2024 User Fees and Charges

I think the increase in the fees for the diamond is unnecessary if there are no improvements being made on the diamond and surrounding area. Gull lake park is a dump because no one maintains it properly and the diamond isn’t maintained properly. What are we paying more for? The same gross, unmaintained property? If the money will go toward making the park/diamond a better space then yes increase, but if you are only increasing the fees because “everything is increasing” and you aren’t making any changes toward increasing the quality of the park/diamond no.

I understand the rate changes but why has the town not charging a fee for day beach goers? We pay for these beaches as tax payers and locals cannot get to enjoy beaches in summer months. They come for the day take over, leave a mess which our tax dollars are used for clean up. They do not spent money in town as they bring food, barbecues, tents etc. other towns/cities have a fee for day trips to the beach. I guess Gravenhurst counsel is not for the locals only our taxes.

Very thing looks reasonable. Pretty sure maintenance costs are higher than proposed user fees.

Given the rising cost of everything the new and increased fees appear reasonable. I am sure the actual expenses for maintenance are higher than the fees.

Thing I don't understand is the boat slip fee's. When walking down there, 1/2 the slips are empty, yet fee's are going up? Should be reduced to get additional interest. Bring more money into the towns (spin off). Raising them will only decrease overall revenue. Fyi, I'm not a boat owner. Just an observation.

In the council report by staff there is a statement in the climate change component at end of report it did not say how this report addresses these issues

Fees My concerns are in regards to imbalances of fees down loaded to families and environmental protection versus developers.

1 To change official plan requires hours of staff and council time. The funding required should be increased for such requests. Estimated meetings and staff time plus council and public meetings should be closer to $10,000 for change in official plan to advance profit of development. Extra environmental destruction should not only come at a cost it should include a plan to restore the destruction.

2. Sports fees for kids should not be increased. Those kids playing are good for a healthy community it is already out of reach financially for some families

3 I did not see an increase for climate change capital budget either. Or this tax budget Nor an increase of parkland or woodland protection (environmental reserve fund) for our public lands to increase? Are we not planning or preserving any more woodlands or waterfront in our community?

I see the proposal for increase in regards to ball diamonds multi use courts and soccer field. Thing is Gravenhurst doesn’t have town soccer field so that increase is unnecessary. Unless they mean the field that’s used for farmers market, rib fest , dockside and tall pines. And how would Bracebridge be $3.60 less an hour for ball diamonds when Peake fields is on a completely different level of facility ?

See above

The str fee is too high for owners who occasionally rent their properties. I rent twice a year and pay the same as my neighbour who rents every weekend.

The fee increase for diamonds is durastic given what we are getting for that amount. It typically takes a few weeks to even have a portapotty onsight while using diamonds. We have to do our own bags and lines. If the rate is going to increase, especially so substantially more of a service should be provided. Increasing by more than 50% will put alot of clubs/leagues in a tough spot.

I hope you will be lining, doing the lights and building full washrooms with that cost

I am complaining about the increase on ball diamonds. It’s a newly 50% increase, and the fee is being raised to higher than or local towns (Bracebridge is $21/hr) but doesn’t include the services that they do. If Gravenhurst plans to also include the lining and bases, then an increase makes sense. But to raise the price arbitrarily without increasing the value is wrong. The info sheet says it’s matching comparator pricing, but it’s not when not the same services are included. Compare apples to apples and oranges to oranges. When Gravenhurst supplies the bases and field lining, as well as a better maintained diamond with covered dugouts, thats when they should compare other towns like Bracebridge. The way it’s worded makes it sound like is comparable to that of Bracebridge when it’s very much not.

The proposed fees for the softball field are absolutely ludicrous. The field is poorly maintained as it is, and the lights for late evening games don’t even light up the entire field. The Dugouts aren’t even covered. A price hike of this magnitude could very easily kill the men’s softball league which is one of the main renters of the bay diamond.

“It’s only a few dollars” isn’t the right way of thinking either. It’s a nearly 50% increase, per hour. We are also well aware that other local towns have better maintained facilities, and that includes lining and the bases for a lower price per hour. What is proposed is not a reasonable increase, especially if maintenance, lining, and bases are not being included.

I don’t understand the baseball diamond explanation to increase rental price. It says “increase to catch up with area comparitors” I can’t find any definition of the word “comparitor”. Will there be additional maintenance the field will receive? Or possibly more features implemented including dugouts and new fencing? Please clarify this for me! Thank you!

I think most of the rates are very reasonable. If you’ve got 18 players that’s less than $1.50/hr each.

However, I’m a little concerned about the new $75 pavilion rental fee. It’s one thing for organizations who want to reserve one but that’s too steep for people who just want use one for their kid’s birthday or the casual group meetings I see going on there. Hopefully that doesn’t preclude them from using those spaces without paying to reserve.

As a long time resident of Gravenhurst, I feel the increase of rental fees for the sports fields is excessive. Many local people engage in these recreational activities to help relieve the stress of their jobs and everyday situations. With so many other aspects of living in this community have become more expensive, it was always a nice respite to get away for a couple of hours.
Now these rental increases just add one more worry to the hard working people off the community.
Please rethink the rent hike.

Not sure, what to think of so many increases. It feels, home owners are being double taxed, as their property tax will go up substantially (in absolute amount) , during a time where a lot of people have to cut back to afford day-by-day living. The average home owner struggles as much as the non-homeowners, only the non-home owners do not have the burden of increase prop. taxes.
The whole economy is still struggling. My cashier wife makes less money than 10 yrs ago, considering all the price increases we had since, and especially since covid. So, our overall spending power is less (guessing 15%).
I am not so much against increasing fees "to keep up". It's the timing I have problems with. I need to know, that my township has my back.
My recommendation: better to slow down ambitious project and re-shuffle the budged rather than make the population bleed more, in these difficult times. The papers are full of people, who lose housing and struggle to afford healthy food (thanx God we don't belong to them yet). Gravenhurst is not exactly a cheap town for food purchases either. Every penny spend on a township fee, seems to be a penny missing for other essential products and services. Lets be kind and get through this together.

This is a terrible idea! Are ball diamonds are not in good enough shape for 25 an hour. This is going to push all leagues out of are area

I feel increasing our diamond fees from $17 to $25 is astronomical. The diamonds are lined or bags put out for us and the "bathroom" is gross. Where in bracebridge we pay $21.40 an hour and the diamonds are lined for us, bags put in, and there are actual bathrooms their.

I think upping the price of ball diamonds to $25 from $17 is crazy! We rent the wharf diamond and there isn't even proper bathrooms there. Bracebridge diamonds charge $21.40 an hour. They do the lines and have proper bathrooms.