At the August 25th session of the committee of the whole for Carleton Place council, Recreation and Culture Manager Joanne Henderson presented a recommendation to raise ice rental rates and pool user fees by 3% beginning in September. She reminded council and staff at the virtual meeting of the negative financial impacts the pandemic lock-down and provincial restarting phases have had on municipal revenues. With regular arena users getting ready for a new but very different hockey season, getting a new rate approved to bring in additional revenue was key to reducing 2020 loses.
Several councilors spoke against any type of increase, citing young players facing reduced ice time, no regular games, and no play-offs. Councilor Toby Randall noted that most minor league organizations had cut their fees this fall in recognition of their programs being restricted by the pandemic. Councilor Theresa Fritz commented that many hockey families were facing tight finances now due to personal income loss over the year and that it would be a great gesture not to add to these burdens.
In the end the committee voted to keep rates as they currently are and to revisit this issue at the 2021 budget deliberations.
Article by Brian Turner
