Ice, pool rental fees to soar
Fees to rent city-owned soccer fields, community pools and ice rinks in Toronto would rise as much as 34 per cent under proposed increases to the city's 2008 operating budget.
The changes affect permit fees and would mean that, for instance, the cost to rent a city arena for a child's birthday party for one hour would cost $330.96 – an increase of $83.79. That arena rental is the biggest increase at 34 per cent but competitive youth hockey leagues would see an 18 per cent increase and community youth house hockey leagues a 10 per cent increase for ice time. When the increases would take effect is not yet clear.
It would be an extra cost the city's young hockey players can hardly afford, said Greater Toronto Hockey League president John Gardner. Even now, he said, the league must charge a $5 per person admission rate for competitive hockey games – including players and parents – just to cover ice rates.
"How much more can we charge?" he said, noting his group pays about $3 million a year to rent ice for games.
Councillors blindsided by city's rate hike for rinks
TORONTO — A plan by city staff to raise recreation fees - including an 18.5-per-cent jump in the cost of ice time for youth and adult hockey - has surprised Toronto councillors and shocked local sports groups.
Yesterday, on the eve of a big public turnout expected today to comment on the $8.2-billion budget, councillors appeared to be caught off guard by a staff move to jack up permit fees to rent city facilities. Some said they grasped the impact of the proposal only by a close reading of background documents on the weekend, after the official budget launch.
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