Northcrest Arena could be closing for good in April after all, now that hockey teams and other user groups have balked at the idea of a hefty fee increase that might've covered $1.4 million in repair costs to keep the aging arena open for four more years.

Earlier this year city council deferred a decision on the potential closure; councillors wanted the city to meet with user groups first to see whether those groups might be able to help raise repair money to keep the arena open longer.

But those consultations happened last month and a new city staff report states the user groups aren't prepared to try to raise $1.4 million to keep the arena open until the end of the 2024 season.

On Monday at a committee meeting, city councillors will reconsider the recommendation from city staff to close Northcrest Arena for good in April.

It would take $1.4 million in structural and refrigeration system repairs to keep the 52-year-old arena open for another three years, states a recent city staff report.

In February, user groups who don't want the arena closed met with the city staff to try to come up with a plan to keep Northcrest open until a replacement twin-pad is built.

The city has applied for $52.5 million in provincial and federal infrastructure funding to build a twin-pad at Fleming College - but there's no guarantee the city will get the funding, and it could take until 2024 to build.

In the meantime, Northcrest user groups were told that a 22 per cent surcharge of $38.76 per hour on all prime-time ice at the city's arenas would cover repairs.

Representatives from some of the user groups said that was a lot to pay; they agreed to propose a $20 surcharge to their members and see if they could bear it.

But the new city staff report says the two heaviest users of ice time - the Peterborough Hockey Association and the Peterborough Girls' Hockey Association - aren't prepared to pay the extra money.

Those two groups account for 52 per cent of ice time usage at city arenas, states the report, and without them the repair bill cannot be covered.

The other users include Peterborough Minor Hockey Council, Kawartha Komets and adult user groups.

They were more amenable, but the staff report states that together those groups would raise only about $761,800 over four years with the fee hike.

Councillors meet to discuss it Monday at city hall.

joelle.kovach

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@peterboroughdaily.com