Things continue to move at a fast pace towards the Saskatchewan 2018 Winter Games.
On Monday night, two major items that came to council, one of which was the completed Tripartite Agreement between the city, the 2018 Saskatchewan Winter Games - North Battleford Inc., and the Sask. Games Council, which was approved by council later on in the meeting.
Among the terms is to permit the games corporation to use City facilities for the purpose of carrying on the Winter Games. That means the city will pay all maintenance and staff costs for the facilities and not charge a rental fee to the corporation, among other things.
The city is also responsible for any deficit in capital or operating expenditures incurred by the corporation in promoting, organizing and conducting the Games.
A resolution to authorize the mayor and City clerk to authorize the tripartite agreement passed unanimously.
The other major item was the presentation from Games committee co-chair Rob Rongve, finance chair Derek Sieben and games manager Nicole Clow, of the Games’ budget to the City.
It was Sieben who presented a Games budget that came in at $1,789,841.45.
That is the total expenditures expected. As for money coming in, total revenue is estimated at $889,141, with $770,000 directly from the Sask. Games Council. It’s also expected that revenue from admissions, merchandise and liquor sales would be $264,500 (based on estimates from and Sask. Games Legacy Project club matching funds would be $113,000. That would leave another $527,641.45 still to be raised through fundraising and other means.
The Winter Games budget was unanimously approved by council.
Councillor Kelli Hawtin asked where this budget stood compared to previous Games. Clow, who has been manager of the Estevan games, noted it was “pretty much on par” to previous years.
Rongve gave an update on the planning process. The week before, a lease agreement was signed with Living Sky School Division with NBCHS for them to house the athlete’s village.
Some of the bigger contracts have been awarded, including busing and sound and production contracts for the opening ceremonies.
Also, a fund is being created through the Battlefords and District Community Foundation, which will allow personal donations to be received for the Winter Games.