Organizer cries foul over sudden event venue change
The executive director of Saskatoon Sexual Health says she believes more was at play than logistics when the Catholic school division imposed an abrupt change of venue for a fundraising dodge ball tournament.
The school division said in a written statement “it’s a facilities booking issue, not a position we are taking against the sponsoring group.”
However, Jillian Schwandt says she is convinced her organization’s programming on the topic of sexual identity was a factor.
Schwandt said she will be contacting a lawyer on Monday, and following up with the human rights commission.
“We do really think that it’s important to take a stand, and to say that we’re very supportive of gender and sexually diverse communities and we’re not going to accept working with venues or facilities that are not going to be inclusive,” Schwandt said.
The tournament went ahead on Saturday – but in a vacant warehouse by the airport.
Schwandt said Oskayak High School was originally booked as the venue back in January.
It was chosen because it’s near the Hose and Hydrant Brew Pub, where the tournament after-party was to be held.
According to Schwandt, the school division was told at that time that beer would be sold at the tournament. However on Tuesday, just four days before the event, Schwandt was informed it would have to be moved to Georges Vanier School because Oskayak has a policy against alcohol on the premises.
Schwandt said she accepted the situation and was prepared to make the move.
But on Thursday she was contacted again and told the tournament could not be held at Georges Vanier. Saskatoon French School was offered instead.
By this time frustrated and under pressure to salvage the event, Schwandt instead accepted an offer from the owner of the Hose and Hydrant of a free space by the airport, and booked buses to transport participants.
The school division declined a reporter’s request for interviews, but released written statements.
In an email response to questions, communications consultant Derrick Kunz wrote “Saskatoon French School allows us to secure other areas of the building better than Georges Vanier, and it has better parking to accommodate the volume of people.”
Schwandt said 150 people took part in the tournament Saturday. Money raised will help fund the organization’s general services, although some will go to a new program for young men that deals in part with sexual identity.