City council voted to discontinue the 48-hour program pre-registration period for all Genesis Place annual pass holders, June 6.
Resident Todd Brand wrote a letter to council concerning the practice that allowed pass holders to register for programs 48 hours before the rest of residents.
“This policy is unfair,” said Brand.
“Annual passes are very expensive. It costs $870.50 for an annual family pass. This is certainly not within reach for many of Airdrie’s families.”
The letter states: “As Genesis Place is a community-owned facility that exists to serve the needs of ALL people in Airdrie, a policy that rewards higher income families with better access to programs is simply wrong.”
“People who cannot afford a pass will miss out on possibilities they should have access to,” Brand said.
Mayor Peter Brown said he agrees with Brand.
“Not everyone can afford these passes,” he said. “All taxpayers contribute to the building.”
Greg Lockert, manager of Genesis Place, said the pre-registration was implemented as a marketing strategy.
“People who have been a pass holder for six, seven, eight years were asking ‘what’s the benefit for us?’ This allows us to give them a built-in benefit at no financial cost,” he said.
According to Lockert, for the 2011 spring/summer program, Genesis Place offered 7,000 spots throughout aquatic, fitness and leisure programs. After the 48-hour advanced time was provided to annual pass holders, 361 spots were filled leaving 6,639 spots available to non-pass holders. No class was more than 50 per cent full after this time period.
Brand said those numbers are a bit deceiving.
“On opening registration night, I stay up past midnight and hope I can get my registrations done fast enough before the time slots fill up,” he said.
“It is by no means acceptable when higher income earners have easier access to the programs and times they desire.”
Alderman Kelly Hegg said he understands the marketing strategy but something about the practice “doesn’t sit right” with him.
“When registry opens, it should be open to everybody,” he said. “I find myself agreeing with Mr. Brand.”
The 48-hour pre-registration period will be discontinued in June 2012.
“I support this choice because it gives people a year and lets them know this will be removed,” said Brown.
