The Town of Westlock will donate $44,000 towards the new Slave Lake library, which is currently being rebuilt after the wildfire last May that destroyed much of that community.
Council decided at its May 14 meeting that the funds would be spent on the library, as it can use the extra funding.
Donations poured in from town and county last year after 7,000 Slave Lake residents fled to nearby communities including Athabasca, Edmonton and Westlock for temporary shelter.
Now that the town has been fully reimbursed by the province for the costs it incurred for the relief efforts last year, it can release the donations it received from local residents to help with the rebuilding efforts.
Deputy mayor Robin Brett expressed concerns about specifying where the funds should go rather than allowing the people of Slave Lake to make that decision.
“Maybe we should put a no-strings-attached condition on it,” he said.
Mayor Bruce Lennon disagreed, adding that it would be easier for the residents who donated the funds to know exactly where their money is going.
“It’s better to put the money in one specific place rather than just add it within the overall pot,” he said.
Coun. Marjorie Sterling Miller said that she already spoke with members from the Slave Lake library and they said they could use the cash.
Coun. Sheila Foley suggested that a plaque should be donated from the entire community along with the money, as it would be the nice way to represent all the donors.
“We have to make sure it is not just the town that gets the recognition but others in the county as well,” Foley explained.
Sterling Miller agreed, adding it was better to donate the money now as the facility is still being rebuilt.
“The new library will be bigger and better than before,” she said.
