Rink Rates Rising

Monday, July 13, 2009 07:43 PM

Prince George, B.C.- The cost of renting ice time at the arenas in Prince George, is about to go up.

Prince George City Council has given the first three readings to a bylaw that would boost the price by 3.75% in most cases, and by 12.5% in another.

In making his presentation to Prince George City Council, CN Centre and Arenas manager, Andy Beesley advised that the arenas currently operate at an approximate 50% cost recovery basis, and the CN Centre operates at about 74% cost recovery. With limited ability to increase revenue by increasing bookings, (the past ice season saw arenas booked at 94% of capacity overall), the only other way to keep the revenue-expenses in balance is to boost user fees.

Beesley says the main user groups were invited to offer comment on the proposed changes.Most understood the need for an increase, but expressed concerns about the possibility the price may become too high, leading to a drop in overall registrations. The user groups also expressed frustration with increased fees, and a lack of facility improvements, notably the Kin 1 dressing rooms.

The $3 millon dollar partnership between the province, City and Federal Government aimed at upgrading washrooms and dressing rooms at the Kin Centres fell through. Beesley says while those repairs are on the radar, there are some other issues that have become more pressing, such as a leaking roof of the Kin 1 centre and upgrades to the washrooms, the players benches and refridgeration at the Coliseum.

Here are the fee increases for non exclusive hourly rates:

Even with a rate increase, the Prince George rates remain the lowest among peer group communities.

The higher rates are expected to add $30 thousand dollars to arena revenue this year.

Rates at the Coliseum are being reduced somewhat to be in line with other facilities in the City.

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Posted on Monday, July 13, 2009 07:43 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: MrPG on July 14 2009 8:18 AM

"The user groups also expressed frustration with increased fees, and a lack of facility improvements, notably the Kin 1 dressing rooms."

Exactly. And that's just the worst case. The City has put very little back into the facility although it seems to have no problems raising fees year after year.

Posted by: Buzz on July 14 2009 8:48 AM

Actually the City (tax payers) puts in over $4 Million a year into the rinks.

Posted by: Buzz on July 14 2009 8:50 AM

To clarify, over 1/2 of the $4 million comes from user fees.

Posted by: MrPG on July 14 2009 8:52 AM

It's anyone's guess as to how that money is spent. Not much is going into the facility itself.

Posted by: lunarguy on July 14 2009 10:44 AM

Well like everyone keeps saying about the PAC, make it pay for itself. Keep raising the rates until the needs of the arena are met and stop taking in tax dollars. Make it truly cost recovery, isn't that what everyone wants.

Posted by: realitycheck on July 14 2009 4:42 PM

Even with those rate increases the ice rates are still HIGHLY subsidized.
Having some experience running rinks I can tell you exactly where the money goes- 70% is wages and benefits, 25% is utilities and 5% is stuff like cleaning supplies, toilet paper, fixing vandalism (which happens to a sickening degree), and urgent repairs.
Typically there is no money allocated for capital upgrades unless it works its way through the entire City's capital expenditure program and i can tell you that once Rec facilities are built they get almost no recognition in this process until they break down.
PG is not alone in this regard. Have a look at the BCRPA website at www.bcrpa.bc.ca and look at the recently released report on the state of our recreation facilities in our province. It's an eye opener.

Posted by: NMG on July 14 2009 9:57 PM

"Well like everyone keeps saying about the PAC, make it pay for itself. Keep raising the rates until the needs of the arena are met and stop taking in tax dollars. Make it truly cost recovery, isn't that what everyone wants"

Many people only want that when it's the project they don't support. When the shoe is on the other foot they figure a subsidy is an entitlement.