Time is almost up for Vernon residents to have their say on parks and recreation service fees.
The City of Vernon Parks Department and Greater Vernon Recreation Services have been seeking public input to assist in assessing appropriate feel levels for facility rentals and usage, while identifying a “clear, consistent, and predictable way for setting fees and charges moving forward,” the city said in a press release.
The public survey closes tomorrow (Friday), May 19.
The timing for the fee assessment is based on the recommendation from the 2018 Recreation Master Plan, which identified a review of the Recreation and Parks Fees and Charges be completed as a medium term and medium priority.
Like many municipalities, Vernon’s fee process is without an explicit framework for establishing fees. Currently, fee increases are based on consumer price index from August to August, staff wages, utilities, insurance and the carbon tax, and neighbouring communities’ fees.
The completion of the Recreation and Parks Fees assessment is to align with the budget process this coming August to set rates for 2024.
The survey asks respondents whether they’ve paid to use Greater Vernon Recreation Services spaces in the past year, which spaces they’ve used, whether current user fees for drop-in admissions are fair, whether the city is transparent in communicating the rationale for fee increases, and more.
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