With YaraCentre now under municipal ownership, the parks and recreation department has made changes to its admissions rates and rental fees schedule.
Here is a summary of the changes that will come into effect on June 1, as contained in a department report presented during the April 8 city council meeting.
A new City of Moose Jaw recreation pass will provide membership access to all city-owned recreational buildings. Membership benefits will include drop-in access to the YaraCentre fitness room, walking track, turf time and drop-in programs; drop-in access to public swimming and drop-in aquatic programs; drop-in access to public skating; and a 20 per cent discount on registered programs.
Prices of recreation passes will be similar to the previous 2018 YaraCentre membership pass.
- Monthly memberships at individual buildings will still be offered, but at reduced prices. The price reduction for YaraCentre monthly memberships is about 10 per cent and the reduction at the Kinsmen Sportsplex is about 62 per cent.
- Consistent admission rates will now be applied at all city buildings. The same admission rates for the sportsplex would also apply to the Yara Centre. The rate structures would also be consistent regarding areas such as age categories, group rates, family rates and senior rates.
- New group admission rates at city buildings will be applied for groups of 10 or more people who attend at the same time and provide one payment.
- New family admission rates will go into effect for families with a maximum of two adults and four children. Additional family members pay at the regular rate.
- New seniors’ admission rates will be instituted at city-owned recreational buildings. YaraCentre previously had a seniors’ rate while other city buildings did not.
- A seniors’ walking track program monthly membership is being created. The previous program at YaraCentre offered $2.25 for a drop-in rate. By moving to a monthly rate, this will reduce the administrative and customer service burdens associated with paying daily. Drop-in rates will now be offered at $4.
- A new daily rate for meeting room rentals at all city buildings is being created.
- For consistency purposes, the same drop-in rate is being created for the walking track and public skating.
- The punch card system will be re-structured. The cards will offer the same benefits as a membership, but the municipality will now offer five- and 10-punch passes.
- There will be no increase to the YaraCentre rental rates in 2019. There will now be only one non-prime rate be offered, rather than having a non-prime rate for adults and a non-prime rate for youths.
- YaraCentre will still offer a discounted rate to Yara Belle Plaine staff as per the current agreement.
As part of the transition, current members at YaraCentre and city-owned recreational buildings will receive a credit for the remaining amounts they have on their memberships. These credits would then be applied to the new membership structure and rates.