JCI Humboldt attended a regular Humboldt City Council meeting on February 25, to talk about the organization and its plans for new exhibition grounds.
"JCI Humboldt is a group of young active citizens, which provide development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change," said JCI Humboldt president Amanda Klitch.
Since the group's last project, building the JCI Humboldt Spray Park in Water Ridge Park, was completed last year, the organization is looking forward to starting their next venture - new exhibition grounds.
"Our next project we have planned, is one that we believe could create a huge change within our city," said Klitch. "For over 40 years the Demolition Derby has been a proud event of ours. It generates about 1,500 people, eager to hear the loud roar of cars waiting to be smashed."
Not only is the event outgrowing its current space on the Uniplex grounds, there will be changes made to the area where the grounds currently are through the City's Centennial Park plan.
"A development such as an exhibition grounds would not be taken lightly," said Klitch. "The possibilities could be endless with such an area. Something like this could put us on the map for so many things that we currently don't have proper space for."
Klitch explained new exhibition grounds wouldn't just help JCI Humboldt, it would help other organizations, since they would have a place to host more events, and businesses, as more people coming to the city would mean more people shopping here as well.
"We hope that within the near future, the City and JCI Humboldt could collaborate and develop an incredible space with amazing opportunities," said Klitch.
Although they have not spent a lot of time discussing development of exhibition grounds, Council seemed willing to work with JCI Humboldt on this new project.
"You have put something in front of us that we need to work on," said Mayor Malcolm Eaton. "We will work with you on this. It is something that we have talked about. We see the changes that are going on in the community, the changes that are going on in the Centennial Park area, and certainly the idea of exhibition grounds in Humboldt and area is really important."
The City is not the only potential partner for the project, Eaton said.
"I think there are larger partners here again, not just between JCI and the City," said Eaton. "We certainly want to engage with our rural neighbours here, like the RM of Humboldt, on a project like this."
Eaton believes new exhibition grounds could become part of the City's strategic plan.
"We are also going into a process where we are looking at recreation and cultural facilities," said Eaton. "I don't know where the demolition derby fits, but it fits in there somewhere, as do the many other events and opportunities that the facility might bring forward."
He hopes to continue discussions of the exhibition grounds with Council in the future.
"Through our processes we will have more discussions about that topic," said Eaton.
"Thank you for the work that you do and the contribution that you make to this community and the region as well. I know a lot of what you do serves not just the community of Humboldt, but beyond," he added.
