HUMBOLDT, ARMLEY 鈥� The City of Humboldt is working with DCG Philanthropic to take care of the fundraising for the new Humboldt Broncos tribute facility as well as the roadside memorial at the Highway 35-335 intersection.
Councillor Rob Muench, Humboldt鈥檚 deputy mayor, said their first priority will be building the roadside memorial, which the families of the victims are taking the lead on.
鈥淭hat will go on hopefully ahead of the project in Humboldt. That seems to be the priority with the parents and it is with us as well,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat site has sort of evolved and materialized on its own and we want to make sure there鈥檚 something more permanent in place there.鈥�
The city estimates that both projects will take more than a year to gather the funds necessary to start a build.
Muench said that when the tragedy first occurred, there was a huge outpouring of support which included offers for financial help for a memorial from a number of corporations and philanthropic individuals.
DCG Philanthropic is hired to reconnect with those entities now that the tribute facility plan has been established.
鈥淭hose offers weren鈥檛 just for memorials, there were a number of them that were [saying], 鈥榃hat can we do for Humboldt? What does Humboldt need or what can we donate for the community?鈥欌�� Muench said.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had pledges from a lot of people, but it鈥檚 three years ago too, so we have to make sure they鈥檙e still on board and we鈥檙e prepared to adjust our goals and plans accordingly.鈥�
The amount of financial support DCG Philanthropic is able to collect will influence the build.
Early estimates place the cost of the facility in the $25 million range.聽聽聽 聽聽聽
The city currently has about $800,000 to put towards the tribute facility saved from Humboldt鈥檚 portion of the Humboldt Strong Community Foundation.
鈥淪o it may or may not contain an ice surface and all the other things in there, but the priority is the tribute centre and there are other things that hopefully will fall [into place],鈥� he said.
鈥淭he whole point behind the ice surface and the training facility is to have something that isn鈥檛 just useful or helpful to our community but to the hockey world out there.鈥�
Muench said that the city hasn鈥檛 planned on organizing any fundraising events or initiatives.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just going to play it on ear, we wanted to start moving forward on this,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e haven鈥檛 gone down that road yet and we鈥檙e hoping we don鈥檛 have to.鈥�
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