Community Update –
2025 Amenity Fee Assessment Information:
Answers to Your Questions
Below are answers to a few questions we’ve heard from you in the past few weeks relating to the amenity fee assessments and budgeting process. For more information, please visit the resident’s website at at https://mckinley beach.ca/residents/ and follow the links under the “Amenity Program” button.
How and when are amenity fee assessment invoices delivered?
Invoices, which are considered issued on the date of email delivery, are sent several weeks in advance of the payment due date and following the finalization of the budget (which is made available on the Core website). This enables you to thoroughly understand the assessment and resolve any questions you may have before the payment is due. The amenity budget is due to be published by March 15th of each year and is posted on the Resident Website or before this date.
When is the amenity budget produced?
As the community has grown, so have our own administrative practices and processes. For the past several years, we have been able to provide the budget well in advance of assessment notices. It is accessible on the website. The budget is accompanied by a ‘definitions’ section and explanatory narrative for each line item. This provides for a fulsome and thorough amenity budget.
How is the amenity budget created?
The budget is created by our development and property management team using standard budgeting procedures, which include an analysis of prior year costs, the factoring in of any expected changes to costs based upon program changes and from updated estimates from our service-providers.
What does the 15% management fee cover?
As outlined in the amenity covenant, the budget includes a fixed 15% management fee which funds the cost of administrating the full amenity program, including operations and administrative staff. Although this fee does not yet cover the full cost to the master developer of administering the amenity program, we expect that as the community builds out, the deficit we are currently covering will be eliminated.
What happens if budgeted costs (and assessed fees) are higher than the actual costs?
Our team works to produce a budget that is as accurate as possible. However, if there is a surplus in any given year, it is automatically carried forward and used to offset costs in the next year. A deficit is handled the same way – carried forward and included in the budget/assessment for the following year.
Why are owners paying for snow removal on Arrowroot Drive, a ‘private’ road?
Arrowroot Drive maintenance costs are part of the amenity program because Arrowroot Drive is used by the community for access and for parking areas to enjoy the lakefront (which in practice makes it a community access road, despite its’ private status).The lakefront is an integral component of the McKinley Beach amenity offering and closure of the road to private-access-only would reduce community access to the lake and the associated parking on Arrowroot Drive.
How wi l the budget for ‘Our Place’ change in future?
This year’s very first budget for ‘Our Place’ is based on our estimates of operational costs provided by contractors as well as comparable operations elsewhere. We expect to continue to refine the budget for Our Place as the operation becomes established and we have historical data to rely upon.
How can we provide input into the budgeting process?
We have received extensive input from community members over the past several years which we have incorporated into the budgeting, amenity management and communications programs.We are committed to responding to all your questions and feedback on priorities and preferences and to making the information available to all through the website (https://mckinleybeach.ca/residents/). We also publish and distribute a monthly newsletter that is designed to keep the community updated on all of the programs and plans.
Below are links that are always available on the Resident’s website under the Amenity Program.
McKinley Beach Resident Website
2024 Budget vs. Actual Comparison 2025 Amenity Fee Report
Amenity -Fee-FAQ-2025 Budget – 2025
McKinley Beach – 2025 Amenity Budget Narrative Definitions McKinley Beach Amenity Program – 2025 Ops Plan
We encourage you to connect with us with any questions or other input either through our email address ([email protected]) or in person at Our Place.
-Matt and the McKinley Beach Administration Team