A Saskatoon mayoral candidate is hoping the other candidates in the municipal election will get behind his call to help out curling rinks. Cary Tarasoff says if Saskatoon loses one of its curling rinks, it will be lost forever and points to the City of Saskatoon’s master plan which he says ranked senior centres and youth high on their list of priorities. But, he notes, both seniors and youth partake in curling which in small towns is the hub – the centre of the community.

Tarasoff drew attention to the plight of curling rinks which have been, like so many other entities, negatively impacted by COVID-19 and that all four rinks in Saskatoon are privately owned non-profits.

One of six people running for Mayor, Tarasoff says curling rinks are not only part of Saskatoon’s social and recreational fabric with more than 5,000 people partaking in the sport every year, but it also brings in economic development dollars.

“Next year the Olympic trials are coming. They’re really socially responsible. They take about 26 hundred kids out of inner city schools and run them through programs at a loss, at a big loss. They also run LGBTQ curling nights that are private and protected for people to come out and enjoy themselves.”

He says curling rinks are at the bottom of the list for Saskatoon’s master plan and the Rural Municipality of Corman Park which surrounds Saskatoon offers a 50% tax break to socially important endeavors like this. He suggests the $240 thousand dollars in the Winter YXE fund, could be used to at least pay the taxes to allow these buildings to keep functioning.

Tarasoff says zoning on two of the rinks means they are greatly limited in the off season to host any kind of event to generate revenue. He feels there are unequal taxes while also pointing to Prairieland Park which he says, sitting on city owned land, pays a $100 rent and is considered a non-profit.