Guelph-Eramosa officials say revenue from the Royal Distributing Athletic Performance Centre has been strong and it likely won’t be affected by the new $9-million Sports facility at the University of Guelph.
“I don’t think we’ll lose rentals to them,” said Robin Milne, Guelph-Eramosa’s parks and recreation manager.
The university announced last week the opening of the “Gryphon Field House” which, like the Marden facility, includes an indoor track and an infield made of artificial turf for Sports such as soccer, rugby, football, lacrosse and more.
“U of G now has one of the best outdoor and indoor athletics facilities in Canada,” athletics director Tom Kendall said in a press release.
“In addition to benefiting all of our sport teams, the field house helps the community, because we can use the facility for university and public events year-round and regardless of weather.”
However, Milne said a lot of time slots at the Guelph field house will be taken by intramural and varsity Sports, whereas the Marden facility will offer more rental opportunities for individuals and groups in the community.
Guelph-Eramosa will lose revenue in the form of rentals from the university’s football and track and field teams, but Milne considered those “a bonus” because at the time the Marden facility was being proposed, those teams were still using the old Gryphon Dome.
The dome was later torn down due to structural issues, forcing university teams to find alternative practice facilities. They will now return to the new facility and that “extra” revenue will be lost.
But overall, rentals remain strong at the Royal Distributing Athletic Performance Centre, Milne said, with the majority of prime time space (evenings and weekends) booked from September to April.
“It’s definitely overachieving what we thought,” Milne said.
A recent report to Guelph-Eramosa council from finance manager Linda Cheyne stated revenue from the Marden facility in the first quarter of 2012 was up 28% over the first three months of last year – from $123,800 to $158,584.
Operating costs for the same period (for the field house as well as the rest of Marden park) were up $1,260 from $59,022 to $60,282
“We are pleased to advise council that interest in the Royal Distributing Athletic Performance Centre continues to grow,” Cheyne said in her report, noting the revenue figures include rentals of the turf field, track and office.
Milne acknowledged rentals are slower at this time of year, although with the hot, dry weather so far this summer, he said that could change, as the condition of outdoor fields without irrigation is not great.
“But at the end of the day, people want to be outside in the summer,” said Milne.
For that reason, original projections assumed zero revenue for the summer, he added, though actual figures have been good for the season.
“Overall, I think we’re seeing a lot of the residents we thought would be hard to target,” Milne said, noting the facility regularly hosts local walkers and there is even a group that holds pot luck dinners at the building.
“It’s turned out to be quite a success … the community on that side of the municipality has been impressed too, I think,” he said. For more information about the Marden facility, visit www.get.on.ca.
