HRM Media Release

Changes to booking fees for sports fields, ball diamonds

(Tuesday, January 11, 2011) - New fees for use of sports fields and ball diamonds in HRM will help the municipality cover the costs of maintaining fields to a sustainable standard and continue to provide good services to the people who use them.

Council approved a new schedule of fees this evening, which will see rates rise in the 2011 playing season by $10 per hour for use by adult teams. A $5 per hour increase for minor sports booking fees will be phased in over two years in recognition of HRM’s commitment to youth access to recreation opportunities.

HRM currently spends $2.5 million on sports field maintenance but recovered just $196,365 in revenues from user fees last year. With the changes, total fees for fields will increase to $468,703 by year two. The last fee increase was in 1999. Rates differ by field classification and are as follows:

AA class
from $10/hour for Adult use to $20/hour for Adult use
from $5/hour for Minor use to $10/hour for Minor use (two-year phase-in)

A class
from $9/hour for Adult use to $19/hour for Adult use
from $4.50/hour for Minor use to $9.50/hour for Minor use (two-year phase-in)

B class
from $8/hour for Adult use to $18/hour for Adult use
from $4/hour for Minor use to $9/hour for Minor use (two-year phase-in)

C class
from $7/hour for Adult use to $17/hour for Adult use
from $3.50/hour for Minor use to $8.50/hour for Minor use (two-year phase-in)

D class
from $0/hour for Adult use to $10/hour for Adult use
from $0/hour for Minor use to $5/hour for Minor use (two-year phase-in)

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Contact:
Mayor Peter Kelly
490-4010