Dauphin Recreation Services general manager Ryan Vanderheyden met with the Rural Municipality of Dauphin council at its regular meeting, June 10, to answer concerns regarding recreation.
Reeve Ernie Sirski asked Vanderheyden about the insured value of the buildings on the DRS property.
In 2023, Vanderheyden said, the property and equipment insurance premium was $293,000, which has since gone up twice. Although he did not have an exact number for 2025, he said it would be in excess of $300,000.
Sirski then asked how much revenue is generated from the DRS facilities, which Vanderheyden said is projected to be just over $1 million for 2025, adding 2024 revenue was just over $1.1 million.
Councilor Ken Shewchuk asked if the pool rates are different for someone living in Ste. Rose, for example, compared to someone living in Dauphin.
Vanderheyden noted years ago there were discussions to levy an extra cost to residents of Ochre River.
“At that time, Ochre was the target for that, because they’re obvious. You can make a connection. You can see the people, you know they’re using it,” he said.
“If you ask them where their rec. tax dollars would go, they would 100 per cent want it to go to Dauphin. You can make that connection.”
Gilbert Plains and Grandview, Vanderheyden added, have their own recreation facilities they are still spending money on, but that, he added, may change.
“Running a rink is very expensive and smaller municipalities won’t have that over time,” he said, noting the price of compressors have more than doubled since 2015.
“Those smaller municipalities that are doing the fund-raisers and those dinners for $100, that won’t catch up to what’s going to happen. And eventually, you’ll see that type of rec, especially hockey, is going to go to a hub like Dauphin,” Vanderheyden said, adding local usage is already going up.
Shewchuk also asked about the windows at the curling rink being replaced.
Vanderheyden said over the years, the Dauphin Community Curling Club had been fund-raising for improvements to the facility, such as new windows. The club, he added, will pay half the cost, with DRS paying the other half.
“If we had the money, we’d love to fix it. We just don’t have the money to fix it right now,” he said, adding DRS and the curling club may be able to apply for various grants to help finance the new windows.
Councillor Ron Ryz felt the RM was unfairly blamed for the state of the windows.
“There’s talk in the area that the windows need to be replaced. Dauphin Rec Services hasn’t got the money. They don’t have the money because the RM is not paying enough. That’s why the curling club is buying their own windows,” he said.
“As a rural resident, I find that upsetting. We get blamed for shortfalls.”
Vanderheyden said he understands the messaging on the windows specifically, because there are questions asking why DRS doesn’t pay for the new windows, as well.
“Sometimes you don’t have the whole audience. And in any municipality, they don’t have the full story, so you get that complaint,” he said.
Vanderheyden noted labour is the most expensive item in the recreation department budget, however, they have been able to control labour over the last 10 years.
Read the full story in this weeks Dauphin Herald.
