LOUISVILLE — The Louisville Arena will raise its rates slightly to mitigate operating losses, but town officials said they expect the facility to have some cost for town taxpayers.

According to the financial report for the 2011-12 winter season, the Louisville Community Center lost $13,000.

The $13,093 loss included $5,000 that the town paid to minor hockey for the purchase of a Zamboni. Without that one-time contribution, town officials said the loss would have only been $8,000, a number board members said they could live with.

“Running that place for $8,000 isn’t bad,” Councilwoman M. Gail Schneider said.

Councilman Daniel O’Keefe, who serves as the board liaison with the recreation commission, suggested raising usage fees by $5 for next year.

This past winter, he said, the town charged $75 an hour for “outside users” and $55 an hour for minor hockey.

The increase will make those fees for next year $80 and $60 per hour.

“The only one that’s cheaper is Waddington,” Mr. O’Keefe said, noting that facility charges $50 an hour for natural ice since it lacks a refrigeration system.

Mr. O’Keefe said Massena currently charges $95 an hour for outside adult users and $85 for minor hockey and figure skating.

Ms. Schneider said recreational services are something that town residents receive “with their tax dollars.”

Supervisor Larry R. Legault agreed.

“I don’t know many recreations departments that make money,” he said. “We just raised the fees. We probably could have raised them more, but then maybe we would lose our minor hockey.”

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