For the second year in a row, the Jasper Heritage Rodeo Association is asking for a break on the rental cost at the Jasper Activity Centre.
The municipality increased the cost to $16,822 last year, bringing it up 240 per cent. In response, the association requested that council instead raise it to $10,000鈥攁n increase of $3,600 over the 2012 cost. At the time, a representative from the association said $10,000 was 鈥渇air and equitable鈥� and 鈥渇inancially achievable.鈥�
Council approved that request last spring, and the association was able to break even in 2013.
On March 18, members of the association requested the same assistance for this year鈥檚 rodeo, and, if possible, for the two after that.
Gail Lonsberry, the rodeo treasurer, said the association hopes to increase its revenue by introducing a new event on the Tuesday night and by extending its liquor license by one hour for the Saturday night dance.
鈥淭he budget for this year, we鈥檙e looking at hopefully an $8,000 increase,鈥� said Lonsberry, referring to an increase in revenue. 鈥淗opefully we can realize those numbers and get back into giving grants back to the community.鈥�
For years, the association has contributed to the community by providing grants and hiring non-profit groups to provide services.
Because the event was only able to break even in 2013, there were no grants, but the association was able to give out $1,300 to two community groups: $800 to the Yellowhead-Museum and Archives for use of their parking lot and water facilities and $500 to the Jasper Fire Brigade, whose members helped with the clean-up following the Saturday night dance.
In response to Lonsberry鈥檚 presentation, Mayor Richard Ireland asked whether the rodeo will again be self-sustaining, without municipal support, in the foreseeable future.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we鈥檙e looking at this Tuesday night event,鈥� said Lonsberry. 鈥淲e have the arena from Thursday night before the rodeo until Wednesday after the rodeo, so it鈥檚 a period of about 11 days and it didn鈥檛 make sense to have everything sitting there and doing nothing with it, so we鈥檝e decided we鈥檙e going to see if we can鈥檛 get ourselves together and get volunteers together and do something for the Tuesday night.鈥�
Following the association鈥檚 presentation, Ireland asked that administration look over the 2013 rodeo budget and come up with a recommendation as to whether or not council should accept the rodeo鈥檚 request.
鈥淔ormally we ought to have some sort of recommendation from staff,鈥� explained Ireland.
That recommendation will be presented to council at its April 1 meeting and will then be further discussed.
Nicole Veerman[email protected]
