Sports field fees set to rise in Richmond

Playing field user fees are about to go up in Richmond for the first time in two years.

Recognizing that community sports groups were feeling the financial pinch due to the HST and government grant cuts, the City of Richmond froze the 2011 fees associated with playing sports on all playing fields.

But a report being placed before city council's parks and recreation committee this week is calling for a modest 1.75 per cent increase for 2012.

The city's sports and community events manager, Eric Stepura, said it's important the fees be bumped up every year to keep up with the cost of inflation.

"For 2012, the provincial gaming grants for community sports groups have been, in most cases, re-established near former funding levels," Stepura wrote.

"Therefore, Richmond's community field sports groups are in a better financial position to contribute towards the costs of operating, or upgrading, community playing fields."

Even keeping par with the cost of inflation will trail the costs of field maintenance, Stepura added.

The fees - for grass, sand and artificial turf fields - increased by three per cent in 2010 and 2009 after a city staff review of market rates.

But the report points out that, after consultation with the Richmond Sports Council, it would be better for all concerned if a formula was established for an annual increase.

The proposal for next year and for the foreseeable future is to base the annual increase on the previous year's Consumer Price Index for Greater Vancouver, which sits at 1.75 per cent.

Sixty per cent of fees collected for artificial turf fields are placed into a special sports reserve fund as sustaining and new capital, with the rest going to field operation and administrative costs.

While 100 per cent of fees collected for grass fields goes toward the upgrading of the current facilities.

The proposed increase for next year would mean a youth group paying $20.51 an hour for a full-size artificial field, as opposed to $20.16 at the moment.

If approved by the committee, the decision still needs to be ratified by city council next month.