Community Futures officially announced that the grant funding had been secured on Thursday, April 15. With the money in place, a facilitator will be hired in May and the work of designing and naming the system will take place.
"This is a very positive initiative for the Crowsnest Pass," says Community Futures in a released statement. "It will bring into the community a substantial amount of mountain bike enthusiasts and tourism dollars, as well as opportunities for business development and expansion."
Carrie Morency, with Community Futures, says that there will be even more opportunities for local residents and businesses to get involved in the project as time goes on and things get off the ground. There will be opportunities for sponsorships big and small, she says, both on the trails and with related items, such as trail maps.
Shane Stewart, also with Community Futures, broke the good news to gathered members of the Chamber of Commerce at their luncheon on April 14. He said that he can see the Pass becoming a part of the international mountain biking circuit in the future. Local groups such as the newly formed United Riders of Crowsnest have been actively promoting mountain biking in the community.
The Rural Development Initiative is a grant program that provides funds to local Community Futures organizations, to fund economic diversification projects in Alberta. The program is targeted at large scale rural projects with strong private sector support and clear, measurable economic outcomes.