Organizers of the Pemberton Music Festival announced on Aug. 25
that they have donated $130,000 to go towards Pemberton charities.
After putting aside $3 from every ticket sold, Live Nation and
Good Boy Productions were able to raise the money that will now go towards
charities within the Pemberton Valley.
“The government and people of Pemberton all came together to
create with us a one-of-a-kind event that we are all proud of,” Shane Bourbonnais,
Live Nation’s president of Touring and Business Development, said in a news
release. “It has always been our mandate to give back to the community.”
Pemberton Mayor Jordan Sturdy said the money was more than he
anticipated, adding that he hopes the money can help establish a long-term
endowment and provide ongoing focus to community enhancement.
“It’s great, it’s a start,” he said. “Contributions to
community organizations are obviously welcome.”
Sturdy said that donations to local charities were part of the
deal with festival organizers from the start.
“I think that Live Nation always had it in their mind that
something like this was going to happen,” he said. “I’d certainly like to see
that we create a focal point for a community foundation that has a legacy that
lasts.
“The Whistler (Blackcomb) Foundation, the Vancouver Foundation,
these organizations provide huge benefits to (their) communities.”
An advisory committee has now been formed with representatives
from the Village of Pemberton, Live Nation, the Pemberton Chamber of Commerce,
the Rotary Club, Royal Canadian Legion, First Nations and SLRD Area C to decide
how to distribute the funds.
Sturdy, however, said he’s not yet sure which community
charities will receive the funding.
“I understand that there’s going to be a terms of reference
created and there’s work to be done there as to how the money’s distributed,”
he said. “I think it has to be a clear and transparent process.”
The announcement comes on the heels of media reports that the
Agricultural Land Commission will not allow the festival to take place on the
same site next year.
The commission granted a one-time non-farm use application to Live Nation to allow the festival to take place on farmland along Highway 99, but has not given any indications that it will allow the festival to take place there again.
