(Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

City politics

Exhibition Board President ‘excited’ about shelter discussions

Apr 24, 2025 | 5:16 PM

The President of the Prince Albert Exhibition Association Board believes the right decision has been made both for users of the Stepping Stones Shelter and those who rely on Dave Steuart arena for other reasons.

Shaun Harris was responding to Tuesday night’s special city council meeting and a motion that would have seen the Dave Steuart arena used as a temporary shelter space. The motion which never actually made it to the floor, and could potentially stilll return, was replaced with a plan to get a full report on the usage of the Steuart, which includes Minor Hockey and Prince Albert Lacrosse.

Sask Housing has instead been granted up to a six month extension at the current space under the grandstand, but Harris cautioned the board still wants to see the ball moving forward on a permanent solution.

“We’ve been a scapegoat and easy solution for maybe not this city council, but past city councils. It was just a convenience that they’re tucked away on the grounds, we dont have to worry about them right now, we’ll find a permanent solution at a later date.”

When it was announced last month that the Stepping Stones Shelter would be closing, the former operator – Prince Albert YWCA – cited health and safety issues related to mold and air flow.

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Harris believes this was a a power move, intended to catch city council with their hands tied.

“They thought this would be a bit of a flex and it backfired on them,” he said.

Acknowledging there are certainly issues with a building that is 70 years old, Harris said the board was flabbergasted by the YWCA’s claims, adding any and all concerns related to mold and condensation from the ceiling were addressed as soon as they were brought forward.

He then added that both himself and the management team have recently gone back in and found no issues.

“And I can say that the [Sask Health Authority] has ben in there in the last 24 hours and had a preliminary look and then back to us and said there’s absolutely no issues there that will stop this from proceeding,” Harris said.

Describing conversations with the city and the SHA as positive, Harris said he is excited about moving forward.

Also mentioned during Tuesday’s meeting was use of land east of the Dave Steuart arena as a location for a permanent shelter. Harris said that’s also the first time it was brought up to council that the exhibition association holds the lease to that land.

“It’s a source of revenue, not only for our organization, but it’s also a source of revenue for other groups such as the Prince Albert Scouts.”

Acknowledged that a few city councillors seemed surprised and caught off guard by the news of the lease agreement, Harris said it’s not their fault the information was not disclosed and shows why the board should have all along had a seat at the table.

“We are a stakeholder,” he said.

The application to have the Dave Steuart arena used as a temporary shelter space was met with stiff opposition from the community and a petition to preserve the facility has, as of Thursday, over 1,200 signatures.

Harris said the decision this week helps prevent the displacement of the shelter’s users, and benefits the user groups that rely on the arena.

The fate of the arena is far from decided, however.

City council voted close the building for the 2025 budget year and was gathering expressions of interest from groups that might want to use it for other purposes or take ownership of it.

Part of Tuesday’s meeting involved that process being stopped but council still may re-start it, which could mean that the building is no longer usable as an arena and whoever takes it over will have to pay to fix the leaking roof.

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Blue Sky: @nigelmaxwell.bsky.social