LOGAN – With the Laub Plaza Ice Rink set to open Saturday during the city’s annual Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony, the members of the Logan Municipal Council approved a fee schedule for skating sessions and equipment rentals.
During the regular council meeting on Nov. 21, Parks and Recreation director Russ Akina attempted to simplify the recommendations his own staff made in a workshop session on Nov. 7.
Under Resolution 23-49, the staff had suggested that the base fee for using the downtown ice rink would be $5 per person for a 90-minute skate session, with discounted sessions being available for seniors over 60, military veterans and children under the age of three for $3.
At the council’s Nov. 21 gathering, however, Akina suggested those discounted rates should apply to students with identification as well.
That sent the council’s discussion off into the tall grass, since elementary school children don’t have ID cards.
The question of rates for groups was also discussed, but Akina complicated that issue by suggesting that the ice rink may not accommodate as many skaters as city officials anticipated.
City officials had expected that as many as 120 to 150 skaters would be able to use the ice rink in a single session. But, after a practice session for city employees on Nov. 20, the Parks and Recreation staff have now reduced their capacity expectations to 60 to 90 skaters at one time.
Ultimately, the council members voted to amend the language of Resolution 23-49 to set the fee schedule at $5 for skaters 18 years old and older, with the discount of $3 per session for students, seniors over 60, active duty military, veterans and children three years of age or less.
Other elements of the fee schedule for the ice rink remained unchanged.
Those city staff recommendations included a special $15 rental rate on Monday evenings for a family of five or less, with additional family members costing $3.
Equipment rental fees will be at $3 for skates, $3 for a skate trainer/walker and $1 for a helmet.
The ice rink at Laub Plaza will be open from 4 to 9:30 p.m. on weekdays, 12 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturdays and 12 to 5:30 p.m. on Sundays.
The council members also approved a new fee schedule for the Logan River Golf Course on Nov. 21.
After briefly sparring with Akina over the cost of a junior driving range pass at the Logan River Golf Course, the council members elected to leave well enough alone.
After surveying the prices charged by other golf courses throughout the region, Resolution 23-49 raised the adult season pass fee at Logan River from $1,100 to $1,200; a season pass for senior golfers will rise from $1,000 to $1,100; and a junior season will jump from $350 to $400.
The adult green fees for 18 holes will now increase from $36 to $38. Green fees for adults for 9 holes will increase from $18 to $19.
The 18-hole fee with a golf cart will increase from $54 to $56.
The city’s staff also recommended that the fees at Logan River for adults and junior season passes for the driving range – now $500 and $150 respectively — and a golf cart season pass ($700) will all increase by $50.
With the aforementioned amendments regarding the fee schedule for the ice rink, Resolution 23-49 was passed unanimously and will take effect on Nov. 22.