In addition to voting to go ahead with the ice plant replacement at Marysville Arena last Tuesday evening, Kimberley City Council also voted to raise rates charged at both the Civic Centre and Marysville.
The original motion contained a rate increase of 25 per cent for an hour of ice time.
However, on a suggestion from Coun. Bev Middlebrook it was decided not to cap an increase at 25 per cent.
A Minor Hockey representative at the meeting said that they had been expecting a rate increase.
The City will meet with all user groups to come up with the final number.
Kimberley’s ice time charges have been well below what is charged in Cranbrook for quite some time.
An increase of 25 per cent will generate an additional $14,380 at Marysville Arena and $24,500 at the Civic Centre.
Currently an hour of ice time at Marysville Arena costs $74.81 including GST. A 25 per cent increase would raise it to $92.20. A similar raise at the Civic Centre would mean an hour of ice would cost $95.49. In Cranbrook users will pay $95.28 for Memorial Arena ice this year.
Middlebrook also said she was surprised to discover how much was free at Marysville Arena, from public skates to school usage.
However, Coun. Albert Hoglund pointed out that the school usage was reciprocal, in that schools make their gymnasiums and classrooms available for community events at no cost evenings and weekends. As for public skating, Hoglund said it would cost more to have a union employee on site collecting a public skating fee than would be taken in.