Inside the John and Olive Diefenbaker Theatre at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre. (File photo/paNOW staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

Diefenbaker legacy

Council approves policy for E.A. Rawlinson Fund

Oct 2, 2019 | 11:27 AM

Prince Albert city council has thrashed out a clear future for a half a million-dollar fund earmarked for the E.A. Rawlinson Centre for the Arts.

Previously the money had been managed by the P.A. and Area Community Foundation. But as the E.A. Rawlinson Centre came under city control last year, the fund too is now under its direct management.

The money which was bequeathed to the city in the will of former Prime Minister John G. Diefenbaker for the construction of “a community building to be known as the Olive and John Diefenbaker Community Centre.”

In 2003, following construction of the E.A. Rawlinson Centre, which houses the John and Olive Diefenbaker Theatre, the city entered into an agreement with the Diefenbaker estate to put the fund towards centre operations, which fell outside of the city budget. However, city staff estimate it has not been touched in at least five years.

Council agreed on Monday night that the fund will now be used for capital projects and improvements at the centre. Project proposals will come before council for approval, as per a new policy.

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“I just hope we are somewhat careful with this fund because we wouldn’t want to see this fund all of the sudden just dissipate on some little project and then the fund is gone,” Coun. Don Cody said during the meeting. “I don’t think that was the intent of that fund. I know what it was, I was there.”

When the fund was created following the death of John F. Diefenbaker in 1979 interest rates were much higher than today. The initial amount transferred to the city by the Diefenbakers was $217,000 and it has since more than doubled.

“There’s no way that you could have a capital project going on interest alone,” finance director Cheryl Tkachuk said during the meeting. “The interest rates are so low right now that it’s not like it was when it was created back in the 80s, 90s where you could live off the interest, that’s pretty well impossible.”

Coun. Zurakowski echoed Cody’s sentiment warning council should be cautious with the requests for funding would soon be coming before them.

“The spending at that facility should be related to the revenue generated, not a race to spend those funds.”

No decisions about fund spending are expected to be made until the 2021 budget.

Among the centre’s top priorities for spending over the next two years are a dimmer rack replacement, estimated to cost $130,056 and new carpet for approximately $60,000.

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom