ATHABASCA – Recent decisions from the Town of Athabasca and Athabasca County have left the Athabasca Regional Multiplex (ARM) with less than half of its requested capital budget and tough decisions to make.
On Dec. 17, the Town of Athabasca passed its 2025 operating a capital budget. While the seven councillors passed the required funds for the multiplex to operate — both municipalities will be spending just under $1 million in 2025 to cover the $1.9 million operating deficit — they only approved $90,000 instead of the requested $250,000 for capital projects.
“It’s a percentage of our Local Government Fiscal Framework (LGFF) funding. We’ve decided to stick with a certain percentage of that that will go towards to the multiplex on an annual basis, and that will give the board predictable funding,” said Athabasca Mayor Rob Balay in a follow-up interview on Jan. 2.
LGFF funding comes from the government of Alberta, and is based on the provincial surplus, a municipalities population, and more. Since the town is tying its capital funding to the LGFF money it will change year-to-year, but the multiplex board should be able to plan ahead according to Balay.
“If something above and beyond happens at the multiplex, of course we’ll have to deal with it but that’s what reserves are for,” said Balay. “We have to find the right balance when we’re funding all our infrastructure, whether it’s the stuff that’s underground and out of sight or parks and recreation.
Historically, the town and the county have split the Multiplex’s funding 50/50, but the decision from the smaller municipality left Athabasca County with a larger share of the capital projects than they had before.
Following their Jan. 14 council meeting, councillors voted to keep the county’s capital budget contributions in line with the town. Reeve Tracy Holland was unavailable to comment before publication.
Athabasca County Coun. Ashtin Anderson, who chairs the Multiplex, was the lone dissenting vote after the closed session debate.
“I am deeply disappointed by the decisions made by both councils regarding capital funding for the Athabasca Regional Multiplex in 2025,” said Anderson in a Jan. 24 statement.
“The significant reduction in contributions from both councils has created a $270,000 shortfall, jeopardizing the future of this essential community facility.”
Anderson said the Multiplex wasn’t given any heads up about the funding cut, despite passing the planned operating and capital budget in September, 2024.
ARM has an increasingly long to-do list, including $254,000 of boiler and pump repairs in the Aquatic Centre which will be funded through a grant, $34,000 worth of roof maintenance and repairs, and $80,000 for brine headers in the arena and curling rink. With only $180,000 worth of funding, the board faces some tough choices that Anderson said may increase costs for users.
“We’re going to be facing having to consider cutting fire system testing and repairs, security system upgrades, and stuff like that. We already deferred stuff last year after the town came back and said they didn’t want to put in as much as we were hoping for,” said Anderson.
“Having to cut things again is really concerning.”
