RM of Nipawin ends recreation funding deal with town

NIPAWIN — The Town of Nipawin received correspondence at its July 14 council meeting that the RM of Nipawin has decided to discontinue its current recreation agreement with the town.

Derek Seckinger, the town’s general manager of community services, told SaskToday, “The current recreation agreement between the Town of Nipawin and the RM of Nipawin was signed in 2024, setting an annual contribution of $16,000 from the RM to help with cost recovery for recreational facilities. Prior to that, the agreement had a different amount, which was renegotiated based on operating costs, user groups and the proportion of facility users from outside the town. This agreement pertains strictly to recreation; any other agreements between the Town and RM are separate.”

In the letter from the RM of Nipawin, the resolution stated, “We give 30 days’ notice of intention to withdraw from the recreational facilities funding agreement entered into on March 19, 2024, with the Town of Nipawin.

“The RM’s decision not to renew will not change the service level at any Nipawin recreation facilities. The Town of Nipawin and the RM have a future meeting scheduled to discuss the direction of this agreement and possible collaboration moving forward. It is worth noting that most other rural municipalities contribute to their local urban recreation facilities, as these amenities and programs are typically available to both rural and urban residents,” Seckinger said.

Other municipalities in Saskatchewan have varying agreements between urban and rural jurisdictions.

The RM of Nipawin has not responded to inquiries regarding its decision as of publication time.