The spring 2024 recipients of the Mountain View Power Community Grant Program have been announced by the Town of Olds.
Brent Williams, Chief Administrative Officer with the Town, says the grants are funded by the profits from Mountain View Power. He says “Well, Mountain View Power was started by the community. The Olds Institute and the volunteers there. It raises all its profits from the community in Olds and surrounding areas. Town council believes that all those profits should be returned. So it is a great way outside of the Town of Olds budget to fund community projects and we want to make sure we continue on with its original intention when it was started a decade or so ago. We want to ensure that people have a reason to sign up, this despite the competitive rates we offer for electricity and natural gas. Mountain View Power, you can see the tangible benefits of what it does right here at home.”
Williams says this is the highest dollar amount given out that they have had to date so far in one term. He says “That is because of the support from people signing up for electricity, natural gas, and solar in Olds and the area, and even central Alberta. It’s been great support since we started the grant program, this vehicle for giving back. We encourage people to look us up – mountainviewpower.com – and if the rates work for you, give it a try.”
A total of $75,000 dollars is being handed out to local community groups as part of this spring grant program session for Mountain View Power.
$35,000 dollars is going to the Mountain View Emergency Shelter for Kristen’s Place bedroom furnishing.
$20,000 dollars is going to Ecole Olds High School Leadership for the You Matter outdoor wellness space.
$10,000 dollars is going to the Kiwanis Club of Olds for a warming shack at Centennial Park.
$5,000 dollars is going to the Rotary Club of Olds for the Olds Creek Food Forest.
$5,000 dollars is going to the Reed Ranch School Parent Advisory Council to construct a new playground on the school grounds. Williams says “First time awarding money for outside the Town of Olds, a project outside the Town of Olds. So it is really important to highlight that and that the Mountain View Power Grant is available to everyone in the Olds and area recreation district which is defined by Mountain View County. Mountain View Power customers, they are in Olds, they are in Mountain View County, and elsewhere. We just want to make sure that the benefits are shared with the people who contribute, whether they are in Olds or not.”
Community groups can find out more about the MVP Community Grants and apply for next intake of the program in the fall of this year online at olds.ca/mvp.
According to a press release from the Town of Olds, this latest round of funding awards mark the third round of approvals since the program was established in June of 2023 and a grand total of $197,000 dollars has been invested back into the community during that time.