The Comox Valley Regional District wants to make recreational facilities more accessible for low-income families.
That is why Comox Valley Sports Centre Commission chair Jesse Ketler is asking for a low-income regional recreational all-access pass.
In a letter to Courtenay council members, Ketler said recreation is very important to the residents of the Comox Valley.
“In response to the recently adopted Comox Valley Sports Centre Commission Strategic Plan – Goal 4 – Accessibility to Recreational Services, we are currently focused on ensuring lower income families have affordable and convenient access to the wide variety of recreation programs and activities that we collectively offer,” she wrote.
Ketler said the pass would be used in all the rec centres in the valley.
She noted that right now, low-income families fill out application paperwork at each centre separately.
Ketler said this new model streamlines the process: “This would allow them to just have one application and one pass that allows them access to all the recreation facilities.”
The goal is to lower the administrative barriers for low-income families.
“Our goal is to get people active and allow them to have as much access as possible, so that they don’t have to fill out a whole bunch of paperwork for passes at each rec centre,” Ketler said.
An all access pass program that reduces the administrative barriers for our residents.
At its July 16 meeting, the Sports Commission passed a resolution that says, “That staff be directed to work with the Comox Valley Regional District’s member municipalities to develop options for a low income regional recreation all access pass in the Comox Valley.”
Ketler said this would be the first universal pass in the valley.
The decision is now in the hands of the municipalities. Cumberland is on board and now Ketler is awaiting support from Courtenay and Comox.
“Cumberland has passed it and sent the letter back to the CVRD saying that, ‘Yes, we want to participate. We’re just waiting on Courtenay and Comox to do the same,” Ketler said.
