The Town of Battleford council approved a slight overall rate increase to recreation facility user fees at its meeting Monday. (Angela Brown/battlefords NOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

In the chambers

Rate increases coming to recreation facility fees

Apr 2, 2019 | 11:52 AM

The Town of Battleford council approved an overall slight increase to recreation facilities user fees at its meeting Monday.

Parks and Recreation Director Jordan Schechtel presented the Parks and Recreation Committee rate review of all the town’s recreation facilities. He stated in his report the town reviews the rates every two years to make sure they are comparable to other municipalities and also reflect current operating costs.

The proposed rate changes reflect an increase of 5.24 per cent on average overall. Some rates may be higher or lower than that amount, while other rates won’t see any increase.

Mayor Ames Leslie said following council the fee increase is not significant.

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“If people want to understand more of what the rate increases entail feel free to phone town hall or the parks and recreation department,” he said.

Schechtel stated the average staffing and utilities costs represent 70 per cent of the operating costs for the facilities. The committee factored in increases in utilities and staffing costs impacting the total operating costs since 2017, the last time rates were adjusted. It also compared its rates to the City of North Battleford’s rates.

Schechtel pointed out the recreation department didn’t include a rate increase in the 2019 budget, so any additional funds from the increase starting now will be used to help reduce operating deficits.

Some of the increases include minor ball evening practice at the Battleford Flats to $15 as of April 2019, $1 more than in 2017.

The adults’ soccer game rate increased to $35, up $5 from $30 in 2017.

Full-service campground usage increased to $800 per month, up $50 from $750 per month two years ago. Daily and weekly rates remained the same.

“They (the committee) definitely looked at some different rates from around the area in trying to conform to what some of the costs are,” Leslie said. “From a council perspective, we do look at the balance from what the taxpayers’ pay to operate these facilities, versus user-fees.”

The mayor said the aim of the increase is to ensure taxpayers aren’t supplementing too high a percentage of these facilities so the people actually using the facilities “are paying their due share.”

“This will just be one more step to make sure that balance is sound,” he said.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW