Information collected from users of two Salmon Arm recreation facilities may inform future decisions related to fees.
People paying to use amenities at the SASCU Recreation Centre and Rogers Rink (Shaw Centre) are also being asked to provide their postal code. Salmon Arm Recreation general manager Darin Gerow said the information is being collected on behalf of the city to "inform council where all of our users are coming from…"
Gerow noted users of these facilities are currently charged the same rates (based on age/use) regardless of where they are from. This is opposed to differential or tiered pricing, a practice adopted by the City of Vernon (and being considered by the City of Kelowna) where non-residents pay more for the use of its recreation facility's amenities.
According to the City of Vernon, its Vernon Resident Program, which began in January, involves a "two-tiered user fee and program access structure, benefiting Vernon residents, and residents whose local government participate in a ‘fee for service’ agreement with the City of Vernon."
Non-Vernon residents, as well as residents of municipalities and electoral areas that don’t participate in a fee-for-service agreement, can pay an additional fee to gain equal access to recreation services.
Salmon Arm Mayor Alan Harrison said Salmon Arm taxpayers currently support the recreation centre and Rogers Rink, with Electoral Area C of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District contributing $60,600 annually towards operation of the latter.
"A number of neighbouring communities have moved to differential pricing (Vernon), where users of their recreation facilities who do not contribute tax dollars to the operation of the facility pay a higher user fee," said Harrison by email to the Observer.
"Council has not made any decisions at this time to change our fee structure; however, we are watching our neighbouring communities to see the effects of differential pricing."
Harrison said the data collected will be useful in future planning, and that the city will be engaging surrounding regional areas as it plans for new facilities.
"With the ever increasing capital and operating costs, there is a need to have all regions whose residents enjoy recreation facilities help pay for them," said Harrison.
