Clearwater County has updated guidelines around grant funding for aging community halls in the area.

Amendments include a requirement for hall associations to submit applications by April 1 of each year with requests being considered by council on a case-by-case basis. If no application has been received within 24 months, county administration would then begin to take on the task of prioritizing upgrades to halls.

Another important amendment centered on the appointment of an engineer, as funding will not be provided to projects without professional project management.

The updated guidelines removes the requirement for the county to directly provide or fund professional project management. Instead, the county would simply offer referrals to hall association boards.

From there the engineer would invoice the association and the association may forward the invoice to the county to pay. Ag Services Director Bettina van Nieuwkerk says it removed the perception that the engineer is working at the direction of the county, while still offering appropriate oversite.

Deputy Reeve Drew McKay said that could have unintended consequences as the requirement for an engineer could suddenly balloon a simple $10,000 project into a $50,000 undertaking.

McKay adds he’s heard concerns from local ag societies that engineers often create unnecessary red tape, making completion horizons for projects longer than necessary.

Reeve Jordon Northcott said — if managed properly — having an engineer or project manager could actually reduce costs for certain projects.

To alleviate those concerns, council added some flexibility surrounding the procurement of a project manager, having one only required in the case of liability or building code concerns.

Other added amendments include the requirement for hall boards to present cost estimates prepared by a professional firm, as well as provide hall usage statistics and evidence of fundraising.

Council accepted the amendments unanimously.

Halls undergoing upgrades

A number of hall upgrades and builds are underway in the county.

That includes Leslieville Community Hall, which has been working since 2024 to raise $500,000 for fire and building code retrofits. As of spring 2026, officials say the most critical upgrades are expected to be completed by summer.

In Ferrier, the local community association is on the home stretch of constructing a brand new community hall, which it hopes to have open to the public by late summer 2026. The hall has struggled at times to fundraise, with a 2024 Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP) grant being withdrawn due to lack of matching funds.

Additionally, a group in Nordegg is looking into the possibility of building a brand new community hall, closely modelled after an existing one in the community of Cadomin in Yellowhead County.

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RELATED

• Renovations underway at Leslieville Community Hall
• Ferrier Community Hall aiming for fall 2026 opening
• Nordegg residents propose new community hall

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