Reduced rates for recreation service providers to continue into 2021

Recreation
Written By

*Please see below a media release issued by the City of Burlington.November 26, 2020 -- Burlington, Ont. -- The City of Burlington’s rental fees for not for profit organizations and small businesses who use recreation facilities to run programs for the community will continue to see a reduced rental fee that will gradually increase to regular rates later in 2021. This support is provided to assist organizations impacted by the COVID pandemic and the restrictions imposed on these organizations in order to reduce the spread of the virus. 

This approach lowers financial relief as we head into pandemic recovery.This past August, Burlington City Council approved a 25 per cent fee reduction for the remainder of 2020.Burlington has a strong history of partnership with both not-for-profit organizations and small, for-profit businesses to provide recreation and sport opportunities for residents. These groups have been adversely affected by the restrictions for COVID-19, such as the requirement to cap the number of participants permitted in a facility at a given time, which reduces revenue, as well as the need for special protective equipment, extra cleaning and screening protocols, and training for staff, all of which increase expenses.

"The impact of COVID-19 on local businesses, including providers of Sport and Recreation opportunities, has been significant. Reducing recreation facility rental fees will support businesses struggling to maintain operations throughout COVID-19, so they can grow again post-pandemic.Much of our recreational space is rented and run by local user groups and renters, not actually through City of Burlington staff, so it’s important we do what we can to ensure our partners are able to remain economically viable in these times so they can continue to offer great recreation, leisure and sport for our residents." -- Chris Glenn, Director of Recreation Services, City of Burlington

Continuing rental rate reduction support into 2021 will help as many of these groups as possible survive this disruption, maintaining "something to come back to" post-pandemic. Groups will be encouraged to pass savings along to residents, lowering or maintaining the cost of participation for families and individuals. Priority is already given in the space allocation process to groups with a fee assistance program; this will continue with the goal of maximizing safe, accessible, and affordable participation in recreation and sport.

Fee Schedule
  • 20 per cent rental fee reduction in the first quarter
  • 15 per cent reduction in the second quarter
  • 10 per cent reduction in the third quarter
  • Return to pre-COVID-19 rates in the fourth quarter of 2021

User groups will be contacted by the City staff.Recreation Fee AssistanceRecreation is for all, regardless of financial situation. Recreation Fee Assistance is funding made available to resident individuals or families who need help to pay for City of Burlington recreation programs.For more information or to apply, visit burlington.ca/feeassistance. You can also leave a confidential voicemail message at 905-335-7738, ext. 8501 and our staff will return your call to assist you.Residents who would like to register for recreation programming or would like to learn more about COVID-19 precautions for recreation should visit burlington.ca/recreation.MAYOR MEED WARD'S TAKE:Our local recreation user groups are offering a service that is more important now during a pandemic than ever. They give our community an outlet that supports positive mental and physical health in a safe way for its participants. I’m glad Burlington Council was unanimous in our decision to maintain some form of support for these groups to hopefully help them continue operations into 2021.Links:

—PLEASE NOTE: To stay updated on what the City of Burlington is doing regarding COVID-19, please visit the dedicated pages burlington.ca/coronavirus (and subscribe) and bit.ly/mayormeedwardCOVID19updates, and our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page — bit.ly/COVID19BurlingtonFAQ that are updated as new information becomes available.A Burlington COVID-19 Task Force has been created to help support our community through this unprecedented emergency — updates will be provided at burlington.ca/COVID19taskforce.To report an incident of non-compliance with provincial emergency orders, please contact the Halton Regional Police Service COVID-19 Hotline: 905-825-4722.We’ve also created a dedicated page to feature the local organizations and businesses that have inspired us during the COVID-19 pandemic by taking action to support our community in new and creative ways — head to bit.ly/covidwallofinspiration.HELPFUL RESOURCES & RELATED LINKS:

—*Posted by John Bkila, Mayor's Media and Digital Communications Specialist

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