Monday, April 1, 2019 [Updated April 2 – last paragraph]
by Mary P Brooke ~ West Shore Voice News
It was a full house at Langford Council this evening, April 1. The standing-room only crowd included people with interest in a number of things, most notably a concerted effort to convey the importance of curling to the west shore community.
This comes in the wake the sudden announcement — one day after a provincial curling competition held March 17 at the Westshore Parks & Recreation (WSPR) curling rink. A dry, abrupt release from WSPR administration said that a year-round dry-floor in the curling arena would be better for a range of recreational options in the community as well as revenues.
The curling rink is subsidized to the tune of $11.24 per user, compared to $4.26 for the main Juan de Fuca ice rink (for hockey and family skates) and the $2.07 per user for the pool.
The City of Langford pays half the overall subsidy required of the five owners of WSPR (i.e. Langford, Colwood, Highlands, View Royal, and Metchosin). For 2019 the WSPR requisition to supplement their operating and capital funding is about $5 million, of which Langford will pay $2,576,401. This is in addition to the cost and management of their own recreational facilities within Langford (including Westhills Stadium and City Centre Park). WSPR is in Colwood on Island Highway.
Mayor Stew Young explained to the Juan de Fuca Curling Club Association speakers and crowd this evening about how WSPR is used by residents from around the west shore, and that people from other parts of the west shore and broader region use Langford recreational facilities. WSPR charges the same rates to all users. At recreational facilities in Langford (like the YM/YWCA in Westhills) a user-fee formula is applied so that Langford residents pay less than users from other parts of Greater Victoria (as Langford folks are already paying in their taxes).
Specifically to curling, Mayor Young said that of 538 curlers using WSPR, that only 107 are from Langford. He feels that Langford is paying too much to subsidize such a small number of recreational users in that one sport in an area of 18,720 sq ft that could have so many other uses for team sports and kids sports.
Council listened, in what ended up being a two-hour meeting. Stew Young said that in Langford a lot of taxes go into recreation, “but now I hear you’re willing to pay”, he said in response to one non-Langford curler saying he would be happy to pay more to help lower the subsidization of the curling rink.
But Mayor Young says that he feels the current WSPR board (comprised of Chief Administrative Officers of the five member municipalities) arrived at the right conclusion based on curling being the highest area of subsidy.
Though after hearing the support and enthusiasm from about six speakers supported by about 35 people in the room, the mayor said a fee structure closer to what is paid for hockey (in the range of $735 to $850 per player) that there could be something to consider there.
Mayor Young said this evening what was also in the March curling rink closure announcement about the possibility of a different flooring surface (including sports turf) — that would open up new possibilities for activities and revenues from things like soccer, pickle ball, and training areas. The lounge above the curling rink could be opened up for use as a child care area. Young says the CAOs have determined that much higher revenues could be achieved with a wider range of high-demand activities, compared to curling.
Another speaker said that WSPR has promoted many other aspects of the facility (such as swimming, skating, weight room and seniors centre) but not curling. There could in fact be a disconnect in that WSPR may have thought the curling organization would do their own marketing. Overall, it seems that WSPR has struggled to put its best foot forward to the community, as if it was just obvious what a good range of services it offers; however, marketing is a massive industry because it works, and there could be some brushing up by WSPR in future in that regard.
The current WSPR board will be meeting with representatives of the local curling association on Thursday, April 4 to hammer out more of the details that were raised at tonight’s council meeting.
Later in the evening, Langford Council gave their approval to the 2019-2023 Five Year WSPR budget. Approval is required from all five member municipalities in order for the budget to be acted upon. The last time a WSPR budget was approved was in 2016. WSPR carried on its activities and services but limped along in 2017 and 2018 with an unapproved budget situation.
UPDATE April 2: Regarding the feeling expressed at last night’s meeting that it was inappropriate for no opportunity for public consultation to have been given about the curling rink closure: “This is one of those difficult decisions that must be made based on indisputable fiscal, operational and demographic data,” it was stated in a March 27 fact sheet from Westshore Parks & Recreation. “Consultation is not a courtesy unless there is a real possibility to influence decision. In this instance the case for community benefit from broadening the use of these spaces is simply too strong.”
======================== RELATED:
Original announcement about closing the curling rink (March 19, 2019)
Overall curling rink closure summary, an interview with project consultant Jonathan Hugget (see page 1 in the March 22, 2019 issue of West Shore Voice News)