A sizeable donation has brought the Blackfalds Field House Society one step closer to reaching their fundraising goal for the estimated $15-million fieldhouse to be built by 2014.
Cottonwood Meadows in Blackfalds has donated an empty lot worth about $125,000 in the new subdivision to the society.
Garry Will, one of the Cottonwood partners, presented the certificate of title to Lot 100 on Thursday to Blackfalds Mayor Melodie Stol and field house society president Carol Simpson, also a town councillor.
The society now has over $400,000 raised, more than halfway to reaching its targeted goal of $750,000, said Simpson.
“We are very happy and fortunate to receive this donation,” she said. “Everyone in the community and region is pulling together for this project and it’s exciting to think we’ll most likely be starting construction this summer.”
The society will later sell the fully serviced lot as a residential parcel with all proceeds going towards the field house.
There is also the option of teaming up with a local non-profit and auctioning off the lot like a lottery fundraiser, said Will.
“We’re committed to this growing community,” said Will. “It’s a win-win situation as we want more people to move out to Blackfalds and into the subdivision and facilities like the field house will help encourage more people to do so.”
Cottonwood Meadows will be recognized as the official sponsor for the running track to be built on the 3rd floor of the new recreational facility.
The fieldhouse will also consist of an outdoor pool, fitness centre, indoor playground and lots more space.
The designs for the fieldhouse have been drawn up and completed by ATB Architecture out of Edmonton.
Tenders for a construction company should be out by the end of next week, said Sean Barnes, director of community services with the Town of Blackfalds.
The new fieldhouse will be built at 4500 Womacks Road.
rfrancoeur@www.reddeeradvocate.com