The skate park has been open for two and a half years, and was the first roller sports facility run by Napier City Council.
"As with any start up, assumptions are made during the planning stage that need to be tested and refined against real life learnings from actual operations," the paper being presented to the committee states.
"We now have 2.5 years of data, financials and information around performance,
customer behaviour, asset information, resource and skill requirements and the value of
the service we provide."
"This combined learnings and information have recently led to two important and interdependent pieces of work: a refresh of the Bay Skate Strategic Plan and the completion of a Revenue Review."
The paper acknowledges the barrier the price will put on some children and families.
"The reality is that there will be kids and families to which the entry charges for Bay Skate
will be a barrier to participation.
"Even if Bay Skate had in place more detailed data on the demographics of existing users, the amount of young people affected by this barrier is unable to be quantified without significant qualitative research of who is not coming to Bay Skate and the reasons why.
"The balance we are striving to strike as a Council facility that needs to balance
community delivery with the 'commercial' realities of generating sufficient income to
recover 40-59 per cent of operating costs."
The paper says the solution is not a blanket reduction in a charge which is already affordable for much of the community.
It states a better alternative is targetted programmes and initiatives.
"Bay Skate has been doing this to a degree since it has opened, through programmes with Big Brother and Sister, support of Maraenui Donations holiday programme, and case by case support of specific young people in return for the performing of small jobs around the facility."
"This is the most effective way to reduce price barriers for those to which they rule out participation, while also balancing the business side of the Bay Skate."
