Saugeen Shores councillors are trying to figure out how much they should be charging for ice rentals next year.
Council deferred a decision on its fees and charges bylaw, which included a staff recommendation to hike evening and weekend ice rental rates by 2 per cent to $147 plus tax, while freezing daytime rates at $107 plus tax.
Councillor Don Matheson says he would like to see council go the other direction and follow the advice of the the recreation and active transportation advisory committee, which is asking for daytime rates to be cut to $87 plus tax on a one-year trial, while freezing the evening and weekend rate.
Matheson says the arenas in Port Elgin and Southampton are often going unused during the daytime hours and he believes the price of ice time is scaring off potential customers.
He points out there used to be morning hockey leagues in Saugeen Shores for Bruce Power shift workers, but adds those teams have moved their games primarily to Tiverton and Paisley because the cost of ice time is cheaper.
Councillor Mike Myatt says they shouldn't be making any drastic changes to the ice rental fees because council is planning to conduct a study of its recreation fees next year.
"I think if the fees and charges study comes out and says that our rates are significantly high, absolutely, then we need to discuss that. But let's take a look and see what the results are of the fees and charges study first, before we start cherry picking on one or two rates," says Myatt.
The fees and charges bylaw will be back on the table for discussion at the December 8 Saugeen Shores budget meeting.
