COLD LAKE – The City of Cold Lakes City Council has decided to maintain its current fee structure for senior recreation fees at city facilities, following concerns expressed about affordability.

During a discussion at the Oct. 15 Business Priorities Committee meeting, council members considered requests for lower fees but ultimately agreed to keep rates unchanged to balance affordability with the city’s revenue needs.

While comparisons were made to Bonnyville’s C2 Center, where seniors enjoy discounted rates, the council decided Cold Lake’s current approach was sufficient.

“We need the revenue,” Mayor Craig Copeland said, stressing the need for caution when considering additional subsidies.

CAO Kevin Nagoya explained that the city receives many requests from seniors for reduced fees.

“We’ve placed it on tonight’s priority committee for council feedback regarding the seniors’ fees. One thing in terms of our review of this is that the city is getting a lot of requests from seniors for lower fees,” Nagoya said.

He described the comparisons made with Bonnyville’s C2 Centre, where senior and “super senior” discounts are available, but noted that Cold Lake’s fees and definitions for seniors differ, with the golf course offering a discount for those 55 and older, unlike from other facilities that define a senior as age 60 or older.

gref Chris Vining expressed satisfaction with the current structure, saying, “I’m good where we are, I think we have good discounts.”

gref Adele Richardson agreed but added that consistency is important across city facilities.

“I think we’re good where we’re at, I just think we should be consistent with what we identify as a senior.”

The council also discussed a recent initiative offering one month of free membership through the city’s “Prescription to Get Active” program.

But discounts for activities like the rock wall aren’t currently available to seniors, as Nagoya pointed out. “Right now we don’t offer discounts or subsidies for seniors. . . . Just a flat fee and the basis of that (we were trying to) get some cost recovery out of the rock wall.”

Councilors largely agreed that the current fee structure is still appropriate, with no immediate plans to change it.