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Lacombe County helps fund Sylvan Lake park

Pogadl Park will be a $22-million recreation hub on west side of Sylvan Lake
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Sylvan Lake’s proposed $23-million recreational park got a little funding help from Lacombe County.

County council approved providing funding up to $429,923 for the Sylvan Lake Pogadly Sports Park, which will be built in the west end of town.

Sylvan Lake’s funding request came before council first last January. Council held off on approving any funding until it knew what financial support Red Deer County was considering.

Earlier in November Red Deer County council agreed to give Sylvan Lake $350,000 toward the cost of the first phase of a new outdoor sports and recreation project. Sylvan Lake had requested $1.1 million, but council opted to fund only the first phase of the project, which is expected to cost about $7 million.

Red Deer County provides Pogadl Park funding

Sylvan Lake moving forward on park plan

However, council left the door open for further contributions later.

The facility will include six baseball diamonds, an outdoor hockey rink, soccer fields, a multi-purpose field, volleyball courts and a splash park.

In August, the town and the Sylvan Lake Gulls, of the Western Canadian Baseball League, officially broke ground on the park and the $7-million Gulls stadium, which has been funded by investors.

Lacombe County based its funding on the two per cent of park users expected to come from the county. About $3 million for the stadium, a campground and a trail were excluded from the cost estimate used by the county.

Sylvan Lake has received funding help from the county previously. In 2017, $800,000 was provided for the $33-million NexSource Centre. Red Deer County provided $1.5 million for that project.

City of Lacombe also received some funding help from the county. The county will provide $87,557 to go towards the Lacombe Memorial Centre and the Gary Moe Auto Group sportsplex.

Council also agreed to extend for five years a $30,000 annual contribution to the Lacombe Athletic Park. The new agreement expires at the end of 2025.

Likewise, a $13,000 annual contribution for the Lacombe Performing Arts Centre will be extended for five years until the end of 2025.