Council approves five-year mill rate hike to fund recreation infrastructure
Ward 2 Coun. Bob Hawkins solemnly recalled a recent luncheon he attended where an Indigenous chief spoke to the difficulties Indigenous children have faced on reserves and in residential schools.
“He said the one bright spot in their life was the hockey rink. I think that comment … reminds us how important recreation is for our young kids,” said Hawkins. “It’s a way away from drugs and gangs. It’s a way of gaining self-confidence.”
That’s why Hawkins, along with the rest of council, supported the creation of a new Recreation Infrastructure Program aimed at improving Regina’s recreation facilities.
The motion was passed during a city council meeting Monday night. To fund the program, council also approved a five-year 0.5-per-cent mill rate increase.
“It’s not the first time we’ve done this, but in terms of high profile, this is very high-profile,” said Mayor Michael Fougere after Monday’s meeting. “Half a mill rate is significant.”
Signed by every member of council, the motion was passed unanimously after a short discussion on the importance of quality recreation facilities for Regina residents.
Despite the increase, Fougere and council believe it’s something the public will accept.
“The citizens of Regina have shown that they are prepared to accept a modest mill rate increase if they know that the funds created by that increase are dedicated to a specific infrastructure renewal that they support,” stated the motion.
The increase would be in effect from 2020 to 2024, and bring in approximately $1.25 million in the first year.
According to city administration, a total of $2,550,000 would be generated in 2021, $3,900,000 in 2022, $5,300,000 in 2023, $6,750,000 in 2024, and “an equal amount for every year thereafter without any further mill rate increase.”
Fougere emphasized the importance of guiding the program to follow the priorities outlined in the Recreation Master Plan announced earlier this year.
The money generated by the increase would be prioritized for three major projects: the Lawson Aquatic Centre, followed by Maple
Leaf and Wascana pools.
According to the motion, Regina’s recreation spaces have an average age of 37 years with much of that infrastructure nearing, at, or past the end of its useful life.
“The old adage of sport, culture and recreation hopefully with this will be alive and well,” said Ward 10 Coun. Jerry Flegel. “If you build it they will come. We just went through this whole thing with the stadium.”
Council believes the program will help the city leverage other forms of funding from different levels of government that require the city to match funding in order to receive it.
The city has used mill rate increases to pay for important infrastructure a couple of times before — once around 2005 to help buy accessible buses and more recently to fund the concluded Residential Road Renewal Program (RRRP).
The mill rate increase will be formalized through the 2020 budget process.
“It sends a very direct message to residents that we are serious about improving our recreation facilities, investing in them, improving our quality of life,” said Fougere.