With facilities like the Northwestel Arena and the ATCO Ice at the Canada Games Centre, sponsorship is playing a bigger role in funding recreational sites.

Now, city council is considering a policy on sponsorship for its indoor facilities.

Rob Fendrick, the city's director of administrative services, presented the proposed policy at Monday night's council meeting. He noted the four-page document provides guidelines, approval limits and set out the procedure for any sponsorship agreements.

"Typical sponsorships have been for equipment such as score clocks or for activities such as public skating or public swimming sessions," reads Fendrick's report to council.

"With the Canada Games Centre now fully operational and sponsorship playing an increasingly important role in revenue generation, it would be beneficial to have guidelines and procedures established."

The proposed policy includes provisions for donations, gifts, sponsorships and naming rights.

"It provides that clarity (for city officials and sponsors)," Mayor Bev Buckway said in an interview following Monday's meeting.

The city's manager of parks and recreation would approve the concept for sponsorship projects before potential sponsors are approached or agreements are made.

Sponsorship proposals would be in writing, outlining the benefits with purchasing agreements, which would be co-ordinated through the city's marketing and sponsorship specialist, with the manager of financial services also involved.

Six guidelines would apply in situations where a facility is to be named after a sponsor, including:

• an asset analysis and market evaluation would be completed in conjunction with the marketing and sponsorship specialist to determine the value of the facility;

• an analysis of the risks and benefits must be finished prior to accepting any naming rights offer;

• the purchaser would support the "image and value of City of Whitehorse and the community";

• the city would not give up its right to manage and control the facility to the purchaser;

• signs, branding, publicity and advertising would conform to all federal, territorial and municipal regulations; and

• city staff would forward a report with its recommendations for approval on any naming rights opportunity.

Along with the guidelines and processes, the policy also includes a code of ethics.

Under that, the city would not accept sponsorships from organizations that have a reputation seen as detrimental to the city's image and/or have a main business coming from tobacco sales, pornography or the sale of firearms and other life-threatening weapons.

Advertising could also not convey a negative religious message that may be deemed prejudicial to religious groups, promote alcohol and other addictive substances at venues geared toward children, or present demeaning or derogatory portrayals of individuals or groups or anything likely to cause "deep or widespread offence".

Coun. Dave Stockdale asked Parks and Recreation Manager Linda Rapp about using the electronic sign outside the Canada Games Centre for advertising. Rapp said the sign is currently designated only for information about what's happening at the centre.

If council directed, administration could look at the possibility of going ahead with ads on the sign, she said.

Though council members didn't ask staff to prepare the report, Coun. Florence Roberts said she's pleased with the proposed policy on sponsorship in the city.

The policy would mean everyone has a clear process to follow, Buckway said, pointing out there are opportunities for naming buildings already.

"The Canada Games Centre itself is still waiting for a name sponsor," she said.

The 2007 agreement with Northwestel Inc. for the NHL-sized arena in the centre means the facility will receive $47,000 over the five-year term of the agreement for the Northwestel Arena.

Another agreement exists with ATCO for the Olympic-size arena at the Games centre.

Council will vote on the proposed policy at its meeting next week.