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
Leonardo DiCaprio criticizes Ottawa over B.C. salmon farms
Salmon farms have long been a point of contention between environmentalists and fish farmers in British Columbia, but a much bigger net is now being cast on the topic.
Flight from Israel to New Jersey diverted to New York state due to high winds, turbulence
High winds and turbulence have forced a United Airlines flight from Israel to be diverted from its destination of Newark Airport in New Jersey to Stewart International Airport in New Windsor, N.Y..
Vancouver rapper falls on ice during Canucks game performance
The Vancouver Canucks weren’t the only ones who stumbled during Thursday night’s game against the Dallas Stars.
Snow-covered bodies of 2 men from Senegal found in New York woods near Canadian border
Two men from Senegal froze to death were found in the snow of a wooded area close to the Canadian border, New York state police said.
This historical tavern in Toronto is closing after nearly 200 years
An historic downtown Toronto bar is closing its doors next week after nearly 200 years in business.
For years she thought her son had died of an overdose. The police video changed all that
Austin Hunter Turner died in 2017, on a night that his mother has rewound and replayed again and again, trying to make sense of what happened.
Feeling older than you are? It could be how you sleep
Not getting enough sleep may cause you to feel five to 10 years older than you really are, according to two new studies.
Manhattan DA suggests Donald Trump violated gag order with post about daughter of hush-money trial judge
Manhattan prosecutors suggested Friday that Donald Trump violated a gag order in his hush-money criminal case this week by assailing the judge's daughter and making a false claim about her on social media.
Niagara Region 'proactively' declares state of emergency ahead of total solar eclipse
Niagara Region says it has declared a state of emergency 'out of an abundance of caution' as it prepares for an influx of visitors for next month’s total solar eclipse.