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City Council suspends Hyack funding, Christmas Parade to go ahead
New Westminster, BC – City council has suspended funding to the Hyack Festival Association until the governance issues besetting the organization are resolved to the City’s satisfaction. The resolution was passed at a council meeting last evening.
“For over three months now, Hyack Festival Association has been involved in a bitter internal struggle with no end in sight,” said Mayor Wayne Wright. “This unfortunate situation cannot continue and it was simply time for us to step in.”
Four resolutions concerning the Hyack Festival Association were released during Monday’s regular council meeting. The resolutions are as follows:
- That the City request all financial records and financial procedures from the Hyack Festival Association for the purpose of conducting an independent audit that is acceptable to the City.
- That the City of New Westminster contact the registrar of the BC Society Act and request an investigation into the conduct of the Hyack Association Board and Society under Article 84 of the BC Society Act.
- That the City of New Westminster administer all events that have been identified as joint City and Hyack events through the 2013 granting process.
- That the City of New Westminster suspend any future funding to the Hyack Festival Association until these governance matters are resolved to the satisfaction of the City.
“As a key funder and member of the Hyack Festival Association, we are concerned that the situation is having a serious impact on events in our City, including the Christmas parade which is just around the corner,” said Wright. “We will work with other organizations and sponsors to ensure the parade goes ahead and, in the meantime, have suspended any further funding to Hyack.”
For more than forty years, the City of New Westminster has partnered with Hyack Festival Association on key city events including the Hyack Festival in May and the Christmas Parade of Lights. This year the City provided $180,000 in cash and in-kind funding for Hyack events.
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Contact: Blair Fryer
Communications and Economic Development Manager