Iron Bridge can construct new playground after council approves building contract

The Iron Bridge Community Association Inc. can soon proceed with phase 1 of its initiative to construct a new playground and outdoor recreation structures after receiving city council’s approval.

During the April 26 regular meeting, council voted unanimously to approve a licensing and construction agreement between the City of Moose Jaw and the association for the construction and operation of outdoor recreation venues in the Iron Bridge neighbourhood. Council also authorized the mayor and city clerk to execute the agreement on behalf of the municipality.

The agreement is a follow-up to the association’s January proposal to enhance the outdoor recreational amenities in the Iron Bridge subdivision through a community fundraising campaign.

Background

The association plans to construct the outdoor recreation venues in a three-phased approach, a council report explained. The agreement is for 10 years and will automatically renew every year afterward until renegotiated or terminated.

Phase 1 includes building a multi-purpose outdoor sports court to accommodate activities such as basketball, tennis, pickleball, volleyball and badminton. The association has secured funding and will start construction once city administration approves all drawings and plans. Phase 2 includes installing a seasonal outdoor rink over the sports court surface in the winter and building a utility/storage shed.

Phase 3 focuses on constructing a community pavilion/ gazebo with an outdoor fireplace.

The licensing and construction agreement comprises several conditions that both parties have agreed to follow, the report said. For example, the association must sign an agreement with the municipality for each phase to ensure proper obligations with contractors working on city property. Once built, all outdoor venues and improvements will become the property of the municipality.

Financially, the association is responsible for all expenses for operations, management, repairs, and maintenance, including future capital repairs or improvements, the report said. The association can sell memberships and rent the venue — it cannot refuse memberships or rentals to anyone living in the city — and can retain all revenues if proceeds go toward operations and maintenance.

City hall must give permission before the association sells advertising within the venue, and all funds raised must go toward operations and maintenance. However, the municipality will look after all utility costs.

The association’s other responsibilities include providing sport-specific equipment and using the amenities for recreational activities or community events only, the report said. It’s also responsible for co-ordinating all programs, maintenance and litter clean-up.

The municipality’s responsibilities include providing a long-term lease of roughly one acre (0.4 hectares) of municipal reserve lands for the playground and amenities and providing garbage cans, two hockey nets, and flooding hoses to construct the rink.

Both groups have agreed that the city will provide four hours of programming per week for May, June and September, while the association must maintain commercial general liability insurance of $5 million per occurrence. Also, either party may unilaterally terminate the agreement by providing 90 days’ notice to the other.

Council discussion

The association has not indicated how much it will charge for rental or membership fees, said Derek Blais, director of parks and recreation. Meanwhile, he expects electricity costs will cost “a couple hundred bucks a year” compared to full-sized parks with lights that run at $1,600 to $2,000 per year.

The non-profit organization needs municipal approval before it can alter city property or build anything, something Coun. Heather Eby appreciated seeing. She also liked how the association must show evidence that it has funds before it builds anything, fund any capital renewal projects, and be responsible for garbage clean-up. “(Overall), I think it’s a good news day for Moose Jaw and Iron Bridge,” she added.