Officials with the Lacombe Athletic Park Association say 2016 was a very successful year for them and the ME Global Athletic Park. In a release, outgoing LAPA Chairman Murray Cunningham said during their recent AGM that “Our part time staff continue to do a terrific job including Dita Knip for the concession and facility maintenance, Fred Knip for facility management and schedule coordination, and Darrin Thompson with our promotions, marketing, and sponsorships. Our board and volunteers are excellent and continue to lead with fundraising, organizing events and supporting our community initiatives.
A big thanks to our partners, the City of Lacombe, Lacombe County, and Wolf Creek School Division who provide great support for us to operate at our best. Special thanks as always to Don and Marianne Gustafson for all their time and support as well.”
2016 featured a number of highlights for ME Global Athletic Park and the LAPA. They include:
- The City of Lacombe supporting the organization with a 10 year loan of $245,000 when construction started on MEGlobal Park. “Each year we have fundraised to make principal and interest payments on the loan. In September we made an additional lump sum payment of approximately $50,000 to pay the balance of the loan over three years ahead of schedule. We are now debt free.”
- Capital reserve funds continue to increase for future expansion and turf replacements at MEGlobal Park.
- Fundraising and partner commitments are being received to ensure the organization will be able to construct the all access full size exterior basketball court in the spring of 2017.
- Alberta Schools Athletic Association approved a request to host the 2017 High School Provincial games at MEGlobal Park. This event will bring 10 teams and possibly 4,000 players and fans to Lacombe over two days in November, 2017.
- MEGlobal Field saw tremendous use this past year as the facility hosted lacrosse, soccer, rugby, football, quiddich and other community events. Officials tracked almost 50,000 people hours of use through the facility.
Cunningham says “The partnership model we have is so exciting because it is a sustainable way to align and deeply involve volunteers and corporate partners with our municipal and education partners to provide great recreation and sport facilities for our community.
Thank you everyone for your support of the Lacombe Athletic Park Association this past year. LAPA will once again be hosting our annual GALA evening on March 4th, where we will have details about a big exciting community announcement at LAPA in 2017.
Tickets for the evening are available at Reds Sports, or by calling Darrin Thompson at 587-877-6294.
The LAPA GALA evening promises to be another great night of fun and rubbing shoulders with CFL and sports celebrities.
Everyone is invited.”
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