Public Commons

Part of Regulatory View: Food and Beverage Concessions in Community Centres

Saving the East York Snack Bar for our community

The Snack Bar at the East York Memorial Community Arena has been operated by East York Figure Skating and East York Hockey associations since the early 1980s. The funds raised from the snack bar get plowed back into the operations of the club, helping to pay for ice time, the annual skating show and other community projects.

Without informing local councillors, City staff included the EY snack bar in a Request for Proposals (RFP) process along with 25 other concessions in city facilities. Working with my colleagues at Council, I was able to reverse the direction the City was taking. The contract will be reissued, but the EY snack bar will be able to extend the current arrangements, which has worked to everyone's satisfaction. The City will also develop a new strategy to support community-based non-profit groups like the East York Skating Club in operating concessions in Parks, Forestry and Recreation facilities. Many of these community-operated concessions are integral parts of the facilities they serve and use their proceeds to support local programs.