Clarification Regarding Recent News Story Published in the Sunny South News

Date

On January 21, 2025, the Sunny South News mistakenly published a news story that references a Special Council Meeting which occurred over three years ago on January 17, 2022.

 

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Coaldale Town Council wishes to clarify information recently shared in a news story that was mistakenly published on the front page of the January 21, 2025 edition of the Sunny South News.

 

The story references a Special Council Meeting that occurred over three years ago on January 17, 2022, which was convened to address critical decisions related to phased tendering and rising construction costs for what is now the Shift Community Recreation Centre. At the time, global supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures significantly impacted construction budgets across many industries, including municipal projects. As a result, on January 17, 2022, Coaldale Town Council convened a Special Council Meeting to reassess the project’s financial strategy and ensure its successful completion.

 

Since that meeting, the Town has successfully navigated all of the financial challenges associated with completing the project by implementing the following measures:

 

Strategic Budget Reallocations: The Town reallocated funds from other municipal projects with minimal impact on essential services, ensuring sufficient resources for the Recreation Centre without exceeding the overall budget.

 

Grant Maximization: The Town aggressively pursued and secured additional grant funding from provincial and federal programs to offset rising costs. These grants were instrumental in bridging the financial gap without burdening taxpayers.

 

Community Partnerships: Local businesses and organizations contributed to the project through sponsorships and in-kind donations (collected through the Town’s Coaldale STRONG fundraising campaign), demonstrating the community’s collective commitment to the project’s success

 

Phased Implementation: The project was restructured into manageable phases, allowing for better cost control and adaptability to fluctuating market conditions.

 

Paid for in full and open to the public as of June, 2024, the Shift Community Recreation Centre now serves as a vibrant hub for community events, sports, and recreational activities, providing immense value to Coaldale and area residents.

 

Since publishing its January 21, 2025 edition, the Sunny South News has posted the following correction/retraction regarding this story on its website (https://www.sunnysouthnews.com/):

 

“An error occurred on the front page of the Sunny South News [Jan. 21, 2025] edition involving Coaldale Town Council coverage. The article “Coaldale Special Council Meeting highlights: Multi-Use Recreation Centre progress and challenges” details the proceedings of a Jan. 17, 2022 special meeting, which was mistakenly published in this week’s issue. The Sunny South News takes full responsibility for this error and apologizes for any confusion it may have caused.”

 

To learn more about the Shift Community Recreation Centre’s amenities and programming, please visit: https://www.coaldale.ca/recreation-centre.