Recreation increases could be 20%

Press, 5 March 1988, Page 7

Recreation increases could be 20%

Recreation charge increases will be held to 20 per cent if the Christchurch City Council heeds the suggestion of its parks and recreation committee chairman, Cr Clive Cotton.

In recognition of the role of sports clubs in providing activities ; for young people, Cr Cotton will ask the council to hold its average recreation charge increase to 20 per cent. j A schedule that went through last month’s parks and recreation committee recommended an average increase of 24 per cent. ! Cr Cotton said yesterday he had decided to make the 20 per (cent suggestion after talking with sports groups. (They had been unanimousj that' the proposed increases for the use of council-owned sports grounds were too much. The sports bodies at present meet 18 per! cent

of the upkeep of the council grounds. The ratepayers meet the rest. Even with an average 24 per cent increase,, the sports groups would meet less) than a quarter of ground maintenance costs, Cr Cotton said. “But! the groups play a significant part in the community and my suggestion is in recognition of that;” I The schedule approved by last month’s committee meeting included cemetery charge i increases of 40 per cent.. The meeting also received a report from the ! budget review working party containing ideas for expanding the revenue sources of (the council’s parks and recreation de-

partment. Among other suggestions, the report proposed that sports charges should be more closely linked to the cost of maintaining the grounds, more use of sponsorship, and possible charges for Estuary users. The last was just! an idea, in line with userpays philosophy, that had yet to be investigated, said the deputy director of parks and recreation. Mr Craig Oliver, ; There were costs associated with the Estuary, but the users —; yacht clubs, power boats, ■ and windsurfers — did not at present contribute; anything for the ' use; of the water area, he said. ( :