On Feb. 9, 2026, the Government of Alberta announced a $3-million investment through the 2025 Active Communities Initiative to support two major sport and recreation projects in Edmonton. The announcement has prompted community groups in High River to call for similar provincial support for rural municipalities.
Local sports clubs and community organizers in High River are urging the province to make the same kinds of year-round facility funding available outside major cities. The Town of High River has been advancing a major expansion of the Bob Snodgrass Recreation Complex: council approved borrowing of up to $15 million for an aquatics expansion that will modernize the centre and add new amenities. That project has been financed largely through municipal borrowing, and residents say provincial grants would help offset local debt and pay for future needs such as indoor turf and improved ice surfaces.
Minister of Tourism and Sport Andrew Boitchenko — who leads the government’s sport and recreation portfolio — has said the next funding cycle is expected to open in spring 2026, according to media reporting of his remarks. High River leaders, including Mayor Craig Snodgrass, have also stressed the need to set aside land for future recreation as the town grows. Local associations such as High River Minor Hockey and Foothills Minor Soccer have pointed to growing demand for indoor space as families move into the area.
The town’s current recreation expansion has a target completion in early 2026; town updates and local reporting indicate staged openings with a full reopening projected by June 2026. Community groups in High River intend to apply in the upcoming provincial grant cycle to seek funding for the next phase of facility upgrades, efforts they say will help ensure modern sports infrastructure without relying solely on local taxes and additional borrowing.
