A total of 19 people attended a Feb. 21 information and input meeting exploring proposed cuts to Revelstoke’s Parks, Recreation and Culture budget.
The meeting was facilitated by resident Sonia Cinelli, who organized a petition and Facebook page against proposed cuts to the recreation budget.
“We’re engaging in a conversation with our concerns,” said Cinelli in an opening statement.
Parks director Kerry Dawson spoke on cuts proposed by council, which target 2.5 per cent a year over two years.
She said the idea was to find efficiencies while maintaining core services. “We’re in a very tight budget year,” Dawson said. “We don’t want to lose anything.”
She added the process was about making smart choices. The process involved asking: “Where can we best reallocate the funds?”
Dawson also pointed out that she had prepared budget cuts at council’s request. The elected politicians make political budget decisions, and directors like herself must follow their direction.
Dawson also said she hadn’t read the Facebook page rallying against the cuts, including comments that target her for criticism. “I have not read it,” she said. “I’m not intending to read it.”
Mayor David Raven said council had received “valid arguments” from the commercial sector about tax burden. “We are trying to hold our tax levy down,” he said, saying it was about survival of some businesses through the recession.
Resident Cam Molder volunteers with the Revelstoke Aquaducks program. He said losing pool hours erodes confidence in the program. “We cannot afford to lose pool time,” he said, emphasizing young athletes need the early morning hours. “This is where the kids train,” he said.
Revelstoke Figure Skating club representatives echoed the same opinion about ice times.
Attendees gave many suggestions on ways to increase pool revenues.
Some suggested cutting subsidy programs to hotels and motels.
“Every guest in a hotel and motel has access to our facility for free, basically,” explained Dawson.
The subsidy sees hotels pay a $1,300 flat annual fee, she said. Their guests can then use the pool for free. The subsidy program is a legacy from when the aquatic centre was still in the proposal stage. Proponents for the centre offered the concession system to bring taxpaying hotels and motels on board.
Dawson also said she’d heard of a hotel that was selling the free passes to their guests, but then declined to elaborate on who it was.
“Why do us locals have to pay?” said one attendee. “Why are we not taxing the hotels?”
Some angst was expressed on the perception that tourists were freeloading on taxpayers’ backs. The stereotype of an Australian ski tourist getting in for free while residents paid full fare was mentioned more than once.
Another suggestion was to reduce concessions to low income pool users, and make them pay more for their concession passes. Asking service groups to contribute to the passes was also suggested.
Other suggestions veered out of parks and recreation programs.
Attendees suggested tagging on a $2 fee for using the resort shuttle bus.
Following a recess, attendees continued to provide suggestions for city council.
Cinelli will compile the suggestions and input and provide them to city council at their Feb. 22 regular meeting.
Council is expected to finalize a draft budget at the Feb. 22 meeting. This will be followed by a 30-day public review and comment period.
