Central Cariboo Joint Committee chooses to keep Cariboo Memorial Rec Complex open, shuffles labour to reduce deficit

The Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex will remain open, but some staff will be shuffled around to reduce the deficit to the city of Williams Lake.

Four options were presented to the Central Cariboo Joint Committee to choose from at a Special Joint Committee Meeting in regards to reducing the deficit from the Recreation Complex. The four options included:

1. No change in operations, forecasting approximately $240,000 overspent
2. Reduced facility operating morning hours Monday to Friday, March 29th to June 18th, forecasting approximately $125,000 overspent
3. Reduce facility maintenance hours to reflect the ice arena operational use March 29th to June 28th, forecasting approximately $155,000 overspent
4. Close the recreation complex on Sundays, March 29th to June 28th, forecasting approximately $195,000

The committee chose option 3.

Williams Lake Director of Community Services Ian James says the recreation facility’s hours will be maintained, but some labour will have to be shuffled to reduce layoffs. “We would minimize staff layoffs by relocating staff to other departments where they qualify”, James says, “The Cariboo Regional District would put in additional funds from the operating overflow”.

There are certain advantages and disadvantages to this plan.

Advantages:

• Save 115 hours/week on facility maintenance staff labour.
• Opportunity to create new revenue-generating programs in the Gibraltar room and since arena by leaving one ice pad in throughout the spring and summer.
• No morning or afternoon facility closures.
• Maximize use of facility and program opportunities given by the PHO order and restrictions on recreation activities
• No Change to facility user group activity in the recreation centre, The ice arena activities are dramatically reduced, therefore demand on facility maintenance responsibilities are reduced to match demand.
• The new forecasted budget deficit will be around $155,000.

Disadvantages

• One full-time and two casual staff must relocate to municipal services to take on outdoor student work if they qualify.
• New Ice programs may be perceived as competing with existing, private business.

James says there should be no change for those who use the facility, and the plan is already in effect.