The executive director of Sarnia's Super Ninja Obstacle Course Racing Club has asked for fairness when the city develops its lease renewal with the Bluewater Gymnastics Club [BGC].
Scott Burnett told council recently that his club operates out of another city owned building, the Lochiel Kiwanis Community Centre, and serves over 500 active members, the majority of which are youth.
"Our club is subject to lease rates that are currently 702 per cent greater than what is being levied by the city to another like organization, and to be frank, our conditions of operation are nowhere near what the city provides to the Bluewater Gymnastics Club," Burnett wrote in a letter.
Burnett said the "gross disparity" between the lease rates will continue to exist if the city accepts either one of the first two lease proposals BGC presented at its meeting February 13.
He said his club is charged $12.09 per square foot, amounting to nearly $60,000 a year in rent [utilities included], by the Sarnia Kiwanis Foundation, which leases the building from the city for one dollar a year.
The Bluewater Gymnastics Club currently pays the city about $25,000 a year for rent and maintenance [utilities not included] at the Lottie Neely Park location.
City staff continue to discuss the lease renewal options with BGC and have yet to return with a recommendation.
Sarnia council has asked staff to report back with more information to ensure the city's lease rates will be comparable to other organizations.
"Obviously, I don't know what to make of this right now," said councillor Brian White. " This is a ton of information, so I'm 100 per cent in agreement with councillor [Bill] Dennis. We just need to know more. There's the potential to need to know even more once the report comes back."
White said he understood Burnett's concerns, given the BGC facility is only available to one organization.
"I'm very cognizant that a number of organizations occupy city space. Whether it's soccer or baseball, and rates vary depending on the sport, depending on the market demand, depending on the facility."
White thinks having a "modicum of fairness" in how the resources are distributed is incredibly important.