INNISFAIL – Local horseshoers are crying foul over the town’s refusal to provide them with a seasonal porta potty at their new facility.
The Innisfail Horseshoe Club sent a letter to the Town of Innisfail on May 7, which was included in town council’s agenda for its May 24 regular meeting, requesting a seasonal porta potty at their facility near the Rotary Ann Playground close to the Innisfail Aquatic Centre.
The letter was brought to council’s attention near the end of the meeting by Todd Becker, chief administrative officer for the Town of Innisfail.
Becker told council the direction he gave to the town’s operations department staff was to provide a porta potty for special events but “administratively not authorize” one placed in the “vicinity” of the local horseshoe pits on a seasonal basis.
Becker added there was a porta potty horseshoers could use at a “fairly” adjacent ball field across from the Innisfail Aquatic Centre, which, he added, was also available to access.
“The logic I have is that the ball association does pay a fee for registrations for the use of the field but also for supporting amenities. That is the logic I had in my direction to my staff,” said Becker.
However, Myrna Kissick, president of the Innisfail Horseshoe Club, said she was “very, very disappointed” with the town’s decision.
“It’s not fair. It’s really not fair for them to discriminate against us,” said Kissick. “I don’t know what they (town) got against us guys but it must be something.”
This is the third season for her club at the new horseshoe court. It was relocated and built 400 metres south of its longstanding 42nd Street and 51st Avenue location in 2019 at a cost of about $94,000, which the town covered.
But no seasonal porta potty was put in for horseshoe club members, which now number more than 25 passionate players. Most are seniors over the age of 65, with two proudly reaching the age of 90.
Kissick said club members have their league games at the horseshoe pits every Wednesday night, with many, including herself, using the facility to practise throughout the week.
She said the porta potty at the ball diamond and washrooms at the aquatic centre are too far away for club members.
“They don’t mind us old folks walking over there. A lot of our pitchers are up in years, and when you gotta go, you gotta go,” said the 85-year-old Kissick. “We are the only sports (group) that does not have one. We have been after these people (town) for many years to give us a porta potty there.
“It’s not only us. The playground by there is used a lot, and those little kids need one too,” she added. “They (kids) are using the bushes. They have to go and they go in behind the tree, and we’ve seen them.”
The club started its 2022 season on May 4. The season will continue until mid-September.
The Innisfail Horseshoe Club was originally supposed to host its annual Innisfail Horseshoe Club Old-Fashioned Tournament on May 28 and 29 but due to last weekend’s threatening late spring weather the event, which has been played since 1987, has been moved to July 9 and 10.
