Town of Osoyoos council is set to approve a bylaw that would allow for recreation service fees to encourage more people to use community facilities like the Sonora Community Centre and Sun Bowl Arena and save a few bucks in the process.

“The Recreation Services Fees and Charges bylaw should be changed to reflect our current name of Community Services,” said Gerald Davis, the town’s director of community services.  Staff recommended numerous changes to the service fees being charged to use town facilities and they include:

• Administrative fee for subsidy policy ($100 for a family and $50 per person).

• Damage deposit for equipment/facility needs ranging from $200 to $500.

• No charge for after-hours access to facilities.

• Adding the grandstands at Desert Park with the rental of the infield.

The new subsidy policy that was approved by council referred to an administrative fee, but no fee was identified. Staff is recommending a $100 family fee and $50 individual fee would be appropriate to give the service more value, he said.

“The actual savings is significant if a family or individual was approved by the subsidy,” he said. “A family of four (two adults and two children) could utilize 50 drop-ins each for activities including the Sonora Centre weight room, 20 parent and tot drop-ins and a 75 per cent reduction in select programs.”

Activity drop-ins for adults are $4 each, parent and tots are $3 and a 75 per cent reduction for the Cactus Kids camp for the summer equates to significant savings. The same family could pay the $100 administrative fee and an additional $110.50 to receive a value of $962, said Davis.

On occasion, the town receives requests to supply tables and chairs, audio equipment and projectors for large events. The fee is paid according to the current bylaw, but the town doesn’t charge any type of damage deposit for these specific items, said Davis.

“If the equipment is returned damaged, we do not have anything to compensate for the damages,” he said. “If we have a damage deposit that is flexible, we can charge different amounts for the type or amount of equipment that is needed.”

The after hours pass has been changed so that any annual pass holder at the Sonora Centre can receive early morning access to the weight room, but they have to register with the town for this service, he said. The weight room opens at 6 a.m. and early morning access is only offered Monday to Friday.

Late night access has been dropped after multiple offenders using the weight room without passes caused damage to the equipment and facility, said Davis.

“The users also caused issues with the security as they did not have a code to arm or disarm the alarm system,” he said. “Staff was called out repeatedly and thus we had to stop the service. We currently have approximately 100 early access users, but we’re expecting this to drop when the two new gyms in town open.”

If someone wants to rent the grandstands at Desert Park for an event, there is currently no fee, but if they rented the entire facility and grounds, there is a cost, but it might be more than what is needed, said Davis.

“In the future, there may be groups who want to rent the grandstands and use the infield,” he said.

“The best case scenario would be to add the grandstands to the current infield charge as they would be used together if events are planned. If council prefers to have a separate charge specifically for the grandstands, staff could add a separate charge.”

KEITH LACEY

Osoyoos Times