Throughout 2022, Chestermere and area residents gathered at the Chestermere Regional Community Association (CRCA) for community celebrations.
“It was a good year. It was nice to be able to remain open for the duration of the year after the difficult year that preceded due to the pandemic,” CRCA Manager Jody Nouwen said.
Throughout the year, the CRCA hosted many family events, fundraising events, and sporting events for the community to enjoy, such as the Hockey Marathon for the Kids raising funds for the Alberta Children’s Hospital, the Rocky View Chestermere Agriculture Society’s Bulls on the Beach, and the Country Fall Fair.
The CRCA also hosted a pave the parking lot fundraiser, making more than $12,000 that will be used to repave the parking lot.
“These events bring many customers to the facility for fun, food and community celebration,” Nouwen said.
In addition to fundraisers and community events, the CRCA also collaborated with local partners to host a senior luncheon for the holidays, bringing 160 older adults together for a turkey dinner.
Without the support of staffers, and the board of directors, community events at the CRCA wouldn’t be possible every year.
“We have really great, dedicated staff and a caring and competent board of directors who all work well together to bring the best services and events to the community,” Nouwen said.
Although 2022 was a successful year for the CRCA, sustained funding for the facility is a challenge each year.
“We operate solely on revenue from users and grants, so it can be tricky to navigate at times,” Nouwen said. “It can be difficult to take care of some of the major issues, such as the state of the parking lot, when working with undetermined yearly revenue sources.”
Going into the new year, Nouwen and the CRCA will continue to work with local partners to host events for the community to enjoy.
