The Vancouver park board is set to hike parking fees by up to 33 per cent at several locations this year and increase user fees at some park facilities.

Some user fee increases approved last year have already taken effect at several locations including swimming pools, fitness centres, arenas, racket courts and outdoor sporting facilities.

The board’s general manager, Malcolm Bromley, has recommended that fees rise on city golf courses this spring and at Burrard marina and VanDusen Botanical Garden April 1, but the park board must approve the increases at its Monday night meeting.

A park board report from Bromley on the fee hikes say they are necessary “to accommodate changes in the marketplace and in operating and maintenance costs.”

According to the report, almost all recreation user fees have been increased by a nominal average rate of two per cent “to approximate the projected annual inflation rate.”

The report noted that most parking fees for 2015 have remained unchanged, although specific targeted increases at various locations were made to “align existing parking fees with other park board lots and to be competitive with fees in the surrounding areas.”

Planned parking fee increases include an 18-per-cent hike at Vancouver Aquatic Centre from $2.75 to $3.25 per hour, 22-per-cent hikes at Coal Harbour, Roundhouse and Creekside community centres ($2.25 to $2.75 per hour), and 33-per-cent hikes at Burrard marina and Vanier Park from $2.25 to $3 (for two hours).

The daily rate at Burrard marina has already increased from $5 to $10 and monthly parking at Creekside Community Recreation Centre has increased by 16 per cent, from $108 to $125.

City golf fees are proposed to increase this spring by $1 at all courses for adults and seniors, resulting in rate increases ranging from 1.5 per cent to 4.8 per cent, while youth rates will remain at 2014 levels.

Bromley and other board officials weren’t available for comment Wednesday, but the park board said in a statement that the proposed parking rate increases are needed because “if surrounding area rates are much higher, then non-community centre users migrate to our lots and limit access by our users.”

The statement said the increased fees overall pay “for the high standards of park maintenance that our citizens expect, reduces dependency on our tax base and avoids hefty increases in property taxes.”

Several of the fee hikes were approved on an interim measure by Bromley last year, but must still be formally approved by the board.

bmorton@vancouversun.com

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