The 88th annual Jasper Heritage Rodeo will take place in the arena after all.
On May 20, council voted in support of the rodeo association’s request to host the annual event in the arena, despite previous efforts to push the event outdoors.
The motion, which was unanimously supported, was to provide the association with a $7,502 gift in kind, bringing the rental cost down to $10,000.
Council’s support is conditional on two things. The first is that the $10,000 grant that council approved last month be revoked, and the second is that the association undertake additional cleaning, to ensure the arena is in tip-top shape following the week-long event.
That cleaning will include vacuuming the rafters, heaters, speakers and lights over the ice surface, cleaning the audio room, covering the doors to the offices and other storage areas, as well as the time clock, with plastic to keep dust and dirt out, and taping the seams on the arena boards.
These additional cleaning duties are the result of the Jan. 26 arena fire, which saw the arena undergo commercial cleaning that left the facility sparkling brighter than it has in 50 years.
To keep the arena in that state, last month council was presented four possible options for allowing the rodeo to continue in the arena—three of which would require the rodeo to pay the cost of commercially cleaning the facility following the event.
The cost of such a cleaning—about $100,000 a year—would make it impossible for the rodeo association to carry on.
In light of that truth, on April 15, council voted to support the rodeo with a $10,000 grant to help facilitate the associations efforts to move the event outdoors. But, even with the funding, the association didn’t have enough time between then and August to work with Parks Canada to find a suitable location for the event, and to organize it in that new location.
So, the association was left with no other option than to return to council, May 20, to again request the use of the arena. Before appearing at the meeting, members of the association met with Yvonne McNabb, director of culture and recreation, to draft a new proposal that included the additional cleaning services.
While presenting that proposal, and her recommendation that council accept it, McNabb noted that the arena is the rodeo’s last resort.
“We realize at this particular point that the rodeo doesn’t really have a lot of options on the table for having a successful event and we would hate to see that they’re not able to operate the rodeo this year.”
Although council approved the motion for this year, Coun. Gilbert Wall made it clear that he will not support the rodeo association’s use of the arena in years to come.
“Even with a new set of numbers and a new set of negotiations, it’s obvious that we do not have the resources in that facility to hold the rodeo.
“We’re kind of forced into a corner with this option because we don’t have another. For me, this is the last time.”
Although it didn’t work out for this year, the association is continuing to work with Parks Canada to find a suitable outdoor location for the 2015 rodeo.
Prior to 1977, when the event was moved indoors, the rodeo was hosted outside at what is now Whistlers Campground.
Mayor Richard Ireland requested that following this year’s event, which takes place from Aug. 13–16, administration prepare a report for council, outlining the effect the rodeo had on the facility.
“We would like to look at this again as soon as the facts are in so everybody has a heads up.”
Nicole Veerman
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