Fees at NDCC to hold the line in new year as RDCK board votes for no increase
By Timothy Schafer
In an age when everything seems to be rising in price — or being cut — there is a bit of good news in Nelson.
The Regional District of Central Kootenay’s Nelson and District Community Complex will be holding the line on the 2011/2012 fees.
Although the RDCK board of directors may revisit this item as part of long-term planning in 2012, for the next year there will be no increases to user fees, said Joe Chirico, RDCK manager of Community Services.
In February Chirico said, for the first time in its history, annual admission revenues at the NDCC topped the $1 million mark. The RDCK is the governmental body that oversees the operation of the NDCC in partnership with the City of Nelson.
The rise in revenue of around 10 per cent was a combination of two factors, said Chirico: previous management’s fiscal strategy (from director of recreation Bernie Van Hooft) that had been implemented; and the Nelson and District Recreation Commission recognizing the facility receives over $2.5 million in taxation and they needed to increase self generated revenue.
“It was both cost control and some rate increases,” said Chirico.
Although the problem area of covering capital costs was dealt with by the larger revenue influx, they won’t need to do so this year.
In March of 2010 Nelson Mayor John Dooley became frustrated when the RDCK levied a 6.1 per cent increase in Nelsonite’s tax bills — or around $23 more on a $265,000 house assessment.
But the biggest increase was the cost for the NDCC, with around $83,000 needed for reserves for roof repair on the aquatic centre.
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