British ColumbiaCity councillors voted this week to sell naming rights for several parks and recreation facilities, a move that could bring hundreds of thousands of dollars into city coffers each year.City study estimates move could bring in more than $300K per yearMatt Preprost · CBC News · Posted: Oct 30, 2025 7:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesA family takes a walk through Fish Creek Community Forest in Fort St. John, named after the creek that runs through it. That could soon change, however, after councillors voted to sell naming rights to some of the city’s most popular parks and recreation facilities. (Matt Preprost/CBC)Some familiar landmarks in Fort St. John, B.C., could soon be getting new names.City councillors voted this week to sell naming rights for several parks and recreation facilities, a move that could bring more than $300,000 dollars into city coffers each year, according to estimates.Mayor Lilia Hansen says the city is responding to residents who want the city to find new ways to make money without increasing taxes.”We’re trying to find different ways to maintain our recreation facilities without the added pressure to taxpayers,” Hansen said. “This was a direct ask from our residents.”The Pomeroy Sport Centre in Fort St. John, home to one of only three indoor Olympic-sized speed skating ovals in Canada, topped the city’s naming rights valuation list at $150,000 annually. (Matt Preprost/CBC)The city hired Cimoroni & Company, a Toronto-based sports marketing agency, to evaluate 12 local parks and facilities. The firm estimates the city could generate as much as $330,000 a year by selling naming rights to some of its most popular venues.Hansen says raising that amount of money through naming rights is equivalent to what would be generated by a one per cent tax increase. “That would be a great deal for taxpayers.”Rights narrowed down for seven venuesThe city’s arena, soccer field, and farmer’s market building are all open for a potential deal. Even the local tobogganing hill could get a new name.The Pomeroy Sport Centre, home to one of only three indoor Olympic-sized speed skating ovals in Canada, topped the city’s valuation list at $150,000 annually. The facility is also home to a high school campus and sees 220,000 visitors a year.Its naming rights have been held by local hotel chain Pomeroy Lodging since the facility opened in 2010. The current deal expires in 2026, though the company has the first right of refusal to renew.Other high-traffic venues such as the North Peace Arena, which sees 55,000 visitors a year for youth sports, was valued at $65,000. Festival Plaza, which draws 35,000 people yearly to the farmer’s market and other community events, was valued at $30,000. Rights for greenspaces like Toboggan Hill — also home to a skate park, dog park, and disc golf course — were valued at $15,000. Centennial Park, which hosts annual Canada Day and winter festivals, was valued at $20,000. A cyclist cruises past a welcome sign in Fort St. John’s Centennial Park. Naming rights for the park could be sold for as much as $20,000 per year, according to a city council report. (Matt Preprost/CBC)Cimoroni vice-president Russ Gray says municipal naming rights have become more common across Canada over the last 10 years.”Big cities, smaller towns, it’s really being tapped into as an opportunity,” Gray told councillors during their Oct. 27 meeting. “The sport and recreation, the programming that happens at these facilities means a lot to the people in these communities, and it’s a very valuable way for these corporate organizations to show up and be present in their people’s backyards.”Some parks excludedTwo other parks, Surerus and Kin, were assessed as part of the study, but won’t be renamed, Hansen said, as the land was donated to the city. Naming rights to certain amenities in those parks, however, could be put up for sale.The report also suggested that renaming the leisure pool, cultural centre, and curling rink could generate $147,500 a year. The city has already reached out to the third-party groups that lease and manage those facilities, but community services director Kylah Bryde told councillors there’s no pressure for them to participate.”We’re not doing anything to pressure them,” he said. “It’s just open for opportunity.”The city will be marketing the naming opportunities in the coming months. Hansen says local businesses have a good reputation for corporate giving, sponsoring free swims, skating, and city events throughout the year.”They are always first to the plate to help us and make the area a better place to live,” she said.ABOUT THE AUTHORMatt Preprost is a reporter with CBC British Columbia based in Fort St. John, covering stories focused on the Peace Region and Northern Rockies. Email him at mathew.preprost@cbc.ca
Fort St. John to sell naming rights to arenas, parks, trails
