Wawa Municipal Council's sticking to new curling ice fees approved earlier this year.
Facing a request from the Wawa Curling Club for the fee increase to at least be phased-in over multiple years, Council was told the increase is intended to better cover the actual operating costs and would amount to roughly $3000 in extra revenue for the two months in the season this year, an amount included in the approved budget.
Councillors Mitch Hatfield and Joe Opato raised concerns about the size of the increase and advocated in favour of a phased-in approach, with Opato questioning why this sudden jump rather than a phased approach over past years, with Community Services and Tourism Director Alex Patterson explaining there had been previous increases aligned with the cost of living, but the rate was formerly compared to curling ice rates in other communities - which can have varied situations - and is now compared more with the actual costs incurred by the Municipality.
Hatfield questioned how much is lost in operating the Michipicoten Memorial Community Centre, with CAO/Clerk Maury O'Neill saying she couldn't give an exact number but said only about 10 percent of the current operating and capital costs are recovered from users - a rate that was common among municipalities in past decades, though O'Neill says that has since shifted, with some municipalities now aiming to reach 90 percent from users, as the rest is shouldered by other taxpayers.
In the end, Council agreed with the staff recommendation to maintain the rates outlined in the schedule of fees passed earlier this year.
