In the summer it looked as if low-cost ice skate rentals at the arena could be on thin ice.
Historically the skate shop at the arena has been run by a private contractor, but the lease for the shop expired last winter. After two expressions of interest over the summer by the district and a full marketing campaign, no one stepped forward to take over the business.
At a council meeting Tuesday night, councillors approved a business plan to allow the district to operate the skate rentals themselves.
“It’s a passion project, there’s not enough revenue to make a living out of it, but it’s an important service,” said director of recreation Tim Hoskin.
Hoskin said instead of ending the skate rentals, the district decided to purchase 150 pairs of skates for a total of $1,500 from the previous contractor.
While the arena has been lending them out for free, the bylaw will now be updated with a new cost.
The rentals will be offered for $2.50 for children, youth and seniors, and a $5 fee for adults.
The previous cost was a flat rate of $4 during the public skate, with a different fee structure for school skating times.
The new program will be administered by the district’s existing recreation staff, with added staff time to be addressed in the 2018 budget.
The district also plans to purchase a skate sharpening tool to keep their stock in good condition.
The district is expecting an annual profit of around $3,000 from the rentals.
