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Hockey fans at a southeast recreation centre are being advised to bundle up and bring blankets to games, as the non-profit facility looks at ways to cope with Alberta’s new carbon tax.

Les Turner, general manager of Cardel Rec South in Shawnessy, said the provincial levy, which came into effect New Year’s Day, will have a massive impact on the facility’s bottom line, and operators are looking at several efficiencies to ensure the extra costs aren’t passed along to users.

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“We’re pretty concerned about making sure recreation is affordable to all — that’s our goal,” he said.

“What we’re looking at doing is seeking client input on ways we can look at becoming more efficient.”

The quad-arena facility, which opened in 2001 before expanding in 2012, is funded entirely by users, Turner said, with no taxpayer dollars used to keep it in operation. Even so, the facility hasn’t raised its fees since summer 2015 despite soaring costs, with operators trying to keep the facility affordable amid the city’s economic swoon.