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Contrary to a recommendation from the recreation committee,
Kincardine council has decided there will be no fee for seniors to
play cards in the new rooms at the Davidson Centre addition.
In committee-of-the-whole on July 2, recreation director Karen
Kieffer said the rate would be $32 (plus GST) for use of the meeting
rooms for a three-hour period, which is the current charge. For
seniors-based activities, the fee would be $2/participant per use,
up to a maximum of $32/rental.
George Whalen, representing the seniors’ cards groups, said they
made their case at the council meeting May 6 and their arguments
haven’t changed.
"Most of the councillors supported the seniors and we thank them,"
he said. "The seniors have paid no rental for the past 30 years (for
use of the seniors’ room at the Davidson Centre). We got the
Trillium grant to equip the new addition – not just our area, but
for the whole addition, including blinds, tables, chairs, etc."
He said seniors play cards at the centre Monday through Thursday and
they expect that will continue without any change or charge to the
players. "If the seniors have to pay a fee, we’ll have to look at
the surrounding areas where there is no charge," he said. "The
recreation committee said there were no other rentals during those
times when the seniors play cards. If you force the seniors out,
nobody will be renting the rooms at that time."
Councillor Ron Hewitt said he thought council decided May 6 that
there would be no charge for seniors to use the rooms to play cards.
"I support the seniors," agreed councillor Randy Roppel. "I’m fine
with the general room rate but I will not accept the seniors rate.
They should have free use of the rooms."
Councillor Guy Anderson, who chairs the recreation committee, said
it was decided to set the fee schedule and if council wants to
change it for a particular group, fine. "It’s not the committee’s
position to pick or choose when a group gets a reduced rate," he
said.
Deputy mayor Laura Haight said seniors get a discount no matter what
program they take. "I was hoping the recreation committee would have
come back with another option," she said. "We have seniors going
swimming, playing hockey - are those programs now free? Are all card
groups asking for relief from the fee structure? We should set a
nominal fee."
Anderson said the recreation committee was sticking with the rules
set out by council – no changes to the fee structure or you get into
trouble. "Council can change the fees if it wants." (next column)
04/07/2009 11:03 PM
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Kieffer said the seniors rate for a public swim is $2.75; hockey,
$3; badminton, $2; and shuffleboard, $2. An annual fee of $1,500 for
a club of 25-plus members would work out to 50 cents per card game,
she said.
"That works out to about $6,000 to $7,000 in annual revenue," said
Haight. "That’s what we would lose on the general tax base if we
don’t charge a fee of some kind."
"I appreciate the investment that seniors have put into this
community," said councillor Kenneth Craig, "but there are seniors
moving here who have not contributed to the community. There was a
30-year tradition of accessing the rooms at no charge. But
continuing that because we’ve always done it like that is a
frightening argument. A nominal annual fee of $500, $1,000 or $1,500
is something seniors have an obligation to pay for the use of the
facility."
He suggested further negotiations be held between the seniors and
the recreation committee to discuss reasonable rates and come back
to council with a viable option.
"All the seniors are asking is for the status quo," said Hewitt.
"They pay if they go swimming, skating or play hockey. We should
leave the system alone."
"The status quo was one group (Merry Kin) using the room for free to
play cards," said Anderson. "Now, we have several groups. You pick
which one gets to play for free. When you don’t understand the
situation, it’s easy to say let them all have it for free."
Mayor Larry Kraemer said he would prefer a seniors discount and make
it universal. "When you say it’s free, it’s not really free; the
cost is paid by the taxpayers.
Kieffer said the free use of the seniors’ room began with the Merry
Kin and then branched out to other users, including snooker players,
cards, and KASAAC (Kincardine and Area Seniors Advisory/Action
Committee
Whalen pointed out that the bid euchre and shooter club applied for
the Trillium grant and other donations to the tune of $26,000. Plus,
the seniors’ groups refinished tables when they were in bad shape,
cleaned up the kitchen, and wiped off tables. "If they have to pay a
rental fee, it’ll be hard to get them to do any extra work," he
said.
Kraemer called for consensus, but councillor Marsha Leggett
suggested waiting until the full council was present, given that
councillor Mike Leggett had to leave for a fire call.
"We have a quorum, move on," said Kraemer.
The recommendation for a seniors’ fee was unanimously rejected.
Craig suggested re-negotiation between the seniors and the
recreation committee. However, Roppel said council should decide
that night and get it over and done with.
A call by the mayor for various reductions in the fee resulted in a
100-per-cent discount, meaning no charge for seniors to play cards
at the Davidson Centre addition.
A bylaw will come to council at its July 8 meeting. |
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