Ron Cogswell / CC

Golf user fees at the city-owned Chapples and Strathcona Golf Courses are increasing by the following amounts:

• Golf Season Pass – Adult (36 years to 59 years) Double (7 days/week)
  • increase – 3.03% – $1,504.43 ($1,700.00 with taxes included)
• Golf Season Pass – Double (Strathcona & Chapples 7 days/week) Intermediate Adult (23-25 years)
  •  increase – 1.72% – $1,305.28 ($1,475.00) with taxes included
•  Daily Green Fees (Chapples & Strathcona 7 days/week)
  •  9 Hole
    • increase – 5.26% – $35.40 ($40 with taxes included)
  • 18 Hole
    • increase – 4.10% – $45.14 ($45.14 with taxes included)

The adult aged 36-59 year-old doubles golf season pass and the double intermediate adult aged 23-25 season pass saw the biggest increases, as at the start of the budget process neither had received a proposed increase from administration.

Council’s approval of the amended fee increase was the final change to the municipal tax levy lowering it by roughly 0.01 per cent after growth.

Only adult golf fees were touched as this was the user group that could manage the adjustment with the most ease.

“I chose adults because I think they are in their working years, and so in terms of affordability they can probably afford it more so than seniors versus kids,” explained Councillor Michael Zussino. “I think kids, you want them to grow the sport.”

The topic of golf user fee increases was first broached by Councillor Michael Zussino at the February 5, budget review meeting, where he proposed the following increases.

•  Golf Season Pass – Adult (36 years to 59 years) Double (7 days/week)
  • 4.55 per cent proposed increase
• Golf Season Pass – Double (Strathcona & Chapples 7 days/week) Intermediate Adult (23-25 years)
  • 4.83 per cent proposed increase
• Daily Green Fees (Chapples & Strathcona 7 days/week)
  • 9 Hole
    • 5.26 per cent proposed increase
  • 18 Hole
    • 6.13 per cent proposed increase

“Being a golfer I’ve been to these courses on a fairly regular basis, and I think our quality is really good,” highlighted Councillor Michael Zussino when proposing the fee increase. “I look at it in comparison to some other private ventures in our community, and you get a really good bang for your buck here, you get two for a membership, you get Chapples and Strathcona for approximately half the price of a private country club.”

At the February 7 budget meeting, Councillor Brian Hamilton lessened the hit by referring Councillor Zussino’s amendment to administration to review all golf rates and present user fee adjustments to achieve a revenue increase of $30,000.

At budget ratification Administration was confident that the anticipated course utilization rates for 2024 would achieve an additional $30,000 in revenue using the accepted rates, leading to the fee increase reduction, and councils approval.