Councillors Say More To Blame Than Ice Costs For Decline in Skating Registrations
With local skating clubs putting the pressure on council to explain increasing ice rates in Chatham-Kent, a few local councillors took an opportunity to respond to concerned volunteers and parents who point to ice time costs as the cause of declining enrollment in skating.
According to the four councillors who responded to inquiries (all 17 council members were contacted), there is no arguing ice rates are impacting families and club enrollment, however there are more factors to consider.
“There are 2 statements that probably can’t be disputed,” stated Chatham councillor Bob Myers, “1) ice rental costs have continued to go up and 2) enrollment in certain programs have declined. It would be difficult, however, to say with certainty that the first is the only and sole cause of the second.”
Myers followed this up by saying, “I will not dispute that increasing ice costs have had a negative impact and for some families that has caused difficult decisions to be made.”
Some in the skating world, including long time volunteer Heather Caniff say that many councillors aren’t aware of the impacts raising ice costs can have, “The one thing that they do not realize is that everytime they increase ice costs there is a child that can not participate in this sport.”
Canniff and others involved with skating are concerned that Chatham-Kent Council will continue to raise ice rates, something the skating community believes will destroy their clubs.
“Thanks to the ridiculous yearly increase in ice costs approved by the CK Councillors in this Municipality, they have achieved what no other leadership group has accomplished in over 50 years in Wallaceburg,” said Sherri Burm, a skating club volunteer in Wallaceburg. “They created a genuine insurmountable financial situation that will lead to the following affect: Closure and disbandment of the Wallaceburg Skating Club.”
Wallaceburg councillor’s Jeff Wesley and Sheldon Parsons acknowledged the impact ice rates are having on registrations, but again stated citizens need to look at the bigger picture,
“Many factors are responsible for declining enrolment – personal interest, growth of social media and video games, personal choice (ie soccer instead of figure skating) and the cost to participate which is related to ice costs,” said Wesley.
Sheldon Parsons added, “I am also hearing from individuals and groups about the high cost of ice time at our local arenas. These costs like every other cost that local families face have been on a steady rise. Some, like the cost of gasoline and fuel, are rising at rates far greater than the cost of living. Anyone on a fixed income or anyone experiencing unemployment or underemployment is having a tough time. Wallaceburg has been hit the hardest of all of the communities in South-western Ontario and that makes it even more difficult for our residents.”
The councillors who replied also pointed to declining enrollment in Chatham-Kent schools, parents having fewer children, the increased popularity of warm weather sports in Chatham-Kent, poor economic conditions, the impacts of HST on ice time rates, and stated that programs are in place in Chatham-Kent to assure youth have access to athletic programs despite financial hardships.
In 2007, Council approved an Arenas Business plan authorizing the steady increase of ice rental rates to relieve taxpayers from subsidizing arenas, and to bring operations to a break even point, as well as for the maintenance of the arenas. According to skating volunteers, prior to this vote, multiple councillors assured these clubs the ice rate increases would never pass.
“There is no doubt that the rate increases have had a huge impact on minor sport budgets,” said Parsons. “The choice that Council had was not a pleasant one. We could either increase rates charged to the users or increase taxes charged to the general taxpayer and Council felt that an increase in tax support to arena operations was not warranted.”
According to Michael Bondy and other councillors, Chatham-Kent’s ice rates are comparable to other nearby areas, however he too feels the need to support the struggling organizations,
“We were shown a comparison several months ago and we are pretty much down the middle with other arenas within the area,” said Bondy. “If these costs are directly related to the nearly $500.00 registration fee I paid for my boy to play house league hockey, then I would agree that it has something to do with declining enrolments. I also think factors such as families having fewer children, much more competition from the now innumerable organized activities also have had an impact on enrolments. If ice costs are determined to be the greatest factor to declining numbers I would encourage anyone with ideas to contact me.”
Each councillor who responded welcomed further conversation regarding the impacts of ice time rates, and possible solutions to reverse declining registration in organized ice sports, with Wesley stating “a broader study of the why’s of this decline need to be looked at and a new marketing strategy for minor sports adopted.”
What are the fees in West Lorne??? I have heard ALOT cheaper. How can they do this? Maybe we could talk to them to see how they are managing. There has been several hockey tournements cancelled due to the cost of ice. we used to rent the ice for family functions years ago a few times a year. we can’t afford that today. I also tried to get a local arena with early ice to provide a skate so my kids could get a few hours before fall, but they rather have the ice empty than have kids skating on it. Therefore we had to drive all the way to chatham. Soemthing else is not right here. I bet West Lorne’s ice is full all the time. Anyone know for sure the cost there?
Also I agree that there is many more activities for kids to choose now a days. But the number one reason why they are NOT choosing skating is because of the cost! Ask the families who didn’t come back. Ask the families who are in it today. Our kids are in it because they have a passion for it. It is too expensive. We may have to make my girls stop in the next year or so if the cost keeps rising.
In a council report about ice costs, it offered several options, one was to nearly freeze the rates with a 1% increase. However the report said it would have arenas operate at a $27,000 deficit. The same report also stated the Municipality would cut operating costs, through staffing to the tune of $54,000, but that this money needed to be applied to other areas of the budget.
I don’t need to list these for you to know what recent projects have been grossly over budget.
To me, this means the Muni could have operated at a $27,000 surplus, or done a 0% increase in a year and broke even.
Who’s doing the math? Where is the truth?
Truth.
It is an excellent question, and I would like to know how council can justify reducing staffing yet not reducing our ice cost!
One employee less to the tune of $54,000? If it reduced costs for ice time, why was that passed on to the arenas?
First, thank you to the councilors who responded. At least I know there are four out of 17 who care enough to respond.
I will respectfully disagree with Mr. Wesley regarding choices. From experience and exposure, I know most athletic kids go from one seasonal sport to another. They don’t sit idle for a season.
I also agree with Mr. Parsons that there are other costs involved that must be considered such as increased utility costs, fuel etc.
Chatham-Kent has the highest obesity rating in Ontario, and heart problems. I believe there is a mandate in CK for promoting healthy choices and promoting sports participation. If that is the case, where is the promotion?
I agree with Mr Bondy regarding demographics. We do have less kids, BUT, not that many less that it accounts for this size decline in registrations. I will gladly produce the proof of age for Chatham-Kent to show our youth have not declined by 30% of the populations, but I’m sure that all councilors have this information on hand.
I also agree with Mr. Wesley regarding social media – it is producing a culture of couch potatoes.
If our numbers do not increase, we will likely have to close our clubs. For every skater less, the cost per skater increases to pay for the sport. Since our largest single expense is ice cost, and it is increasing per year, we need either more participants, or support from council.
First, it would be nice if Chatham-Kent Council promoted sports participation.
Secondly, while I realize the municipality doesn’t pay for health costs, the increase in costs related to a sedentary lifestyle will affect income from the province, as will the costs to battle obesity and heart issues. It’s basically pay a little now or a lot later.
Third. I have read a lot about the battle that Chatham Kent has had with youth vandalism such as graffiti and destrucction of public property. Organized sports helps to combat this issue, so again, it is a question of paying a little now or a lot later.
What bothers me the most is Chatham-Kent has very little industry left. How can we hope to atract new industry if we don’t have local programs that make us a desirable community to relocate to?
Finally. This issue is now at a critical point. Chatham-Kent Council will be determining cost of ice for the 2012/2013 season based on enrollment and use of ice from this season, which means it will go up again to offset the cost of maintaining the arenas. If enrollment decreases next season, and costs go up, (which they will), many of the skating clubs will be forced to close. This will mean the hockey clubs will have to absorb the extra costs, and it will lead to closure of some of them. The loss in revenue to the municipality will be felt, and property taxes will have to increase. When the arenas no longer generate the revenue they did, will council vote to close them?
This is not a minor issue, and while some of us are feeling the pressure more than others because we are involved in an ice sport, it will affect all of Chatham-Kent. Not ten years from now, but starting next year.
I personally would hate to see the Wallaceburg Memorial Arena turned into a parking garage for off season equipment, and that is where we are headed. I’m sure Wallaceburg Minor Lacrosse won’t mind if you close the arena. What affects one affects all. We need to do something now!
To the Councillors,
To your comment of families are having less children, yes, but I know of organizations in hockey in CK that the highest spike of registration is in Learn to Skate. This age group is charged a significantly lower registration rate. Once these children get older their parents see the shock of the real registration rate. Then, no hockey!!!. Chatham Kent was only compared to Tecumseh, WIndsor area for arena rates. Why not Mooretown, Sarnia, West Lorne…etc. People should go to the Municipal Website and read the “report” that council received. Check August 8th. Bottom line, $650 for a year of hockey not including travel costs and equipment
The discussion about whether fewer kids are playing ice sports because it is too expensive or it’s too expensive becuase fewer kids are playing is a “chicken vs. the egg” debate and nobody is going to win that debate. The real question is whether we as a society are willing, as a whole, to contribute towards the recreational activities of our citizens with a goal of a healthier and more community minded citizenry.
Why do C-K arenas have to operate on a cost neutral basis? There are many other recreational activities that are funded, at least in part, by C-K, including our swimming pools, parks and trails. In fact, our tax dollars go towards a spend of just under $1.5 million for our recreation operations after all of the user fees have been taken into account. C-K council has decided that there are many other services it wishes to fund in some way, including libraries, historical building restoration, the arts and countless others. Again, why do our arenas have to be operated with full cost recovery? Even the school boards recinded their ill conceived implementation of exponentially higher rental charges for the facilities which were built by our tax dollars in the first place.
Certainly in good economic times it is an easy decision for municipal councils to allocate more tax revenue to recreational services with increased assessment in commercial and industrial areas. But in these lean times it behooves them to take a stand and ensure that our recreational activities are well funded for both the physical and mental well being of our citizens. As a society we need band together in these tough economic times and we willing to individually contribute a little more to help out those who have a little less. This will strengthen our community as a whole and help us to weather these tough times.