CITY HALL COUNCIL NOTES

THE NEXT REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING IS MONDAY, JUNE 13.

The parks and recreation department was busy upgrading the Golden Ticket Sports Centre during the first three months of 2023 and ensuring the venue’s businesses could continue operating there.

According to a city council report about the first-quarter activities of each department, parks and rec pursued five projects at the sporting venue — formerly the Hillcrest Sports Centre — from Jan. 1 to March 31.

Phase 1 of the building’s roof replacement ($860,627) that began in 2022 was near completion by the end of Q1, while contractors were expected to address some minor deficiencies in the second quarter.

Moreover, a consultant finalized the detailed design specifications for the request for proposals (RFP) for phase 2 ($352,552) of the roof replacement, with the RFP issued during Q2 and the project expected to be finished in Q3.

The department also handled the insurance claim at the sporting venue after a flood from the October storm damaged the floor. Contractors have repaired all damaged areas in the building, while the department is working with the municipality’s insurance provider to recover the damages through the roof contractor’s insurance provider.

Meanwhile, the department helped co-ordinate ductwork for a new roof-top unit ($58,961) in Q1. The city has ordered the new units and expects to receive them ing the farm for $3 million. Granted their sale included a slew of oil wells that brought in a lot of cash revenue.

The woman who bought the farm with money from a divorce settlement has never lived there, never seeded a crop, taking years before renting the place.

All she wanted was the surface rights cash from the oil wells to keep her lifestyle intact.

No wonder starting to farm from scratch is so difficult.

The farmer can’t trust just anybody to operate that $1 million tractor or the $600,000 combine.

Back then, there was little need for skills to work on the farm.

In our district, as in many districts, one fellow did a lot of the temporary farm jobs that came up when someone had to leave for a while or was sick.

Nick Bullabrook was hired to do chores and look after the place.

Nick lived on a farm we owned three miles away. He located there to help the former-owner John Salem. When John sold to us, Nick stayed in his shack.

Nick could barely read and didn’t drive a gas-powered vehicle. He went everywhere with his buggy and

By Ron Walter For Moose Jaw Express

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

horse.

For decades, this portly old bachelor lived in his shack, doing farm chores to supplement his meagre pension.

In the 1970s, Nick decided to move the shack into town and join the dozen permanent residents. It was closer to the post office and the general store

When Nick died, his shack and shed were sold at auction. A local farmer paid less than $200, wanting the coal.

He got a real bargain, finding a tobacco can in the coal bin with over $4,000 inside.

Yep, those were the good old days.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net

Parks and rec pursued five repair projects at Golden Ticket venue in Q1

by September.

Lastly, the department issued an RFP for a new wheelchair lift ($45,298) at the sports centre, with the bidding closing in late March. The project is over budget, so parks and rec is working with proponents on potential scope changes to reduce costs.

Excluding the insurance claim, the four projects totalled $1,317,438 — all of which council approved during the 2023 budget discussions.

Coun. Doug Blanc explained during the recent regular council meeting that a resident called him with concerns about the Golden Ticket Sports Centre because of how much money city hall has spent there in the past year, especially with insurance claims after the October snowstorm.

Since several private sports-related businesses are inside the venue, Blanc wondered whether city hall taxes them as it does the WHL Moose Jaw Warriors at the Events Centre.

“They are not being taxed, but we do receive a portion of the revenues that are generated,” replied Derek Blais, director of parks and recreation.

In May 2021, city council signed a five-year lease and operating agreement with Lloydminster-based Golden Ticket Sports Inc. The agreement allowed the city to maximize residents’ access to the venue while providing much-needed indoor gymnasium space in the community. The municipality’s responsibility is to ensure the building remains structurally and mechanically functional. Golden Ticket will assist by providing five per cent of annual revenues to a maximum of $25,000 annually to the reserve fund.

The company — which specializes in player, coach, official and multi-sport events and clinics —invested more than $300,000 into building upgrades during the first few months it operated the venue.

Projects awarded

Parks and rec awarded 11 tender projects from Jan. 1 to March 31, with some including:

- $119,870 to Fer-Marc Equipment Ltd. for a new ice resurfacer

- $150,000 to Cimco Refrigeration for a dehumidifier replacement at Pla-Mor Palace

- $780,100 to C&E Mechanical for a cooling system replacement at the Cultural Centre

- $394,000 to Westridge Construction to repair the Events Centre roof after another contractor damaged it; a third-party insurance claim funded this repair

- $139,950 to 1080 Architecture Planning + Interiors for detailed designs for the new outdoor pool changeroom building