Latest news with #AccessforEveryone
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Jones Center releases 2024 Community Impact Report
SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — From nonprofit partnerships to scholarship support to free community events, the Jones Center's annual Community Impact Report highlights the ways it has made a difference in Northwest Arkansas. 'This report is a testament to the work we're doing to grow our public programs and philanthropic initiatives, support local nonprofits, and celebrate Jones team members, volunteers and stakeholders,' said Joe Lloyd, President & CEO. 'With double-digit growth in 2024 for total site visits, memberships, and Access for Everyone scholarships for local families, I am beyond proud of our team,' Lloyd continued. 'In 2025, we will continue this momentum, helping our members and guests thrive while creating a healthier, stronger community for all.' Some of the highlights from the report include: A 10% increase in Jones Center visits (596,119 total visits) 1,344 'Access for Everyone' scholarship recipients $158,000 in scholarship support (35% increase) 1,094 children from 33 cities enrolled in Summer Camp programs 'At the Jones Center, we develop programs to meet our community's needs. We are committed to lasting community impact, whether that be teaching a lifesaving skill or making programs financially accessible,' explains Lydia Corbell, Sr. Director of Programming & Engagement. 'Our programs are designed to ensure everyone—at any age and in any stage of life—has an opportunity to learn, play and thrive.' Additional highlights from the report include the Every Child Swims program, expanding arts programs, and youth & adult classes designed to help people of all ages learn new skills and hobbies. You can read the full community impact report by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBC
27-01-2025
- Business
- CBC
Ottawa commits $663M in funding to cash-strapped TransLink
The federal government has committed more than $663 million in funding for public transit in Metro Vancouver. Jonathan Wilkinson, the federal minister of natural resources and member of Parliament for North Vancouver, made the announcement from his riding on Monday. "Reliable public transit infrastructure reduces traffic congestion and air pollution, supports the increase in housing supply, and improves affordability," he said about the funding, which comes from the $3 billion Canada Public Transit Fund and is available beginning in 2026 over 10 years. Announced in 2024, the fund, which the federal government says is the largest in Canadian history, is meant to support public transportation in communities of all sizes. TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn said the money would be used to upgrade current infrastructure for the transit provider. "We are ready to meet the demands of our growing region … and look forward to continuing work with the Government of Canada to advance much-needed transit expansion in Metro Vancouver," he said. The commitment of federal funds for capital projects was expected by TransLink, which had applied to the fund and was expecting at least $500 million during its annual budget deliberations late last year. The new financial plan and commitment of long-term funding from Ottawa comes after Quinn warned regional mayors last summer that the authority could have a serious financial gap by the end of 2025 due to the end of provincial relief funding tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. Quinn said the transit authority may have to cut 50 per cent of its services at the end of 2025 if additional stable funding was not secured. TransLink's 2025 budget will spend $2.5 billion, an increase of 0.6 per cent over the 2024 budget. It aims to address overcrowding and increase access to under-served neighbourhoods, but will also pay for labour rate increases and replacing aging buses and trains. The budget said 49 per cent of TransLink's bus fleet has less than three years of useful life remaining. A group of regional mayors has been asking other levels of government to fully commit to funding public transportation and help establish what they call a sustainable funding model. It wants $3.4 billion per year in funding from other levels of government for capital projects and to ramp up service for growing populations. Brad West, mayor of Port Coquitlam and chair of the Mayors' Council on Regional Transportation, welcomed the funding from the Canada Public Transit Fund, which he says will help TransLink achieve its Access for Everyone plan. "This plan will ensure our transit system can keep up with record-setting population growth, support federal, provincial and local affordable housing targets and keep our economy moving," he said. City of North Vancouver Mayor Linda Buchanan said the funding would help with a new bus rapid transit line connecting the North Shore to Burnaby's Metrotown. Both West and Buchanan said missing from Monday's announcement was a federal commitment for a sub-agreement with metropolitan areas that is needed by the end of March so the first phase of the Access for Everyone plan can begin.
