Town of Ponoka and Ponoka County sign new agreements
Shared Recreation Services Funding Agreement
Ponoka Town Council and Ponoka County Council have signed a new five-year Shared Recreation Services Funding Agreement which outlines an equitable shared funding model for recreation services that are utilized by Ponoka citizens in both the Town and County.
A detailed review of the operating costs associated with the Ponoka Culture and Recreation Complex (Arena),the Ponoka Aquaplex, the Ponoka Splash Park and sports fields in town resulted in an agreed upon funding formula based on per capita operating costs for the facilities. Town recreation facilities serve approximately 13,000 residents in the Town of Ponoka and the eastern portion of Ponoka County.
Under the agreed upon phased-in funding formula, Ponoka County will increase its current annual recreation funding contribution to $75 per capita (from the current $55 per capita) toward the shared funding of recreation services provided in the Town of Ponoka in 2020. That amount will increase to $85 per capita in 2021 and to $95 per capita in 2022 with a population adjustment based on the 2021 Statistics Canada Census. In 2023, that $95 amount will be adjusted to reflect any increase in the Edmonton Consumer Price Index (CPI) as calculated by Statistics Canada for the most recent calendar year.