Current costs for teams using the Canada Games Centre are too high, making it difficult for Yukon athletes to train for the 2007 Canada Winter Games, city council heard Monday evening.

Whitehorse Mustangs manager Jim Stephens told council the current arrangement for his team at the Games centre isn't working.

He said his team is training for the Games and would gladly use the centre more.

'We'd love to use the facility ... but it's cost-prohibitive. Basically, the problem is the pricing structure ... it's expensive for teams to use it,' Stephens told council.

While the Mustangs don't have a problem paying for their ice time, he added, the arrangement they had meant their money was for ice time only.

He said his team spends about $25,000 a year on ice time fees but that those charges don't include the right to use the rest of the facility once their ice time is up.

'We love to use the track (and other parts of the facility),' Stephens said.

'Under the current pricing structure, they'd have to pay another $30 a month (to use the rest of the facility); it doesn't make sense to the athletes,' he said.

'We're paying a fee to use the ice, and then we have to pay again. Our team budget is $160,000 a year. There are some parents out there that are struggling.'

Stephens said he'd like council to consider an alternative pricing structure for teams so players could use the facility after their practices without having to pay more money to do it.

Stephens said youth paying the $5.50 for the one-day pass who come into the facility to use the ice can use the rest of the facility, so he believes similar arrangements should be made for his and other teams.

'What I'm proposing is $15 per month, per player,' he said. 'It would increase revenue.

'My interest is the Canada Winter Games, and time is of the essence.'

His team, he added, practises at the Games centre from 4:45 p.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays and from 6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Fridays.

He said he felt the current pricing situation 'sent the wrong message to the kids.'

Coun. Dave Stockdale said while he agrees something might have to be done to assist the Mustangs, it's also important for Mustangs coaches to send the right message to the kids.

'When you said it sets a bad example for the kids, someone told me that they saw two of your coaches on the ice without helmets,' said Stockdale. 'That's setting a bad example for the kids.'

Council directed members of city administration to look into the situation to see what can be done.

Doug Hnatiuk, the acting supervisor of the Canada Games Centre, could not be reached for comment on Stephens' concerns.