City to levy recreation surcharge to non-Kingston residents

The 15 percent surcharge is seen as a way to let residents of the city use their taxpayer-funded facilities.

Non-Kingston residents will pay a bit more to enroll in recreational programs.

A motion by Cllr. Paul Chaves was passed at Tuesday's Council meeting that would see non-residents be subject to a 15 percent surcharge.

Chaves explains the rationale behind his motion.

Loyalist Township currently levies a surcharge for non-residents who use their recreational facilities.

The motion also called for non-residents to go through a 72-hour waiting period for registration. This is to ensure Kingston residents are able to sign up for popular programs that fill up quickly.

This was prompted after many swimming lessons and other aquatics programs were being filled by non-residents.

Mayor Bryan Paterson sees charging non-residents more for programs in Kingston as a way of leveling the playing field.

But Cllr. Conny Glenn wonders if charging non-residents extra would deter them from registering in the first place?

Cllr. Lisa Osanic also can't understand why the 15 percent surcharge is being applied to parking permits.

She says most of the out-of-town residents who use the parking spaces in Kingston work in the city.

Most of Council agreed with Osanic and that part of the motion was defeated in a separate vote.

Story by Ken Hashizume