Parks and Rec fee schedule takes effect Tuesday

Runners, swimmers and other fitness-minded folk are reminded that new fees for Wrangell’s parks and recreation department facilities are set to take effect on Sept. 1.

The new rates were approved by the Borough Assembly in July. A previous schedule put forward last winter was rejected, with proposed changes criticized for being too steep.

Bounced back for consideration in May, the new schedule maintains some of the changes proposed in the previous draft, with an effective decrease to most community center and facilities rental rates and modest increases in fees for the RV park.

Also from the previous draft, but a major departure from current policy, is the discarding of the department’s corporate discount rate. Park board members decided that the discount package disproportionately favored larger businesses over smaller ones and individuals, as the size of the discount reflected the participating business’ staff size.

Under the new schedule, participating businesses’ employees can obtain a flat five-percent discount on individual passes. Earlier in the summer a moratorium went into effect on new corporate discount rates, and currently held rates will continue until contracts expire over the upcoming year.

At the individual level, people can buy 10- and 20-visit punch cards for use of the pool, weight room and showers. Otherwise, monthly, quarterly, six-month and annual passes are available in the family, youth, adult and senior categories.

Different from past years, the new family rates center around a “couples rate,” defined as two adults in a domestic partnership. The base yearly rate for a pass begins at $583, with $50 added for each child. Previously a flat $864 family rate had been proposed, regardless of size, and would have increased each year afterward.

The department’s fee assistance program has been changed as well and now includes a three-page document asking for some household financial information. Successful applicants can get reductions on various activities, with thresholds for the program based on U.S. Census information for Wrangell.

A complete copy of the rate schedule can be found online under Parks and Rec’s new quarterly newsletter at http://www.wrangell.com/recreation/quarterly-newsletter-pr.