By Sebastian Kanally, Times Chronicle

The prices of skating, fitness, and other recreation in Oliver are going up, with rates for ice time increasing the most at six per cent. 

The increase in fees is the result of the “rising costs of utilities, supplies, equipment and labour,” explained Carol Sheridan, director of recreation for the town. 

The cost of recreation in Oliver, everything from renting the Oliver and District Community Hall, arena, and pool, to sports club fees, public skating, swimming and admission to the fitness centre are now set by the new Recreation Fees and Charges Bylaw. 

This is the first time a recreation fees and charges bylaw has been developed for recreation services in Oliver. This is the result of the town taking over recreation services after the formal dissolution of the Oliver Parks and Recreation Society on Jan. 1, 2024. 

These new fees and charges will come into effect Jan. 1, 2025, with the exception of the ice rental fees. Those fee increases will come into effect in Sept. 2025 to fall in line with the 2025/2026 ice season.

The Oliver and District Recreation Operating Budget will be based on these fees, which will see an average increase of two per cent for facility admissions, except for public skating and the fitness centre, which will now see closer to a five per cent increase. 

The Oliver and District Arena rental rates will increase by six per cent to match the rental rates at the Sun Bowl Arena in Osoyoos. 

Some of the new costs not including taxes will be as follows. For public skating, an adult will pay $4.34 and adult drop-in hockey will be set at $7.14. 

To rent the ice at the Oliver and District Arena, in season from September to March, it will cost $163.51 per hour. 

The baseball diamonds will cost $21.87 hourly, or $110.01 for the day. 

The fitness centre will see community members pay $46.29 for a one-month membership and $390.21 for an annual adult membership. 

Renting out the full Oliver and District Community Hall will cost $78.89 per hour or $631.55 daily.

Sheridan noted that the ice rental rates had been relatively stable for the last number of years. “We had kept our rates very similar for many years, because many of the user groups that utilize the Oliver and District Arena also use the ice at the Sun Bowl Arena in Osoyoos, and Osoyoos had not raised their rates in about five years.” 

“So, for us to be competitive, we kept our rates on par. So now Osoyoos has raised their rates and we have moved to do the same.”  

Along with staying on par with regional costs, Sheridan noted that “in addition to the identification of ways to maintain or reduce operational costs, it is also necessary for the associated administration fees and facility rental charges to be reviewed annually and increased as necessary to ensure balanced cost recovery.” 

Sheridan explained in her presentation to Town Council that “by comparison, the recreation facility admissions and rental charges for Oliver and District remain on par too low on the spectrum within the region.”

These fees will be reviewed again in 2026, but they are looking towards a future where the bylaw will be revisited every two or three years and not every year.

More information on recreation in Oliver including links to various programs can be found on the Oliver recreation website.