Council here has agreed to a lower rate for auditorium rentals during games at the PMD arena for the local Senior AA hockey team.
Minto-Mapleton 81’s president Uwe Claussen attended the Feb. 12 meeting to ask council to reconsider a local parks and recreation committee decision not to grant the team relief from paying the going rate for the auditorium, which the team uses as a “Blueline Club” for liquor sales during intermission.
Claussen requested the club be allowed to continue renting the hall at the same rate as they have for the past two seasons, rather than paying the current rate ($510 including HST).
He pointed out the club generally only makes about $400 from liquor sales at a game, “so there’s no point in having a Blueline Club,” if compelled to pay the full rate.
He explained that when the club plays homes games in Palmerston, the Blueline Club is profitable even though the team receives only 40 per cent of liquor sale proceeds (as compared to 100% in Mapleton) because the Town of Minto charges them only about $200 for the use of the hall.
“If we have to play in Palmerston, it kind of defeats the purpose of having an amalgamated team,” he pointed out.
“Arenas are subsidized by tax dollars. Why are the user fees suddenly so high?”
Public works director Larry Lynch said recreation department staff “have been very supportive” of keeping senior hockey in the community.
“Any small town that has a Senior A hockey team is a better town in my opinion,” Lynch observed. However, he said staff have no authority to “cut any deals” with individual facility renters.
“The direction we have as staff is not to cut the rates.”
He noted ice rental rates at the PMD arena are “absolutely the lowest” – in some cases by up to $60 an hour – among Wellington County communities hosting senior hockey teams.
“Didn’t parks and rec suggest we give one free rental?” asked councillor Neil Driscoll, noting that local minor hockey and figure skating groups are allowed one free use of the hall adjoining the arena per season.
Lynch pointed out the town is working toward making the PMD community centre a fully-licensed facility, which would allow liquor sales in the lobby or other areas, possibly eliminating the need to rent the entire auditorium.
He noted the 81’s Blueline Club could be operated in about one-quarter of the space available in the auditorium. However, he noted, that won’t be arranged in time for this season and the team’s upcoming playoff round.
Claussen pointed out the team has unpaid invoices for the current season as it awaits a final decision on the hall rental price.
Council agreed to charge the team their 2011-12 rate of $220 for hall rental, plus five per cent for a total rate of $231 (plus HST) for the 2012-13 season.
The regular 2013 hall rental rate is $451 plus HST.
