KidSport options for the North Coast to be revealed at information session October 17

An opportunity for parents to learn more about funding opportunities for their children to participate in community sports activities is coming up next week, as the City of Prince Rupert hosts an information session to deliver more background about the KidSport Program in British Columbia.

Pete Quevillon, a Director with the KidSport BC program will be on hand for the meeting, offering up some details on the how the initiative works and what it could offer to Prince Rupert. Last year KidSport provided grant funding of 1.8 million dollars for over 8,100 kids in the province.

The public meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 17th at the Civic Centre complex, the information session starts at 7PM.

Willa Thorpe, the Director of Recreation and Community Services with the City of Prince Rupert outlined the vision for the program at the local level.

"The City of Prince Rupert is excited to partner with KidSport to help ensure all Rupertites have the opportunity to participate in local sport activities,"  ... "We will work directly with the core volunteers throughout the implementation process so the chapter is sustainable over time."

The City of Prince Rupert is hosting an information session
on the KidSport Program Monday night at 7 PM at the Civic Centre

The work at bringing the KidSport program to Prince Rupert has been ongoing for a number of months now, making for the push towards making it a resource available to local residents who may be in the most financial need in the community.

The prospect of finding ways to assist local residents who are struggling the most was a key concern for Councillors Cunningham, Randhawa and Thorkelson, who all have raised the issue at a number of Council sessions related to Recreation fees in the city.

September 2016 -- Council approves new user formula for Civic Centre ice time
September  2016 -- Ice fees send the city's Recreation Commission back to the drawing board
September 2016 -- City Council to review Recreation Centre Ice Fee options at Special Council session today
February 2016 -- Recreation Fees discussion provides for heated exchange in Council chamber
November 2015 -- Recreation Director outlines report details and request for increased fees for Recreation Services
November 2015 -- City Council to consider Recreation Fee increases at Monday session
December 2014 -- Council set to approve increases of ten percent on Recreation Fees for 2015

And while it's not a slam dunk as basket ball players might say, that the program comes to the city, the hope of the KidSport organization is that Prince Rupert will soon join the other 42 BC communities that have a chapter in place.

The program has found success and taken off across BC and Canada, thanks in part to the assistance from partners like the Province of British Columbia, CIBC, Hyundai and the NHL Players Association.

The mission statement for KidSport’s is that of "So All Kids Can Play".

You can learn more about what KidSport is all about here.

More on the City's announcement of today can be found from the City of Prince Rupert website.

Further items of interest from City Hall can be reviewed on our Council Archive page.