Some changes are being proposed to the arenas and canteen services across Chatham-Kent.
After a service review was conducted, staff has made a list of recommendations, including:
– Reducing the three-person staff at William K. Erickson Arena and Chatham Memorial Arena to two
– Modify the weekday non-prime time hours of operation at arenas to better reflect the current demand for ice rentals and ice programming
– Explore outsourcing canteen services
– Restructuring of canteen supervisor positions
– Current arena rental rates be kept and increased annually by CPI only, for five years
– Implement a ‘holiday discounted last minute” rental rate of $100/hr.
– Approve a base budget adjustment of $106,319 to reflect the declining revenue for ice programming and rentals, resulting in a net savings of $50,998
A staff report says over the past several years, Chatham-Kent arenas have been facing several challenges, and are expected to continue to do so.
Some of the problems include: lower hockey registration resulting in the merging of minor hockey associations, new arenas in the Town of Lakeshore and the Town of Essex, and the ice allocation policy mixed with the declining demand, possibly creating gaps of unused ice time.
“All of these challenges will have an effect on cost recovery through user fees to meet council’s approved revenue targets,” the staff report states. “An increase in rates could affect affordability to remaining ice users, which could result in further reduction of ice hours rented.”
Council is set to vote on the recommendations at tonight’s (Jan. 12) regular meeting.
