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PAGE 28, WHBY FREE PRESS, WEDNEDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1990 Uer fees are iposed on bal diamondsan soccer fiélds By MIke Kowalsil People who play basebaîl and soccer in Whitby muet start pay- Sing for using municipal facilities. Town counicil last week appro- ved cha*ng a pemt fée to groupe who use baîl diamonde and soccer fields owned by the municipality. Permiit fees will b. charged to both adult and youth organiza- tions, commencmrg next year. The policy is a tiret for Whitby. A staff report esiates that $76,000 will be raised from the three minoir sports groupe usmng Town facilities, based on permits issued thie year. The three groupe are the Whitby Iroquoise ccr Club, Whitby Minor Basebail Associa- tion and Whitby Girls Softball Association. Tlhe staff report also estimates that $25,000 will b. rsised from adult groupe,, based on 1990 per- mite. Additionally, the report recom- mende that permi*t fees increase by 10 per cent in each euh- setouh heimposition 'of aduit fees passed without discus- sin there was extensive debate aot collectinq fees from the youth organizations. Soin. counicillors argued that the minor sports groupe b. given a chance te respond te staffe recommendation. But the mjoritysupported councillor Jo. Bu .1lmoion te decide the issue that night. In oppoin~ the recommenda- tion, counior Tom Edwards remmded council of the two minor basebaîl teames which were reco nized prior te the meeting. (Te Whiitby junior B and Whitby Optimiet' bantam AA basebaîl teame were presented with Town medals for winning Ontario championships this year.) "It would be inappropriate afler having these young people here to receive awards to tell thein that their 2,arents have to pa more money, said Edwards. Councillor Dennis Fox sad im- posing user fees without coneuit- ing the affected groupe «would be jumpingl the gun." Fox aIo said the report carne forward at 'the uwrong. time» because of poor economic con- ditions. "I thinl< we are asing too much,', said Fox. - Councillor Lynda Buffett eaid user fees are needed to control costs and improve service. "IAs the town .grows I. don't want to b.* in the position of telling people 'we don't have fields-and youll have to wait,» said Buffett. The centre ward reipresenta- tive said anproximate l ich children wil beaffect& ýc works out to an actual net cost of light it's not that much,' said Buffett. Councillor Marcel Brunelle supporte!d user fees for adulte,0 saymg they are capable of decid- in.g for themeelves whether they wish to spend additional money on recreation. "But to put this on the backs of minoir sports teame is unfair unnecesaary and not right," saicl Brunelle. "I think the users of our fields SEE PAGE 31 CATHY WESTGATE was the first was first among the men, with a woman to cross the finish Uine of the time of 24 minutes, 37 seconds, in Whitby Tigers' seventh annual 8k the race. that attracted more than road race, sponsored by Blue Dia- 200 entrants and was described'as mond, on Sunday. Ber time was 28 the best yet by race director Ian minutes, 51 seconds. Michael Keller Barron. Peter Tomblia photo Sports groups upset with user, fees /1 ~~~By 11k. KowalskoJh Mtdeprsdent of the k 1*k hitby mniaor sports officials Whitby IroquoiesUccer Club. are «fighting mad' over having te ea out :rogniza-, I payfor smg own adia- tion and this will more olese monde and soccer fields. double our coes.» jIn fact, last week's decision by A Town staff report estimates M Town council te, impose fees on 1991 cos te the soccer club will teame ugng peviouslY free faci- b. proiael$770.1 lities hasl ofFcis warning the "Wh do they expctus ton Pl move may*kil their sports pro- get almost $30,000? WFell have tu', P p grains. pase the coste on te the parente," Oý They plan te lobby council in eaid Methven. d -the hope of having the decision TIhe club now charges a $55 fee revereed and want parente te put which includes' the price of a «heat» on the five councillore who uniform, but if the fees increase, ci [1 euporte userfees.Methven worries aboutth a .1 IlHBy a vote of 5-3, council agreed spores future i Whitby. 01 Il Il te charge for the use of baIl «We had 1,400 kids iign - LjJdiamonds and soccer fields, com- ized soccer, it (1990) was one Of A mencing next year. (See separate our biffest years., But we teld S i A ~~staff report estimates thatinraees n et amount ita KN2 ~ 'i $76,000 in extra revenue will will basicallykill thesport.' 'r' ~ ~flow inte Town coffers based on Morrow i the Town's parks a' C45q 9.~'-- the number of permýits issued te, and recreation directer.w youth organizations in 1990. Hie department prepared the "Iestqj i 43pr e4i e,, Jrecom- teyy ýn-' 4iqlPOs*I. UwNwieS o egve an opportunity te res- pnd before council dealt with lie matter. However, council chose te adopt the report without «for- ma lhearigfrom the groupe. Methven acknowledgdthat Town staff mentioned «abot a nonh" gothe report; was being ireare b t he did not expe it 3o soon nor did he expect eing enied a chance te reepond. "They didn't even discuse; it with un," said Methven, who has Dontated the other two groupe affected te, formulate a joint plan )f action. (The. Whitby Minor Baseball~ %ssociation 'and Whitby Girls 3oftball Association will b. for- ed te pay a co:mbined $47,900, ccording to the staff report.) «W. will b. màking parente tware of where the coes aré and rhat they are,» said Methven. «We have te get on te, the ~/kkÀi- t «t/Z5 7/ o ----- ---- ---- ....