Callander knows that many folks hitting the ice at the Bill Barber Rink enjoy a hot beverage and a tasty snack. This is especially so during busy skate times and family skate sessions. People kept asking for concession offerings, and in 2020, a trial operation of a rink concession was completed.
“It was popular,” Callander staff explained, “and would have likely continued.” However, the pandemic had other plans, and the concession vanished.
Now it’s back, with a twist. Instead of municipal staff overseeing the concession, the town will offer the opportunity to various community groups. Councillors figure it will be a good way for a local charity or not-for-profit organization to raise some funds for their cause.
“The original intention of operating the rink concession was to not only offer the service for the rink patrons, but to cover the cost of having a second staff member on site during busy rink times,” staff explained.
However, the cost of the second staff member cut into concession profits, and in 2020, there was a loss of approximately $1,300. Sales were also lacklustre, which the town chalked up to poor advertising and the lack of cash on hand.
See: Callander’s Bill Barber rink upgrades underway
If your group plans to sell concessions this year, make sure people know to bring cash with them for your delicacies. Debit was not available in 2020, and it will not be available this season. Also, spend some time finding out what people want during their skate time, because in 2020, some of the stock didn’t sell well, “and had to be sold off at cost to clear the inventory” at the season’s end, staff explained.
Another reason for the loss was “prices were set too low,” staff noted. “This was due to inexperience, higher expectations for sales volumes, and unknown overhead considerations.”
Overall, the concession stand trial revealed a lot to the town, and council is eager to bring it back for the upcoming skating season. Municipal staff will be reaching out to various not-for-profits “to determine if there is any interest in running the canteen” during the skating season.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
