Village of Girouxville receives $500,000 grant

Dunvegan – Central Peace MLA Hector Goudreau was on hand at Crick’s Corner in Girouxville on May 19 to announce a grant received by the Village of Girouxville for $500,000. The grant will be used to build a bowling alley in the community.

MLA Hector Goudreau spoke to nearly 40 people at Crick’s Corner on May 19. He announced that the province has given $500,000 to the Village of Girouxville for the construction of a bowling alley.

Emily Plihal
Smoky River Express

Village of Girouxville is one step closer to the construction of a bowling alley in the community.

On May 19, MLA Hector Goudreau was at Crick’s Corner to help announce that the Alberta government has decided to allocate $500,000 to the construction of a bowling alley in Girouxville.

“The province has agreed to support the new venture (bowling alley) in Girouxville,” said Goudreau in his speech.

“But it’s not the government that makes the communities successful, it’s the community member who make the community prosper.”

Goudreau congratulated bowling alley committee members, the Girouxville Sports Club, and Village of Girouxville staff for the arduous work towards applying for the grant, creating a business plan, and making the bowling alley a reality in the community.

“This project has a broad cross-section of people it can cater to,” said Goudreau. “There is interest from people as far as Peace River, Eaglesham, Nampa and Valleyview. It is a project aimed at providing a good place to relax and enjoy yourself.”

Bowling alley project manager Estelle Girard explains the $500,000 will go a long way to help fund the new sporting facility in the community.

“The grant was received from the Major Communities Facility Enhancement Program,” says Girard. “It has been provided on a matching basis from the community. We are assuming the bowling alley will cost us upwards of $1.2 million to build.”

The government program allocates a specific amount of money to different communities across Alberta. Goudreau explains one-third of the funding goes to the city of Calgary, one-third to the city of Edmonton, and the rest is divided amongst communities in rural Alberta.

“This program has existed for two years and ended officially April 1,” says Goudreau. “We were fortunate to get the funding at the end of the program. I congratulate the Village of Girouxville and wish the best of luck in the project. I have every confidence in the world that you’ll be able to succeed.” The idea for a bowling alley was spawned from reduced numbers of curlers at the local curling rink.

Girouxville Sports Club members thought with the addition of new curling rinks in surrounding communities, a new regional recreational opportunity in the area would be constructive.

“From the initial committee formed last fall, three sub-committees have been started to help get our projected up and running,” says Girard. “There is the building, fundraising, and public relations sub-committees.”

Once complete, the bowling alley will be owned by the Village of Girouxville but operated by the Girouxville Sports Club. The club will be doing the fundraising to help fund the project. Committees hope construction phase will begin next spring.

“The project will be overseen by the building sub-committee along with the Village of Girouxville,” says Girard. “We have chosen Focus to be our engineer. We will be meeting with an engineer from the firm on May 28.”

Girard says supporters and committee members are anxious to see the bowling alley built. She also says surrounding communities, even those outside of the Smoky River Region, have been writing letters and phoning in support of the bowling alley.

“This will be a regional facility,” says Girard. “We think it will be a great sport activity that will benefit the entire region.”

In mid-December, Girouxville Sports Club and the Village of Girouxville presented the region with an idea to build the bowling alley. Plans are to build the alley on Main Street, east of the Caisse Horizon.

“In the last few years we’ve seen a huge decline in attracting local curlers for square draws. The youth curling has remained pretty steady, but we cannot warrant operating a facility which is in need of costly repairs," says Girard.

The bowling alley will consist of a four-lane, five-pin facility with a kitchen and lounge area. The committees stress the innovative sports facility will provide an activity for young children, adolescents, middle age people, individuals with disabilities, and adults can enjoy for limited cost.

Currently, the nearest bowling alleys are located in Enilda, Valleyview, Fairview, and Grande Prairie. Organizers hopes are if the bowling alley is built, people will use the facility for group parties, birthdays, and holiday parties.

Costs for the project include a building with framed glass walk-in doors, six windows, two exit doors, R50 insulation in the walls, a four foot by eight inch foundation, and 24 inch by 10 inch spread footing.

All costs include lounge furniture, kitchen equipment, and bowling-related equipment. The estimate also includes; $18,500 for blueprints and permits, $277,000 for the building, $265,000 concrete slab and footings, $95,085 electrical, $126,780 mechanical, $55,000 plumbing and $32,000 plumbing fixtures and water heaters. The remainder of the money will be used to pay for bowling and related equipment.

If anyone is interested in volunteering for the project, sitting on the organizing committee, or donating to the project please phone the Village of Girouxville office at 780-323-4270 or Eugene

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