The former Hillcrest Sports Centre has recovered from a major snowstorm in fall 2022 that damaged the venue and successfully held numerous camps and secured several partnerships since then.
The snowstorm on Oct. 23, 2022, caused significant water damage to the now-named Golden Ticket Sports Centre because contractors were replacing the roof when the blizzard hit. The liquid forced the closure of the second-floor lounge until April 1 and made the gymnasium floor unavailable to the public until May 5 — a seven-month closure.
The parks and recreation department handled the insurance claim by working with the municipality’s insurance provider to recover the damages through the roof contractor’s insurance provider.
All major issues have now been repaired, while it was “business as usual” at the centre this fall, Derek Blais, director of parks and recreation, said during city council’s recent executive committee meeting while discussing a mid-year update report that Tanner Brightman, co-owner of Golden Ticket Sports Inc., submitted.
The agreement allows the municipality to broaden public access to the venue while providing a needed community indoor gym and multipurpose recreation space.
“While being out of the Sports Centre for nearly seven months, we are grateful to be back and grateful for the investments put into the physical space to ensure that the space is used for many years to come,” Brightman wrote.
“Our membership usage and recurring membership … (took) a hit; we can only assume people … found other options or other ways to stay active while we were closed for the stretch we were.”
His report also noted that:
- 100 youths participated in camps and programs in July and August
- The high school flex program began in September with nine registered students
- The volleyball club started on Oct. 7, with 110 students from grades 7 to 12 participating
- In partnership with the Saskatchewan Volleyball Association, Golden Ticket will host three Sask. Cup competitions next year, which should draw over 450 room nights in Moose Jaw
- The Moose Jaw Minor Basketball (MJMB) season started on Oct. 29 with 150 registered participants
- The venue continues to assign an average of 25 hours per week for drop-in community basketball and volleyball activities, with 40 monthly members between ages 12 and 45 using the centre
- Golden Ticket secured long-term leases with the tennis club, Sowden Flanagan Baseball Academy, Holy Trinity Catholic School Division/Global Sports Academy and Gottselig Athletic Performance
- Regular leases have been signed with the Moose Jaw Adult Volleyball League, Sask. Stealth Volleyball and MJMB
- Golden Ticket has developed a new partnership with Sask. Dodgeball to offer adult activities
Golden Ticket Sports is required to provide an annual contribution of five per cent of gross annual revenues as part of its agreement, but such income was down “quite a bit” this year because of the gym closure, said Blais.
In 2022, the business had $181,480.27 in gross revenue and contributed $9,074.01 to the city, a council report said. However, this year, those numbers were $115,960.42 and $5,798.02, respectively.
Since 2021, Golden Ticket Sports has contributed $455,105.25 to building improvements, while the parks and rec department has provided $1,545,256.29 during the same period.
The department plans to spend $705,000 on the venue during the next five years, including completing the final phase of the roof replacement project in 2025 and replacing the exterior in 2027.
“We … have been incredibly fortunate to work with the great members of the City of Moose Jaw (and) each and every one of those we have worked with has been first-class from start to finish,” Brightman added.
The next executive committee meeting is Monday, Dec. 18.
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