Rental hikes in city-owned arenas, such as the one at Brewer Park, will likely mean higher registration fees for ice-sport participants.
The sharpened blades of ice sports participants could slice an extra chunk out of wallets this fall.
Participants could face higher registration costs due to rental fee hikes at city-owned arenas, according to members of Ottawa’s ice sports community.
“Any increase in fees means registration fees will have to go up,” said Alan Zurakowski, president of the Ottawa Centre Minor Hockey Association.
The minor rental rate increased to $122.64 per hour as of Jan. 1. It marks a five-per-cent increase from $116.75 per hour in 2007. The adult rate is set to increase to $210 per hour effective Sept. 1. That's a 26.7-per-cent increase from $165.75 per hour in 2007.
Both new rates relate to prime- time ice hours, which are weekdays between 4 p.m. and 11 p.m., and weekends between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m.
“Whether it is fair or not, I am not sure,” said Zurakowski. “A modest increase related to the cost of living is not unreasonable and it’s expected.”
City council approved a 2008 budget proposal to increase the adult rental rates but decided not to increase the minor rates to the same extent.
“For the adults it is more of a recreational item,” said Coun. Shad Qadri, vice-chair of the community and protective services committee.
Qadri, councillor for Stittsville-Kanata West, voted to increase the adult fees.
He said adults have other opportunities for recreation like the outdoor rink.
“For the youth in terms of an organized team and stuff, they are not capable of doing that.”
Still, the adult community is not immune to the impact.
“It is a little bit of a shock to the system from going up the amount that they did,” said Carman Cox, president of the Ottawa Senior Men’s Hockey League.
“I guess from a user perspective you never like to see your rates go up. But I can’t say it was something that we didn’t anticipate.”
Cox said he has received some complaints over the fee hike.
“I think the vast majority of the users actually understand that there is a requirement for it,” he said.
It costs the city to provide public rink service, said Qadri. Those costs increase on a regular basis, leading the city to look at increasing user fees, he said. Despite the increases, he said he does not think participation will suffer.
“I don’t think the participation will drop,” said Qadri. “I think the increases – they are not exuberant. And we looked at that as council to make sure that we were not putting something that would make the sport out of the reach of many of the people.”
But some members of the ice sports community said the increases could be putting sport aspirations on ice, instead of participants themselves.
When the city increases ice fees the registration fees have to follow and that may make the cost prohibitive for some families, said Zurakowski.
Jean Lavallée, president of the Gloucester Concordes Speed Skating Club, said ice costs are a large part of the membership fee.
“For us it is going to be a significant impact and so I wouldn’t be that surprised we will see a reduction in our membership.”
Scott Thompson, president of the City of Ottawa Ringette Association, said the hikes could increase fees and limit some users, such as university students. But he said the minor rate increase is reasonable and hopes it will not drive kids off the ice.
“It’s a fantastic thing,” he said. “There is nothing but positives about kids getting out and playing sports.”