Press Releases

December 8, 2024 Media Release from the Nelson & District Credit Union 

Local credit union makes a significant donation to the restoration of  the community hall in Crawford Bay.
Financial support from Nelson & District Credit Union ensures this important community project is one step closer to completion. 

For Immediate Release: December 31, 2024 

Crawford Bay, BC - Nelson & District Credit Union (NDCU) has made a $30,000 donation to  the Crawford Bay & District Hall and Parks Association to support its efforts to restore the  Crawford Bay Community Hall and make it more energy efficient. 

“The local hall is the centre of every smaller community in Canada, and NDCU is all about  community” says Cam Stokes, East Shore Director and first vice-chair of the Credit Union.  “When the Crawford Bay & District Hall and Parks Association reached out to NDCU to support  their restoration and retrofit of the hall, we knew this was a project we needed to support due to  its importance as a landmark and gathering place on the East Shore.” 

The Association has raised more than $1.8 million to date so it can fortify the hall’s foundation,  insulate the building, replace the roof, and add many energy efficient features like enhanced  heat recovery and demand-control ventilation to the 86-year old hall. 

“The generous donation from Nelson & District Credit Union got us one giant step closer to  completing this important project,” says Leona Keraiff, the president of the Crawford Bay &  District Hall and Parks Association. “Our community hall has an impressive history and with this  restoration project, a promising future. Donations like the one from NDCU will ensure the hall  continues to be a key gathering place for our community.” 

The retrofit also received provincial and federal government funding. The Association needs just  over $270,000 more to meet its obligation to contribute 35% of the project cost. Once these  funds are in place the restoration can begin. 

Details on the fundraising and restoration efforts of the Crawford Bay & District Hall and  Association, and how others can help, can be found at www.cbhall.ca.  

Nelson & District Credit Union was established in 1950 and has assets close to $300 million and  serves members throughout the Kootenay area. NDCU is a community based financial co operative that offers a full range of banking, financial planning (NDCU MoneyWorks) and  general insurance (KIS Ltd) services.  

For further information contact:
Tom Atkins, Senior Manager-Member Experience
tatkins@nelsoncu.com
250.352.7207 x 2251

October 8, 2024 Press Release from the Crawford Bay & District Hall & Parks Association 

After fifteen years of dedicated effort, the Directors of the Crawford Bay & District Hall & Parks Association recently received great news twice in one week. 

Chair, Leona Keraiff explained “Thanks to the CleanBC Communities Fund, we have been approved for a colossal $1.4 million dollar grant to aid in the restoration and retrofitting of our community hall, which was built in 1938. Our total project cost is $2.14 million. Our obligation to qualify for this money is 35% of that total which amounts to approximately $760,000. Thanks to local fundraising over the past many years we now need only $270,000 to commence work.” 

The second piece of good news is that $30,000 is being donated by the Nelson and District Credit Union under their Community Investment Program in support of this restoration. Leona added, “Our community hall which serves residents from Boswell to Riondel has a long and trusted relationship with the NDCU. They saved us in 2020 when Crawford Creek flooded and we needed a new well and water system.” 

“Eastshore residents have been hearing about our plan to restore the hall for a long time. It took more than ten years just to raise the funds required to purchase the 8 acres surrounding the building. Current fundraising began in earnest in January of 2020. Now with all this positive news local hearts are smiling and joyful noises are returning as more people use the building. In fact, December 14 marks the return of the Community Christmas Potluck Dinner after a 5 year hiatus. Crawford Bay’s community hall will be 86 years old on November 4 of this year which is something else worth celebrating.”