THUNDER BAY – City councillors learned on Monday night that the city’s indoor rinks cost taxpayers about $1.01million a year in net costs to operate.
Fort William Gardens is by far the biggest drain on city coffers, costing the city an estimated $462,300 in operating losses in 2019, based on a gross operating expense of $802,300.
Port Arthur Arena is the most efficient publicly owned rink, costing taxpayers just $45,700 to run, followed closely by Current River Arena at $99,600 in losses.
All six rinks lost money in 2019.
Neebing Arena lost $130,900, Grandview Arena lost $149,700 and Delaney Arena lost $123,100.
At-large Coun. Aldo Ruberto questioned the disparity between the rinks, singling the two north-side rinks that cost taxpayers the least.
“Whatever Port Arthur Arena is doing, they are doing brilliantly,” Ruberto said, adding the rink has reduced annual cost by $300,000 in recent years.
“What are they doing different than everybody else?”
Kelly Robertson, the city’s general manager of corporate services, said the answer may lie in infrastructure.
Most notably, it could be new refrigeration systems.
“That will help to reduce our utility costs,” Robertson said.
Ruberto did question why the city seems so willing to spend so much on one sport, hockey, but was rebuffed in his attempt to request similar information on what the city spent on other sports, such as basketball, football and tennis.
“A lot of other areas were saying it’s not fair,” Ruberto said.
Meeting chair Shelby Ch’ng denied his request.
