The cost to replace the marquee at the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre has increased to $70,000 from $40,000 after additional engineering was needed.
The marquee is being modernized since it was made out of materials not meant to withstand the environment over so many decades. The sign has absorbed so much water that its structural integrity has been compromised and has prompted questions about its safety.
The parks and recreation department expects to replace the sign — using modern and durable materials — by the end of July.
The extra $30,000 need to refurbish the sign came up during a discussion about the cultural centre at city council’s June 10 executive committee meeting. Derik Cronan, executive director of the cultural centre, appeared before council asking for permission to access the organization’s retained earnings account and use $96,500 to replace the centre’s sound system and video projector.
“I don’t have any trouble with the cultural centre using their retained earnings as they so desire,” said Coun. Brian Swanson. However, he thought it would be great if the centre received a smaller subsidy to reflect how much it has in retained earnings.
Swanson also didn’t understand how the cultural centre wasn’t absorbing the cost to refurbish the marquee, especially if money is available. After all, he noted, the organization is bearing the costs to replace its sound system.
The parks and recreation department has to come up with an extra $30,000 to fix the sign, but Swanson noted he could find many projects to use that money. The cultural centre could conceivably pay the full $70,000 itself to fix its sign while council could re-direct $70,000 to another project.
“That seems to the way it goes in Moose Jaw. We can find all kinds of money for all these other things, except things that we really should be focusing money on, (and there) doesn’t seem to be enough money … ,” said Swanson. “When it goes up 75 per cent of budgeted costs, it just becomes the responsibility of the city’s budget.”
Cronan pointed out the replacement of the marquee was already part of the parks department’s large equipment reserve list.
Swanson introduced a motion to table this issue until more information was known about who is funding the replacement of marquee. That motion was defeated.
The next executive committee meeting is June 24.
