Fees going up in Redcliff, most areas to see large increases

By Tim Kalinowski
At last Monday’s council meeting councillors give first reading to a series of fee increases for usage of various community facilities and services. Among the changes, ice rentals at the Arena will go up from $70 per hour to $80 per hour for youth under 17 and adult prime time skating ice rental will go from $115 to $120 per hour. The hourly rate to rent the large meeting room will also go up from $25 per hour to $30 per hour.
At Town Hall the downstairs conference room half day rate will increase to $25 from $15 and the  full day rate will double up to $50. The daily rental rate for the kitchen complex at Lions Park for for-profit groups will also increase from $50 to $60 in 2016.
Fees will also be going up to swim at the pool, to camp at the campground or use the community’s baseball diamonds. Families at the swimming pool will now $13 for a day pass (was $12), $52 for a 5-pack (was $48) and $150 for a season pass (was $150). Pool rentals will also increase from $75 an hour to $85 an hour for 1-29 people. It will now be $30 an hour more for each additional person over that number.
The price of swimming lessons will also increase for levels 1-4 and levels 5-10 by $5 an hour.
The ball diamond fees will also increase marginally from $4 to $5 an hour with lights going up from $3 to $4 an hour. Weekend rentals for tournaments will increase from $120 per hour to $125 per hour.
At the campground sites will now cost $30 per day as opposed to $25 per day.
The biggest jump in fees slated for 2016 will be in the cemetery costs and burial fees.
Plots will now cost $500 (was $450). Cremation plots will now cost $200 (was $150), Columbarium niches will increase to $850 from $800. Urn placing will now cost $500 (was $450). The opening and closing fee for the Columbarium will remain at $200, but children under six will no longer have a reduced rate of $150. Tent set-up will now cost $100 (was $50).
The fee increases were approved unanimously by council and the new bylaw passed first reading at last Monday’s council meeting. Second and third readings will likely follow at the upcoming Dec. 7 public meeting.
In other town business, Councillor Chere Brown asked and received permission from council for an extended leave of absence to be with her daughter in California from Dec. 16, 2015 to Feb. 16, 2016. Brown’s daughter is expecting a new baby. The council will operate with five councillors and Mayor Reimer until her return.