Title
Devonian Botanic Garden Funding Request
Proposed Motion(s)
That Council approves funding for the following amenities at the Devonian Botanic Garden: Green Roof in the amount of $150,000 and the seminar room in the amount of $100,000 with funding coming from the Environmental Restricted Surplus $150,000 and $100,000 from Contingency Restricted Surplus
Body
Administration Recommendation(s)
Administration supports this recommendation as it provides a unique opportunity to partner with the Devon Botanic Gardens on a project that is planning to bring 200,000 visitors yearly to Parkland County, provide a venue for increased public education, increased research and become one of the largest tourist attractions with Parkland County.
Purpose
Devonian Botanic Gardens requested support for their Ecological Learning Centre initiative with naming opportunities for some of the features of the Learning Centre at the November 19th Governance & Priorities Committee meeting. The Committee directed Administration to provide a recommendation regarding this sponsorship opportunity.
Summary
The request provides a unique opportunity to attach Parkland County's name to a world class facility and provide our residents access to world class programs and educational opportunities within our local community. Governance and Priorities Committee tabled this item at their December 3, 2013 meeting and requested administration to prioritize the request from the Devonian Botanic Garden.
Administration has evaluated the request and offers the following comments for Councils consideration.
The Ecological Centre being proposed has not yet been fully funded. Should Council decide to provide funding for any amenities, a condition would be that funds would not be forwarded fro the project until such time that construction has commenced and the final plans have been reviewed by Parkland County. This will ensure that the concept shown to Council in November is the ac...
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