Dear Editor,
I am incredibly pleased that we are able to build a brand new facility of this calibre in the Township and that as a new councillor, I am able to keep my commitment to the residents of Aldergrove. [Breaking ground, Sept. 3, Langley Advance.]
After decades of talk, it is great to finally have some action. Township residents pay for these facilities and their upkeep through their property and business taxes. The Township’s current financial policy keeps fees for anyone using recreational amenities at a moderate level and in many cases provides a subsidy for our residents that require it.
Non-residents utilize Township facilities, don’t pay the taxes, yet still enjoy the same rates as our residents. So, at the next council meeting, on Sept. 14, I will be proposing that Township staff investigate and report back to council on the possibility of implementing a staggered fee structure in the Aldergrove Aquatic Facility for non-residents.
As a business owner, I understand a balance must be struck to maintain the volume of use vs. a price point threshold. We need users in the facility to pay for it but there is a line there and hopefully as staff look at models from other regions, a formula will emerge. Based on current pricing, a family of four will be able to use the new Aquatic facility for about $11 a day. A non-resident family of four can perhaps pay $15. That is still an incredibly reasonable fee for the experience that a visiting family will have in our new facility.
Staggered fee structures like this work in many municipalities across the country.
Angie Quaale
Councilor, Township of Langley
