Paid parking at Lethbridge’s Enmax Centre was passed by city council in a 5-4 vote in April, and on Tuesday the decision was upheld in another 5-4 vote.
Coun. John Middleton-Hope proposed a rescindment of the decision following community backlash over the $5 fee, including from the arena’s primary tenant — the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
“We’ve talked to many different clubs that have implemented it and then have taken it away because it has directly affected their opportunity to increase their revenues,” Terry Huisman, the general manager of business operations for the hockey club, said.
Huisman and Hurricanes president Doug Paisley spoke briefly to members of council during their debate of Middleton-Hope’s resolution. Huisman and Paisley cited the Red Deer Rebels as one of the organizations they had spoken to who had removed paid parking after seeing negative impacts.
Middleton-Hope’s resolution included an ask to city administration to undergo a thorough cost-benefit analysis and find any additional, viable options that could generate revenue for the Enmax Centre. It also asked that any resulting tax pressure from the rescindment be referred to city budget deliberations in November.
City treasurer Darrell Mathews told council that a rescindment would leave the city on the hook for $113,900 this year, and $341,700 annually moving forward — which he says equates to about a 0.2 per cent tax increase for residents over four years.
For some members of council, putting it on the taxpayer was not an option.
“The last time we discussed this, it became as simple as who should pay for the costs of the funding — or the funding shortfall? Should it be the user of the Enmax or should it be the taxpayer?” Coun. Rajko Dodic said who voted in favour of implementing the fee back in April, and voted against the rescindment on Tuesday.
Coun. Jeff Carlson agreed that the burden should not be placed on residents.
“This has been on the books for many years, I think there’s been lots of notice to the public — to the various groups — that this was coming down the pipe, so I won’t be supporting this this time, because this was a tax reduction initiative,” Carlson said.
The rescindment resolution required two-thirds approval — or six of nine votes — to pass, but Middleton-Hope, Coun. Nick Paladino, Coun. Ryan Parker and Mayor Blaine Hyggen were the only ones in favour of removing the parking fee.
Paid parking will go ahead at the arena beginning on Sept. 1, 2022.