Recreational Facility Rate Increases Focus On Usership

Is it better to charge a little and have a lot of people use a facitlity or is it better to charge a lot and have less people use a facility was the topic of a short discussion at Council on Tuesday evening.

The discussion surrounded the proposed 2020 recreational facility fees - which had been tabled and not redebated from the October 28th regular meeting of Council. The proposed fee increases had been tabled after Councillor Brian Swanson requested Administration return with side by side comparisson charts of the present and the proposed 2020 rates.

Speaking regarding the 2020 recreational user fees Parks and Recreation Director Derek Blais said the departtment was leaning towards a philosophy to allow the maximum number of users to utilize the facilities.

“Revenues can be increased with the rates at the status quo,” Blais told Council adding “annual percentage revenues can occur when you price yourself out of the market.”

A rate comparisson is provided below.

Blais said the emphasis was focusing upon increasing the number of users while keeping rates affordable.

When looking at the overall bottom line he said if the department had a revenue target of $100 the same result could be achieved if you “have 20 people pay five dollars then have ten people pay ten dollars.”

Depedending on the activity the increases are as follows:

Speaking on the motion Councillor Swanson thanked Administration for bringing back a better laid out comparisson.

The rates were “extremely reaonable then what you would have to pay at a private facility,” he said.

Tne rate increases were approved unanimously.