Flood-ravaged High River, Alta. neighbourhood proves suitable stand-in for The Last of Us
A southern Alberta town received $100,000 in compensation after hosting The Last of Us, a major HBO production, and now the funds will be utilized for outstanding projects benefiting the town's children.
The roughly three weeks of filming of the HBO series, based on the popular video games, in High River, Alta. generated significant income for the town south of Calgary.
"The Last of Us first started to approach us back in February of this year with Jason Nolan, who lives in High River and is a site locator for the film industry," explained High River Mayor Craig Snodgrass.
The mayor says the production originally planned on utilizing different areas of the town before the neighbourhood of Beachwood, which was heavily damaged in the historic flooding of 2013 and homeowners bought out, caught their eye.
"All the houses were (previously) removed but the streets are all still there," said Snodgrass. "So they could pretty much build it to what they needed it to look like."
Snodgrass adds that the production was required to remove the set post-filming.
Funding the town receives from a film production would normally be split evenly between the town's Community Vitality Advisory Committee and public arts, but HBO requested that the $100,000 be used for a large legacy project for the children of High River.
"They kind of left it up to us but we have two primary youth projects in town being the pump track, which is about halfway through their fundraising, and then the Spitzee school parents that were trying to raise money for a new playground so that's what we decided to do."
On Tuesday, High River town council allocated $80,000 of the funding to the High River Bike Park Society's pump track project in the northwest corner of town and $20,000 to the Spitzee Elementary School playground project.
The High River Bike Society's pump track project was allocated $80,000 in revenue town council received from The Last of Us film production.
Jeff Hamilton, president of the High River Bike Park Society, welcomed the unexpected funding boost for the pump track project.
"We've been planning this for probably the last five years," said Hamilton, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted their fundraising effort. "We've reached this goal of $200,000 now with the new donation which we're very excited for.
"We love it when (the film industry) comes and supports the town."
Hamilton says the idea for the park surfaced when a group of parents realized there was a lack of free outdoor activities for youth in the area who have outgrown playgrounds, and they're still approximately $20,000 short of their fundraising goal to bring it to fruition.
The town of approximately 14,000 people also received an additional $15,000 from HBO to compensate for the removal of three trees during set production. Council says these funds will be added to the town's tree budget.
Snodgrass says High River has a mutually beneficial relationship with the film industry and the town has a reputation for accommodating productions. "They are a fantastic life force and they're a huge economic driver (for us)."
The Last of Us, which stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, is currently filming in Edmonton and the series is scheduled to debut in 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.