Following the Shindleman Aquatic Centre's closure due to structural issues with its roof, the Portage Regional Recreation Authority requested emergency funding from the City of Portage la Prairie and the RM. Reeve Kam Blight says the RM agreed to do its part.

"The RM has approved to provide their share. Things must proceed there, and these were unplanned items and expenses and costs incurred by the PRRA. In order for things to proceed and keep going, they need some emergency funding and the RM of Portage has approved their portion."

The City and RM have an agreement for the city to cover 75 per cent, and the RM 25 per cent of the operating deficit, Blight says. The Capital and infrastructure replacement funding agreement sees the City responsible for 66 per cent, and the RM 33 per cent of costs. 

The overall ask from the City and RM by the PRRA is $256,000.

Of the requested amount of $256,000, some of it was for the operating deficit ... and the other was for capital ventures," Blight explains. "That's where that number got broken down a little differently."

Nettie NeudorfCAO Nettie Neudorf says providing the funds for PRRA is not considered an RM expense.

"It's called an advance, rather than an expense," she says. "We anticipate the money to be recoverable. By forwarding this on, the PRRA can go about and pay its normal bills and not be short in its cash flow."

"It's not part of the revenues and expenses of the organization. It doesn't fall into that category."