The payment plan for five future recreation centres in Rocky View County (RVC) is becoming a little clearer.
RVC’s Governance Committee received an update this week on the County’s Community Recreation Off-Site Levy Bylaw, which was first presented to council last December as the Community Recreation and Fire Off-Site Levy Bylaw.
The Indus Centre Rink Expansion, South Springbank Community Centre, Langdon Recreation Centre, Harmony/North Springbank Facilities, and the Conrich Facilities and Sport Field are the five recreation facilities that have been identified to have their construction costs paid through the levy.
In the presentation to the committee, representatives of County administration stated that levy collection will be applied based on the development and growth potential of an area. The two areas, or catchments, have been divided between east and west, with the east catchment levy on developments being $5,143-$6,076 per acre, and $4,504-$6,901 per acre for the west catchment with a base levy rate of between $1,107 - $1,583 per acre being applied to any new development across the county.
According to the RVC, the estimated net cost for the future capital construction of the five recreation facilities is $134 million. The five proposed recreation centres were identified through the Recreation and Parks Master Plan.
“We believe administration has aligned our current policy…and the levy charges are fair across the County,” said Jeannette Lee, the manager of the County’s Capital and Engineering Services who presented the update to the committee.
The committee report that outlines administration's thinking states that, “as the County’s development proceeds, levy funds are collected, future servicing needs are refined and prioritized, and capital funding plans are developed, it is expected the County will be required to review and update the levy rates as appropriate on a regular basis.”
The report also mentions that based on the updated levy rates and land development projections, it is estimated that a total of approximately $68.7 million can be obtained from the off-site levy over the next 20 years.
To prove that the proposed levy is still lower than other nearby municipalities, administration provided information in the report that shows the overall recreation amenities bylaw for Okotoks, for example, is $25,112 per acre.
“The County’s proposed recreation offsite levy rates are relatively on the lower end versus those of regional and other Alberta municipalities,” the report reads.
While the committee did not vote on the Community Recreation Off-Site Levy Bylaw, it is expected that administration will bring the full bylaw to a regular RVC council meeting for official consideration and first reading sometime soon.
