The City of Prince Albert’s Aquatic and Arenas Recreation Centre may be the next recipient of an annual donation of $26,000, pending Council’s final approval of a 5-year tax exemption agreement from Prince Albert Elks Lodge.
At a past Executive Committee meeting in Feb., correspondence from Elks Lodge requesting a new tax exemption agreement following the end of their previous one was referred to Financial Services for review and report.
Finance Manager Melodie Boulet recommended that the City move forward with the agreement, which states that the location at 93 – Eighth Avenue East be exempt from taxes in lieu of an annual donation from the years of 2023 to 2027. The City has provided tax exemption to the Prince Albert Elks Lodge property since 2008, according to Boulet.
“Specific years had money going to the Alfred Jenkins Field House, and the most recent agreement that expired end of 2022 was the annual donation to the Cooke Municipal Golf Course,” stated Boulet. “Their new request is for five years, [and] their annual donation of $26,000 would go to the Aquatic and Arenas Recreation Centre.”
With Council’s approval, the recreation centre will receive a total donation of $130,000 from Prince Albert Elks Lodge over the course of the next five years.
Councillor Lennox-Zepp asked Boulet how Elks Lodge’s taxes would compare to their proposed donation, who explained that the $24,000 contribution exceeds what the volunteer organization would owe going forward with the City’s 2023 tax assessment change.
“The donation is additional revenue to the City,” said Boulet. “Their tax bill would be about $13,000.”
As part of the agreement, the City must erect a sign or plaque at the recreation centre at the City’s own expense in acknowledgement of the Prince Albert Elks Lodge’s contribution.
Terra Lennox-Zepp was the only member of City Council to vote against Administration’s recommendation, but with six votes of support the motion will be forwarded to the next regular Council meeting for final consideration.
