Portage la Prairie's Centennial Community Club Inc. is moving ahead with upgrades to the BDO Centre for the Community facility in the north end.

Club president Shane Moffatt said the club is working at accessing funding for various projects for improvements to the facility.

"We are looking at our ice plant right now," he said, adding that funds are short to complete the upgrades for this project. "We don't know if we are going to do it this year or next year."

The project is estimated at $150,000 for the full cost of the upgrades to the ice plant.

Some of the work that needs to be completed includes making upgrades to the canteen flooring and roof as well.

"We have some expenses coming up and without the City helping us, it is tough to pay for everything and the upgrades," Moffatt said.

Otherwise, the facility is still going well.

"We still have money and we have donations coming in too," Moffatt said. "We're sitting pretty good right now."

He will be looking at having another fundraiser in the near future, including a Steak and Spud fundraising event in Portage in the fall.

Club secretary Tracy Waldvogel has applied for a number of grants for the work at the facility.

One of the funds she will be applying for is a grant made available through the federal government to support community projects.

“Hopefully, we will be successful and we’ll get some funds,” she said.

The club already received approval for funds from the Manitoba Community Foundation and the Community Foundation of Portage and District Inc.

In May the club received a grant from the Manitoba Community Services Council Inc.

“We got money from three of them (funders),” said Waldvogel. “We have money available for us.”

Through these grants, the club received $48,000 in total, which will be used to help with the funds needed for the ice plant upgrades.

As well, fundraiser bingos are being held in Winnipeg to further help build up the club’s funds. The next one coming up is Aug. 11 at the McPhillips Station.

“It all helps,” said Waldvogel.

angela.brown@sunmedia.ca