Rural booking FAQs
Banquet Hall at Ardrossan and Moyer
Rental categories
Booking procedures
Hall
Hall amenities
Kitchen
Corkage/Bar
Tables
Overnight Parking
Community Services
Booking Procedures
1. If I am interested in renting the hall, how do I view it?
Contact the facility directly to set up a time when staff are scheduled and can assist you.
- Ardrossan Recreation Complex: Ph. 780-922-3377
- Moyer Recreation Centre: Ph. 780-998-7022
2. Who do I contact to book the hall?
When you have viewed the hall and wish to proceed with booking, you can contact our Facility Booking Representative, Lorna Stark at 780-464-8485 or visit her at the Recreation, Parks and Culture office located at 2025 Oak Street in Sherwood Park, Alberta.
3. How do I find out if the hall is available on my preferred date?
Ardrossan Hall availability 2012
Moyer Hall availability 2012
4. What do I need to book the hall?
You will need to know the following:
- Date and location of your function
- Whose name the contract will appear in (one person only). The following are needed to complete the contract: Name, mailing address, home phone number, daytime phone number, email contact.
- The rental period. Do you wish to rent the day before (for decorating and set up) and/or the day following (for gift opening or take down)?
- The level of service you require. Table set-up; kitchen rental (light or full); corkage.
Our Facility Booking Representative will build a contract based on your choice of services. This contract can be faxed, mailed, emailed or you can visit the Recreation, Parks and Culture office.
5. How do I confirm my contract with Strathcona County?
Your contract for your rental of our facility is considered ‘firm’ if you have signed the Rental Contract and the Rental Contract Terms and Conditions and you have paid a damage deposit and an initial payment.
6. Is a damage deposit required?
A damage deposit is required at the time of signing and is generally $350.00 but will be adjusted according to a risk assessment of the event by the Facility Supervisor. The damage deposit is cashed and held by Strathcona County and returned following the event completion if the facility is returned in undamaged condition. If a rental is cancelled prior to the event date, the damage deposit is fully refundable.
7. How do I get my damage deposit back?
Following your rental, facility staff will authorize your damage deposit return based on the condition of the facility. If you paid by credit card, Strathcona County will refund it directly back to your credit card. If you paid by debit, you can drop in to the Recreation, Parks & Culture office (2025 Oak Street) and have your damage deposit credited back to your debit card. If you paid by cheque, Strathcona County will issue a cheque through our Finance department. This process will take approximately two to three weeks.
8. What is an initial payment?
Your contract includes an initial payment of $500.00 and is applied directly to the balance of your contract. It is your commitment that you intend to rent the facility on the date you have it booked for.
9. What if I cancel my rental prior to my event date?
If a rental is cancelled prior to the event date, the damage deposit is fully refundable.
A cancellation policy will be applied to your initial payment. If you cancel nine months or more before your event date, you will be refunded your full initial payment. If you cancel between six and nine months prior to your event date, 50% of the initial payment will be refunded. There will be no refund if the rental is cancelled with less than six months notice.
10. Who can make changes to my contract?
A rental contract booked with Strathcona County is an agreement between the customer who signs the contract and the County. Due to the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act, only you can make changes or request information relating to your contract. If you wish to have a wedding planner or a family member act on your behalf to discuss services or make changes or alterations to your rental, you can request to have their names added to the contract under “Set Up Notes”.
11. Can I change my rental contract?
If you require addition and/or deletion of services, this can be done prior to final payment of the rental contract (2 weeks prior to the event date). Additions of ‘Decorating Day Before’ or ‘Gift Opening Following Day’ and clarification of hourly rental times should be done at least a month in advance to allow Strathcona County to schedule staff according to your rental request.
12. When do I have to pay for my rental contract?
The damage deposit and initial payment is due at the time of signing the rental contract and the balance of services requested is payable two weeks prior to your event date.
Hall
13. How big is the hall?
Ardrossan - The hall is 106’x 60’ = 6,360 square feet
Moyer - The hall is 62’ x 85’ = 5,300 square feet
14. Do you have a stage?
Ardrossan has moveable stage pieces – 12 pieces of 4’ x 8’ at adjustable heights of either 1’ or 2’ feet high. One set of steps for each height. (For example these pieces could be set up to include a stage and head table risers at the following sizes - 12’ x 16’x 2’ (stage) and 8’ x 24’ x 1’ (head table riser)
Moyer has a built in stage and is located on the north side of the hall.
15. How many people can we comfortably seat in the hall?
Ardrossan - the hall will seat 400 people with theatre style seating
- the hall will seat 320 people at round tables*
- the hall will seat 400 people at rectangular tables*
*using the maximum amount of tables will limit the size of the dance floor
Moyer - the hall will seat 400 people at theatre style seating
- the hall will seat 280 people at round tables*
- the hall will seat 400 people at rectangular tables*
*using the maximum amount of tables will limit the size of the dance floor
16. What is included in the day rate - hall rental?
The day rate includes the use of the hall from 8 a.m. on the day of your rental through to 2 a.m. the following morning and includes: tables, chairs, bar area with ice machine, glass front cooler and bar sink. Strathcona County staff will be in attendance for the duration of your rental to assist you with any facility related issues including electrical, plumbing or building maintenance.
17. Does the day rate include table and chair set up?
The rate provides the facility and it’s amenities including hardwood floors, air conditioning, sound system with cordless microphone and podium. Set up of tables and chairs can be completed to your drawn specifications by Strathcona County staff at an hourly charge per hundred guests.
18. Can my guests smoke in the hall?
The Province of Alberta has restricted smoking inside all facilities.
19. Where can my guests smoke?
Designated smoking areas are marked outside the facility. Please ensure guests are using ash trays provided. Your liquor licence does not cover outside of the building, so please ensure your guests who go outside for a smoke do not take their alcoholic drinks with them.
20. What time do I have to be out of the facility during my rental?
The rental contract specifies the end of leased time period. If you have paid the day rate to rent the facility, you will be required to have your guests, band/DJ, all the supplies that you brought with you and the garbages emptied by 2 a.m.
21. What do I have to do at the end of the night to clean up following my rental?
Following your rental at the end of night, please ensure that you have taken your decorations and supplies and that all garbages have been taken out to the garbage bin. Strathcona County staff will clean and stack tables, chairs and sweep and mop the floors.
22. Do I have to supply my own garbage bags for the hall and kitchen?
Strathcona County provides garbage bags for all garbages in the hall, kitchen and area. If you require more bags, please contact the facility staff.
23. What happens if I am not out before 2 a.m.?
We schedule Strathcona County staff according to the times you rent the facility. We appreciate that your function may want to continue however, we would like to ensure the safety of our staff by not sending them out onto the roads following a longer shift than what they were scheduled for.
24. What if I need to extend my rental past 2 a.m. the next morning?
Strathcona County encourages you to rent extra hours ‘hourly after 2 a.m. if you feel that your function will go longer than this time. You can add this time prior to your rental so that we can adjust staff schedules to accommodate the extra time.
25. What if I need to get into the hall prior to 8 a.m. on the day of my rental?
If your caterer or decorator requires into the hall prior to 8 a.m. you can rent extra ‘decorating’ hours by adding it to your contract.
26. Can we rent the hall for the whole weekend?
Strathcona County provides staff in the facility for the duration of your rental to assist you with any facility related issues including electrical, plumbing or building maintenance. Our rates are set up per day as well as hourly for decorating the day before or gift opening the following day.
27. Can we decorate the hall the day before?
Decorating the day before is permitted based on an hourly ‘decorating’ rate. We will schedule our staff to work around the hours that you wish to add to your rental contract. A minimum of three hours must be booked.
28. Can we hang decorations from the ceiling in the hall?
Ardrossan – Decorations are permitted to be hung from the suspended t-bar ceiling that are lightweight and cause no damage to the ceiling tiles or t-bar.
Moyer – Decorations are permitted to be tacked on the beams in the hall. No decoration is permitted to be hung from the stage lighting.
A ladder or scaffolding must be brought into the facility at the renters expense should you wish to decorate the ceiling at either facility.
29. Can we tape decorations to the walls/doors?
To make decorating easier, we have installed a cork board around the perimeter of the hall that provides you with a place to hang decorations. In order to protect the painted surfaces of the hall, we ask you to not tape any decorations or signs to the walls or doors.
30. Can we staple decorations/skirting to the tables?
Clips can be rented through any special event rental company to attach decorations etc. to our tables. Please be kind to the renters following you by not inflicting damage to our tables.
31. Can we have candles as decorations in the hall?
Open flames candles are permitted however they must be contained within a vase or hurricane type lamp in order to protect your guests from accidental incidents.
32. If we have a western themed function, can we bring in hay bales for decorations?
We welcome all types of themes however do limit the use of any kind of bales due to the possibility of mice hiding within the bales that could bring disease etc. into the facility.
33. Can we decorate with sparkles/glitter on the tables?
In order to ensure a longer life of our hardwood floor, we request that sparkles and glitter not be brought into the facility as it leads to damage on the floor.
34. Can we drop off our liquor the night before our rental?
If you choose to decorate the day before and leave supplies and drop off food and/liquor the night before, please be aware that these items are left in our facility without Strathcona County insurance coverage. Our facilities have motion detectors and alarms but remember we are in the rural area and response time for emergency services will be slower than urban areas.
35. Can we host a gift opening the following day after our wedding reception?
You can add ‘Gift Opening’ hourly rate to your contract for your gift opening the day following your main rental. The facility will be closed at 2 a.m. and will reopen according to the time you rent. Bathrooms will be touched up and paper products checked and replaced however, table, floor or garbage cleaning will not be done between these times. If your contract had the kitchen rented for your Saturday function, you will also have the kitchen during this time. The kitchen must be left clean following any use.
36. Can we choose to clean up the hall/remove our belongings the next day following our rental?
You can add ‘Gift Opening’ hourly rate to your contract in order to do your clean up the following day. The facility will be closed at 2 a.m. and will reopen according to the time you rent. No cleaning will be done between these two times.
37. If I choose to have Strathcona County set up the hall for me, how do I tell them what I want?
We have a floor plan (not to scale) which you can draw your layout on and our staff will follow it to the best of our ability adjusting any areas that may be required such as keeping exits clear. The floor plan can be emailed or faxed to you or you can pick one up from the facility. If you see your set up for the first time and are not satisfied with it, feel free to adjust and move the tables as you wish.
38. If I have Strathcona County set up the hall for me, how many guests will they set up for?
Strathcona County staff will set up for the number of persons identified on your contract plus a maximum of 10%.
39. Where do I get a floor plan of the hall?
Floor plans are available from the staff at each of the facilities or from the Facility Booking Representative by calling 780-464-8485 or you can download a copy here.
Ardrossan hall floor plan
Moyer hall floor plan
40. What happens if I do not know how to have the hall set up as I have never done it before?
The staff at each facility can recommend how the hall might be set up for your function however, the final decision rests with you. If you feel that you might want to try different types of set ups before you decide, please feel free to bring family and friends to help you set up the hall during your decorating day before rental.
41. Can I bring my pet into the hall while we decorate?
The hall and attached kitchen is designated as food preparation and serving areas and Capital Health, Environmental Public Health Services restricts all pets from these areas following safe food handling procedures.
42. How do I pick up a key to get into the hall?
A key is't necessary. Facility staff is available for the duration of your rental to assist you with any facility related issues including electrical, plumbing or building maintenance.
43. How will I know where to find staff in the facility when our rental requires corkage supplies, bathroom supplies or if we have problems in the kitchen?
County staff will be moving through the facility during the course of your rental. Please check the office and if staff are not present they may be completing cleaning or other projects in other parts of the facility. There will be a note posted on the door that instructs you as to where they are.
44. Our wedding pictures will be taken outside. Can we come inside for photos in the event of rain?
The hall is yours from 8 a.m. and you can use it as needed.
Hall Amenities
45. What color is the hall?
Ardrossan - The lower 6 feet of the walls are corn silk yellow, doors and door frames are pyramid brown (dark sand). The upper portion of the walls is off white.
Moyer – The lower 6 feet of walls is dark oak. The upper portion of the walls is light sand brown.
46. What type/colour of chairs do you have?
Our chairs are chocolate brown plastic seats and backs with brown frames.
47. Do you have air conditioning?
Yes.
48. What type of flooring is in your hall?
We have hardwood floors that are waxed.
49. Do we need to bring dance wax for the hardwood floor?
NO please don't bring dance wax as it damages the wax on our floors.Your damage deposit will be kept to assist in the cost of refinishing our hardwood floors if any dance wax is used.
50. Do you have 220 volt power (range outlet) for our band/DJ?
Ardrossan – has two different locations for a 220 volt outlet – only one can be used at at time.
Moyer – has one outlet located on the stage.
Kitchen
51. What is included in full kitchen?
Full kitchen includes the use of all kitchen amenities including; all dishes, flatware, walk-in cooler, coffee urns, cooking utensils, warming oven, commercial dishwasher, gas stoves/ovens, grill top, commercial meat slicer and mixer, tea towels and aprons. The kitchen is NOT stocked with glassware; either wine glasses or water glasses.
52. How many place settings does the kitchen have?
The kitchen is stocked with 400 place settings including: dinner plates, side plates, coffee cups and saucers, knives, forks and spoons.The dinnerware is white commercial grade.The flatware is plain silver with no pattern.
53. What is included in light kitchen?
Light kitchen gives you the opportunity to prepare light meals/lunches using the counter tops for food preparation, coffee urns, walk-in cooler and ovens to warm food. It does not include any dishware, pots and pans or cooking on stove tops.
54. How does the kitchen have to be left after I rent it?
The kitchen must be returned to the condition it was found prior to your rental. All dishes must be washed and put away, all cooking equipment cleaned and put away (including dishwasher screens), stove tops and ovens cleaned and counters and cupboards wiped down.
55. Can I bring my own caterer?
You are welcome to bring your own caterer or we can provide you a list of caterers who have used our facilities in the past. Strathcona County does not make recommendations regarding your choice of caterers and we encourage you to obtain references from any caterer you choose.
56. What happens if the kitchen does not have something my caterer needs?
Strathcona County restocks our kitchens annually however, we recognize that we may not stock specific items that a caterer might want or need. If you choose a caterer who has not used our facilities in the past, we encourage them to view our kitchen prior to your rental.
57. What happens if I do not rent the kitchen?
If your contract does not include full or light kitchen, the kitchen will be closed.
58. Can my caterer come into the facility the day before our rental to start to prepare food?
If you have added ‘decorating’ the day before on your contract based on an hourly rate, your caterer can access the kitchen during this time as long as you have it rented on your event day. A minimum of three hours must be booked.
59. Do you have a freezer?
We do not have a freezer available for food storage during hall rentals.
Corkage/Bar
60. What is included in corkage?
Corkage includes the mix for your drinks including: coke, diet coke, sprite, gingerale and soda water on fountain; Clamato juice, tonic water (in cans) and orange drink crystals for orange juice. Also provided are 7 oz plastic flexi-glasses, juice pitchers to mix the orange juice and spices including: celery salt, Tabasco Sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, salt, pepper and ice.
We do not supply large beer glasses or lemons, limes, celery.
61. If I have paid for corkage, at the end of the night do I get to keep whatever juice, cups etc. that are left in the bar?
Corkage includes supplies used during your function only. Supplies such as flexi-cups, clamato and orange juice and spices that do not get used during your event should be left in the bar.
62. What happens if I want to bring in real orange juice instead of using orange drink crystals? Do I get a discount on my corkage costs?
You are welcome to supplement any corkage items that are provided. There is no discount in the price of the corkage.
63. Is ice included only if I purchase corkage?
Cubed ice is included in the basic hall rent and is available for all rentals in the hall. The ice machine is located behind the bar and has the capability to replace the capacity of the storage bin in two hours thereby making ice continually during a rental.
64. Can I bring in my own corkage?
You are welcome to bring in your own corkage. The use of the bar and ice is included in any hall rental as well as bar tools such as tongs, cork screws, shot glasses and can openers.
65. Does Strathcona County provide bartenders for our bar?
Renters must provide their own bartenders, ticket sellers and table clean up.
66. Where can I find bartenders?
Family friends and/or relatives might be your first choice to look for bartenders for your event. Some rentals have contacted family-related not-for-profit organizations and donated to the organization in exchange for volunteers to operate their bar. Please be aware of possible liability issues related to this option.
67. Can I bring my own homemade wine and/or beer?
Please contact the liquor outlet where you will purchase your liquor permit or the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission at www.aglc.ca/liquor for rules and regulations.
68. Do I require a Liquor Permit to have liquor at my function in the hall?
Yes, it is a Provincial regulation. Liquor Permits are available from most liquor outlets. You may be required to provide your rental contract when purchasing a permit which will outline the renter’s responsibility as the permit holder. See the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission at www.aglc.ca/liquor for more information.
69. Where do I get a Liquor Permit?
Liquor Permits are available from most liquor outlets. See the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission at www.aglc.ca/liquor for more information.
70. What is Host Liquor Liability?
Host liquor liability gives protection against liability or lawsuits for people or organizations hosting single or multi-day functions with liquor. The development of a host liquor liability policy was the direct result of changing legal attitudes towards the responsibility of those who serve liquor to the public. Liquor liability is not limited to bars. Claims and lawsuits have been brought against services clubs, liquor stores, universities and private social hosts (anniversaries, company parties, family reunions, wedding receptions etc.) These policies provide from one million to five million dollars protection to the license-board permit holder as well as the host of the private liquor-related function.
71. Where can I purchase Host Liquor Liability coverage?
We recommend that renters begin with their own insurance provider. We also encourage you to shop around as there are price differences between companies. There are a number of local companies that sell this coverage and the rates that have been quoted range from $150.00-$250.00 for up to 150 people.
72. How much coverage do I need to have as a renter?
Strathcona County requires that you carry a minimum of $2 million for your event.
73. When purchasing the coverage is there anything I need to make the company aware of before I buy it?
Yes. You need to tell the insurance company to name Strathcona County (as the owner of the facility) as “Additional Named Insured’s” on the Host Liquor Liability policy.
74. Does Strathcona County provide the Host Liquor Liability coverage?
No, this coverage is available though most insurance providers in your community.
75. Can I have alcohol during my rental without having Host Liquor Liability coverage?
Alcohol is permitted with an appropriate liquor permit and proof of Host Liquor Liability insurance coverage. This coverage should be faxed to the facility prior to your rental as per the Terms & Conditions agreement signed when you rent the facility.
76. I am not selling alcohol during my rental; we are just bringing it in from home. Do I still require Host Liquor Liability?
Alcohol is permitted with an appropriate liquor permit and proof of Host Liquor Liability insurance coverage. See the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission for more information.
77. I rented this facility in 2007 and Host Liquor Liability was not required, when did this policy come into effect?
Strathcona County implemented this policy on September 1, 2008 for all rentals as of this date forward.
Tables
78. What kinds of tables do you have? What size are they?
Each facility has 40 round plastic top tables that are 5 feet in diameter (seat 8) and 50 rectangular plastic top tables that are 8 feet long x 32 inches wide (variable seating arrangements). They are sand/beige in color.
79. Does Strathcona County supply table cloths and napkins?
Our inventory does not include table cloths or napkins. These items can be rented from a special event rental company located in your community. If you are having the items delivered and picked up from our facility, please ensure you set this up with our staff as our facilities do not have regular daytime staffing during the weekdays.
Overnight Parking
80. How much does it cost of overnight campers?
Overnight campers are permitted to stay in our facility parking lots during your function with the purchase of a permit. Permits are available from the facility staff and include a maximum three night stay. This includes the night prior to the rental, the night of the rental and the night following the rental. The fee fluctuates annually.
81. How do you know if someone has paid for overnight parking or not?
Paid overnight campers receive a yellow permit tag signed by facility staff to place in the window of their unit. This must be displayed at all times.
82. What happens if my guest does not pay for overnight parking?
Strathcona County Bylaw 30-92 restricts overnight camping in facility parking lots without written approval. Bylaw Enforcement Officers are authorized to issue a violation tag (and corresponding penalty) if the bylaw is contravened.
83. What services are supplied for overnight campers in the parking lots?
Strathcona County provides no services for overnight campers.
84. If we wanted to park overnight, where are we permitted to park?
Camping units can be placed on any area of the parking lot that you wish. We do ask that no vehicles (trailers, trucks, cars, vans etc) park on any grassed area around or adjacent to the facility.
85. Can we have access to showers for our overnight camping guests?
In each of the facilities, we have an ice arena with dressing rooms and showers. These showers can be used at a minimal cost if they are not being used by arena renters AND if it has been arranged with facility staff prior to use. Please contact facility staff prior to your rental to arrange this service.
86. What happens if our caterer breaks some dishes or takes equipment from the kitchen? How does this affect my damage deposit?
The kitchen is part of your rental contract and therefore the damage deposit will be used to cover all expenses. If the expenses can not be covered by the damage deposit Strathcona County will invoice you the remaining costs.
Community Services
87. Are there hotel or motel accommodations close to the facility?
The Ardrossan Recreation Complex is located in the hamlet of Ardrossan which does not have local accommodations. Sherwood Park, located just 10 minutes west, has a variety of recognized accommodation chains.
The Moyer Recreation Centre is located in the hamlet of Josephburg which does not have local accommodations. Fort Saskatchewan, located just 10 minutes southwest, has several recognized accommodation chains. Please check the local business directory.
88. What taxi’s service the facility?
The Ardrossan Recreation Complex is located in the hamlet of Ardrossan which does not have local taxi service. Please check the Sherwood Park business directory for services to and from the facility.
The Moyer Recreation Centre is located in the hamlet of Josephburg which does not have local taxi service. Please check the City of Fort Saskatchewan business directory for services to and from the facility.
89. Is there a playground within walking distance of the facility?
The Ardrossan Recreation Complex is located adjacent to an open grassed park area where a community playground is located just at the edge of the trees.
The Moyer Recreation Centre is located adjacent to a community park with trails and ball diamonds. Evergreen trees boarder the south and east sides of this park area.
Last updated: Thursday, April 19, 2012
Page ID: 8710