Esterhazy Town Council: Council discusses hall fees for fundraiser rentals

May 29, 2025, 3:17 pm
Ryan Kiedrowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

In a request to the town, the Esterhazy Community Daycare Co-operative requested waiving the day rate at the SN Boreen Community Hall for their fundraising pancake breakfast during Hazy Dayz on June 21. The item came before Esterhazy Town Council during their regular meeting last week on May 22.

While some were in favour of granting the request, others wondered where the line is drawn in terms of letting organizations use town facilities free of charge.
“Where do we draw the line for giving our facilities?” Councillor Bryant Campbell asked. “They are fundraising; yes, we gave it to the Golden Jets for their use of it for free. But if we keep doing this, where do we draw the line? We gave this daycare a tax abatement for a number of years, I don’t really feel that they should be continuing to use our facilities free of cost.”

Rates to use the hall vary, depending on length of time, how much of the hall is used, and if kitchen facilities are required, ranging from $240 for half the hall with the kitchen to $1,250 for the full hall for the weekend.

Community Development & Recreation Director Michelle Fuhr suggested going with the day rate for the meeting room at the hall, which is $150. That rate was put into a motion moved by Councillor Campbell to impose a day rate of $150 to the Esterhazy Community Daycare Co-operative for their pancake breakfast, which was approved by Council.

Councillor William Gale declared a conflict of interest on the item, exiting the meeting for the discussion and decision.

Summer landfill hours
It’s that time of year again to shift from winter to summer hours at the landfill. The town has added two more days of availability for residents.
“We usually do winter hours and summer hours,” said Mayor Randy Bot while introducing the agenda item. “It’s a little bit more busy in the summer with people doing yard work and shingling and that kind of stuff, so there is a little bit more traffic at the dump.”
During winter months, the landfill is open from 11 am to 5 pm Thursday through Saturday, while during summer months the town opens it on Tuesday and Wednesday as well. An amendment to the motion established some set dates with summer hours now effective May 15 every year, and returning to winter hours on Nov. 1.

Seniors see
drop in pool rates
Rates at the Esterhazy pool are set to be pretty much the same this year. For youth ages two to 17 years, the day rate is $5, with adults (18 and over) being $6 per day. Seniors were being charged the same as adults, but council voted to pass the pool rates with an amendment to drop rates for seniors to $5 a day.