Chatham-Kent council will be considering a 23 per cent hike in summer camp user fees at their council meeting this coming week.
A report going to council Monday night suggests an increase from $61 to $75 for the Stay-N-Play camps and a hike from $127 to $156 for the KIDventure camps.
Director of Childcare, Early Years, and Recreation Kelly Emery writes in the report the fee increase is to more closely align with current market rates and changing costs to operate municipal summer camps.
Emery said the proposed increase to user fees would generate approximately $35,000 in revenue to offset the operating funds required to keep the current summer camp programs in Blenheim, Chatham, Dresden, Ridgetown, Thamesville, Tilbury, Wallaceburg, and Wheatley functioning.
"The proposed 23 per cent increase will still cause municipal summer camps to be the most affordable option in Chatham-Kent," wrote Emery. "As the community changes and evolves there is a constant need to re-evaluate recreation program opportunities and ever-changing service needs."
The municipality noted subsidy programs will also remain available for families who meet eligibility requirements for these programs.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced several cancellations and operational changes to the municipal summer camp model between 2020 and 2022, but there was a "drastic" increase in summer camp usage during the summer of 2022 and the operating model had to change for some programs to maintain their long term sustainability, according to the municipality.
The summer day camp programs offer swimming, water activities, field trips, arts and crafts, and sports and games for children aged 4-12 to continue to be active during the summer months and provided a childcare option for more than 3,000 children across Chatham-Kent last year.
Click here to compare other summer camp programming locally and at other municipalities.