An increase in recreation user fees could see registration numbers drop in local sports.
Ottawa's “lust for more money” is jeopardizing local youngsters participation in sports, say critics of a budget proposal that would significantly raise recreation user fees.
“The city hasn’t done its homework in talking to the minor hockey associations to see how it will affect them,” says Richard Sennott, executive director of the Ottawa District Hockey Association.
“Hockey is a pretty strong component in communities . . . you’re going to get kids that will be driven out of the game.”
The draft budget increases would affect arenas, swimming pools, community centres and sports fields, generating more than $10 million in additional revenue for the city by 2010.
According to the budget’s section on recreation and facility rental services, the hourly operating and maintenance costs of arenas is $281.
Current hourly rental rates are $122 for minors, slated to rise to $185 per hour.
Parents are worried about the 51-per-cent increase, says Scott Saunders, a volunteer coach for the Ottawa Girls Hockey Association, who has two daughters that play in the league.
“The kids get so much out of it, so we don’t mind an increase. We’re just anxious to see how much it’s going to be in the end,” he says.
If the proposal is approved, house league teams may have to consider cutting back a tournament next season to save money, Saunders says.
Similar cutbacks might be necessary for all minor teams in the city because ice time is the largest cost to teams, says Craig Shouldice, district chair of the Nepean Minor Hockey Association.
An increase might result in fewer tournaments for players, and clinics for officials.
Swim clubs could also be in trouble. The proposed budget would see hourly pool rentals increase from $42 to $103.
Peter Champagne is president of the Greater Ottawa Kingfish Swim Club, one of the larger teams in the city that rents four public pools.
He says that because swimming is one of the most expensive competitive sports, costing over $2000 to register, an increase will affect families, especially if they have multiple kids swimming.
Currently, the Kingfish spend anywhere from $30,000 to $40,000 per year on public pool rentals, their second largest cost next to professional coaching salaries.
But not everyone completely opposes the proposed fee increases.
Rachel Hancock has two children that play hockey at the McNabb Arena.
She says that if the fees go up, she will simply have to pay.
“There aren’t a lot of other alternatives. I understand the city is tight for money, we’ve known that for years,” she says. “Running the rinks is pretty expensive and we don’t want to lose them, so we’ll pay.”
The city says the fee increase is meant to shift facility costs away from taxpayers and to service users.
“These user groups, like other sports organizations, should bear more of the cost of the [sports] fields, and fees should increase to be more reflective of cost recovery,” the budget states.
The budget indicates the city will continue to subsidize minor sports above adult programs in order to encourage “healthy lifestyles.”
But Champagne says the proposed increases would do just the opposite.
“We’re trying to get kids off computers, and off video games,” says Champagne.
“They’re making it more expensive and more difficult for families, who are already tight, to do this.”
Ottawa is not alone in the debate about recreation funding and taxpayer support, says Aaron Burry, director of parks and recreation.
“We’re not the only municipality that is dealing with these questions, as other pressures come on [cities] to fund and provide more services,” he says.
“A lot of this speaks to the types of options that council has to consider, because of the financial situation of the city,” Burry says.
Increasing user fees is one of the options the city will need to examine to balance the books, Burry says.