City council denied a request by the Prince George Kodiaks football club for a loan of up to $600,000 to develop their practice facility at Heather Park.
In March, Kodiaks president Craig Briere told city council the junior football team’s practice facility lacks lighting for evening practices, and competition for practice time at Masich Place Stadium is high.
City director of civic facilities Blake McIntosh said the team leased the Heather Park ball diamonds from the city in 2021, and took on responsibility for building any improvements to the site. In discussions following Briere’s presentation to council, the team requested a loan of $150,000 to $600,000 to upgrade the site, which could be amortized through the lease over a 25-year period.
“I don’t think it is good precedent for the city to get into the loaning of money,” Coun. Tim Bennett said.
City director of finance Kris Dalio said in the past the city loaned $45,000 to the BCNE and $50,00 to the Prince George Symphony Orchestra for similar projects. Those were smaller loans, to be repaid over five years, and “even then, we weren’t necessarily in prompt repayment of them,” Dalio said.
“I’m not a banking expert… (but) I would consider this an extremely-high-risk loan,” he said.
Coun. Cori Ramsay said most commercial banks would want to see three to five years of financial statements from the non-profit football club before offering a loan. The club only started operation last year.
Ramsay said she wouldn’t support a loan, but would be interested in supporting the development of a second football field in the city, which would be available for the Kodiaks and the general public to use.
Council voted in favour of developing a plan for an additional public football field, to be added to the city’s future capital plan. In addition, council authorized the mayor to write a letter of support for the club to apply for other possible grants or funding for its Heather Park facility.
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