October 12, 2011
To pay or not to pay?
by Denise Walker
It’s a sure bet, Laurentian Hills council will not be able to please
everyone when it comes to paying for recreation.
Deep River council has asked Laurentian Hills to pay a bigger share of
the costs of maintaining some big ticket recreation facilities in Deep
River such as the arena and the swimming pool.
Last year, Laurentian Hills paid the town of Deep River $5,000 towards
recreation costs.
This was a small fraction of the dollars Deep River says it needs for
running the facilities and programs.
In return, residents of Laurentian Hills pay the same fees for programs
and facilities as Deep River residents.
At last week’s committee meetings, Laurentian Hills councillors heard
two very different opinions on how much the town should pay.
Laurentian Hills staff have already calculated that taxes could
increase by eight per cent, depending on the level of support
Laurentian Hills is prepared to give.
A group called “Deep River Residents for a Community Centre” called on
Laurentian Hills to support recreation funding.
They came to the town's recreation and social services committee to
make their pitch for a “multi purpose community complex.”
The group says the ideal location for the complex would be the site of
the current Deep River arena, curling, and lawn bowling area.
It is hoped the complex would include a gym, a teen centre, lawn
bowling, office space, and meeting rooms.
The group’s president, Katie Robertson, gave a presentation
highlighting the need for the community to grow as a viable sustainable
community, pointing to the 500 new military families posted to the area
this year.
The group is researching grants and funding options and is hoping for
support from the towns of Deep River and Laurentian Hills, as well as
the surrounding area including Petawawa.
In the presentation the group asked for immediate help from all local
councils for temporary meeting space for area youth, and space for the
gymnastics club.
The new complex is very much a work in progress. For the immediate
future, the group called upon Laurentian Hills to “support the ongoing
financial requirements for recreation.”
Meanwhile, Laurentian Hills resident Brian Burke had a radically
different take.
He presented the committee with a letter urging them “not to spend a
penny increase in taxes” towards recreation.
Calling the town of Deep River “one of the wealthiest in Canada per
capita,” Burke wrote that it was “nothing short of arrogance” for Deep
River to request money from “some of the poorest residents in Canada.”
Burke pointed out that residents were free to pay for their own
recreation or even to donate money to Deep River if they wished.
As far as Burke is concerned, most area residents already support Deep
River financially by spending their money at Deep River businesses.
“The taxes paid by these businesses in turn benefit Deep River,” he
wrote.
The two towns have agreed to set up a joint committee to look into
recreation costs.
Councillor John Hoyle and Deputy Mayor Anne Giardini will represent
Laurentian Hills.
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