Administrators are urging city council to turn down a request from the organizing committee of a national youth broomball tournament to reduce user fees for ice time.
Christine Lefebvre, the city's parks and recreation manager, is expected to tell city council Monday night that reducing the fees the broomball organizers will pay would be contrary to past practices and would contravene municipal policy.
In the past the city has pruchased sponsorship packages - like it did for the RBC Cup played in Cornwall in 2008 - or simply enforced the full fee for ice time for other national events.
A report by Lefebvre to city council said it's important to maintain fairness for all parties and ensure past practices are followed.
"It is important to continue to be consistent when applying the user fee policy," said Lefebvre. "The city has hosted several prestigious tournaments in the past and will continue to do so in the future."
Council, at its meeting of June 11, received a request from Lianne Acres-Hanna, councillor for the Township of North Stormont concerning the 2013 National Juvenile Broomball Championships being held at the Benson Centre from April 2 to the 7, 2013. They requested the city apply the minor sports association ice rate at a 40 per cent subsidy instead of the full ice rental rate. It would represent a $3,924 savings for the organizing committee which they would not have to fundraise.
While council is expected to turn down that request, there is a silver lining for tourney organizers. City administrators are urging council to approve a $2,000 expenditure so that a sponsorship package for the tournament can be purchased.
"Using this approach rather than subsidizing fees would be more consistent with past practice, especially events of this calibre," said Lefebvre. "National exposure is always worth the expenditure to highlight the city and in this case the Benson Centre."
