 agenda because of an accounting error.
Successful applicants may receive upwards of $125,000 in funding. Staff estimate the work will cost around $336,320. During the December 2 meeting, council agreed the Town would be on the hook for $211,320. That amount, however, neglected some $18,200 in administration costs. The actual amount Paradise will have to pay is $229,520.
Recreation lead councillor Jennifer Hiscock said she still supported the motion despite the slight increase, and council approved it unanimously.