As Councillor Gerrard mentions right at the top of this week’s meeting, the finance committee has started their preliminary conversations about the budget, which includes looking at the grant applications they received. Grant applications are due on December 31 of each year and are awarded around budget time in April or May. It’s due to this granting schedule that we see two delegations from local nonprofits to talk about their respective projects.

Touchwood Park, the local association supporting individuals with developmental disabilities, is preparing to build a fully accessible playground near its day program building next summer. The playground would feature several pieces of equipment designed for wheelchair users and for individuals who need assisted play, including a double slide and wheelchair bouncer and swing. Renderings of the site design were presented to Council to show the various recreational and safety features of the project.

While located on Touchwood property, the playground is intended for use by the entire community including the life skills classes at the local schools. Touchwood Park has so far raised about $103,00 of the total $325,000 price tag for the project, and is asking for $25,000 from the town.

ArtsForward, Neepawa’s central hub for arts and cultural programming, presents to Council looking for funding for regular operations and for their annual Indigenous Culture Day. This year’s presentation highlights their six areas of focus, including affordability, mental health and wellness, youth, community, efficiency, and fiscal responsibility.

This past year, the facility underwent several renovations including a new kitchen and new roof, and they are looking to continue with physical upgrades and repairs in the new year including flooring and a new furnace. They also want to ensure everyone knows that if there is a skill they are interested in learning or teaching, ArtsForward will work with them to try to make it happen. This year they are requesting $20,000 in grant funding from the town.

Also covered in the first half of this week’s meeting were updates from the local library board.