Students of any age will be able to get a Port Moody fitness pass at the discounted rate after council agreed to eliminate the age requirement for student passes.
The decision comes after a nearly one-year trial period, during which the discounted passes were available to anyone with a valid student card showing they're attending a post-secondary institution. Before July 2015, the passes were available to students until the age of 25.
The Parks and Recreation Commission had suggested the one-year trial period, saying it could boost the number of students using the fitness centre and, if it encouraged new users to buy a pass, it would lead to higher revenue. The commission also recognized many people now stay in school past the age of 25 or return to school later in life.
The 10-month trial period showed 93 student passes were sold from late July 2015 to May 2016. There was a net loss in revenue of about $2,700 when compared with 93 passes sold at the regular adult rate but a staff report noted some of those 93 users were likely new clients.
PLAY BOX
Families using Rocky Point Park could be taking advantage of a new play box stocked with toys and sports equipment by the end of the summer.
The Tri-Cities Healthy Living Working Group, a consortium of local governments, School District 43 and Fraser Health, proposed the box as a way of increasing kids' physical activity levels and combatting rising obesity rates in children. A similar box is in Abbotsford and includes basketballs, soccer balls, skipping ropes, sidewalk chalk, frisbees, hula hoops and more.
Families wishing to use the locked box will register through the YMCA for an access code.
PoMo will pay the $1,500 cost of the concrete pad and Tri-Cities Healthy Living supplies the rest, with costs paid for by sponsorship advertising on the box.
SPENDING MONEY
Port Moody will use revenue from Evergreen Line construction work to fund a pair of local improvement projects.
Evergreen crews have been using the former landfill site on Barnet Highway as a turnaround area for trucks hauling materials to and from the west tunnel portal. The revenue from leasing the land to EGRT at various points since January 2015 and through to December 2016 is expected to be about $86,000.
Staff suggested that some of those funds be used for two projects to be co-ordinated with Evergreen construction: replacing a section of water main on Short Street between two sections EGRT will be re-aligning ($35,000); and patching and repairing Spring Street, between Hugh and William streets, that have deteriorated ($10,000).
[email protected]
@spayneTC
