The City of Moose Jaw and the Moose Jaw Soccer Association have come to terms with a new agreement for the use of the Yara Centre. 

The current three-year agreement with Moose Jaw Soccer expires on Sunday. 

Director of Parks and Recreation Derek Blais explained the benefits of having indoor soccer at the Yara Centre. 

“Soccer is known as one of the most popular sports in the world, continues to grow in Canada and that's primarily due to its affordability,” Blais said.  

“It’s extremely popular for newcomers and low-income families because of limited equipment requirements as well as lower registration fees than other sports.” 

The relationship between the city and the Moose Jaw Soccer Association has been rocky in the past. 

At a special meeting in August, Moose Jaw Soccer members were told that had gone unpaid include rent to the city to use the Yara Centre. Those bills have since been paid in full and the organization is working towards a better relationship with the city. 

“The Moose Jaw Soccer Association has undergone some significant changes over the past year as they look to work more closely with their members to enhance programming and overall membership,” Blais said.  

“They no longer have a paid administrator and the board has become more involved in the day-to-day operations. This change has significantly improved the city's communication with the association and has greatly enhanced our working relationship.” 

The new five-year agreement will give the Moose Jaw Soccer Association priority booking for turf time as well as dedicated office and storage spaces. 

New to the agreement will be the rates set under the agreement. 

The previous agreement had set rates, while the new deal will see the Moose Jaw Soccer Association receive a 15 per cent that minor sports organizations get for arena rentals. The discount is subject to booking a minimum of 500 hours during the turf season from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31 each year. 

This change results in a $2.05 per hour increase over the current rate for a quarter section of turf from $84.65 per hour to $86.70 per hour. 

The city is projecting about $52,000 in revenue in 2021-2022 through this agreement.