The City of Courtenay has waived the rental fee for Island Health’s COVID-19 immunization clinic in the Florence Filberg Centre.
On June 30, Island Health contacted staff at the city to discuss the possibility of relocating the clinic from Glacier Gardens Arena (where it was since April 1) to the Filberg Centre as temperatures inside the building were rising from the heatwave.
The Filberg Centre is an air-conditioned facility, and Island Health originally requested to use the space from July 1 to 5. It has since asked the municipality to continue to use the upper floor of the centre until Sept. 14.
In his report to council, Geoff Garbutt, the city’s chief administrative officer explained Island Health would be eligible for the community rate under the Recreation Facility and User Fees Bylaw which would amount to rental fees of $613 per day for a total of $46,588 plus tax for the above period.
RELATED: Comox Valley COVID-19 vaccination clinic to remain at Florence Filberg Centre
He added Island Health indicated they are unable to pay the rental amount and in other community vaccine clinic locations they are either paying no or little rent to the facility owner.
At the July 19 council meeting, Susie Saunders, the city’s director of recreation told council now that the province has entered Stage 3 of the COVID-19 re-opening plan, the municipality is able to accept larger rentals at the Filberg Centre.
As such, Island Health has agreed to pay the city a fee equivalent to their potential lost revenue.
“We looked at 2019 rental revenues for the same time period (and) they have agreed to pay the lost revenue … we set a unique one-time rental fee … (it’s) a very unique circumstance.”
The license fee for the use of the facility is $7,200. The motion to waive rental fees was passed unanimously by council.
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