Recommendations in a follow-up report by township staff on a recreation facility service review have been referred to the municipality’s parks and recreation committee.
Mapleton council made the referral at the suggestion of councillor and committee chair Michael Martin on Nov. 14.
Among the recommendations in the report are:
– discontinue use of heaters in the spectator area of the PMD arena;
– undertake a cost/benefit analysis of energy savings opportunities for any future capital improvements related to the facilities;
– increase the notice required for ice rental cancellation from seven to 14 days and implement a stricter policy under which the ice renter would not be eligible for a refund unless the road adjacent to the facility is closed by the OPP;
– increase prime-time non-minor Sports rate to $114 per hour for the 2018-19 season and to $125 in 2019-20 and index the rates to inflation after that;
– increase the minor Sports ice-time rate to $100 per hour in 2018-19, $107 in 2019-20 and index rates to inflation after that.
The report recommends discontinuing early installation of ice at the PMD arena, noting that a four-year review of energy consumption at the facility indicates, “One very noticeable trend is the spike in August energy consumption beginning with the summer ice and camp program in 2015.”
The report points out that while August revenue for ice usage ranged from $2,100 to $2,300 between 2015 and 2017, the cost of energy usage at the facility ranged from $6,834 in 2015 to $9,175 in 2017.
“As can be noted, energy costs alone well exceed the revenues. Council should consider discontinuation of the early ice program,” the report states.
The report also suggests changes to the township’s hall rental rate structure and liquor pricing policies.
“We have a good parks and rec committee here and … I think this would be a great report to provide our advisory committee,” said Martin.
“We’ve got some really good people on this committee and I think they could sink their teeth into this.”
Martin suggested council’s review of the report be deferred and the report referred to the committee for comment.
