Armstrong and Spallumcheen’s parks and recreation commission is being asked to work with the Interior Provincial Exhibition to come up with funding solutions to help with upkeep on the aging fairgrounds.
Spallumcheen council unanimously passed a motion to have the commission work with the IPE to come up with extra cash for the commission starting in 2012.
“The feeling is the return for the amount of use the IPE uses the property for isn’t adequate to deal with the upkeep and maintenance,” said Andrew Casson, a township councillor.
Spallumcheen council’s recommendation is to have the commission and IPE society charge a flat rate per attendee, something along the lines of perhaps $1 per every ticket sold, or come up with a percentage of the gate revenue both sides can agree on.
The money would be used to offset maintenance costs on the grounds.
“There are skyrocketing costs, there’s not a huge increase in income and we have limitations through taxation,” said Casson.
“We’re asking them to find alternative methods of paying for the buildings and for their upkeep.”
Spallumcheen residents are facing a five per cent tax increase this year, with part of that going to a parks and recreation commission budget that is up $200,000 from last year.
Spallumcheen will contribute more than $500,000 towards the $965,000 parks and recreation budget.
