(Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Angela Brown

Recreation users

Town recreation facility rates to see small overall increase

Apr 22, 2021 | 1:08 PM

Those using the Town of Battleford recreation facilities will notice some rate increases ahead.

Council approved just over a five per cent average increase on user rates in total overall for facilities at this week’s council meeting.

Parks and recreation manager Jordan Schechtel said the recreation committee and the recreation department review the facility rates every two years to make sure they are still competitive with neighbouring municipalities, but also keep up with operating costs and expenses.

“After doing that, we’re recommending a rate increase,” he said. “It’s not uniform or across the board, but in total it’s a 5.35 per cent increase, across all the different rates.”

He presented the proposed increases and a comparison with North Battleford facility rates at this week’s town council meeting.

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Looking at some of the increases proposed by the Battleford Parks and Recreation Department for 2021 recreation facility rates, the Battleford arena will see hourly increases of $5 for ice rentals for adults and youth, and a $15 increase per game for AAA Midget Games.

The Alex Dillabough Centre hall rentals for events such as weddings and banquets will increase by $15. Ball diamonds and camping permits will see nominal increases.

Coun. David George supported the need to adjust rates a little.

“We have to increase rates at some point in time,” he said. “We are still behind the Civic Centre and the rinks in North Battleford.”

The rate increases will also help with continued expenses to operate the town’s rec. facilities.

Mayor Ames Leslie said the rate adjustments will help align both with covering the increase of costs and as well as working towards ensuring a higher percentage of the rate users are paying for the facilities.

“They [the parks and rec. committee board] do have a mandate to review the rates every couple of years, just to make sure that they are covering the costs,” he said. “Council’s mandate is to make sure that at least 50 per cent or more of the cost of running the facility is paid for by the rate users – so the people who pay to use it, not the taxpayers.”

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW