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Sports leader pans Richmond Olympic Oval discount

A 45 per cent off deal is usually considered to be a pretty good buy. But a recent offer from online coupon broker Groupon with that healthy discount for a one-day pass to the Richmond Olympic Oval — $9 instead of the regular $16.
Oval
Richmond Olympic Oval has been discounting its day passes on an online coupon website. Not everyone thinks it's a good deal

A 45 per cent off deal is usually considered to be a pretty good buy.

But a recent offer from online coupon broker Groupon with that healthy discount for a one-day pass to the Richmond Olympic Oval — $9 instead of the regular $16.50 — is not getting one community sports leader too excited.

Jim Lamond, chair of the Richmond Sports Council, said he’d prefer to see the Oval run more like a less costly, community centre and not as what he termed is a private club, opening it up more to the community, with seniors being one group that would benefit.

“I always thought they should open the Oval up to seniors more, offer a $2 drop-in rate when it’s not as busy — say between 9 a.m. and noon — and they’d fill the place,” Lamond said. “But I understand the oval is a business and it’s very costly to run such a big building.”

Compared to the half a dozen fitness centres located inside local community centres and the Watermania pool complex in Richmond, the Oval’s regular drop-in fee is about three times as expensive.

According to the city’s website, one-day, drop-in passes for community fitness centres is $5.30 for adults, while youths and those over 55 pay $3.40.

There’s a price break if you purchase a 10-visit card at $42 and $27 respectively, while monthly passes are $45 and $32.

Further discounts are available for three, six and 12-month passes, with year-long access dropping the price down to $282 for adults and $206 for youths and those over 55. All fees include tax.

Whereas, the Oval’s Groupon deal grants access to: the fitness centre; courts for basketball; badminton; baseball; golf; and the climbing wall for certified climbers. Most group fitness classes are also included.But there may be additional fees for equipment rental.

As of Aug. 7, the deal on Groupon listed more than 640 had been bought.

City of Richmond spokesman Ted Townsend said in an email the decision to use the online discount service is an opportunity to continue to build awareness and attendance at the Oval, through a “unique medium with a large and responsive audience base.”

“This particular offer is essentially an introductory offer to bring new people into the building for one day in the hopes they will become regular visitors and/or members,” Townsend said.

“The Oval and the city use many different marketing and promotional tools to promote our participation-based programs and events, and this is one of them.”