The future looking brighter for Wellands Rose Festival.

The city's finance committee, which met yesterday in an emergency session to deal with the festival's funding woes, agreed in principal to increase this years funding.

The fate of some festival events, particularly the parade, has been up in the air because organizors failed to secure provincial event funding.

President Jeff Ward tells 610 CKTB there are a lot of expenses all event organizors must pay for that are beyond their control.

He says they spend 4 thousand dollars alone to hire off duty police officers and they also have to pay
for city staff to help set up events.

Yesterday, committee members approved grants totalling 72 thousand dollars including waiving over 9 thousand in fees.

If approved by full council, the festival will also get a 10 thousand dollar advance so it can start hiring bands for the parade.

Council will debate the issue at its March 19th meeting, and Jeff Ward is urging members of the public to come out in support.