MOOSE JAW — Groups that use the Yara Centre are now prohibited from applying tape or paint to the track or turf, as part of changes to the venue’s booking and usage policy.
The community services department presented an updated policy during city council’s May 12 regular meeting, with council unanimously approving the document.
There are more than a dozen changes that the parks, recreation and facilities advisory committee suggested to the policy, which council adopted in May 2024 and that the committee reviews annually to ensure it aligns with current usage patterns and booking demands, a council report said.
Some changes include:
- Replacing all references to the parks and recreation department with the new community services department
- Updating the summer rate to indicate that fees are in effect from June to August instead of July to August, which should increase rentals of the batting cage
- Updating the holiday section to include additional labour costs for statutory holidays when the Yara Centre is open, specifically, for Truth and Reconciliation Day, Thanksgiving and Family Day
- User groups must now report any damages to the track, turf or lights immediately to the front desk staff or supervisor on duty
- Providing clarity to say that drill station setups for practising skills now fall under venue bookings
- User groups accessing the turf during another organization’s rental time will be charged for early access, which means all groups arriving early must sit on the bleachers outside the black netting
- Groups that bring in equipment, decorations and/or electronic equipment must obtain permission and the necessary permits for the location and use of the items
- Groups cannot use the city’s motorized vehicles, machinery or other equipment that requires a licence or permit to operate
- Groups will be charged extra if employees have to assist with set up and tear down, including with curtains and nets, while overtime charges will apply if the assistance is outside regular hours
- The supervisor must approve early access for groups that need to enter the building sooner than planned, while they will be charged for the additional time
- Applying tape or paint to the turf or track is prohibited
- For groups or users that fail to leave the building, the supervisor or manager will be contacted and will fill out a client behavioural incident report, which will determine if the group or user can re-book in the future
- While birthday party bookings are non-refundable, groups can reschedule them due to illness as per the recreation program and membership refund policy
Lastly, the updated policy now includes the current rates and fees for using the building for the 2025-26 year.
The report noted that there are no additional costs for applying the proposed changes since adding June to the summer rates may increase rental revenue.
Meanwhile, demand for turf rentals remains strong in the winter, especially among outdoor field and diamond sports training during those cold months, the document added. Also, lacrosse use at the Yara Centre increased during the 2024-25 season while soccer use declined.
During the meeting, Coun. Patrick Boyle asked city administration to clarify what “drill station setups” meant, who determined those activities, whether they were characterized by equipment or number of players and whether the city charged groups different rates.
“That gets subjective to who considers what a drill is,” he added.
Derek Blais, director of community services, said the new clause refers to teams that run drills and want to set up before their rental time starts. This clause addresses situations that staff have experienced during the past year with early access issues.
“At the end of the day, a lot of discretion is used,” he continued. “We just want to ensure we’re making all the users of the Yara Centre satisfied and that we’re consistent in our approach, so there is some flexibility there but having guidelines in writing provides that consistency.”
The next regular council meeting is Monday, May 26.
