Premier Christy Clark announced a $50,000 community gaming grant to the Community Connections Society of Southeast B.C., which opened the doors of its new Kootenay Child Development Centre (KCDC) in Cranbrook earlier this year.

"This centre is exactly what Kootenay-based families need and we are proud to support the completion of this important community facility," said Premier Clark. "Every parent knows how difficult it is to juggle life's many demands, and every moment that can be spared is valuable. But what is most important is that children receive the care they need in a timely way, with the least amount of stress on parents."

The new facility centralizes a number of health and development services for children, reducing travel time for parents and allowing them to access comprehensive supports in one building. The centre is not yet fully operational, and this funding will enable the KCDC to enhance its existing programs and services.

In January 2012, Premier Clark increased the annual base budget for community gaming grants by $15 million to $135 million per year into the future.

"Since 2001, our government has provided more than $1.5 billion in gaming revenues to community-based organizations so they can continue to enrich the lives of British Columbians and support B.C. families," said Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Ida Chong. "Non-profit groups provide vital services that this government values tremendously and, despite current fiscal challenges, we have increased gaming grants in our annual base budget to a total of $135 million. Last year, this funding reached right across the province with a large part going outside of the Lower Mainland to more than 5,300 organizations in hundreds of communities."

"There are a lot of isolated, rural communities in the Kootenay region and having to drive long distances for various appointments can put a strain on families, especially those with children who require multiple services," said Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett. "I have no doubt the community will be well-served by the centre. A lot of hard work has gone into bringing this project to fruition, and I commend the board for seeing this through and creating such a valuable facility. It has been an honour to support the process and contribute to the completion of this important centre."

"This additional funding will bring us even closer to our fundraising goal of $1.1 million," said Gwen Noble, executive director of the Community Connections Society of Southeast BC. "We are very thankful for the advocacy MLA Bill Bennett has shown for this project over the years and for his help in increasing awareness about the project at the Provincial level. The East Kootenay region was the last area of B.C. to build a Child Development Centre, and we have been missing this important link in our regional service delivery system to families with children for many years; we can now say that we have closed the gap in services to our region's families."

Although the KCDC is new, the Community Connections Society of Southeast BC has been a gaming grant recipient for the last decade.

British Columbians can learn more about community gaming grants at: http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/gaming/grants/community-gaming.htm

Contacts:

Jennifer Chalmers
Communications Coordinator
Office of the Premier
250 889-1363

Gillian Rhodes
Communications Manager
Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development
250 356-6334