(File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

COVID closures

Councillors ponder options for reopening of city facilities

Jun 2, 2020 | 5:06 PM

Prince Albert city councillors are mulling over how best to reopen city facilities, including asking regional municipalities to contribute financial support.

Meanwhile city staff continue to conduct a feasibility study on potentially opening parts of the Alfred Jenkins Field House, and at least one councillor hopes youth will be able to use skate parks sooner than expected.

Most city facilities fall into Phase Four of the Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan, the date and guidelines for which have yet to be set by the provincial government.

Phase Three begins Monday, allowing gyms and fitness facilities to resume operations.

Although the fitness center at the Alfred Jenkins Field House is a small component of the multi-purpose facility, city staff are exploring various options for opening, councillors heard at Monday night’s meeting.

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“We are looking though at also the opportunity to run some fitness programming,” Jody Boulet, director of community services for the city, told council. “That feasibility is currently being completed. We’re following the steps we have identified to get to that final decision that would be council’s.”

One of the important parts of the feasibility study is sitting down with facility user groups, explained Boulet.

“We can then run our financial projections around what the facility guidelines will entail, but also we’ll be able to run financial projections based on demand,” he said.

Lessening potential losses

Faced with potential financial losses if facilities are opened – given reduced capacity coupled with operating costs – some councillors suggested reaching out to neighboring regional municipalities.

“I know that the RMs rely on these facilities, just as much as the people in the city,” Coun. Blake Edwards said. “I think we need to enter that conversation and see if they have any support that might help open these facilities and it doesn’t come as quite a harsh cost to the taxpayers of the City of Prince Albert.”

Hope for skateboarders

As for outdoor recreation, Coun. Terra Lennox-Zepp asked the city to see if the province would consider allowing skateboard parks to open, following an announcement that tennis courts could open.

“There is a real need for activity, especially for children, youth and that’s often a demographic at our skateboard parks,” she said. “And so since there’s been flexibility for tennis courts, maybe the province would see flexibility [for skateboard parks].”

Mayor Greg Dionne said he would ask provincial representatives about skateboard parks on a Tuesday conference call with other Saskatchewan mayors. However he said he was frustrated with some mayors who consistently raise questions about sports like pickle ball and tennis on these regular calls.

“I understand that, but our main focus, coming this fall and winter, is organized sports, we live on organized sports. If we go into the winter with nothing for our kids to do, we’re going to be in trouble… we have to quit at these meetings, talking about the little fish and we’ve got to get to the big ones, the Prince Albert Raiders, the [Saskatoon] Blades, the [Regina] Pats, the CFL.”

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom