Executive committee doesnt give local Canada Day organizers everything they wanted

At the executive committee meeting Monday night, the Moose Jaw Canada Day committee requested additional assistance from the city to help reduce some of the costs associated with Canada Day events.
During the meeting, Ken Parsons, chairman of the 2009 Canada Day Committee, spoke to executive committee members to give them an idea of what the added funding and services would be going towards.
He said this year's Canada Day committee had hoped to expand the event.
Parsons said it wanted to include not only the usual aspects of the day, including the pancake breakfast and fireworks show but also concerts and a children's carnival in Crescent Park. However, to do so it would need added funding and support.
The requests made to the executive committee by the Canada Day Committee are as follows: that there be limited bus service from Pla-Mor Palace to the Moose Jaw Exhibition Grounds from 6-11:30 p.m.; an additional $2,500 in funding for the children's carnival; that the Canada Day Committee be covered by the city's insurance; and that Langdon Crescent from Fairford Street East to Athabasca Street East be closed July 1.
It was City Manager Garry McKay's recommendation that all the requests be denied, with the exception of the street closure.
The administration's report to the executive committee said with respect to the insurance coverage it would be in the best interest of the city to let the Canada Day committee obtain its own coverage.
It said if the city decided to place the Canada Day activities under its policy, it would not be without cost.
The report said the cost of the premium for the event would not be any less expensive, whether covered by the city or the Canada Day committee.
As for the limited bus service, the concern with that request is that the estimated $850 it will cost the transit department to waive the fees for the bus service will only add to the departments $530,000 deficit.
Also, because there has already been $1,587 allocated to the Canada Day committee through the parks and recreation operating budget and the details of the children's carnival have yet to be disclosed, it was the recommendation the city not give the committee the $2,500 it was seeking.
After listening to Parsons and discussing the facts, the executive committee carried the request for the busing service, as well as the street closure.
However, the committee members decided not to provided the additional funding.
It will be taken up at council at a later date.

Lyndsay McCready can be reached
at 691-1256.