The Veiner Centre could see some changes to the operations model in part due to reduced membership. The city would like to see 10 per cent of those more than 50 years of age have a membership. The city has issued a request for proposals this week.--NEWS PHOTO GILLIAN SLADE
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade
A councillor says if the city is looking for 10 per cent of seniors to be members of the Veiner Centre to justify an annual investment, perhaps it should be applied across the board.
“I think we absolutely have to look at every place we are spending money in the city and make sure that it is good value,” said Coun. Jim Turner.
What is the membership of the FLC compared to the population, or the Canalta Centre and children’s playgrounds?
“It will be tough to have a really clear standard right across all these different facilities but it is the right question to ask,” said Coun. Kris Samraj.
This week the city is issuing a request for proposals to operate the Veiner Centre and the Meals on Wheels program.
The annual cost of operating the Veiner and Strathcona Centres is $1.42 million. The city has previously stated that less than four per cent of a potential 26,000 people who qualify for membership are members.
Brian Mastel, commissioner of public services, said that based on other centres it would need to be about 10 per cent.
Turner says he is not a member of the FLC but has a winter membership at the YMCA. He estimates he goes to the Esplanade about six times a year. He values walking and uses the trail system on a daily basis except in winter.
Samraj says the city is starting to focus on what the goals are for facilities and how to measure them. This would not only apply to the Canalta Centre and the Esplanade but also funding for sports venues.
Samraj says there are challenges with sports.
“They are trendy, each generation has their own interest,” said Samraj, noting that at the moment pickle ball is huge and there never seem to be enough pickle ball courts.
The bigger conversation is whether the community is built based on usage of facilities, or whether some aspects are simply part of a welcoming city with a range of facilities.
“That’s why it is difficult to just say we will use a standard because there are other factors that do come into play,” said Samraj. Swimming is an important skill that people need to have and so deserves a greater subsidy.
Turner says the way people entertain themselves has changed since the Veiner Centre was built.
“I’m a senior but I have two tablets, two phones, four TVs in my house,” he said.
Turner wonders what it would take to increase membership of the Veiner Centre and says he does not think the operating model has changed much since the 2013 flood.
“It is still a club-based facility,” he said. “If the senior citizens aren’t happy with the way it operates, maybe we need to change the way it is run.”
Service providers will have four weeks to submit proposals for an operating model for the Veiner Centre and Meals On Wheels. They will be evaluated and scored in October or November. City council will award the contract in November or December.
