The Leamington Flyers will not see any reductions in user fees and will need to pay their outstanding bill to the municipality by Friday.
Leamington council met Tuesday, with one report indicating the Leamington Flyers would like a 50 per cent reduction in user fees for the use of the Nature Fresh Farms Recreation Centre.
The existing fees, approved by council in September 2023, will expire at the end of June 2025. The team is charged $185 per hour for “prime time” hours of 4 p.m. 11 p.m.
Administration stated during the meeting that the Rec Centre currently operates at an annual loss of $3.9 million, meaning the fees collected from various user groups don’t offset the costs to operate the facility, and requires taxpayers to contribute to those costs.
On average for the last three years, the Flyers revenue earned at the Rec Centre is approximately $70,000 annually.
A big concern addressed by council was the fact that the Flyers have not paid their bill for any ice time for practices or games for the 2024-25 season from August to February. In total, including interest, the Flyers owe nearly $49,000 to the municipality.
In 2023, the Flyers announced they were moving up to Junior A and playing in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL).
Craig Mahon, co-owner of the Leamington Flyers, said they started looking into this after other owners in the league in the Toronto area stated they have significantly discounted ice time.
“They’re like ‘Oh, we get the half price rate’, we’re like... ‘Oh, okay’. And I didn’t really know what rate we were paying, so it opened our eyes to go ‘Okay, so maybe there could be’,” said Mahon.
“Mainly I think what we’re trying to do is to say we want to partner up with the community, we want to be here indefinitely. I think the big thing is we believe in this community, and we just want to make sure that the partnership works for everybody involved.”
Mahon said they’re frustrated that the municipality turns down requests from the team.
“We wanted to bring in a strength and conditioning coach, that was rejected,” he said.
“We wanted to take over the Unico board advertising - rejected. Making space for additional on-ice logos - rejected. Requesting the minor hockey room be converted and renovated into a players lounge, coaches room at again Leamington Flyers cost - rejected.”
David Halliwill, co-owner of the Leamington Flyers, said the organization made significant investment to be able to move into the OJHL.
“That’s what we felt was necessary to give the kids locally the opportunity to get scholarships,” said Halliwill.
“The landscape has changed, it’s very hockey-nuanced, but with that also comes significantly more time on the ice. So, as a Junior B team, we didn’t require the same amount of practice time, and now we’re on the ice a lot more.”
Meanwhile, councillor Paul Tiessen said the rates being charged to the Flyers are lower than other arenas in the area.
“Do we expect the taxpayers to start footing the bill for a privately owned team? You may not be making a profit, but it’s not a non-profit organization,” said Tiessen.
“So should the municipality be footing the bill for privately owned sports team?”
Mayor Hilda MacDonald said the rates should remain the same as the Flyers still have an outstanding bill.
“This is somebody renting our space and not paying their bill. And I’m sorry, that’s a no-go because that sets us up for next year,” she said.
“When are they going to pay the bill? The season is almost over. They gonna pay at the end? Or are they going to pay at the end of the week? I have not seen any kind of affirmation that we’re going to get paid.”
MacDonald said the bill should’ve been paid prior to the Flyers attending the meeting.
“If I sold somebody a KitchenAid mixer and they didn’t pay the bill, I was taking the mixer back. If I rent an apartment to somebody and they don’t pay the rent, they’re evicted,” she said.
“So, I believe that our administrative team did exactly what they needed to do. And if you wanted us to lower the rate, you should’ve been here with a cheque, not Friday, not a week from now.”
For comparison, non-profit organizations, including the minor hockey associations or the local figure skating club are charged $163 for the rental of the ice during the “prime time” hours.
A motion was passed that the Flyers need to pay their bill by Friday, April 11 by noon. If they do not, the municipality will implement further enforcement proceedings. And that no reduction be applied to the organization. The motion passed.
- Meagan Delaurier/AM800 News
