The deal could be different for non-Barrie residents wanting to register and use city recreation programs.
City council will consider final approval of a motion June 18 that registration for non-residents for city recreation program begin seven days following the opening of registration for Barrie residents.
Also, that the non-residents surcharge for using the city’s recreation programs be increased to 25 per cent.
Barrie Coun. Ann-Marie Kungl, who represents Ward 3, says she’s good with both measures.
“I agree with this approach and think it's fair for Barrie residents to have a dedicated window of time to have improved access to high-demand programs at their city facilities before non-residents,” she said.
“I understand the surcharge has been 15 per cent and in looking more deeply into this, I know it's hard for our fees currently to even cover operating costs and that our costs have been set lower than other like cities,” Kungl added. “At this time, I'm not opposed to a 10 per cent increase for non-resident user fees.”
Registration for recreation programs is now open to Barrie residents and non-residents at the same time. Non-residents do, however, pay a premium in the form of a 15 per cent non-resident surcharge.
This motion would allow Barrie residents to register up to seven days earlier than non-residents for recreation programs and increase the premium by 10 per cent, to 25 per cent from 15 per cent.
City staff have reviewed registration data and determined that non-residents are getting registered program spaces ahead of Barrie residents.
In certain circumstances, staff say this equates to an average of 10 to 15 per cent of non-residents being registered ahead of city residents.
This results in Barrie residents being placed on a waiting list instead of being registered for rec programs ahead of non-residents.
The motion council will consider Wednesday also includes that 120 days' notice be provided to the Township of Springwater to terminate the current agreement if its residents are using Barrie facilities for recreation programs.
“With any change in a partnership agreement, I think a four-month notice is helpful to ensure that Springwater residents get appropriate communication to make informed decisions about any changes they will see in fees or access,” Kungl said.
And that a letter be sent to the residents of Springwater providing an explanation concerning the changes to the recreation program registration and fees is a result of the actions of Springwater Township council.
Deputy Mayor Robert Thomson has referred to the presentation he and Mayor Alex Nuttall made to Springwater council on May 21. It was connected to Barrie’s goal to adjust boundaries between the two municipalities to give the city more employment and residential land.
The deputy mayor said one of the pillars of the negotiation was that Barrie would provide parking and rec access, as if Springwater residents were Barrie residents.
But Thomson said he heard from some township councillors that wasn’t necessary and almost insulting that Barrie offered it, which Thomson said he found surprising.
“I can't speak to that and wasn't a part of those conversations,” Kungl said. “I think that if we are going to increase our user fees to all non-residents, then we need to be consistent about how that is done, and a communication about user fees going up for anyone that had a different experience or agreement with the city should get direct communication about the changes.”
Kungl was also asked if political reasons are involved in this motion, because of talks to move Barrie's boundaries into Springwater for the city's need for more employment and residential land.
“I don't see this as having anything to do with any boundary conversations,” she said. “I do see, and support this decision, as enabling Barrie residents to have first right to signing up for our city facility programming.”
Kungl said Friday afternoon she had no plans to amend the motion at this time.
Other municipalities provide registration priority for residents by staggering the window whereby registration opens to residents several days ahead of non-residents, which provides residents first opportunity for registration.
Innisfil, one of Barrie’s direct neighbours, Newmarket and Richmond Hill, for example, all have a seven-day window for their priority registration process.
City staff have not done community consultation or a survey on a priority registration recreation program process.
If approved by council, staff could have the priority registration process for Barrie residents in place for fall 2025.