Local arts and crafts groups are creaking under the welterweight burden of a 330 per cent rent hike by their city landlords.
Community non-profit groups that use studios in the Richmond Cultural Centre used to enjoy hourly rates as low as $1.49 per hour.
But since the beginning of 2011, organizations such as the Richmond Potters Club and the Richmond Weavers and Spinners Guild were told to cough up $5 an hour to use the community space.
The City of Richmond said the groups that use the centre hadn't faced a rate increase in many years and, after a review in 2010, it was determined that they were "grossly undercharging" the users.
However, with the rate set to increase again next month to $5.75 per hour, groups such as the Potters Club say they may be living on borrowed time.
"We were told that the rate was being increased to bring it into line with other community spaces," said Richmond Potters Club president Arlene Skelton.
"Last year, before the 300 per cent rate increase, we broke even and that was with other incomes.
"This year, we have no chance of achieving that. I'm not sure how much of a deficit we'll have, but it's going to be tough. There is the possibility we might (as a club) die."
The Potters Club has just 40 members, each of whom had their fees increased to $100 per year from $75.
"We have our sales every Christmas and spring and about 20 per cent of that goes back into the club," Skelton said.
"We hold special classes, which people have to pay for, but the majority of that money goes toward the tutor that we bring in."
The club meets once a month, but the members use the studio frequently to practice their craft. In total, Skelton said, the club pays for about 43 hours a month, but receives a $1,300 concession on the rent, which allows the city some access to their equipment.
"How dare they charge a 300 per cent increase on residents with little justification," Skelton said.
"In order to survive, we might have to move somewhere else and I know many other local groups that use the centre feel the same way.
"Yes, we could raise the membership fees again. But for many of our members, this is all they can afford and we volunteer much of our time as it is."
Tove Luers, chair of the Richmond Weavers and Spinners Guild, said her group is having to cope with the same increases at the centre.
"It has put us into a deficit budget situation for the first time in 30 years," Luers told the News.
"We have just enough members to pay for the rent, 30 of them who pay between $35 and $50 membership.
"We had a deficit this year in June and we will again next June. We do have a nest egg that we've been dipping into, but that won't last forever."
The guild is trying different fundraising ideas and applying for grants.
"We're not (fearful) at the moment. I guess it depends on how much (the city) keeps raising the rent," Luers said.
"We're not totally worried about it right now, but that day will come."
City spokesman Ted Townsend said some groups had been paying as little as 80 cents an hour at the centre, while other city-run facilities were charging $10.
"It was really very low compared to the norm," Townsend said.
"We're not looking to bankrupt anyone and most of the user groups are comfortable with the changes.
"There used to be a philosophy of "let's keep the rates as low as possible." But all these costs are doing is just recouping some of the basics. We're certainly not looking to make a profit."
The city has to consider the interests of the entire community, added Townsend, and that user groups at the centre are still getting heavily subsidized facilities.
