Users of Moose Jaw’s recreation amenities can expect to pay a bit more next year for those services, especially seniors and parents with toddlers.
The parks and recreation department recently conducted its annual review of rates and fees to use buildings and sports fields. It then submitted those recommendations to the parks and recreation advisory committee, which forwarded the suggestions to city council for final approval.
During its Nov. 12 regular meeting, city council unanimously approved the proposed changes to recreation fees for 2020, with those new fees to go into effect April 1.
Proposed rate changes
Some of the cost increases will include:
- Toddler turf time drop-in will increase to $7.75 from $6.25. A toddler turf time drop-in five-hole punch card will increase to $31 from $25, while a 10-hole punch card will increase to $62 from $50.
- The seniors’ walking program monthly membership will increase to $25 from $21.
- Ice rentals for rush ice will increase to $15 from $12.86, while early morning ice rentals will go up to $62.89 from $57.95.
- For access to one recreational building, a monthly adult membership will increase to $54.25 from $50.75; a three-month adult membership will go up to $135.50 from $126.88, and; an annual membership will increase to $434 from $406.
- An annual adult recreation pass for all recreational amenities will increase to $474 from $446, while the family rate will jump to $1,030 from $1,002.
Council discussion
The parks department has not budgeted for any increases in water utility costs for 2020, explained finance manager Brian Acker. An increase will come forward during budget discussions, but most departments have budgeted for the status quo.
A small increase of 1.1 per cent is expected for power costs — such as natural gas — due to the carbon tax, he added.
“I’m sure most people in Moose Jaw will appreciate (that) they don’t have to budget for a water and sewer rate increase this year,” said Coun. Brian Swanson.
YaraCentre is now under the umbrella of the parks department this year for the first time, Swanson pointed out. Parks and rec believes costs to operate the building will be $68,378 but expects to recover 90 per cent of those expenses through user fees.
Those YaraCentre revenues and expenses will make it difficult to perform a year-over-year comparison, he continued. However, the fees there are “extremely reasonable” compared to what someone pays at a private fitness centre. Not only do users have access to a gym, they also have access to swimming and skating.
Background
The parks and recreation department saw a significant jump in membership numbers in June after rates were decreased, said parks director Derek Blais. The decrease in aquatic membership costs and the implementation of an affordable recreation pass showed revenue could be increased with rates remaining status quo.
The proposed 2020 rates focus on affordability and maximizing revenues, he continued. The department wants to shift its focus to budgeting based on key performance indicators, such as memberships sold, daily admissions, program registrations and hours booked at arenas.
By using new software, Blais explained, the parks and rec department is better able to track statistics on a monthly basis. It can monitor areas that are not meeting targets and investigate.
The investigations could help officials build a marketing strategy focused on areas that are underperforming, he continued. For example, if there is a drop in youth attendance, a promotional strategy can be created to attract more youths and young families.
“If our hope is to make $100, we would rather have 20 people pay $5 than 10 people pay $10,” Blais added. “The more affordable we are, the more opportunities we can offer to our community.”
The next regular council meeting is Nov. 25.
