Sask. town puts 'heart of the community' on auction due to growing costs, COVID-19 shutdown
After 15 years operating the Aberdeen Recreation Complex, the town is looking for a buyer to take over the burden of repairing and revitalizing the centre from taxpayers.
“One idea the board came up with was to basically find a community partner to come in, revitalize this rink and make it become the heart of the community again,” said Aberdeen Mayor Ryan White.
“It does need some infrastructure upgrades and that, coupled with maintaining the mortgage on it has put some undue stress on the tax base, so we’re looking for some opportunities that we can deal with that in another way without burdening our tax base.”
Currently funded by the Town and Rural Municipality of Aberdeen, White said a volunteer board of directors manage the centre’s operations.
He said growing infrastructure costs and maintenance, coupled with a global pandemic that forced the town to close the complex for several months, forced the board to look at alternatives to fund the centre.
“How do you operate a community hub when the community can’t gather? When you can’t have sports teams, weddings, bonspiels. It makes it very difficult,” White said.
“It was the straw that broke the camel’s back, basically it came to a point where we had to make a decision either we had to greatly increase our commitment from the Town and the RM.”
The facility spans 70,000 square feet and includes an ice hockey rink, the home of the Aberdeen Flames, four curling sheets, exercise rooms, a lounge and spectator seating on the top and bottom levels.
White said pre-COVID, the ice was available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
“You could come out here on a 35-degree day, kids from the school would be here skating in shorts and t-shirts, so that wears on equipment.”
Currently on McDougall Auctioneers Ltd., there’s a bid of $160,000. According to the listing online, all offers are subject to the approval and acceptance by the Aberdeen and District Charities Inc. board of directors and the highest or any bid will not necessarily be accepted.
The auction closes July 30 at 1 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.