Cambridge moving ahead with 4.24 per cent budget increase next year

The Preston Auditorium is in, the Riverside Dam project is out.

That's just a couple of the highlights of the Cambridge budget for 2022, which council passed through Thursday night.

The plan will see a 4.24 per cent increase year-over-year, resulting in an impact to the average household of $61. There's also a $29 impact, with council also approving a 2.39 per cent bump in the cost for water utilities.

The Auditorium is the big ticket item for 2022, a project cost of $26.2-million and will feature an NHL-sized rink with 450 seats.

“It is going to attract our tournaments again, sports tourism,” said Mayor Kathryn McGarry. “But most importantly, it's going to be just the jewel and the crown right now of our city, in order to move ahead with redesigning and upgrading all of our recreational facilities.”

The Riverside Dam project will be on hold indefinitely, as council decided to focus their fiscal efforts elsewhere.

Council has also approved a budgetary plan to add free menstrual products to city facilities.

“This is a necessary item,” said councillor Donna Reid. “The same as toilet paper, and it should be provided.”

The approval of that will leave an impact of 33 cents on the average household.