The strategy of how to increase arena usage in Chatham-Kent will be touched upon during Monday's council meeting.
Councillor Anthony Ceccacci has taken the reigns by introducing a motion that looks at several areas of strategy to be put in the upcoming Arena Business Plan.
A report came out earlier this year that showed arena usage as a whole has been down across Chatham-Kent. As a result, the municipality will be preparing a business plan that examines how to best utilize the ten existing arenas in CK.
Ceccacci said looking at ways to ensure arena usage doesn't continue to slip is vital to the community.
"It's a meeting place. Our arenas are like our social meeting places. They're a way that families can get out, enjoy each other and enjoy the community," said Ceccacci.
One of the main points he will bring up is the fees for arena usage. According to Ceccacci, the high fees for ice time is a concern he's heard from many residents. He hopes administration can take time to look at strategic solutions to lowering rental costs without impacting taxes.
"When I was campaigning, this was even before the arena report came out, I just heard a lot of people say how hard it was for them to function with the costs of the arenas in Chatham-Kent," he explained. "Until I got active on the campaign trail, I didn't realize how extensive, from a cost factor, that our ice times were."
He also hopes to revamp the way the concession stands are run in the arenas. Ceccacci said currently each canteen works individually but he would like to see them switch to buying items in bulk for all the concessions combined or participate in a rebate program to save some money.
"There really is no direction in regards to the canteens," he said. "To my knowledge, as of right now each individual canteen operates on its own entity in regards to how they purchase their items. I think it would be beneficial to have a more streamlined approach to cost factoring things in."
How the arenas are marketed will also be examined.
"I just think it has to be more mainstream, and the marketability to just book the ice time. I think that we need to look at everything as a whole and revamp how we can do things like Zamboni sponsorships, board sponsorships, canteen sponsorships," said Ceccacci.
The Arena business Plan report will be coming to council this summer. Ceccacci, a long time advocate for arena usage, said it was important for him to make sure key issues were addressed before it was too late.
"I didn't want to see it drawn out. Some of this stuff might be moot points that maybe they might be working on. But, what I didn't want to see was in June, they come back with a report and not touch base on some of these things and then have to ask for it again and now we're into the next season," he said.