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22TuesdayJune252013PaddlefestseeksmoneyafterlosinghalfitsfundingByMEAGANWOHLBERGWithhalfitsfundingfromtheterritorialgovernmentcutabruptlythisyearFortSmithsforemostsummertourismdrawisinhotwaterandlookingforthetowntohelpbailitout.PaddlefesttheeventthatbringsinkayakersrafterscanoeistsandspectatorsfromaroundtheworldtoplayontheSlaveRiverrapidseveryAugustlongweekendunexpectedlyhad10000ofitsfundingcutbythedepartmentofIndustryTourismandInvestmentthisspringandisnowlookingforaone-timedonationof5000fromtheTownofFortSmithtomakesurethefestivalhappens.TheyvechangedthewaytheyaredistributingmoneynowPaddlefestcoordinatorGenevieveCtsaidofITI.ItwasashockwewerenotexpectingsuchabigcutsowerelookingfornewpartnersnowinmakingPad-dlefestsustainable.Wefoundtheother5000nowwerejusttryingtogettheothermoneyweneedthroughthisone-timedonation.CtsaidtheclubwasawareITIwhichhadfunded70percentofPaddlefestsbudgetforthelastfouryearsneverin-tendedtomakethearrange-mentacontinuoussponsorshipbuttheywerenotinformedofwhenorbyhowmuchthere-ductionwouldbe.Withtheswitchbetweenorganizersthisyearweab-solutelydidntexpectedthatthesaidreductionwasgoingtohappennowandweun-derstandthatmanyotheror-ganizationshavebeenheav-ilyreducedaswellwearenottheonlyonesCttoldTheJournal.ITIknewthiswasgoingtobeabighitonusandtheymanagedtomakeitbet-terforusbycombiningbothaSEEDfundingprogramandsomemoneyfortheTourismandParksbranchofITItoandTradeAdvisoryBoardTTABandafullgalleryofsupportersCtbroughtherrequesttothetowncoun-cilmeetingonTuesdaynighttogetsupport.approachedherattheJune8SlaveRiverDaycelebrationtotellherthetownwouldnotbegivingPaddlefestanymoney.MayorBraketoldmedur-ingtheSlaveRiverApprecia-tionDaythatheknewITIhadcutourfundingthisyearandifIthoughtthetownwouldgiveusmoneyIwasdreaming.Headdedthetownwasalsoaf-fectedbythefundingcutsandtherewasjustnopossiblewaythetowncouldaffordnan-ciallyhelpingthefestivalotherthanthetypicalin-kindtypesupporttheyhaveprovidedinthepastwhichhasincludeditemslikestaffsupportandmovingporta-pottiesandpic-nictablesCtsaid.Atthemeetingseveralcoun-cillorsexpressedinterestinfund-ingPaddlefestandbyexten-siontheFortSmithPaddlingClubinthesamewaythatthePelicanRapidsGolfClubandFortSmithSkiClubaregiven5000eachperannumasarecreationalservicemorethansimplyaone-offfestival.WevebeenhelpingtheSouthSlaveFriendshipFestivalforanumberofyearsunsuc-cessfullyIfattendancespeakstosupportthisisthebiggestwehavecouncillorChrisWest-wellsaid.Thepaddlingclubbringsalottothecommunityandcanbebundledintowhatwedowiththeskiclubandthegolfcoursenotjustasaneventbutrecreation.Itsworthcon-sideringwhatitwouldtaketomakethishappen.ConcernwasexpressedbyothercouncillorsthatFortSmithsadditionalfestivalsincludingWoodBuffaloFrol-icsandtheFriendshipFestivalareonlygiven2500each.FivethousandistwiceasmuchaswegivetoanyotherfestivalcouncillorDonWebbtoldCt.Precedentsettingcanbeexpensive.Itsnotsome-thingwebudgetedforandtherehasntbeenameetinginalongtimewheresomeonehasntbehereaskingformoney.TTABchairKevinAnto-niakwaspresenttosupportthepresentationbyCtexpressingtheboardsviewthatPaddlefestisnotonlyamajortourismdrawtothecommunitybutthepaddlingclubasawholeprovidesanincentiveforpeopletomakethemovetoFortSmith.Ifthiswasahockeytour-namentwewouldntbesup-portingitButthisisahugedrawnotonlyfortourismbutforpeopletocomeandliveinFortSmith.Fromatrade-tourismmarketingperspec-tivethatsthereasonTTABsupportsPaddlefest.SeveralcouncillorsagreedthatbasedonthenumbersofvisitorsbroughtinPaddlefestiscurrentlythemostsuccess-fultourismdrawtoFortSmithandattestedtothePaddlefestorganizingcommitteeasas-sistinggreatlyinthepromo-tionofthetowninthemediaaswellasmaterialsfortour-istscomingNorth.Thisisthesinglemostorga-nizedfestivalinthecommunitycouncillorKevinSmithsaid.Paddlefestwasnamedthenumber-onesummerdestina-tionprioritybythetownsre-centlycommissionedbrand-ingandmarketingstrategyandpicturesofthefestivalareusedregularlyinboththetownsandterritorystourismpromotionalmaterials.ThisyearthefestivalhasreceivedfundingfromtheLe-giontheNorthwestTerritoriesPowerCorp.andprivatedonorsalongwithITI.ThebudgetforthefestivalwhichincludesaFridaycommunityeventtwodaysofwhitewatereventsadanceandaweekofspectatorinstructionalactivitiesleadinguptothefestivalis33730.Paddlefesthasdrawnbe-tween300to500participantsandspectatorseachyearsinceitsinceptionin2007dependingonweather.Lastyear52peoplecamefromoutoftowntoparticipate.PhotoChuckBlythSportsRecreationPaddlingThisisahugedrawnotonlyfortourismbutforpeopletocomeandliveinFortSmith.KevinAntoniakTourismandTradeAdvisoryBoardcoverapartofourbudget...timingwastheonlybummerandIwishedwewouldhavelearnedaboutitearliersowecouldhavehadmoretimetogothroughgrantapplications.WithsupportfromtwotownbodiestheRecreationAdvi-soryBoardandtheTourismDuetoabylawrequiringthatdonationsover250gothroughoneofthetowncommitteesnovotewasheldfollowingCtspresentation.CouncilwillmakeaformaldecisiononJuly2.ThoughtheissuewasbroughtbeforecounciljustlastTuesdayCtsaidMayorBradBrakePaddlefestFortSmithsannualriverfestivalisseekingaone-timedonationof5000fromtheTownofFortSmithfollowingamajorfundingcutfromtheterritorialgovernment.