DIDSBURY - Town of Didsbury officials have clarified the meaning of “local” and “non-local” as it relates to updated rates and fees for town recreation facilities.
Under the new policy, local users include residents of Didsbury as well as Mountain View County residents who live within the Didsbury recreation area as outlined in the Intermunicipal Collaborative Framework agreement, said the town's chief administrative officer, Ethan Gorner.
That area is bordered on the west by Highway 582, east to the county boundary, north of Highway 581 and just north of the Bergen Road.
During its June 14 meeting, Didsbury council approved updated rates and fees for using some town facilities, including the aquatic centre, the multi-purpose room and Eldon Foote Hall.
In some cases, the rates are now separated into local and non-local.
For example, group swim lesson rates now include preschool $42 local and $45 non-local; swim kids level 1-4 $45 local and $50 non-local; swim kids level 5-7 $50 local and $55 non-local; swim kids level 8-10 $58 local and $64 non-local.
During the June 14 council meeting, Town of Didsbury councillor Bill Windsor asked why the town decided to introduce the local and non-local rates.
In response, manager of community services Nicole Aasen said, “We really feel that our Didsbury residents whose taxation dollars are supporting these facilities already should be given different rate, so now we are introducing the same non-local rates our swimming lessons, our swimming pool rentals as well as MPR and train station rentals.”
Following the meeting, the Mountain View County sent a letter to the Town of Didsbury regarding changes in rates and fees at town recreation facilities, reeve Angela Aalbers said.
“While the motion of Didsbury council regarding the changes in user fees did raise some concerns from our county council, we trust our urban partners to follow signed agreements,” said Aalbers.
“The same shared facility agreement that outlines the transfer of county tax dollars to the Town of Didsbury, $465,378 in 2022, also requires that county residents can access those facilities based on current year town of Didsbury rates and fees bylaw. Our expectation is that this will continue.”
