Port Moody won’t make changes to its secondary suite fees.

Earlier this month a group of homeowners asked council to reconsider the fees, saying they unfairly tax some residents who have licensed secondary suites because there is no way of knowing the home’s actual utility use.

Owners of secondary suites pay an additional $322 for water and $319 for sewer services. The group wanted council to scrap the fee and charge all residents extra to pay for any revenue shortfall.

A staff report notes a metering system, while the most fair, would be cost prohibitive. A flat user fee per household remains the “simplest and fairest” method, particularly because the fees pay mainly for fixed infrastructure costs like pipes, not the amount of water actually used.

In other PoMo news:

NEW TRUCK

The city is getting a new fire truck at a cost of up to $585,000.

The truck, to be provided by Safetek Emergency Vehicles, will be custom assembled to meet Port Moody Fire Rescue department’s needs.

PoMo council disclosed the single-source purchase at Tuesday’s meeting as part of the release of in-camera resolutions.

TRAIL RENAMED

Trail buffs fond of walking the Westhill Greenway will now be setting foot on the Alfred Howe Greenway Trail.

Alfred Howe served as Port Moody’s mayor from 1964 to 1971. During that time the city built the boat launch ramp in Rocky Point and the Moody Street overpass leading to the park.

The Centennial Library was built and the city hosted its first Golden Spike Days celebration. It was also the time Port Moody gave its first Freedom of the City recognition to longtime council member Leonard Arthur Elsdon, in 1970.

A ceremony marking the name change is planned for April 24.

MOVE INDOORS

A Port Moody resident wants to see the city create a fair playing field for young lacrosse players.

At Tuesday’s council meeting Brent Dozzi said lacrosse players in Port Moody are being given the “back seat.”

“The arena is not available until March 31, followed by Easter and then a home show,” he said. “That gives the boys and girls two days to move inside and practise in a warm, safe environment.”

Players on 20 PoMo lacrosse teams instead have to use the outdoor Westhill lacrosse box, which Dozzi said is in bad shape with debris on the floors, uneven boards and gaps where kids could be injured. He said the current situation is a risk to players’ safety and asked for a meeting with city staff to discuss improving access to the rec centre arena or maintaining the Westhill box more frequently.

Ron Higo, director of community services, said the Westhill box gets annual maintenance prior to opening each season but where in the city’s capital plan a board refurbishment was he couldn’t say.

BUNNY BAN?

If you want a rabbit, you may not be able to get one in Port Moody pretty soon.

The city is supporting Richmond’s efforts to ban the sale of rabbits in pet stores following an explosion in the Easter mascot’s population in local parks. A letter from Richmond calling for similar bans in neighbouring municipalities said such a move would reduce the number of domestic rabbits dropped off in local parks, curb the impulse purchase of rabbits and promote responsible pet ownership.

PoMo staff will prepare a bylaw amendment to ban bunny sales in local stores. The city will also send a letter on the matter to the Union of B.C. Municipalities.