A huge rate hike could be on the way for users of the North Huron Wescast Community Complex.
A draft proposal of the 2024 fees and charges for the municipality was approved by council at Monday's meeting, which included eliminating senior and student discounts at the rec centre as well as the "complete pass," which gave access to the pool, fitness centre, and courts for one fee.
Councillor Mitch Wright said the proposed changes were too drastic.
"Right now, if a senior or student wants to use the squash courts, have a swim in the pool and access to the fitness centre, that individual pays $516 annually," he said. "This staff proposal is indicating that that cost would go up to $1820. That's going up by more than three times. I am dead set against that. I think that's a crazy fee increase, we could lose half our members and these programs could end up getting hacked because there's not enough people interested in them."
The 2024 changes also do away with annual fees, so memberships are charged on a monthly basis only: $55 for an individual to swim, $62.50 to use the fitness centre and $35 to use the courts.
Reeve Paul Heffer said though it's a major increase for some, these were the changes council sought in order to keep the tax rate down.
"Yes there may be high amounts here, but I don't feel everybody goes to everyone of those events," he told council. "I feel that (staff) are doing what was asked by us, I think we made that clear when we put in the way we wanted to address the budget... As I see it right now, 55 per cent of the people using it aren't in our municipality, so we're supporting things, so I feel that we can justify these costs."
During discussion, Councillors Wright and Chris Palmer sought to have the rationale behind the rate increases included in staff's report, noting that they appeared to be arbitrarily applied and only impacted discretionary services instead of, for example, dump fees.
A motion by Wright to refer the report back to staff to present more detailed information was defeated, with Heffer, Deputy Reeve Kevin Falconer, and Councillors Ric McBurney and Anita van Hittersum voting against.
A by-law to officially adopt the 2024 Fees and Charges will return to council on November 20.