HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-11-131 - Year Round Ice - Staffing Request
Staff Re opt
KiTCx~nT~~ CommunrtySer~rcesDepar~ment
REPORT TO: Council
DATE OF MEETING: September 19, 2011
SUBMITTED BY:
PREPARED BY:
WARD(S) INVOLVED:
DATE OF REPORT:
REPORT NO.:
SUBJECT:
RECOMMENDATION:
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Jeff ~Ilmer, Deputy CAO Community Services, 2325
Kim Kugler, Manager of Aud/Arenas and Golf, 2544
N/A
September 15, 2011
CSD-11-131
Year Round Ice -Staffing Request
That the status of two temporary full time arena attendant positions be approved as two
additions to the permanent full time staff complement.
BACKGROUND:
In August 2009, the City purchased the Sportsworld twin pad facility and began to operate the
venue on a day to day basis as a City facility. At the time of the purchase, two temporary full
time arena attendant positions were approved in order to allow time to assess the longer term
staffing requirements of the facility. Funding for these temporary positions came from new
revenues generated from ice time rentals at Sportsworld Arena. When the facility was
purchased, commitments had already been made to user groups for summer ice rentals
(something the City hadn't done in the past in its other facilities except for hockey schools). We
felt obligated to assist these summer rental groups through the ownership transition.
In 2010, we were unable to evaluate the longer term viability of summer ice as we closed
Sportsworld during the summer to make stimulus funding improvements to the facility. As a
result of the rink closure, the two temporary staff were only required that year for ten months.
This past summer was the first time the City had to extend the two temporary positions to 12
month positions in order to operate the facility year round with ice.
REPORT:
After operating Sportsworld through a full year from September 2010 to August 2011, staff have
determined that there is a confirmed community need and it is financially viable to provide the
ice year round at a twin pad facility. The summer use profile is comprised of casual rentals,
summer hockey leagues and hockey schools. We have further determined that the year round
operation is more viable at the Activa Sportsplex than Sportsworld due to the additional
amenities that support the summer hockey camp part of the business so Activa arena will
become the summer ice venue. Staff expects the demand summer ice to continue on a
permanent basis and therefore the temporary full time employees we utilized in the past can
Staff Re ort
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now be reclassified as permanent full time employees. Hiring permanent full time employees
also addresses the need to have staff who are certified by the Technical Standards & Safety
Authority (TSSA) to operate the ice making plants.
In addition, the collective agreement would dictate that these two positions be classified as
permanent full time once the decision was made to continue to provide summer ice on an
ongoing basis.
The summer ice revenues and the permanent positions have been incorporated in the
Aud/Arenas 2012 draft budget and the overall bottom-line financial target set by finance for this
unit has been achieved.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
The decision for this hiring aligns with the Effective and Efficient Government Priorities,
specifically Finance Management.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
No additional funding is required. The positions are currently being funded from summer ice
rentals.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
We were approached by members in the community who had an interest in proving ice
programs year round and other groups who were interested in just summer programs. Both
groups committed by signing and paying for ice contracts with the City of Kitchener.
Registrations were strong and the leagues and programs were successful.
CONCLUSION:
Operating two of the City's ten ice rinks year round is viable and requires two existing temporary
full time positions be reclassified as a permanent full time. Without these positions year round,
we would not be able to meet a confirmed community need (summer ice). The summer ice
business is a new stream of revenue that we are starting to grow successfully.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Jeff Willmer, Deputy CAO, Community Services Department