The new Vancouver park board is on the verge of voting on its first budget.

On Monday (December 10), the seven commissioners—including five newcomers—will be asked by senior staff to approve a two percent hike to most fees and charges for 2019.

This would increase programming revenue by 3.7 percent to $44 million next year.

Recreation revenue would rise 5.8 percent—from $18.21 million to $19.26 million—if commissioners give a green light to the staff recommendations.

The operating budget also lays out $128.1 million in expenditures and transfers. 

In a report to the commissioners, general manager Malcolm Bromley explained that the age-based fee structure would be maintained. It offers 50 percent discounts for children and 30 percent discounts for youths and seniors.

The report also highlighted how recreational fees don't cover all of the board's operating costs.

"The Park Board generates over $19 million from recreation user fees," Bromley wrote. "User fees charged for these services help to offset the costs of direct staffing such as instructors, indirect staff such as programmers and cashiers, as well as facility maintenance costs.

"The Park Board expenditure budget for recreation services is $51 million," he continued. "Costs not funded through user fees are subsidized through other Park Board revenue sources, and tax funding."

Bromley pointed out that annual staffing costs will rise around 2.5 percent because of wage increases in a collective agreement.

Flexipasses, which cover about half the total recreation fee revenue, are slated to rise by two percent for one-month adult passes, pending the board's approval.

Swimming operating costs vastly exceed fees

The report included fee revenue in comparison to costs for different forms of recreation. Here are some examples:

* Swimming and aquatics costs are about $13 million and user fees generate $3 million.

* Skating, rink rentals, and lessons generate $3 million in revenue whereas costs are around $5 million.

* Golf and pitch and putts generate $8 million in fees, which provide a $3-million surplus over the cost of operations.

Meanwhile, marina fees are expected to generate $3.7 million, with any net surplus transferred to the city's property endowment fund.

The operating budget forecasts nearly $4.3 million in revenue from VanDusen Garden. The cost of running the garden will be $3.8 million.

Costs for the Bloedel Conservatory are expected to be $928,000, which will be offset by $814,000 in revenue.

The Stanley Park train will raise just over $2 million and cost less than $1.4 million to operate.

As a result of the October 20 election, there are three Green park commissioners—Stuart Mackinnon, David Demers, and Camil Dumont. 

Two others, Tricia Barker and John Coupar, were elected as NPA candidates.

And for the first time since Loretta Woodcock left politics in 2011, there are COPE politicians on the board—Gwen Giesbrecht and John Irwin.

In their profiles on the park board website, Giesbrecht and Irwin both express a desire to "reduce fees and eliminate fees for children".