City Says It Supports PGX
Tuesday, August 7, 2012 @ 12:49 PM
Prince George, B.C. – City Hall is sending out its good wishes to the Prince George Exhibition on the eve of the annual fair’s 100th anniversary.
Chastised by many for failing to come to the centennial party with a gift of forgiving the balance of a $36 thousand dollar loan, the City has issued a release today noting it supports the PGX . The release says the City “continues to support PGX through a service agreement that details both financial and in-kind contributions ranging from permanent office space to exclusive use of facilities for an annual contribution of approximately $42,000.” The release also points out that because of the renovation of the Kin1 arena, the City is providing access to the CN Centre, and a large outdoor tent and bleachers. According to the release, that amounts to a contribution of $20 thousand dollars this year although the release does not stipulate if in fact that amount was part of the budget for the demolition and reconstruction of Kin 1.
In early June, when the Prince George Agricultural and Historical Society appeared before City Council to request the forgiveness of the balance of a loan($36 thousand dollars) and that the $2,800 rental fees for this year be waived, Mayor and Council said no.
The rent for the land used to be $1 dollar for 30 days, and the price has increased to $2800 for nine days.
The PGX has a financial past with the City of Prince George, borrowing just under $48 thousand in 1964 to help cover debt. The PGX paid back the amount in full, and assigned its rights, title and interest of the Land “together with all buildings, structures, fences and other improvements” to the City of Prince George. In return, the Prince George Agricultural and Historical Society received a lease agreement that, among other things, ensured the PGAHA would have use of the Land ,at no charge, for the “holding of an Agricultural Fair or Exhibition and for allied or collateral shows, sales, contests and events generally and usually sponsored or promoted or held by an agricultural Fair or Exhibition Association…”.
Then, nearly 20 years later, the Association borrowed $60 thousand from the City , which was repaid in cash and City approved improvements to the grounds ahead of repayment schedule.
In 1993, the Association received a $20 thousand dollar cash grant from the City to help “ defray cost overâruns on the building of the PGX barn”. The PGX raised the balance (which was more than $91,000) with the support of Prince George 4âH Clubs. Today the barn is owned by the City and used by many groups.
In 2005 the City of Prince George granted the PGAHA $5,000.00 to celebrate the City’s 95th birthday; the PGX more than matched the amount in cash and provided the venue, the organizing, the volunteers and the promotion.
The most recent loan was of $45 thousand, to help the Association pay for a lawsuit. The Association has repaid $9 thousand and had hoped to have the $36 thousand balance forgiven.
The Province has provided $100 thousand dollars this year to the Association, the most recent contribution was a $30 thousand dollar grant which the Association can use in whatever manner it chooses.
Comments
Maybe someone knows the answer to this. If the PGX paid $45,000 for a lawsuit, then does that mean they don’t carry liability insurance? If you have liability insurance, and someone sues you, you’re only on the hook for the deductible. The insurance company covers all legal costs and any award. Or, is their insurance deductible more than $45,000? Just curious how that all works.
I would like to know why the city gives so much money to the symphony orchestra and theatre northwest each year and can’t come up with $36,000.00 for these people. A lot more people go to the ex than would ever go to the symphony or theatre northwest.
ski50 – I may be off so dont take this as gospel but if my memory is correct it was a breach of contract lawsuit by a vendor. This would fall outside of any liability insurance that an injury etc might bring. If I recall the dollar amount was settled on out of court. If Im wrong someone can correct me but I think thats how it went.
Bah blah
Read the article…..the City contributes over $42,000 per year to the PGX every single year, that’s pretty enormous support. It may not be cash money but those are all things the PGX would have to pay out of pocket for if the City did not pick up the tab.
Funny how everyone forgets about all the non-cask contributions but they are as important, if not more important, than just cash.
Fair enough reality, but why do we keep giving over $100,000.00 each year to the symphony and theatre northwest?
duffer – I get what where you are going but it can be said about anything. Why do we spend $X on the Cougars when only certian people go to the games? Why do we spend $X mowing the ballfields for only a few hundred kids? Why do we spend $X on the soccer fields? Why do we subsidize the aquatic center? Why do we put in dog parks? How about Pine Valley golf? etc etc… At the end of the day, everybody is a special interest group. And no, I dont go to either the symphony or the theatre.
Why is there any money in a fund for Performance Art Center that no one wants and the city cant afford ?
PGX is a 100 yrs old.. As for the City spinning the numbers to make it look like they contributed more than they did is just pure shameful.
Pack your bags green.. its a long walk home.. unless you have moved to the downtown core where you said everyone wants to live..then its just a little stroll.
Fireworks Show on Friday night at CN Centre. Should be a Hum Dinger of a show. I hear that $25,000 has been provided for one of the biggest and best fireworks displays PG has ever seen. Check it out. Should be around 10:00pm. But I haven’t seen anything in print.It’s about time in my view. Thanks to those responsible.
Hillbillies doing hillbilly stuff. How adorable.
I hope the Mayor will be classy enough to be there for the official opening this week and properly congratulate all the volunteers that work so hard ever year!
The need for the mayor to attend on such a significant anniversary (100th) goes without saying. It would also allow her to show some leadership in acknowledging the city staff who work so hard behind the scenes to help the PGX put on a great show.
Look closer, Realitycheck, that $42000 includes ” in -kind contributions” — I would wager that most of it is ” in- kind”. It is not as if the city would be able to rent out the facilities to someone else at the times of the Ex and therefore they are foregoing real dollars by letting the Ex use them.
Weaksauce, once again you’ve proven yourself to be an idiot troll.
THE City provides the rent of the exhibition park for about a week and a half a year to hold its annual exhibition as per the deal made when the land and assets were signed over to them, at the outset. Now the City claims the free rent as an in-kind donation amounting to the $42,000 amount. Very big of them to at least NOT make an additional $42,000 off their blood, sweat and tears. At least be honest, council holds NO VALUE in the thousands of volunteers, dozens of partner organizations, thousands of competitiors, on and on….if they did, they would have shown it with at least something. Zero is a kick in the ass.
Whatever, rube-ez. The fact you clowns are so enamored with a third rate country fair speaks volumes about what’s wrong with this dump.
Mayor Green has once again demonstrated her lack of leadership in not rallying up real support for the Exhibition that bears the name of our fine city! PGX = the “Prince George Exhibition” So the service rendered to the PGX amounts to $42,000 – isn’t the city of Prince George getting some advertising and exposure for their $42,000 of service? Who is getting the better deal?
Just ignore weaksauce and maybe it will go away
PLEASE find out where this sulphur awful stink is coming from and fix it. It is causing people’s eyes to burn and also many people are having shortness of breath from it. The firehall says they think it is the pulp mill. Well then fix it please. I would love to be able to have window open in my house as it is hot in here, but can’t or you get sick from the smell.
PLEASE find out where this sulphur awful stink is coming from and fix it. It is causing people’s eyes to burn and also many people are having shortness of breath from it. The firehall says they think it is the pulp mill. Well then fix it please. I would love to be able to have window open in my house as it is hot in here, but can’t or you get sick from the smell.
Re sulphur stink …yes still pretty bad in College Heights at 6:00 am
100th year and the last year of the PGX… in name anyway. Remember it will be called the BCNE this time next summer.
The firehall said they are trying to find the source. I hope they do something about it when they do. I am using an inhaler that I haven’t had to use for a long time….that makes me VERY angry. I have quite smoking so I can breath clean air and now,THIS….makes me very sad!!
John Smith changed his name too once he got to be 100 years old …. its normal for old folks ……
only the Hudson Bay Company kept its name … but shortened it to HBC, something the PGX did some time ago ….. ;-)
Name change or not, as long as it is the
“home of the silver Stetson”
Weaksauce sounds like someone who sits in the background and complains and critisizes everything that any one does. Don’t like the “country fair”? Then don’t go. Think it should change? Then step up to the plate and change it. Don’t like this “dump”? Then move-pleae.
Well, I think the city did do the right thing on holding its ground, otherwise every non profit organization will be looking for forgiveness on the money they borrow. Where would that leave the city. It would mean that they will not loan out money at all. Then the non profit organization will have no other place to go. They borrowed the money on the intentions of paying it back.
Sure the city inherited the land or purchased it in 64, some would say $48,000 was a steal. but one bought a house for $6,000.00. What is 8 houses worth today……. $2 million dollars. It was a purchase back then.
I support the PGX or the BCNE what ever it with morph itself into. It is a big event for the kids.
Have fun.
Politically spun BS at its finest.
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