After 15 years, Fort St John’s Pomeroy Sport Centre will be renamed. The centre will join other unidentified recreation facilities in the city’s new naming rights partnership program.
“The Pomeroy Sport Centre is Fort St John’s flagship recreation and event facility,” the city said in a press release announcing its name will be a thing of the past. No sale date for when its naming rights, or any of the other facilities’, was provided.
“Fort St John will be issuing a naming rights request for proposals to identify naming rights partners for several city-owned recreation assets, including the Pomeroy Sport Centre,” it continues.
“On behalf of city council and our community, we thank Pomeroy Lodging for their support over the past 15 years,” said Mayor Lilia Hansen.
Inside the centre at 96 Street and 93 Avenue, there are three floors of fun – including two NHL-sized ice rinks, the Northern Vac Track, and an Olympic-sized speedskating rink.
Before this revised naming rights policy was received by the council, a firm presented on the topic of naming rights this fall. At that time, the Pomeroy was not identified as an option for sale, but the presenter offered an estimated price of $150,000.
The amended policy presented by staffers last December did not list exact prices. Instead, it focused on who is eligible to apply for a facility to be named in a person, or company’s, honour. Immediate rejections will be issued to religious or political applicants, cannabis or tobacco companies, and companies in poor legal standing.
“A corporate applicant’s values, products, customers, and promotional goals must be compatible to the city of Fort St John’s mission and goals,” it reads. “The community must, by the most part, support the agreement.”
When the city council selects a new name for the sport centre, they will be obligated to host at least one advertised public meeting.
For now, at the Pomeroy Sport Centre business and play will continue as normal.
