Users of some of Airdrie’s most popular recreational and cultural facilities won’t be faced with increased fees in 2017. City council voted four to three July 4 to approve no changes to user fees at Genesis Place Recreation Centre and City arenas. Council also approved holding the line on Bert Church Live Theatre (BCLT) rental fees.
Administration originally recommended minor changes to rental fees at BCLT. A two per cent increase in rental fees at the theatre would bring it in line with rents charged at similar facilities.
“I don’t want to give any (increases) to Bert Church,” Councillor Allan Hunter said. “It’s tough to fill that venue at any time. The current economic climate is the same for Bert Church as it is for the arenas and anyone else.”
Mayor Peter Brown agreed, and said although City facilities are expected to break even, the theatre “does not pay for itself currently.”
“We want to increase usage there,” he said. “I don’t believe right now we are maximizing that building and if we actually got more people renting it, it would cost them less money but it would make us money.”
Deputy Mayor Kelly Hegg voted against the motion, saying he believed not requiring a City facility to pay for itself would be a change in council’s philosophy.
“If we start to go with zero per cent increases across the board, then I would think that (cost to run the facility) would be passed onto the public and our citizens,” he said.
Councillors Fred Burley and Candice Kolson also voted against the motion with Councillors Ron Chapman, Darrell Belyk, Hunter and Brown, voting in favour.
Council was also asked to approve staff’s recommendation for fees to be charged at the Airdrie Town and Country Centre (T & C) in 2017. The City took over management of the facility in January from the Airdrie Columbus Society.
In the six months since the City has taken over management, 89 per cent of rentals have been for commercial use with only 11 per cent being for non-profit usage.
Staff looked at fees charged at similar facilities in other municipalities within Calgary and Rocky View County, and also surveyed a number of the regular users of the T & C to come up with the proposed fee structure, according to City of Airdrie Manager, Recreation Culture and Social Sustainability Patti Murray.
Murray said the kitchen can be rented out on a half-day or full-day basis, while the large and small halls can be rented out hourly or by the full-day.
The proposed fee to rent the kitchen for a full day is $210 for a commercial renter and $189 for a non-profit. Renting the large hall for a full day would go up from $975 to $1,150 for a commercial renter and $1,035 for a non-profit.
A 25 per cent deposit will be charged to one-time users of the T & C, however, Murray said this would be refunded if the renter cancelled more than 30 days prior to the event.
She said the facility is fully booked for most weekends, usually by commercial enterprises.
Brown asked Kolson – who is the organizer of the Airdrie Farmers’ Market – if she felt the proposed fees were reasonable, based on her experience.
“It looks fair. It looks on par with other rental rates across the city and in other cities,” Kolson said.
Council unanimously approved the rental fees proposed by staff.
