A 1999 study of the economic impact of leisure services in Humboldt could be a very important guideline for an active community like Weyburn, said the Humboldt director of leisure services in Weyburn Tuesday.

Ross Milnthorp told a Chamber of Commerce luncheon that the return on investment from leisure service facilities are probably the best-kept secret in North America.

It's well known that leisure services are important in terms of social responsibility, for keeping kids off the street, and for encouraging good health among the population, but it will take time for them to become known as generators of economic activity, said Milnthorp. "We've been perceived as being subsidized for many years so the perception won't change overnight.

"There is a provincial election coming up, with the possibility of a change in government. We want information to show a new government their investment provides significant economic return," he said.

Milnthorp told the group of about 50 that the Humboldt study looked only at "new" money brought into the city by leisure service facilities and activities in 1999. The community's extensive services, which include a 1,900 seat arena, a pool, and six-sheet curling rink, among other things, attracted more than $2 million in new money into the city, at a cost of $992,000 to the public, he said.

The study determined that leisure services in Humboldt creates a ripple effect of 1.3; meaning that one dollar is respent 1.3 times before it leaves the local economy, he said.

Looked at another way, Milnthorp said each of the 2,488 properties in the city contributed $399 in 1999 toward maintaining the leisure services in 1999, and gained $339 from the income generated by the activities. That leaves a net cost to each property owner of $60 in that year for all those facilities, he said.

Weyburn's figures will be different because the population and number of businesses are both larger than Humboldt's, he noted. But he said the study's methodology can be an important planning tool for communities when considering and developing new activities or facilities. Weyburn officials and volunteers are currently planning to host the 2004 Saskatchewan Summer Games.