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RECREATION SERVICES USER FEE AND PRICING POLICY
Page 1
The Corporation of the City of Windsor
Parks & Recreation User Fee and Pricing
Policy
Service Area: Parks, Recreation, Culture and Facilities Policy No.:
Department:
Same
Approval Date:
December 2019
Division:
Same
Approved By:
CR630-2019
Effective Date:
December 19, 2019
Subject:
Parks & Recreation User Fee and
Pricing Policy
Procedure Ref.: N/A
Review Date: December 2024
Pages:
Replaces: Recreation User Fee
and Pricing Policy
Prepared By:
Ray Mensour
Date: 2006
1.
POLICY BACKGROUND
The City of Windsor has a strong and lengthy history of providing quality recreation
programs and services to residents. The City recognizes that participation in
recreation programs builds and sustains strong individuals and families as well as
supporting community health and social cohesion. The benefits of participating in
recreation are evidence-based and well documented including higher rates of
completion of secondary and post-secondary education, lower rates of youth
pregnancy, lower use of drugs and alcohol, higher income potential and healthier
outcomes for all residents. While most of the costs to provide recreation services
are funded through the tax base (including administrative and infrastructure costs),
there is a philosophy to sustain the provision of programs and services by levying
a User Fee.
User fees allow the City of Windsor to provide additional programs and services
as required, since Direct Costs are captured through the collection of user fees. The
City must plan to ensure that programs and services are sustainable in the future
whereby all or a portion of the cost to provide the program/service is recovered
through fees or other revenue sources. This refinement of the City of Windsor's
Parks & Recreation User Fee and Pricing Policy also recognizes that the socio-
economic background of some residents is a barrier to participation when user
fees are levied. In summary, the main objectives of the User Fee and Pricing Policy
are to ensure that recreation services are affordable and accessible to all residents
while contributing to the financial sustainability of these services.
RECREATION SERVICES USER FEE AND PRICING POLICY
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2.
POLICY PURPOSE
2.1.1 The purpose of the Parks & Recreation User Fee and Pricing Policy is to
ensure that:
a) Users of services contribute to the sustainability of recreation;
b) The costs to provide the various recreation programs and services
are identified;
c) User fees are developed in a fair, defensible and equitable fashion;
d) User fees generally capture a minimum of 100% of the Direct Cost to
provide the program/service;
e) User fees are not a barrier to participation in recreation programs and services;
f) There is a balance between no fee/low fee and fee-based programs
and services;
g) Programs offered that contribute to the public good and are accessible
to all will be subsidized to a greater extent than programs offered that
benefit an individual or a smaller group of residents; and
h) The local market is considered to ensure that fees are comparable to
providers of similar services.
3.
SCOPE
3.1.1
The scope of the User Fee and Pricing Policy addresses the cost of
provision and the respective fees associated with all recreation programs
and services. The Policy considers:
a) Costs and fees for Directly Offered Programs and Services
including but not limited to aquatics, general interest programs, fitness
classes and memberships, camps, sports programs, March Break and
Holiday Break programs, the Marina and any other services offered
and organized through the Recreation and Culture Department;
b) Facility costs and fees for services offered through Community
Organizations including hourly costs for ice, pools, gymnasiums,
community halls, meeting rooms, fields, and exclusive use of
municipally owned property and facilities for events; and
c) The use of City facilities for Commercial and Private functions.
RECREATION SERVICES USER FEE AND PRICING POLICY
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4.
RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
4.1.1
The City will identify the costs to provide recreation programs and services,
and identify a rate and fee schedule based on the true costs, the Guiding
Principles of this Policy, fee determination, and other relevant considerations
(market conditions, low-income residents etc.)
4.1.2
The Executive Director of Recreation & Culture will provide an annual Rate
and Fee Schedule to Council for approval and will have the ability to
approve any fees based on the introduction of new programs and services
in the interim.
4.1.3
Upon Council approval of the Rate and Fee Schedule, the Schedule will be
posted as per provincial legislation and communicated to Windsor residents
and community organizations. This will allow community organizations to
plan for a continued budget cycle.
4.1.4
The City will report to Council regarding the general program utilization and
the uptake of the Access Policy for Affordable Recreation - Pathways to
Potential - on an annual basis to ensure that rates and fees are not a barrier
to participation for all Windsor residents.
5.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
5.1.1
The Guiding Principles for the City of Windsor Recreation User Fee and
Pricing Policy are aligned with the values and principles of the Framework
for Recreation in Canada and other foundational documents. Mutual goals
of the Policy and the National Framework are to engage everyone in
meaningful, quality driven and accessible recreation experiences.
a) Individual and Community Good - Recreation is provided to ensure
the greatest health and wellness outcomes for individuals, families and
the community.
b) Inclusion and Equity - All residents will have access to recreation
programs and services regardless of their background.
c) Sustainability - The provision of recreation services and the
respective fee structure will consider social, environmental, cultural
and fiscal sustainability.
d) Lifelong Participation - The Policy will encourage lifelong
participation in recreation and will address barriers to participation
throughout the life course. Percentage discounts may be offered to
certain age groups pending their general ability to access services
(youth and older adults).
e) Outcome Driven - The provision of affordable programs and services
will consider the health and wellbeing outcomes for all residents in
RECREATION SERVICES USER FEE AND PRICING POLICY
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Windsor.
f) Quality and Relevance - Services will be provided according to
community needs and societal trends; quality assurance will be
emphasized to enable safe and enjoyable experiences.
g) Evidence-Based - Recreation Services will utilize evidence and
knowledge to guide its fee structure and access policies and practises.
h) Partnerships and Collaboration - The support to community-based
recreation and sport organizations and the setting of fees will
recognize the volunteerism that strengthens the capacity of the
community.
i) Innovation - All recreation partners are innovative in providing the
highest quality recreation experiences and exploring alternate revenue
sources.
6.
CATEGORIZATION OF RECREATION SERVICES
6.1.1 The categorization of Programs and Services will assist staff in ensuring that
there is a full range of programs and services to meet all interests and
community needs. Table 1 defines the four categories of recreation
programs and services and provides selected examples of the current
programs and services provided by the City of Windsor. The setting of rates
and fees will generally capture 100% or more of the Direct Costs (staff and
equipment/program supplies) and include a contribution to a Capital
Reserve which will serve to sustain the recreation infrastructure.
7.
POLICY GUIDELINES AND STATEMENTS
7.1.1
The City of Windsor will:
a) Support the goal of the Parks & Recreation User Fee and Pricing
Policy to recover a minimum of 100% of the Direct Costs to provide all
Programs and Services;
b) Offer reduced rates during non-prime hours to encourage the full
utilization of facilities;
c) Reduce and/or strive to eliminate the Subsidy for commercial and for-
profit rentals when utilizing public amenities;
d) As appropriate, apply a Subsidy for citizens with general age and
ability restrictions; a 10% reduction for youth and older adults;
e) Reserve the right to apply discounts for family registering three or
more members of their immediate family;
RECREATION SERVICES USER FEE AND PRICING POLICY
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f) As appropriate, waive or reduce fees for No Fee / Low Fee Programs
and Services as well as for promotional opportunities;
g) Ensure that fees and rates are competitive with other providers of
similar services within and surrounding Windsor;
h) Reduce the costs to provide services through efficiencies and through
the use alternate revenue streams (e.g. sponsorships, partnerships
etc.) where possible;
i) Introduce a contribution to a Capital Reserve for Recreation and
Culture equipment consisting of an annual contribution of 2% of all
associated revenues;
j) Introduce a blended rate for lit and unlit sports fields; and
Note: The City of Windsor Access Policy - Pathways to Potential - will address
the principle that no residents will go unserved because of the user fees.
Table 1: Recreation Program and Service Categories for the User Fee and Pricing Policy
Programs and
Service
Categories
Definition of Service
Categories
Current Programs and
Services
No Fee/Low
Fee Programs
and Services
No Fee / Low Fee Programs
and Services set out to
include the widest range of
residents participating in
recreation.
Participation is universal and
all residents are welcomed to
enjoy these opportunities.
User Fees are generally not
applied or are minimal.
Public skating, public swimming,
shinny hockey, use of trails and
pathways, use of parks,
playgrounds, splash pads,
public tennis courts, sports
courts, outdoor leisure skating,
casual use of soccer pitches
&ball fields, drop in use of
gymnasiums, , etc.
Basic
Programs and
Services
Basic Programs and Services
include an introduction to a
recreational opportunity, a
learning or developmental
continuum in either of active,
creative, Science,
Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics or general
interest programs and
services. These opportunities
are generally geared toward
children and youth.
Learn-to-swim programs,
active living and fitness
courses, aquatic fitness
classes, camps, March and
Christmas Break programs,
etc.
RECREATION SERVICES USER FEE AND PRICING POLICY
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Programs and
Service
Categories
Definition of Service
Categories
Current Programs and
Services
Value Added
Programs
and
Services
Value Added Programs
and Services offer a
continuum of learning and
more advanced
instruction.
Aquatic leadership training,
fitness memberships, fitness
classes, etc.
Premium
and
Commercial
Programs/
Services
Premium and Commercial
Programs and Services are
specialized or are advanced in
nature, requiring specialized
instruction and/or access to
specialized facilities or
equipment. Generally, these
programs serve a smaller
number of participants with
specific higher-level skills.
Semi-private or private swim
lessons, specialized camps and
break programs, exclusive use
of facilities, exclusive use of
facilities with higher level
amenities, use of facilities or
amenities for commercial
purposes.
8.
POLICY IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS
8.1.1
The Direct Costs to provide programs and services will be identified every
five years;
8.1.2
A market driven fee comparison will be completed annually;
8.1.3
Council will review and approve a fee structure to accommodate an
increase in annual costs and a potential phased-in implementation of the
related fees to provide the programs and services; and
9.
ANNUAL FEE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
9.1.1
In setting annual fees for consideration for Council, staff will undertake the
following;
a)
Apply the current annual rate of inflation (CPI for Canada, All Items,
Not Seasonally Adjusted per Statistics Canada) to the existing fee;
b)
Consider the impact of fee increases on participation in the respective
program or service;
c)
Compare the draft revised rate to the average of the surrounding
community within its market;
d)
Consider the impact of the proposed fee increase to the budget cost
recovery target; the current overall cost recovery percentage for the
Recreation and Culture department is 45%. The cost recovery
percentage of 45% should
RECREATION SERVICES USER FEE AND PRICING POLICY
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remain the annual goal of the Recreation and Culture department
unless directed otherwise by Council.
e)
Arrive at a fair-minded fee that will not impede participation and
contribute to the increased costs to provide the service; and
f)
Develop a summary Fee Schedule for Council's consideration.
10.
TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
Term
Definition
User Fee
A payment required to gain access to a recreation program or
facility e.g., program registration, rental of an hour of ice, public
swim entrance, fitness membership, etc.
Direct Costs
The cost to provide a program or service that includes direct
incremental
wages,
fringe
benefits,
and
any
equipment/supplies associated with the program.
Indirect Costs
(Departmenta
l)
The sum of support costs to provide a program or service
including supervision, facility costs, utilities, maintenance, and
administrative costs.
Corporate
Overhead
Costs
A percentage of the corporate support costs associated with
offering a program or service (Human Resources, Finance,
Clerks Office etc.)
True Cost
of Delivery
The direct and indirect costs to provide a program or service
including direct, indirect and corporate overhead costs.
Subsidy
A waiving of a portion or all the fees associated with a program
or services. Subsidies may be associated with the ability to
pay, age or ability of participants etc.
Equipme
nt
Reserve
An allocation of a percentage of the annual Departmental
revenues to an Equipment Reserve Fund. These funds are to
be utilized to update equipment repairs and replacements.