The Columbia Basin Trust is contributing a significant amount to help the Town of Creston alleviate the total cost for the Creston Education Centre.

“The CEC, $450,000 was paid for it and the CBT contributed $200,000.” Explains the Town’s Director of Finance and Corporate Services Steffan Klassen. “So it was a very big amount.”

The purchase of the CEC from School District # 8 and the Town of Creston has been in the works since last year. In order to stem the cost, the Town decided to transfer funds from reserves.

“There was a transfer from the reserves for water to help finance the purchase.” Says Klassen. The $200,000 will now remain in the water reserves.

The RDCK will lease a portion of the building according to Klassen.

“A portion of the building is being leased by the Regional district of Central Kootenay to have their sub-regional offices there which will include water services, building inspection and bylaw services. Once they move their office, which is still in the planning stages, it will bring more traffic and there will be a separate entrance for that.”

Meaning the building which will house rooms for classes will not be in conflict with the RDCK’s office space. The RDCK has also pledged to contribute $300,000 for upgrades and maintenance of the CEC over the next few years. Other tenants include Valley Community Services and the Homelinks and Itinerant Services programs from SD#8.