The Weyburn Elks Lodge has placed its hall facility up for sale, a week before the Elks return to city council to see if there is a decision about their request for a tax concession.

Don Kraft, chair of the Elks board, confirmed on Tuesday that the hall is up for sale, saying it's a way for the group to "test the waters" to see if there would be any interest in the hall should city council rule against them.

"We're still in negotiations with the city, but the city has not yet provided us any tax relief as we've requested," said Kraft, adding he will be attending the council meeting on Monday, Jan. 27, to find out if any decision on the Elks' request is forthcoming.

"What we're doing is taking a pro-active approach. Whether the hall stays on the market depends on what the outcome of our request to the city is," said Kraft.

The Elks have asked the city to forgive its tax bill if in return they agree to provide a facility to house any sporting or recreation groups in the city who do not currently have a headquarters. They provided a lease to the Soo Line Boxing Club, and they utilize a portion of the upper hall; that lease will remain in place while the hall is for sale, said Kraft.

The Elks are also scouting out possible alternate locations for their organization should they be forced to go through with the sale of the hall. Kraft said if council rules against them, this will be the only way they will be able to pay their outstanding tax bill, which is at least $40,000 in arrears. Part of the negotiations with the city is a plan to repay those arrears to the city.

The basis of the Elks' request is that they have to pay taxes while halls like the Legion and McKenna Hall do not, even though they compete directly with the Elks facility.

If the city supports the Elks' request, then the hall will be taken off the market, said Kraft.

"It's going to give us the opportunity to see what the building is worth, and if there is a demand for it in the community," he added. "Once the negotiations have been finalized we'll have a direction to follow."

One proposal the Elks submitted to council was to pay the back taxes at a rate of $10,000 per year while the city forgave the interest and penalties, with a tax concession over the next four years.

Kraft said at an earlier meeting this length of time would give the Elks time to see if they were able to turn things around for the facility to where it was paying for itself.

The request from the Elks Lodge has been before council since late September, and a decision was tabled on the issue at the end of November.