Kamloops recreational facilities cost increase takes effect

“All the passes, drop-ins, and rentals have gone up five percent starting January 1st, 2017 ” said Wendy Snelling, Business Operation Supervisor for the City of Kamloops.

Last fall, Kamloops city council voted in favour of a five-percent increase on all city-owned recreational facilities beginning January 1st.

This means a monthly pass to the Tournament Capital Centre has now climbed from $55 to $58.

“We did research with Prince George and Nanaimo and we’re very much in line with that,” said Snelling.

She adds running a multi-use facility is costly and that the fee increase will help business.

“I think it was time, said Snelling. “The increased fees will help with increasing utility costs and more importantly, to make sure we’re in line with other businesses in town and not undercutting.”

Arenas, baseball diamonds, and soccer fields will also now cost five-percent more to use.

The increase is likely to be passed on through registration fees.

Both of Dave Kier’s sons play soccer.

The TCC member says for some families, an active lifestyle may simply be too expensive.

“It’s already hard enough for blue-collar families to play a lot of these extra activities,” said Kier.

“Many people are on budgets. You want to encourage people to stay healthy, so when you discourage it by making it unaffordable it becomes another problem.”

TCC staff say the centre offers low-priced memberships for low-income residents, but rising costs are inevitable.

“Nobody likes increases but it’s a fact of life, unfortunately,” said Snelling.

Which means burning calories will come with a wallet workout for 2017.

by Vanessa Ybarra

Kamloops recreational facilities cost increase takes effect

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