Upcoming fee increases at North Delta Recreation Centre causing uproar

Community centres have long provided the most affordable way for people to hit the gym – but prices are about to go way up in one B.C. municipality.

Starting this April, the North Delta Recreation Centre will raise its fees as much as 60 per cent—and residents are pushing back.

North Delta resident Rajiv Yadav has launched a petition in hopes to stop this fee hike.

“Its not a one-time thing, it will happen in the future also,” said Yadav.

Currently, fitness passes for adults are $57 a month. But starting in April people will have to buy an all-facility pass for $88.

“We don’t know why this is happening, it just came out of the blue. Really, it’s just absolutely unacceptable,” said current gym member Ray Sidhu.

Ray and his mom plan on leaving the gym due to increased prices.

The increase causing the biggest reaction is the one impacting seniors. Currently the North Delta Recreation Centre senior fitness pass is $39. But the fitness pass will be no longer be available and seniors will have to pay $63 for an all-facility pass. That is a 61.5 per-cent-increase not everyone will be able to afford.

Mei Lan Fang, from the Simon Fraser University Urban Studies and Department Of Gerontology says the isolation people can face from losing access to their community centre due to finances can be harmful.

“If you take that away, it could lead to people becoming more socially isolated, more lonely, and there are a range of negative health impacts that are associated with that,” said Fang.

CTV News reached out to the City of Delta to comment on the increase. They shared in a statement saying, “the upcoming fee changes come as part of a broader City of Delta effort to update and streamline fees across the organization” and will “ensure sustainable operations of facilities and services.”