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2017 North Stars fishing derby put on ice; future to be discussed

Jul 26, 2016 | 2:00 PM

After 20 years out on the lake the Battlefords North Stars have decided to put their ice fishing derby on hiatus due to a decrease in revenue.

The North Stars announced on Tuesday, July 26 their Annual Jackfish Lake Ice Fishing Derby would not be returning for a 21st year in 2017. The team’s board of directors are going to reassess the event and the financial situation following the 2016-17 season.

Marketing and Office Manager for the North Stars Trent Cey said the derby had been one of the team’s biggest fundraisers in prior years, but revenue decreases made it hard to justify the amount of work put into it.

“We’ve had a few bad years of bad weather, the economy hit us a little bit and stuff like that. The revenue was trending down (and) it was just time to maybe take a step back and see what we can come up with as a better option,” Cey said.

According to Cey, this upcoming year will allow the North Stars to see their year-end financial situation without a fish derby as part of the team’s fundraising efforts.

“If it comes down to a better way to structure it and it works for a lot of people that have been a part of the fish derby for years, in the future maybe it would come back,” Cey said. “But it’s basically kind of like a trial period I guess, so to speak, of if it needs to be done with the North Stars.”

Cey added there are possible new fundraising events coming for the season, which will be focused on with the time previously spent on the fish derby.

 

Matt Kelly is battlefordsNOW’s town municipal affairs and community reporter. He can be reached at mkelly@jpbg.ca.