The cost of using the community's parks and recreation facilities is going up ñ but only marginally.
Terry Welsh, the town's director of community and protective services, presented town council with the annual review of the department's Rates and Fees Schedule on Jan. 13. Town council approved the review.
His report emphasized the cost of using the town's recreational facilities must remain competitive and appropriate cost recovery achieved while avoiding excessive fee increases for individuals and user groups.
ìYou want to achieve a certain level of cost recovery as much as we can. Ideally we want to be as close as we can to what is considered the provincial average for these types of facilities,î said Welsh. ìHaving said that, we are very much concerned about affordability and accessibility in our facilities both from the standpoint of the individual user but also with our local sports groups.î
The 2014 Rates and Fees Schedule covers the cost of groups and individuals using the town's arena, aquatic centre, sports fields, meeting and specialty rooms and community programs.
Welsh's report to council recommended incremental increases and adjustments in rates and fees for use of the arena, aquatic centre and sports fields but no hikes in 2014 for community programs and use of meeting and specialty rooms. A commercial rate has been added for use of the arena, and meeting and specialty rooms.
Welsh told council this year's rates are modelled on adult rates forming a baseline of 100 per cent and that seniors will see their rates reduced from 90 per cent to 80 per cent of the baseline. Youth rates will remain at 60 per cent of the baseline.
ìAs much as possible we try to keep the increases to around two per cent,î said Welsh. ìThere are a couple of categories that went up higher and that was simply due to our base rate formula. Some are less than two per cent, and some are higher.î
It was noted during the Jan. 13 council meeting that community recreational facilities, such as the town's aquatic centre, do not come close to achieving full cost recovery.
Welsh said he would be ìthrilledî if the town's aquatic centre could make up to 50 per cent towards cost recovery but conceded it is now ìslightly lessî than 40 per cent. However, he added there are still valuable benefits to the community.
ìThese facilities are an investment. It is an investment in our youth. It is also an investment in the health of our community. While these facilities are costly to run there are definite benefits for the entire community by having them in place.î
With council's approval of the 2014 schedule on Jan. 13, the new rates and fees are now in effect except ice rental fees, which will be implemented as of Aug. 15. Council was told the delay is necessary because user groups typically run from September through March and they have already set their rates for the 2013/2014 season.
