The town of Fort Frances is going to see if non-resident fees should be brought back for some facilities and programs.
Some were eliminated in 2020 as a way to generate more usage, especially at the Memorial Sports Centre.
Councillor Wendy Brunetta would like to see if it accomplished that goal.
“I’d like to see some backs and figures. I’d like to know if it did, in fact, increase our membership,” says Brunetta.
“I accept the fact that COVID put a real dent into what information we could collect. So, if we’re not going to look at it this budget cycle, I’d like to at least have some information in the next budget cycle to see if there is some so we can actually use facts to support our decision.”
Councillor Mike Behan was a member of the Community Services Executive Committee that first recommended the removal of non-resident user fees in 2020.
He says the feeling was that if more non-residents joined the Sports Centre as members, the town would generate more revenue and reduce the amount taxpayers pay to subsidize the programs and facilities.
It was also intended to be a pilot project.
“We hit COVID, a lot of things, comparatives we could not do at the time. I’m open to again trying to compare and see if we actually are making more revenue with the non-resident fees being eliminated for some of these memberships and programs,” says Behan.
Administration has been asked to come back with a report by the middle of next year.
