Jeff Hamilton represented the Pump Track Committee at Town Council again on Monday, December 9.

The group received $7,500.29 in funding from the Community Vitality Advisory Committee (CVAC).

CVAC is a committee that sorts through community initiatives, identifies the best ones and then applies to Town Council on their behalf for funding.

CVAC Member Elena Kerns says she was very excited to hear the pump track was on the list of those to receive funding.

"I was very excited, my husband and I live in High Country Rise and we've been excited right from the beginning. We know Jeff and his family, we've watched him raise his kids and it's just such a good fit for our community and I was very excited and pleased to hear that the remaining $7500 went to them."

Recording Secretary for the CVAC Committee Gillian Cropper says the funding is meant to get the group started.

"The funding that was specifically being requested was to pay for the design plans. My understanding is that the company they want to hire to design the pump track, need to design it specifically for the location that's been selected. So this money will pay for those drawings to be drawn up and utilized."

The group did stumble across one risk in funding the program, but Cropper says they believed so wholeheartedly in the Pump Track Committee, it didn't really matter in the end.

"We only identified one risk in this funding. That was what if we pay for the drawings to go ahead but for some reason the fundraising for construction doesn't occur then that's kind of lost money." Says Cropper "We did believe so strongly in Jeff and his team, that we thought the risk was one worth taking and it won't be lost money at the end of the day."

Head of the Pump Track Committee Jeff Hamilton says it's so good to see the community is excited for the project, and is committed to helping get it built.

"It's awesome! You're just trying to do something for the community, and then to have the community then show their support behind this project is really nice, it's a nice fit."

The group raised just over $3000 at the Wales Theater Grinch Movie Fundraiser which took place on Saturday, December 7.

They've  also launched another fundraiser called the Timber Shaker which will be more of an adults night out.

Tickets for that can be found on the groups new website highriverpumptrack.com

There will also be an opportunity to buy a brick or piece of the sidewalk leading up to the pump track where individuals or businesses can purchase a brick and have either their name or business logo engraved, to build a walk-of-fame sort of idea.

Hamilton says they still have plenty of irons in the fire, when it comes to upcoming events and fundraisers.

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