City has important decisions looming with Westerner Park

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“Despite the ongoing pandemic, The City of Red Deer continues to work with Westerner Park to re-establish viable and sustainable business practices to stabilize the financial situation of the organization,” says City Manager Allan Seabrooke. “The City currently has financial oversight of the organization, and we are engaged in a critical financial audit right now, working to assess the situation and plan for a time when Westerner Park can not only reopen, but do so in a financial sustainable way.”

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Over the next two months, the City and city council will need to do the following:

-Decide how it will support Westerner Park in the short and long-term to address the operating deficit and capital debt load. Council could need to pass bylaws or other financial measures to do this by the end of May.

-Conduct of a review into the City’s and Westerner Park’s legal relationship

-Address Westerner Park’s cash flow

-Contract forensic and operational auditors to complete an in depth look at Westerner Park’s financial and operating situation. These were temporarily put on hold as The City worked on its pandemic response.

The last one, the City says, is to rule out any inappropriate conduct or financial wrongdoing that may have led to this situation.

It’s also noted in a backgrounder provided by the City that Westerner Park has applied for financial support through federal and provincial relief programs. As well, it’s not known at this time if any Westerner-related decisions could have an impact on municipal taxes.

“The City will continue to maintain oversight until it is certain of financial stability,” the backgrounder also notes.

No decisions will be made during Monday’s in-camera meeting.