A Rural Municipality of Hanover Councillor representing the Kleefeld Rec Association was at the Hanover School Division Board meeting Tuesday night asking to have their Kleefeld School gym insurance fee waived.

Gord Meneer explains the school often uses the Kleefeld Rec's facilities during the day and they have been working with the school for the past two years to try and gain access to use their facilities at no cost through a joint use agreement.  He understands the agreement was two months away from being signed which he adds is almost at the finish line compared to where they started.  Meener feels the fees are unnecessary at this point, considering the Kleefeld Rec Association has their own insurance for their programs.

Meneer says the joint use agreement is a mandate which requires the schools and parks to share facilities in the best interest of the community and is important to help share.

"You're dealing with community members who use the school and community members who use the park.  We're all the same community, we're all the same ratepayers.  It doesn't make sense for those people and groups to have to pay to use the same facilities that are covered through both.  It's kind of discouraging when the Rec is running a budget of its own to put on programming."

Meneer feels Tuesday's board meeting was interesting as eyes were opened for some of the members who may not have been aware of what's been happening. 

The Hanover School Division has corresponded with the RM of Hanover and Meneer notes it was confirmed they will be holding fast to their policy of requiring fees to be paid.

"It just boils down to the kids.  The kids are the ones that are affected by this.  The same kids that use the school in the daytime are the same kids that we're trying to get into these facilities at night.  We're about trying to make things equal and trying to help our youth with their programming.  Baseball itself is one of those sports where all of a sudden it starts but you really don't really have any space and during these hedging months is where you're trying to get access to some of these resources.  So, unfortunately, it looks like that is going to be a concern for us this spring again as it was last spring." 

Meener adds his understanding is that administration from both parties are continuing to progress to finalize the joint use agreement and hopes to see it in place within the next one to three months.