Few out-of-towners using Saskatoon’s city-run recreation facilities
CBC
Out-of-towners represent a fraction of the people using Saskatoon’s city-operated pools, rinks and recreation centres.
But there’s still money to be made from charging a higher fee for those who travel from outside the city to use municipal facilities, according to a report from city hall administration.
Coun. Bev Dubois asked for the report at last month’s governance and priorities committee meeting and said she expected to have some suggestions for fee changes based on the research.
The same committee will meet Wednesday to consider the report. City council’s budget talks begin on Nov. 25.
The report shows that few people from outside the city are using the pools, arenas and recreation centres. Just five per cent of memberships, called Leisurecards, were sold to people who live outside Saskatoon from 2022 to 2024, the report says.
Over the same three years, only four per cent of rentals of recreation centres were made by people from outside Saskatoon and six per cent of indoor arena rentals were to out-of-towners.
A higher share of people, 10 per cent, were registered in city-run recreational programs during the same period.
The City of Regina just implemented a 50 per cent surcharge for out-of-towners to register in such programs.
The report projects that such a surcharge on Saskatoon programs for non-residents would reduce the numbers participating by 15 per cent, but still raise $52,000.
A 50 per cent surcharge on arena rentals would also reduce the volumes, but generate $44,000. A similar surcharge on recreation centre rentals would raise $22,100.
The earliest such charges could be introduced would be next fall, due to the changes needed to implement them, the report says.
It dismisses the idea of charging more for daily admissions, since requiring proof of residency would result in delays and frustration for everyone.
Charging more to non-residents would still be a rare move, based on research into 15 cities in Western Canada, including 10 in Saskatchewan.
Regina, Prince Albert, Humboldt, Winnipeg, Burnaby and Surrey have introduced limited higher fees for non-residents. Winnipeg, for example, charges twice as much for out-of-towners to register in city programs.
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