User Fees Going Up In Dryden

Dryden Council has approved a wide range of user fee increases.
Everything from aircraft parking fees, to the use of the pool, arena, soccer fields and ball diamonds will cost you more.
The hike for the ball diamonds is 65% and the increase for the soccer pitches is 220%.
Community and Development Services Manager Bob Cunningham says they were losing too much money on both facilities.
Cunningham says the hike is consistent with what was recommended by consulting firm KPMG and brings the facilities to a cost recovery rate.
He says in 2013, $2,727 in user fees were collected from soccer field operations while maintenance reached $19,380.
For the ball diamonds, $7,957 in user fees were collected with $29,381 spent on maintaining the site.
Cunningham says he has spoke with Dryden Minor Ball and Dryden Youth Soccer about the increases.
He says it will only cost individual users an additional $2.25-$6.83.
Shayne MacKinnon and Martin MacKinnon both voted against the hike.
Martin stated he couldn’t morally accept the increase, while Shayne noted youth shouldn’t suffer from the City’s financial woes.
He says youth should remain active and should have free programs at their disposal.
Shayne adds both Minor Ball and Youth Soccer have put a lot of work in both facilities and says they are being rewarded with an “outrageous increase.”
The fee increases are effective March 1st.