(File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

cost of COVID

City facilities expected to remain shut until next year

May 28, 2020 | 5:28 PM

Editor’s note: Following the publication of this article Thursday May 28, the City of Prince Albert provided clarity. It requested paNOW issue the following statement Friday May 29.

The City of Prince Albert would like to clarify that they have not made any determination on the opening date for facilities. They made assumptions for the purpose of financial forecasting, but no decisions have been made. There are many factors that are unknown and the City is committed to doing a full analysis that takes into account not just financial considerations, but the needs of the community. The City will continue to make announcements as they are available.

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Prince Albert city facilities including pools, arenas and rinks are expected to remain closed for the rest of the calendar year, even as they are allowed to reopen under the phased provincial plan.

The city has determined that without mass usage, facilities like the Art Hauser Centre and the Alfred Jenkins Field House are not financially viable and opening them would only lead to more taxpayer losses.

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City officials emphasized the situation could change, but said unless the province allows mass gatherings, facilities will likely have stay shut until the end of December.

Cooke Municipal Golf Course, which opened on May 22, is an exception.

“What we’re trying to do is manage debt,” Mayor Greg Dionne told paNOW. “At this point we’re not trying to manage facilities. So lots of the decisions will be made when [the province] sets dates and rules for Phase Four, then we’ll look at them and say [for example], well that doesn’t make any sense, ‘sorry the pool has to be closed.’

“If the limit stays at 30 for outdoor gatherings, you won’t be opening the pool for 30 people.”

While all gyms and fitness facilities in the province are allowed to reopen on June 8 as part of Phase Three, the Margo Fournier Centre and the Alfred Jenkins Field House – both public facilities – will remain closed.

The Mayor stressed it was vital to keep losses under control during these challenging times.

“[The Jenkins] is a building of 50,000 sq. ft.,” said Dionne. “I can’t open 500 sq. ft. of where the gym equipment is and justify that cost-wise to the city. The loss would be unbelievable and anyone that did that should be canned.”

While he couldn’t confirm exact numbers, the Mayor said roughly 165 casual staff were not rehired at the beginning of the season, although some of those have since been brought on to attend to things like grass-cutting.

A report on the financial implications of COVID-19 is on the agenda for Monday’s city council meeting.

Even with the continued closure of facilities and other cost-saving measures, the city is forecasting $750,000 in losses by the end of December due to the pandemic.

Most city facilities are subsidized at 50 per cent during a normal year according to City Manager Jim Toye, so keeping them closed also prevents further losses.

“For instance if the aquatic centre expenses were $500,000, we basically would take in $250,000 revenue and taxes would subsidize it $250,000,” Toye explained. “So if that doesn’t open this year, that frees up that much more money.”

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom