ALAMOSA — “We try to keep programs affordable,” Alamosa Recreation Division Manager Jes Jolly explained during a recent city council meeting in response to a letter to the editor sharing concerns about the affordability of the youth hockey program.

Jolly explained that the fee for youth hockey is $45, with an additional $25 deposit on equipment. The deposit is refunded at the end of the season. The fee covers most of the equipment except for ice skates and hockey sticks, since those are specific to fit participants. Even those pieces of equipment can be obtained for as low as $10.

Jolly added that the parks/recreation department offers scholarship opportunities for those needing assistance.

She said youth hockey fees have not increased in nine years, even though now participants have a much nicer facility to play in and a longer season, with the opening of the new ice rink/pavilion facility. Participants have a 10-week season because the city can now control ice temperatures in the new facility.

Jolly said the parks staff knows the city council wants to keep prices affordable, and they are trying to do that.

Jolly referred to the letter writer’s comment that he tried unsuccessfully to find Alamosa’s youth hockey program through a Google search. She said the first link that comes up during a Google search is the city’s parks and recreation web site, which displays the costs for the program. The second link that comes up is for the SLV Youth Hockey Association, and it is possible the letter writer mistook their fees for the city fees, because their fees are higher, Jolly said. However, she added, the Youth Hockey Association provides a club sport experience with tournaments in league play to different parts of the state, New Mexico and even Texas, which requires travel expenses.

Jolly said if anyone — like the person who wrote the letter or city councilors or anyone else — has questions, they are welcome to call or visit the staff at the city recreation center.

“We welcome a phone call. We welcome the visit,” she said. “We want your feedback. We even want your criticism. It’s important to hear those things so we can improve our programming.”

City Manager Heather Brooks affirmed the city’s intention to make the new facility affordable, which was stressed in public comment before the facility was built. She added that the city would never be able to recoup 100 percent of its costs for these types of programs. It is a balancing act, she said, to charge what is appropriate but also affordable.

Brooks said the city charges fees for other recreational programs as well to cover some of the costs of providing those programs, such as umpires and referees.

“We do try to keep it reasonable,” she said.

Councilor Liz Hensley said it is important to the council for all youth sports to be affordable, not just youth hockey. These sports allow youth the opportunity to try out something, she added. She said in addition to the city rec department, families work together to share sports equipment.

“I would be surprised if there was a child that wanted to do something and couldn’t do it if they really wanted to in Alamosa,” Hensley said.

Brooks and Jolly also addressed a concern Councilman David Broyles had about some young adults who had wanted to play hockey but had not understood they needed full gear such as helmets. Brooks and Jolly said that information has been clarified on the city’s web site so people know under what conditions they are required to comply with full gear rules for safety.

Jolly added that the ice rink is new territory for the city parks department, which previously had to deal with a very short hockey season.

“We are fervently trying to develop systems that will work,” Jolly said.

She added that the rec center is not trying to compete with local businesses, since there are three other gyms in town. Brooks said the rec center was intentionally designed not to compete with private businesses but to be there for residents who for whatever reason could not use those businesses.

Councilman Michael Carson commended the recreation department staff, specifically for fixing problems as they arose, such as updating the web site with information to clarify the skating rules. He also commended the staff for keeping rates affordable.

Councilor Kristina Daniel said she knew Jolly and knew that she worked hard on the recreational systems for the city. “I think the systems we have in place are going really well,” she said. “I think your team is doing a great job … We see people out there every day.”