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The sign for the Vernon Recreation Complex (Image Credit: Vernon Matters)
Revising Rates

More work needed to restructure Vernon’s recreation fees

May 25, 2026 | 5:22 PM

The plan to revise Vernon’s recreation rate structure is going back to the drawing board.

At the regular meeting Monday, May 25, Vernon City Council was presented with a revised plan to modernize its rec fees.

This involved selling only one-day passes, 10-visit passes, and monthly and annual memberships. It also maintained the Vernon Resident Program, which sees residents of Vernon, Coldstream and Electoral Areas B and C pay less for their visits than residents of communities that do not have a cost-share agreement with the city, as those individuals help pay for recreation through taxation.

The proposal called for slight increases to the one and 10-day pass prices, but big declines in the membership prices to try to encourage people to be active users of the facilities and amenities. It also called for the establishment of a family or household membership that could be offered at a discounted rate.

Council received the proposal and supported the structure in principle, but did have some concerns with the dollar figures, with members stating residents would be paying too much when compared to the non-resident rates.

The consultants that had developed the plan were then directed to go back to the drawing board and come up with rates that better reflect the resident’s tax contribution and increase the rates for non-residents.

“In general, there’s an understanding that those who are inside the rec agreement, who are paying towards rec facilities, need to get a rate that’s lower than others,” Mayor Victor Cumming said following Monday’s meeting.

“Council’s very clear: if you’re from a municipality or an electoral area that’s chosen not to join the service, your residents will have to pay more.”

The mayor also affirmed the rates would be coming down, as previous increases seemed to put a damper on use of the recreational facilities. He also stated there would be a focus on getting people signed up as members so they can be active and ongoing participants in the city’s recreation facilities.

City Council also tasked staff with reporting back with data as to how many of the non-resident recreation users come from nearby communities, and how many are tourists.

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