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CSD-13-082 - 2013 Leisure Facilities Master Plan (LFMP) Update
REPORT TO: Planning and Strategic Initiatives Committee DATE OF MEETING: September 9, 2013 SUBMITTED BY: Mark Hildebrand, Director, Community Programs & Services, ext.7687 PREPARED BY: Kathleen Woodcock, Manager, Service Coordination & Improvement, ext. 7597 Mark Hildebrand, Director, Community Programs & Services, ext. 7687 Ryan Hagey, Director, Financial Planning, ext. 7353 WARD(S) INVOLVED: All DATE OF REPORT: August 21, 2013 REPORT NO.: CSD-13-082 SUBJECT: 2013 Leisure Facilities Master Plan (LFMP) Update RECOMMENDATION: 1. That the 2013 Leisure Facilities Master Plan (LFMP) Update attached as Appendix ‘A’ to CSD-13-082, be received and consideration of the recommendations be referred to the departmental business planning process. 2.That the following vision statement included in the 2013 LFMP Update be approved to help guide future development of leisure facilities and services in the City of Kitchener: Kitchener residents will have access to a diverse array of accessible leisure opportunities that encourage their active participation and support residents’ health and well-being, strong and vibrant neighbourhoods and community capacity-building. 3. That the following facilities be identified as future leisure priorities and referred to the 2014 Development Charges Background Study and By-Law update for consideration of funding allocations: Indoor Leisure Facilities Outdoor Leisure Facilities 1. Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre addition 1. Trails (city-wide) 2. New Southwest community centre 2. Southwest District Park sports fields 3. Mill Courtland Community Centre addition 3. Multi-use sports fields 4. Southwest District Park aquatics facility4. Grand River park 5. Rockway Centre 5. Neighbourhood parks 6. Indoor turf facility 6. Soccer fields 3 - 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Leisure Facilities Master Plan is a wide-ranging, high-level plan that touches upon a wide array of leisure facilities and services. Many of the recommendations contained in the LFMP Update relate to two key focus areas for future leisure service delivery: (1) partnerships and alternative service delivery/funding mechanisms, and (2) planning required to address the impacts of our aging facilities. Additionally, there are recommendations regarding potential leisure facility priorities that will require focus in the future: (1) parks and trails, (2) southwest leisure needs, (3) sports fields and (4) community centres. This is an update to the 2005 LFMP which is a 15 year plan. Most of the recommendations in the update focus on the short to medium term timeframe of eight to 10 years. This timeframe coincides with the remaining years of the original LFMP and the city’s 10 year capital forecast. It is anticipated that at that time, a new Leisure Facilities Master Plan will be required. One important objective of the update is the investigation of potential alternative service delivery and funding models being utilized in the municipal sector. There is increasing pressure on municipalities to deliver a wider range of leisure services and facilities, often on a larger scale than has been done in the past. Municipalities do not operate in isolation. Developing an organizational culture that looks for partnership and collaboration opportunities with a variety of community partners (either public or private) will assist the city in delivering quality leisure services and facilities to residents. The city inventory of leisure facilities is aging. Some are now 30 to 60 years old. While these facilities are a valued contribution to the community, many have constraints related to design, operational efficiency, accessibility and program delivery needs that will require attention (e.g., McLaren arena, Lions arena, Breithaupt Centre, Rockway Centre, Cameron Heights pool, Kiwanis Park pool, Jack Couch Park, Centennial Stadium). Strategies for renewal, replacement and/or repurposing these older facilities need to be developed and implemented in order to maintain the quality of leisure service delivery and facilities that the city has been able to maintain to date. These strategies can be supported by utilizing a combination of funding models, dependent on the specific facility and other circumstances. The following vision statement will serve as the basis for considering and implementing the future development of leisure facilities and services in the City of Kitchener: “Kitchener residents will have access to a diverse array of accessible leisure opportunities that encourage their active participation and support residents’ health and well-being, strong and vibrant neighbourhoods and community capacity-building.” This vision refers to the variety of leisure opportunities available and the many ways to participate in these activities. Because of this variety it is important that the city not focus on or invest in just one type of leisure activity at the exclusion of others. The diverse array of leisure opportunities reflects the diversity in the population and the city must strive to achieve a balance in meeting the needs and expectations of residents, within prudent fiscal parameters. Having said that, it is clear that the city cannot be all things to all people all of the time under all circumstances. There are constantly competing needs and expectations in the community regarding leisure services and facilities. Given the limited financial and human resources of the city, staff are recommending specific facilities that have been prioritized based on trends, research and community needs at the current time. This difficult process is further hampered by the significant community expectations for initiatives that the city has discussed and committed 3 - 2 to previously (e.g., two community centre additions). Of critical importance is the recognition that for any service or facility that may not have been prioritized in this current update, it does not mean that the service or facility will not be achieved. In fact, some of the ‘lower’ facility priorities may actually be accomplished sooner if the city is able to actively pursue the recommended partnership and/or other funding/service delivery opportunities. Moving forward, in order to ensure the city continues to provide a balanced array of diverse leisure services, specific LFMP Update recommendations will be referred to the business planning process so that staff can consider each of them on a case-by-case basis. Once the in- depth consideration has been completed, staff will bring those initiatives forward to council for specific direction as to whether or not to implement them. Thus, Council will have further opportunities to consider individual recommendations specifically once staff has done the additional research and analysis as required. BACKGROUND: First approved by city council in 2005, the city’s current Leisure Facilities Master Plan (LFMP) is now eight years into its 15 year implementation. To keep a plan such as this relevant in a high change environment, it is necessary to complete a major review to assess whether the long- term objectives and recommendations of the plan remain linked to key trends in the community, and whether other considerations have emerged that require the plan to be recast. To that end, a high level examination of the implementation status of recommendations in the LFMP conducted by staff in 2012 determined that 92% of the initiatives identified in 2005 had either been completed or were well underway to completion. In addition to the need to update the 2005 LFMP from a community needs and leisure services perspective, in 2013 the city is beginning to prepare for a development charges background study and by-law update and the LFMP will be an important input into that work. Considering the above background, on December 3, 2012, city council directed staff to update the 2005 LFMP by reviewing community expectations, leisure services trends, leisure facility financing methods and utilization data. REPORT: Project Team Attached to this report are the 2013 Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update (Appendix A) and the 2013 Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update Research Report (Appendix B). For the development of these reports, staff formed a cross-divisional team to provide expertise from a number of different disciplines including program development and delivery, facility construction, operation and maintenance, and finance. In addition, a consultant was retained to support the update process by providing leisure and demographic trends, confirming master plan development activities, and developing and executing a multi-pronged stakeholder consultation program. Project Scope The intent of the Leisure Facilities Master Plan update is to: Validate and update the vision, mission, and values of the LFMP; Confirm leisure services trends at local, provincial and national levels; 3 - 3 Through consultation with stakeholders, investigate, review and update community priorities and expectations regarding leisure facilities and services; Create a framework to guide the development of leisure services and facilities through the next 10 years considering available resources; Make recommendations for the prioritization of leisure facilities and services considering available resources and possible scheduling of initiatives/projects accordingly, within the City of Kitchener 10 year capital forecast; Investigate possible alternate financial partnerships/relationships with public and private sectors; Provide a document that can inform the development charges background study and by- law update; Document any projects that arise from the updated LFMP in applicable departmental business plans for future years; Align recommendations in the LFMP regarding leisure services, facilities and service delivery with the City of Kitchener Strategic Plan priorities; and Provide an LFMP report and update to Council for consideration and approval. Analysis and Key Findings In addition to the consultation, a significant amount of work was done to examine leisure trends at the local, provincial and national level. A number of key findings emerged that take into consideration the consultation, research, facility use data and analysis. Further details of the findings and trends can be found in the 2013 LFMP Research Report (Appendix B). To summarize, the following key findings emerged from the research and analysis completed as part of the LFMP Update: Leisure facilities and services identified as valued: It became clear that community centres, neighbourhood associations and community trails, parks and open spaces were highly valued by the community. Community and demographic profile changes and trends: The development of leisure services and facilities in the city will be impacted by i) population growth (most significantly in the 55+ age cohort), ii) the changing and growing composition of immigrant population, iii) urban intensification policies and investments, and iv) regional initiatives. Potential future leisure initiatives: The staff team recognize that there are competing interests when it comes to leisure services. Through the input from the community, trends analysis and research, staff find that a focus on four areas of leisure services is required over the next 8 to 10 years. Generally, those areas are parks and trails, the southwest district park, sports fields and community centres. Aging leisure facilities: The city has numerous leisure facilities that are now 30 to 60 years old. These facilities have constraints related to design, accessibility, program delivery and operational efficiency. Service and program delivery findings: Efforts to sustain neighbourhood associations and the existing community resource centre model needs to continue. A number of city-wide strategies supporting; i) safe and thriving neighbourhoods, ii) inclusion services, iii) volunteer and community engagement, iv) additional seniors’ programming in new or existing spaces, and v) training and development for community organizations need to be considered, sustained and/or enhanced. Exploring new partnerships and financial strategies: The city should aggressively pursue partnerships in an effort to leverage an increased array of leisure facilities and program delivery including partnerships with the school boards, private sector organizations (e.g., 3 - 4 corporations - naming rights, land developers, operating partners) and community non-profit organizations. The city should also actively investigate a broad spectrum of strategies to fund leisure facilities and operations beyond traditional funding sources (taxes, development charges) including increasing sponsorships, user fees, issuing debt, and capital surcharges. Aging population: The aging profile reflects the transition of the ‘boomer generation’ into the over 55 and older age categories currently and increasingly so over the next 20 years. Trends of interest to this demographic include i) interest in activities that provide a healthy life style and social experience, ii) fitness activities, and iii) evolution of older adult centres to meet the needs and expectations of the boomer generation Changes of note in the LFMP Update There are two items of significance that should be noted between the 2005 LFMP and the LFMP Update report being brought forward. In the LFMP Update (Appendix A), more emphasis is placed on (1) exploring partnerships and innovative service delivery models, and (2) considering alternate models of funding or financial partnerships/relationships with public and private sectors. During consultations for the LFMP Update, stakeholders were asked to provide their preference among a number of financing and service delivery models. In general, the following main themes emerged: There was strong support for corporate naming rights and sponsorships; There was broad-based concerns about significant increases in user fees above inflation rates due to the impact on affordability and overall participation, and which could result in net revenue losses/increased operating deficits if participation dropped too severely; There was agreement that new service delivery models should be examined, such as partnerships with other service providers, where the city may provide capital and the partner manage/operate the venue, and provide some capital funding for a facility; There was recognition that property taxes alone cannot be a funding vehicle for leisure services operations; and Reduction in service levels was not well received as an alternative to cost reductions/ alternate service delivery. Municipalities across Ontario are increasingly more interested in identifying alternate forms of delivering leisure services as it is recognized that no municipality has the capacity to deliver all the leisure services needed in a diverse community such as Kitchener. Research indicates there are emerging models that have different applications in the development, financing and delivery of leisure facilities and services at the municipal level. Some municipalities have had success, such as pool and community centre/fitness complexes engaging the YMCA within municipal buildings. Other models have had mixed results, such as private arena development with municipal ice contracts. Still other alternate service delivery models have had limited scope and applications such as public private partnerships (3Ps). The following table provides some examples of alternate financing and service delivery models in other municipalities. Model Municipal Example School Board Indoor pools attached to secondary schools in Burlington and Partnerships Toronto 3 - 5 Model Municipal Example Gymnasium complex with secondary school and city gyms in Burlington Third Party Facility YMCA partnered with the City of London to build and operate the Services Delivery Northeast London Recreation Complex Waterloo partnered with the YMCA for the Westmount facility with outdoor sports fields and branch library Goderich retained the YMCA to build and operate a recreation complex and to operate the arenas, deliver recreation programs, perform facilities scheduling and other service planning and operating roles Sarnia contributed capital dollars to a pool built and owned by the YMCA. A portion of the capital contribution was an endowment to support public accessibility to the facility. London partnered with the Memorial Boys and Girls Club with a capital contribution for a downtown leisure complex and specific service delivery Calgary has operating partnerships with non-profit community organizations for some of the arenas London contributed capital fund for a gymnasium at Fanshawe College Private Facilities In London, a private group converted a curling club into a twin pad arena. Later the same group developed twin pads in Cambridge and Windsor and single pads in Brantford and at Brock University In Oakville, Dominion Twin Pad Arena was operated as a private venue until the Town of Oakville purchased it In Hamilton, a quad arena facility is owned by the municipality and operated by Nustadia, a private sector operator Canlan Sports Centres Inc, a private operator, operates multi-pad facilities in Etobicoke, Oakville, Oshawa, Scarborough, Mississauga, North York and at York University Private sector indoor soccer facilities have been built in Stoney Creek, Vaughan, Toronto and Mississauga Rental Capital Burlington applies a $54/hour capital surcharge for adult ice activities Surcharges and $16/hour surcharge on youth ice activities Municipality of Strathroy-Carodoc applies a similar surcharge program at $3/hour for ice use Oshawa has an $8/hour surcharge for ice use Public Private John Labatt Centre (now Budweiser Gardens) in London was built Partnerships via partnership between the City of London, Global Spectrum (a 3 - 6 Model Municipal Example management firm) and Ellis Don (contractor). Global Spectrum operates the arena Corporate Naming John Labatt Centre in London had a $10M for the first 10 year Rights naming period for the arena complex Budweiser Gardens (formerly John Labatt Centre) in London has a $15M for 10 year naming period for the arena complex RIM Park in Waterloo was a naming rights opportunity While engaging in alternative service delivery models is relatively new ground for municipalities, and it does come with some inherent risks, it is an area the city should start to explore more aggressively. Failure to actively consider and pursue some of these new partnerships will result in greater emphasis being placed on the municipality to be the primary provider and funder of leisure activities in the community. LFMP Update Recommendations The 2013 LFMP Update contains 38 recommendations grouped into three main categories: (1) foundations, (2) leisure services policy and delivery strategies, and (3) potential leisure services initiatives/facilities. The following three tables provide a brief overview of those recommendations. Table 1 Foundations Recommendation Summary Rec. 1 Revised vision statement to guide future development of leisure facilities and services. Table 2 Leisure Services Policies and Delivery Strategies Recommendation Summary Leisure Services Delivery Policy Framework Rec. 2 – indicates that any city involvement in leisure services delivery will be based on criteria (e.g., demonstrated need at reasonable participation levels, evidence of long term sustainability, assured public accessibility/participation/affordability, involvement by the city reflective of the scale of the benefits achieved for both participants and the community at large, use of business case analysis to support city investments). Community Resource Centres Rec. 3 to 7 –includes sustaining and supporting community centres as the primary leisure services delivery approach, working with community leadership and residents in the provision of programs at the community centres, ensuring local needs are being met, and continuing to look at broadening service delivery. Inclusion Services Rec. 8 – develop stronger internal governance and reporting mechanisms related to inclusion. User Fees and Subsidies Rec. 9 and 10 –undertake a comprehensive review of a participant user fee policy. 3 - 7 Recommendation Summary Volunteer and Community Engagement Rec. 11 – develop aneighbourhood strategy that considers a wide variety of assets that contribute to the strength of respective neighbourhoods Community Use of Schools Rec. 12 –work with school boards to develop policies, procedures and mechanisms that ensure the maximum use of indoor and outdoor school facilities. Residential Reurbanization Rec. 13 –assess and respond to evolving residential reurbanization in regards to the leisure services’ needs and impacts (e.g., working with developers to provide space needs, securing lands from school closures as available, preserving park and open space in the central areas). Partnerships and Joint Ventures Rec. 14 and 15 –actively pursue innovative partnership and joint venture strategies for leisure service delivery. Leisure Services Funding Models Rec. 16 -explore an expanded mix of leisure services funding models including corporate naming, public-private partnerships, capital surcharges and other models, on a case by case basis. Research and Innovation Rec. 17 -continue to ensure there is capacity to identify and evaluate trends in leisure services, including benefits and outcomes as part of performance management and prioritization, sharing these results with community organizations, and using these results to provide innovative services. Organizational Development Rec. 18 and 19 -undertake an initiative that supports a more integrated and focused leisure services delivery model within the organizational structure, and develop frameworks that inspire a culture of innovation, experimentation, alternate leisure service delivery models etc. Table 3 Potential Leisure Services Initiatives/Facilities Recommendation Summary Parks and Open Spaces Rec. 20 and 21 –continue to actively pursue completion of the vision for the Grand River corridor and explore opportunities to accelerate/increase the community garden program. Southwest District Park and Facilities Rec. 22 to 24 –approve and implement a master plan for the southwest district park; approve a new permanent community centre in the southwest end of the city, relocate the current community garden plots at Huron and Fischer Hallman to a suitable site. Sports Fields Rec. 25 to 28 –work with soccer organizations to maximize use of existing sports fields; develop multi-use fields for sports other than soccer; pursue the development of an additional indoor multi-use artificial turf field; and work with community sports groups to develop strategies for equitable access. 3 - 8 Recommendation Summary Community Resource Centres Rec. 29 to 32 – undertake a 20 year development plan to identify future community centre needs; pursue the proposed strategy for the Rockway Centre; implement the additions to the Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre and the Mill Courtland Community Centre as identified in the current capital forecast; review the program and service needs at the Breithaupt Centre. Arenas and Aligned Venues Rec. 33 to 35 -consider the redevelopment of the Queensmount arena into a multi-use indoor sports facility, strategies for the replacement of single pad arenas; develop long range plan for future of KMAC, Jack Couch park and Centennial Stadium property. Aging Leisure Facilities Renewal, Replacement and Reuse Rec. 36 and 37 -complete a comprehensive assessment of the aging leisure facility infrastructure, and develop a longer plan for their renewal, replacement or reuse; develop and implement a short-term strategy for replacing the track and field venue at Centennial Stadium. Regional Facilities Rec. 38 - consider participating in a discussion with other municipal partners in the Region of Waterloo to determine if there is an interest in pursuing the joint development of a regional aquatics or track facility. Facility Initiative Prioritization Recommendations 20 through 38 deal in part or in whole with the development of a variety of indoor and outdoor leisure facilities. While these recommendations touch upon a diverse array of community needs, specific focus is provided to four general categories of facilities: 1. parks and trails; 2. the southwest district park; 3. sports fields; 4. community centres. Staff recognize that the city’s financial and human resources are limited and it is highly likely that not all of these facility related recommendations can be implemented over the next 10 years. Therefore, staff recommend city council approve a specific list of prioritized indoor and outdoor leisure facilities. A council-endorsed priority listing ensures that staff is working to bring about the necessary facilities for the community to enable a balanced array of programming across the city and across diverse interests, within resource limitations. A prioritized facility list will also be a key component for future budget processes and assisting with the Development Charges Background Study and Bylaw update. Many of the identified leisure facilities are growth related, and therefore eligible to be funded through development charges. Facilities have been prioritized separately for indoor recreation and outdoor recreation, reflective of the separate categories used for calculating development charge rates. Having priority lists for these two categories will allow staff to ensure indoor and outdoor recreation projects are correctly prioritized in the Development Charges Background 3 - 9 Study and Bylaw update. These priorities will then be used to populate the 2015 capital budget, and the timing of projects will be determined by funding availability. It should be noted that libraries were not included in the scope of the LFMP Update project. They are a separate service area and development charge category. Libraries will be competing for overall development charge funds and will need to be prioritized as part of the development charges study process. Staff anticipates both tax based and development charge funding restraints for the prioritized capital projects. Even though most of the costs related to the identified leisure facilities can be funded through development charges, as outlined in the development charge legislation, a portion of the leisure facilities must be funded through the tax base. So the development of new leisure facilities is dependent on the availability of both development charge and tax supported funding. In order to address the funding constraints from both development charges and property taxes, staff are willing to pursue external funding sources if directed by Council. The most likely forms contemplated by staff are sponsorships or partnerships, but staff is willing to consider other options as well. If substantial external funding becomes available for a lower priority project, it may proceed in advance of a higher priority project which has no external funding opportunity. If this were to happen, it would be identified to Council through the budget process or a separate report. While not an easy task, the staff team met to review and prioritize all the leisure facility needs which emerged from the LFMP update. Each leisure facility was measured against a number of criteria and was prioritized, relative to each other. The criteria that each leisure facility was measured against included: The relative capital cost associated with the facility; Its link to the City of Kitchener Strategic Plan; The alignment of the facility/programming with the LFMP vision and mission; Whether the facility/associated programming was considered a City of Kitchener responsibility or not; Was it supported by a master plan/strategy; Was it viewed as a high priority in the community; Does the facility align with identified trends in leisure services; Does the facility align with demographic trends in Kitchener; and Were there sponsorship or other alternate funding opportunities. Based on that analysis, staff are recommending city council approve the following list as future leisure facilities priorities. These facilities generally fall into one of four overall priority areas of parks and trails, the southwest district park, sports fields and community centres. Indoor Leisure Facilities Outdoor Leisure Facilities 1. Trails (city-wide) 1. Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre addition 2. Southwest District Park sports fields 2. New Southwest community centre 3. Multi-use sports fields 3. Mill Courtland Community Centre addition 4. Grand River park 4. Southwest District Park aquatics facility 5. Neighbourhood parks 5. Rockway Centre 6. Soccer fields 6. Indoor turf facility 3 - 10 It is important to note that several facilities, recommended in the LFMP Update, are not included in the priority list above. Specifically baseball diamonds, the renewal/redevelopment of Breithaupt Centre and a new twin pad arena were not included for priority consideration, but will likely need to be addressed beyond the eight to 10 year timeframe. The following provides a brief overview as to the rationale behind staff’s recommended list of priority leisure facilities for the next 10 years. Indoor Leisure Facilities: 1. Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre addition: The Community Centre Feasibility Study (2000) recommended an expansion of Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre for 2008. The 2005 LFMP also included a recommendation to expand the centre. However due to competing needs in the city, this expansion has been pushed out in the capital forecast a number of times. Growth in the community, higher demand on programming and the limitations of current programming space are increasing the need to complete the expansion as soon as possible, making this the highest priority in the category. The city commitment to this initiative is in the public domain and currently planned in 2016 of the capital forecast for $3.7M. 2. New Southwest community centre: The proposed community centre in the southwest end of Kitchener was considered second priority, given the significant growth in this area of the city. Currently the Williamsburg Neighbourhood Association operates a number of programs out of 3,000 square feet. Programming needs are significantly more than the available space can handle and a full size facility is necessary. However, it is recognized that timing of this will be dependent on the timing of servicing and development in the area and, regardless of priority, cannot be considered until the proper servicing is in place. This initiative is currently planned in 2018 to 2021 of the capital forecast for $5.1M. 3. Mill Courtland Community Centre addition: Similar to Doon Pioneer Park, the Mill Courtland Community Centre, one of the city’s smallest community centres, is experiencing increasing program demand and limited facility capacity, with three neighbourhood associations operating out of it. The 2005 LFMP recommended an addition to accommodate the increasing need. Originally this was scheduled for 2009 and has been pushed out based on competing needs. The city commitment to this initiative is in the public domain and currently planned in 2016 to 2018 of the capital forecast for $2.9M. Although this initiative was prioritized third in the indoor facilities category, if it remains in its current location in the capital forecast, it could be implemented before the new southwest community centre. 4. Southwest District Park aquatics facility: The 2005 LFMP recommended an aquatics facility in the southwest area of the city. The prioritization exercise resulted in a high rating for this initiative in its link to the City of Kitchener Strategic Plan and the LFMP mission and vision. As well, such a facility is a high priority for the community, especially 3 - 11 in the southwest where leisure services development has not caught up to population growth in the area. This initiative ranked high in alignment with leisure and demographic trends (i.e., meeting fitness needs of boomer generation; learn to swim experience and safety factor). This leisure initiative was rated high as a potential sponsorship and/or partnership opportunity. The city commitment to this initiative is in the public domain and currently planned in 2020 to 2022 of the capital forecast for a total of $14.6M. 5. Rockway Centre: This priority is largely contingent on whether the city is able to enter a private public partnership to redevelop the centre. If this is the case, timing and priority of the implementation of this initiative will be dependent on the partnership and resource requirements. Since the funding strategy for this initiative is to involve a partner, it is not likely that significant funds will be required from the city but some may be needed. This initiative rated high in relative capital cost, its link to the city’s Strategic Plan and LFMP mission and vision, and the completion of the recent feasibility study. 6. Indoor turf facility: There is an increasing demand for this type of facility to support growth in indoor soccer, baseball training and development camps and other field sports on a year round basis. This initiative rated high in its relative capital costs, has a strong link to the city’s Strategic Plan, and trends in leisure services (i.e., growth in soccer, rugby, football, disc sports), and as a potential sponsorship/partnership opportunity. Staff believe there is some possibility of finding a private sector partner for this facility that could make it happen sooner than other facilities higher on the list. Outdoor Leisure Facilities: 1. Trails (city-wide): Community trails are one of the most highly valued leisure resources available for multiple reasons, i.e., recreational enjoyment, health and wellness benefits, alternate transportation opportunity, and spontaneous nature of the activity. Staff believe the trails system is the highest priority in the outdoor facility category as it rated strongly in relative capital cost (low), links to the city’s Strategic Plan and the LFMP vision and mission and the fact there is a recent master plan (2012) in place. Input from the consultation made it clear that trails link strongly with leisure (health and fitness) and demographic (boomer generation) trends. 2. Southwest District Park sports fields: The 2005 LFMP recommended this initiative. However due to competing needs in the city, the development of fields in this area of the city has been delayed. Staff rated these sports fields as a high priority for a number of reasons: their relative capital cost is low; a strong link to the city’s Strategic Plan; seen as a high community priority; and supports demographic (population growth; new Canadians) and leisure trends (growth in soccer particularly). 3. Multi-use sports fields: The 2005 LFMP recommended this initiative. Similar to sports fields above, these fields were rated as a high priority due to their relative capital cost (low), a strong link to the city’s Strategic Plan, and they are viewed as a high community 3 - 12 priority. This priority is supported by the collective increase in field sports (football, rugby, cricket, field lacrosse, disc sports) in addition to the growth in soccer. 4. Grand River park: The Grand River corridor is an important resource for the further development of the valuable community trails and parks system in the city. This area has been cited in all of the city’s parks and recreation master plans since 1976. This area presents opportunities to create a linear corridor of open space, parks, access points and related outdoor leisure and natural areas resources. Staff rated this initiative moderately high due to the link to the city’s Strategic Plan and LFMP vision and mission. As well, parks and open spaces are a very high priority for the community. This is located in a growth area of the city (demographic trends) and supports leisure activities trends in walking and spontaneous activity (boomer generation; health and fitness). 5. Neighbourhood parks: Staff rated this initiative as a priority in the outdoor category due to its relative capital cost (low), strong link to the city’s Strategic Plan and the LFMP vision and mission. Neighbourhood parks are considered a high priority in the community. Input from the consultation made it clear that parks, like trails, link strongly with leisure (health and fitness) and demographic (boomer generation; spontaneous activity) trends. 6. Soccer fields: Soccer has and will continue to grow substantively over the next decades for many reasons including population growth, participation by new Canadians, media coverage of soccer on a world scale and the low cost to participate. Staff believe the development of soccer fields is strongly aligned with leisure trends (growth across all levels) and demographic (X and Y generations; youth growth; new Canadians) trends. The 2005 LFMP recommended this initiative. The significant projected growth in the sport supports the priority rating by staff. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: The LFMP has provided a foundation for the development of leisure facilities, services and programs that allow the City to provide “A mixed array of accessible leisure participation opportunities that support our diverse community and encourage community capacity building, resident health and well-being and strengthen the city’s neighbourhoods.” This vision statement from the original LFMP provided the framework for the projects and strategies that have evolved from the Leisure Facilities Master Plan. The facility initiatives and strategies outlined in the LFMP Update Plan, 2013 align in varying degrees with the community quality of life, leadership and priorities stated in the Corporate Strategic Plan, namely engagement, diversity, downtown, development and environment. The staff team involved with this project determined that some of the initiatives aligned as well with the Effective and Efficient Government plan foundation, namely financial management, asset management, and organizational governance. 3 - 13 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Funding for the various leisure facility priorities will be contemplated by Council during future budget processes. The timing of specific facilities will depend on availability of funding from sources such as development charges, property taxes, and third party partnerships. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: The framework of community engagement utilized by the City of Kitchener has four components: inform, collaborate, consult, and entrust. This project involved informing (provide the public with balanced and objective information to assist them in understanding the problem, alternatives or solutions) and consulting (obtain input into priorities or decisions, usually at one point in the project planning or implementation process). Inform The community was informed of the plan update project via: Kitchener Citizen Council column indicating public consultation opportunities including information about the LFMP consultation; Your Kitchener article about the process and an invitation to the public input session in June; Social media postings to share updates and information with the city’s followers throughout consultation process; City website (www.kitchener.ca/lfmp) with project information, details, on-line survey, and link to original LFMP; Bookmark/flyer to hand out at events containing the link to the survey on-line; Media release about the update and the consultation process; Online survey posted on the city’s website for approximately four weeks; Paper surveys distributed to satellite facilities (e.g., community centres, arenas, pools, libraries). Consult The following consultation program was developed and implemented to encourage input by facility user-groups, program participants, volunteers and the general city population: Six focus groups were held with aligned user groups (minor and adult) (e.g., ice users, sports field users, aquatics users etc.); Two focus groups were held with neighbourhood association representatives; Project team members attended Council Advisory Committees to administer survey questions and lead any discussion (note: two meetings were held with Safe and Healthy, the first to administer the survey question and discussion, and the second to share initial results of the consultation with the advisory group); One focus group was held with representatives from external partners/groups, (e.g., school boards, the Grand River Conservation Authority, YMCA, Region of Waterloo Public Health, Kitchener Public Library); 3 - 14 A paper survey and cover letter was developed and mailed out to all participants in the city’s community garden program; Project team members met one-on-one to interview city Councillors; A survey was made available on the city’s website for the general public; and One community workshop was held with the general public to assist with assessing leisure services priorities. In addition to the consultation with the general public, city staff were also asked for input via focus groups (two with CSD and INS supervisors and staff associated with the planning and development of leisure facilities/services, one session with CSD and INS management staff, and one session with CAO/DCAOs). Input received through all of these consultations is included in the 2013 Leisure Facilities Master Plan Research Report, which is attached as Appendix B. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Michael May, Deputy CAO 3 - 15 3 - 16 3 - 17 4°¢¨• ض #ØÆ¥•Æ¥≥ 1INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 1-4 1.1OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................................................ 1-4 1.2RESEARCHANDCONSULTATIONPROGRAM .................................................................................................. 1-5 1.3UPDATEFORMAT ................................................................................................................................................. 1-5 2+%9 &).$).'3Κ -!*/2 4(%-%3 ......................................................................................... 2-1 2.1LEISUREFACILITIESANDSERVICESIDENTIFIEDASVALUED/IMPORTANT................................................ 2-1 2.2COMMUNITY/DEMOGRAPHICPROFILEANDTRENDS .................................................................................... 2-1 2.3POTENTIALLEISUREINITIATIVESKEYFINDINGS ........................................................................................... 2-2 2.4FINDINGSASSOCIATEDWITHAGINGLEISUREFACILITIES ........................................................................... 2-3 2.5SERVICEANDPROGRAMDELIVERY ................................................................................................................. 2-3 2.6EXPLORINGNEWPARTNERSHIPSANDFINANCIALSTRATEGIES ................................................................ 2-4 2.7THEAGINGPOPULATION ................................................................................................................................... 2-4 3,%)352% &!#),)4)%3 -!34%2 0,!. 50$!4% &/UNDATIONS .................................. 3-1 3.1ALIGNMENTWITHCITYOFKITCHENERSTRATEGICPLAN ........................................................................... 3-1 3.2LEISUREFACILITIESMASTERPLANUPDATE ................................................................................................. 3-2 3.2.1Vision.........................................................................................................................3-2 3.2.2Mission......................................................................................................................3-2 3.2.3Principles...................................................................................................................3-3 4,%)352% 3%26)#%3 0/,)#)%3 !.$ $%,)6%29 342!4%')%3 ....................................... 4-1 4.1LEISURESERVICESDELIVERYPOLICYFRAMEWORK ................................................................................... 4-1 4.2COMMUNITYRESOURCECENTRES .................................................................................................................. 4-3 4.3INCLUSIONSERVICES ......................................................................................................................................... 4-4 4.4USERFEESANDSUBSIDIES ............................................................................................................................... 4-5 4.5VOLUNTEERANDCOMMUNITYENGAGEMENT ............................................................................................... 4-6 4.6COMMUNITYUSEOFSCHOOLS ......................................................................................................................... 4-7 4.7RESIDENTIALREURBANIZATION ...................................................................................................................... 4-7 4.8PARTNERSHIPSANDJOINTVENTURES ........................................................................................................... 4-8 4.9LEISURESERVICESFUNDINGMODELS ............................................................................................................ 4-9 4.10RESEARCHANDINNOVATION ......................................................................................................................... 4-10 4.11ORGANIZATIONALDEVELOPMENT ................................................................................................................. 4-11 5,%)352% 3%26)#%3 ).)4)!4)6%3Κ&!#),)4)%3 ................................................................. 5-1 5.1PARKSANDOPENSPACES ................................................................................................................................ 5-1 5.2SOUTHWESTAREADISTRICTPARKANDFACILITIES .................................................................................... 5-2 5.3SPORTSFIELDSDEVELOPMENT ....................................................................................................................... 5-2 City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 1-2 3 - 18 COMMUNITYRESOURCECENTRES .................................................................................................................. 5-4 5.4 5.5ARENASANDALIGNEDVENUES ....................................................................................................................... 5-4 5.6AGINGLEISUREFACILITIESRENEWAL,REPLACEMENTANDREUSE ......................................................... 5-5 5.7REGIONALFACILITIES ........................................................................................................................................ 5-6 5.8POTENTIALLEISURESERVICESINITIATIVES/FACILITIESSUMMARY .......................................................... 5-7 635--!29 /& 2%#/--%.$ATIONS .................................................................................. 6-1 City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 1-3 3 - 19 1).42/$5#4)/. 1.1OVERVIEW The City of Kitchener is a progressive and growing urban centre with a population in 2013 of 232,000 residents. It is the largest centre in the Region of Waterloo which has population of over 550,000 residents. Both thecity and the region are expected to experience significant population growth over the next 20 years. The area forms part , the , where over one-12million residents reside. The City of Kitchener has a long history of strategically planned investments in the development and delivery of leisure services on behalf of its residents. It was one of the first municipalities in 1976 to undertake a 20-year parks and recreation master plan as a basis to consult with the community on their leisure needs and interests and to develop priorities for long term planning and implementation relative to services delivery. Asecond plan was initiated in 1991 with a 20-year perspective, which was followed by the 2005 Leisure Facilities Master Plan that focused on a 15-year time horizon in establishing the c leisure service delivery priorities. This was subsequently followed in 2010 with a Parks Master Plan focused specifically on parks, trails and open spaces. The 2005 Leisure Facilities Master Plan identified the importance of continually updating the master plan for a number of reasons including: dynamic changes occurring within the municipal government operating environments, continued growth within the population; and trends related to population demographics. In the spring of 2013, the city launched the 2013 Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update as a basis to review the strategic inputs, trends and perspectives on leisure services needs and delivery strategies, as well as to identify through community consultation and research, leisure services programs, facilities and delivery approaches for the next five to 10 years. The LFMP update was also connected to the periodic reviews that are required for the Development Charges By-law which is one of the primary capital funding sources in support of leisure facilities development. This document has been developed within the coordinated efforts of a project steering committee that integrated numerous city department and divisional staff, the supporting work of a consultant and the significant community consultation input undertaken through the February to August 2013 period. Once this plan is received by city council and specific recommendations are finalized and approved, the Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update will move towards being integrated with the Development Charges By-law, thecity capital funding forecasts, the departmental business planning process and a host of other aligned elements that support ongoing leisure services delivery and community engagement. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 1-4 3 - 20 1.2RESEARCHANDCONSULTATIONPROGRAM A research report is available under separate cover that includes the research, consultation results and related inputs that were used in the development of the 2013 LFMP update. The research completed as the basis for this update has involved the following key tasks: Demographic, financial and program and facility utilization data and analysis; Development of an inventory of leisure facilities and services; Development of a profile of the key Official Plan and community development priorities and initiatives that are shaping the physical development of the city, especially residential development which impacts leisure services delivery; A comprehensive community consultation program that involved: Twenty focus groups and interviews with representatives of neighbourhood associations, o minor and adult sports groups, city advisory committee members, city staff, council members, representatives of partnering organizations and others; An online survey made available on the csite that was viewed by 588 residents, o partially completed by 199 residents, fully completed by 133 residents; A public workshop held at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex on June 19, 2013 o to receive input on the key themes that emerged from the research activities and to identify future leisure service initiatives. A review of emerging service delivery models, financing, partnerships and associated strategies. An analysis of strategic trends at societal and the city level, as well as within leisure services activities. Collectively, the results of this work, along with the 2005 Leisure Facilities Master Plan, form the basis upon which the 2013 Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update was prepared. 1.3UPDATEFORMAT The recommendations within the 2013 Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update have been developed on three levels, moving from a strategic foundation through to potential leisure initiatives: Level 1 Plan Foundations Section 3 provides the philosophical and conceptual basis of the plan which includes avision, mission, principles and values. Level 2 Leisure Services Policies and Delivery Strategies Section 4 focusesoncontinued establishment of a policy framework for the development, delivery and evaluation of leisure services, as well as the variable delivery approaches that could be utilized by the City of Kitchener. Level 3 Leisure Services Initiatives/Facilities Section 5 identifies actions, investments and approaches that are proposed to be undertaken by the City of Kitchener over the remaining life of the Leisure Facilities Master Plan. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 1-5 3 - 21 2+%9 &).$).'3Κ -!*/2 4(%-%3 A series of key findings and trends emerged from the research activities associated with the Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update. The broader conclusions and the themes are outlined in the research report which is available under separate cover. The following section represents the key findings, trends and/or themes thathave emerged as a part of themaster plan update. 2.1LEISUREFACILITIESAND SERVICESIDENTIFIEDAS VALUED/IMPORTANT The ccommunity centres and neighbourhood associations are valued for their associated positive neighbourhood development, program access affordability, community engagement, and volunteerism; The community trails, parks and open spaces were identified as important in terms of both their non-programmed and programmed use and capacities, and the contributions they make to the c The wide array of leisure facilities and services available were valued,including their broad distribution throughout the community. The innovative services and facilities that have evolved over time were acknowledged including the Kingsdale Community Centre adaptive reuse, Activa Sportsplex, the community trails, the Huron Natural Area, and McLennan Park; The supports provided to community organizations, neighbourhood associations, minor sport groups and others by city staff including technical supports, printing, volunteer management and governance guidance and other supports were also valued. 2.2COMMUNITY/DEMOGRAPHICPROFILEANDTRENDS The population of the city is growing by approximately 1.5% per year adding an additional 3,000 plus people every year, or 15,000 to 30,000 people over a five to 10 year period; The demographics of the community are changing. Between the 2006 and 2011 census, 5% increase in the zero to five-year-old population. The population is also becoming more diverse. All these elements will require effective planning and service responses as the c demographics continue to transition over the life of the plan; The city will experience high, continuous population growth in the southwest, the far west end and the east end along the Grand River corridor. These areas will need various leisure services and facilities to respond solely to the population growth; City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 2-1 3 - 22 The c policies and investments, any changes to the current urban growth boundary and new transportation investments, particularly light rail transit; The reality is that many parks, particularly neighbourhood parks, and other leisure facilities are developed years after significant portions of the population have moved into new areas, although their residents have paid significant development charges for leisure opportunities that do not exist on a timely basis. 2.3POTENTIALLEISUREINITIATIVESKEYFINDINGS Based on current arena utilization at approximately 92% of prime time capacity and non-prime time usage at less than 40% of total capacity, arena inventory can remain at status quo inthe short to medium term as long as the current inventory of ice facilities exists; Capacity exists within the current soccer field inventory to meet increased demand in the short term, particularly during non-prime time. However, the ability to respond to both participation and population growth, and the possible loss of Budd Park fields, will require future considerations in regards to new or enhanced soccer facilities (indoor and outdoor) for youth and adult, and male and female play; An indoor pool, community resource centre, sports fields and other leisure facilities are needed in the growing southwest area that has limited leisure resources to date; There is a need to start considering where future community resource centre additions and new facilities may be required, based on projected growth and intensification; A minimum of one, or possibly two, multi-use fields for rugby, field hockey, football, disc sports, cricket and related uses is required to support more diverse, growing and equal participation opportunities; Capacity exists within the current baseball field inventory. The addition to the baseball field inventory may existonly as participation stabilizes and grows in Kitchener; Greater emphasis on park development along the Grand River corridor should be invested in; Continuing trail development is required, including extensions into new areas of the city, closing current gaps, enhancing trail amenities and continuing trail development as a support to walking/ cycling and as an alternative transportation network; A future twin pad arena may be needed in the longer term to respond to population growth and increased ice activity participation that was identified; Development of regional quality training and competitive leisure facilities for aquatics (swimming, water polo, diving and synchronized swimming) and track and field was cited by some members of the public. These facilitieswould require agreement, collaboration and funding from multiple partners including other municipalitiesin the region. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 2-2 3 - 23 2.4FINDINGSASSOCIATEDWITHAGINGLEISUREFACILITIES The city has numerous leisure facilities that are now 30 to60years of age and are constrained in terms of their design, operational efficiency, accessibility, and ability to meet program delivery needs, that will need to be addressed over the short to medium term; The permanent conversion of Queensmount arena to an indoor multi- use centre for activities requiring a sport hard surface should be considered; The replacement of single-padarenas needs to be considered due to their age, operating inefficiencies and use constraints, dressing room sizes and related considerations. The Breithaupt Centre is over 50 years old with a25-yard pool rather than a 25-metre pool and other operating inefficiencies. The Cameron Heights pool also has numerous operating and accessibility issues associated with it. A renewal and/or replacement strategy should be considered for these facilities and others as applicable. Finalizing a strategy for the Rockway Centre which is an older facility with both program and facility challenges that could be part of a larger mixed use investment or development in that area of the city should continue; Strategies for the renewal, replacement or repositioning of Centennial Stadium, Jack Couch Park and the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex should be developed in the short term. 2.5SERVICEANDPROGRAMDELIVERY Efforts to enhance the sustainability of neighbourhood associations and the local community leisure services delivery model relative to shared programming, improved relationships, and other initiatives should continue; The development of a city-wide neighbourhood strategy, focused on taking a comprehensive approach to building and supporting safe and thriving neighbourhoods should be undertaken; A strategy to provide additional older adult programming in new spaces, or utilizing existing spaces more efficiently in strategically located community centres across Kitchener, should be developed; Initiatives to improve the recruitment and retention of volunteers in all areas of leisure services, should be accelerated; Supports to community organizations, to ensure their sustainability, through training and development on governance, budgeting, technology and related areas, including enhanced supports to new and emerging groups, should continue and possibly increase; City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 2-3 3 - 24 Strategies that support the increased engagement of people with disabilities, members of multi- cultural communities, youth and others who have barriers to experiencing the full benefits of active leisure participation need to be continually developed and modified. 2.6EXPLORINGNEWPARTNERSHIPSANDFINANCIALSTRATEGIES Pursuing a unique, comprehensive agreement with the local school boards toenhance access and use of available school indoor and outdoor leisure and recreation facilities that would provide mutual benefits tothe community and the school boards, while reducing the need for the city to develop certain types of facilities in the future; Maximizing current city and partner facility use through scheduling and policy and procedures development and applications; Some opportunities exist for the city to become more strategic, coordinated and aggressive in pursuing corporate sponsorships and naming rights for city facilities as an alternative source of income that can support specific service areas or future facilities and/or amenities. Examining more extensive partnerships with community non-profit and private organizations could provide significant mutual benefit in terms of the co-development and direct management of larger leisure facilities, such as indoor aquatic facilities; The city needs to continue to encourage land developers to be more engaged in the initial Assessing whether increasing user fees, debt, and/or property taxes are tools that should be used toassist in fundingthe delivery of leisure services and what participant affordability considerations may emerge; Assessing whether capital surcharges on user fees is a funding tool that could be used for the capital development of leisure facilities. As well,examining the leasing of facilities, public and private partnerships, and other financing and development strategies versus the continued use of more traditional debt-based municipal investments approaches for leisure facilities; Establishing financial tools for developing funding for ongoing operating and maintenance costs for facilities and programs including the eventual replacement of the facility. 2.7THEAGINGPOPULATION One of the most significant demographic trends evolving in Kitchener and all of Canada is that of an aging population. The data provided in the research report indicates that Kitchener, though continuing to increase its population, will continue to experience an aging profile. This will have impacts on leisure services participation, preferences and needs. The aging profile reflects the transition of th 55 and older age categories currently and increasingly so over the next 20 years. Leisure services providers must recognize that this aging generation may not have the same interest . Some of the trends of interest related to leisure services relative to an aging population are: Increased interest in walking as a healthy lifestyle and social experience. This will increase community trail usage and potentially result in some increased challenges related to mixed uses on trails; City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 2-4 3 - 25 Greater interest in aquatic fitness opportunities and classes due to the reduced physical impact on joints and limbs; Higher levels of sport participation than for previous older adult generations due to life-long involvement, health, wellness and social benefits, and sport program changes/ modifications to facilitate their participation; A need to ensure that neighbourhood parks can accommodate older adults and that they are not just viewed as being for children and families as these will need to be local parks for more older adults; Important questions as to how older adult centres will evolve for the boomer generation that have had uniquely different life experiences. They may be more interested in a broader menu of leisure activities provided in more locations and involving different groupings of people than a centre or club oriented environment offers; Opportunities for intergenerational engagement may increase via volunteering and participation as or to be limited in their participation in certain leisure services that are viewed as for only younger participants. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 2-5 3 - 26 3,%)352% &!#),)4)%3 -!34%2 0,!. 50$!4% &/5.$!4)/.3 3.1ALIGNMENTWITHCITYOF KITCHENERSTRATEGICPLAN Avision, mission and principles have been Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update. They have been developed in alignment with the key themes and content that emerged from theCity of Kitchener Strategic Plan that was based on extensive community consultation and technical assessments. Entitled A Plan for aHealthy Kitchener, the vision identified for the cstrategic plan is as follows: Together, we will build an innovative, caring and vibrant Kitchener with safe and thriving neighbourhoods. The themes of innovation, caring and vibrancy are strongly identified as key building blocks in moving Kitchener forward as a progressive, attractive and successful community. Also vitally important in this vision is the significance and priority of safe and thriving neighbourhoods as key components of the larger urban community. The city has had a long history of developing neighbourhood level community centres, leisure programs, parks and related participation opportunities that contribute significantly to neighbourhood safety and vibrancy. The cstrategic plan also identifies six strategic directions with which the Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update aligns and supports. Quality of Life Our shared vision is for Kitchener to be a community that invests and maintains basic services, in addition to amenities such as community centres, museums, theatres, art galleries facilities, even if it means paying higher taxes. Leadership and Community Engagement Our shared vision is for Kitchener to be a community in which the residents are engaged and active in decision-making about local issues. Environment Our shared vision is for Kitchener to be a community that focuses significant energy and resources on becoming more environmentally friendly. Diversity Our shared vision is for Kitchener to be a community where all residents have equitable access to and meaningful inclusion in, the social, economic and cultural fabric of city life. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 3-1 3 - 27 Development Our shared vision is for Kitchener to be a community that has carefully planned its neighbourhoods and growth by trying to attract specific types of growth, even if it means restricting some new developments. Dynamic Downtown Our shared vision is for Kitchener to be a community that has built a vital and lively downtown which provides all residents with a unique mix of exciting big-city amenities and diverse services. All six strategic directions outlined in the cstrategic plan have important connections and alignments with the ongoing development and delivery of leisure services at both city-wide and neighbourhood levels. They are related to equality of access and services and the inclusion of all residents, the delivery of quality services that meet community needs, the importance of the ongoing engagement of residents in services delivery and planning and ensuring an array of services that meet needs of diverse community residents. 3.2LEISUREFACILITIESMASTERPLANUPDATE 3.2.1 Vision Avision establishes a horizon or direction towards which all stakeholders can move together with common cause andpurpose. The following vision statement has been established as a part of the 2013 Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update: Recommendation - Master Plan Vision 1. That the City of Kitchener approve the following vision statement to help guide future development of leisure facilities and services: Kitchener residents will have access to a diverse array of accessible leisure opportunities that encourage their active participation and support residents health and well-being, strong and vibrant neighbourhoods and community capacity-building. 3.2.2 Mission Amission statement speaks to the fundamentals and focus of what is going to be achieved via the 2013 Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update. It outlines the intent and the broad strategic approaches and linkages that need to be developed and integrated into the ongoing implementation of the master plan. The following mission was developed as a part of the 2013 LFMP update: The 2013 Kitchener Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update will provide direction to the City of Kitchener for the development and delivery of a balanced array of leisure services. The City of partnered, indirect and direct delivery strategies that: Inspire a true value for the benefits of leisure participation; Support a high level of resident engagement, personal development, health and well-being; Generate a strong sense of community and neighbourhood identity, spirit and service by residents; Support a high level of neighbourhood development and capacity building; and Contribute strategically City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 3-2 3 - 28 3.2.3 Principles The following principles have been developed as a decision-making lens for the directions, strategies and recommendations within the 2013 Kitchener Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update. The 2013 Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update Balanced Array of Services The provision of a balanced mix of accessible and innovative leisure services linked to social, health, education and related aligned services. Equitable Access Fair and equitable leisure services that encourage participation by all dimensions of the community including ability, culture, economic, geographic and related interests and backgrounds. Innovative Financing and Delivery Models Actively exploring and assessing innovative leisure services partnership, joint venture and financing models with the private and not-for-profit sectors to sustain and expand services availability and community engagements. Evaluation Developing and implementing services that operate with integrity, are continually evaluated relative to outcomes and respond to evolving resident needs. Maximum Utilization The maximum utilization of existing resources, through their on-going effective rehabilitation and renewal. Geographical-Based Services The provision of geographically dispersed facilities that meet evolving resident interests and population growth patterns, while ensuring key linkages with neighbourhood, district and city-wide service delivery approaches. Supporting Specialized Needs The continuation of specialized services for older adults, youth, persons with disabilities, new Canadians, early years and other identifiable populations whose lives are enriched through supported access to and increased participation in leisure services. Neighbourhood Centered Sustaining the important emphasis on neighbourhood-based leisure services delivery through the development of local centres; supports to community groups and neighbourhood associations; enhanced access to local schools and related community-based facilities; and other connected endeavours. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 3-3 3 - 29 Leisure Services Community Leadership The Community Services Department continuing its leadership role in the planning, development, facilitation and support for leisure services delivery, using a variety of innovative delivery strategies involving joint ventures, indirect and direct delivery and community-based service provider partnership approaches. Valuing Our Natural Resources The Infrastructure Services Department continuing its leader open spaces, the Grand River, stream corridors and natural areas continue to be valued by the community. Also ensuring that key environmental resources are conserved and accessible to the public for both programmed and non-programmed activities which in turn contribute significantly to the urban form of the community. Flexibility and Connections Developing leisure facilities that are flexible and can be linked to broader livable community initiatives related to health, economic development, transportation, education and growth management. Sustainability Developing leisure facilities and services that are sustainable over the longer term through innovative designs and effective operations, and that are adaptable and flexible, environmentally sound, affordable to construct and operate, facilitate an ease of maintenance and actively support participant inclusion. The first principle identifies the importance of a balanced mix of facilities and recreational opportunities that meet the very diverse needs of Kitchener residents. It is through this balanced mix that a spectrum of services is available that can meet the multitude of needs and variable interests of residents. Leisure services are not for one particular dimension of the community but for all. Also vitally important is that leisure services do not stand alone. In most cases they have significant interconnectivity to social, health, personal development and other related services. This focuses on the holistic development of each person and treating them as a whole person and not their individual needs. It is through this integrated approach that individuals are better served, have more opportunities and achieve enhanced outcomes. An example that Kitchener has practiced and continues to develop is its community centres being resource centres where they have the opportunity to tailor their programs and services, providing them directly, through local neighbourhood associations and/or through other service partners, to the localized needs of a neighborhood across a spectrum of servicing requirements. Another principle supports the need for the fair and equitable provision of leisure services so that all residents can have a reasonable opportunity to participate in leisure activities. These services should not simply exist, but efforts need to be made to encourage participation. This encouragement should be both generic in terms of the whole population and target specific groups who have barriers that have to be overcome, require different types of informational resources, or have other considerations that need to be addressed in order to ensure fair and equitable access. In an increasingly multicultural community, with many barriers and other challenges, the communication and encouragement process becomes increasingly important and diverse in order to serve the whole community. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 3-4 3 - 30 The fourth principle focuses on the considerable effort thatneeds to be made to renew existing facilities and to ensure that maximum use is being made of what is already available. Too often, the planning focus gravitates towards new and exciting facilities and loses sight of what currently exists. This is particularly important, as many municipalities, Kitchener included, have numerous aging facilities that have been in existence for 20to50 years or more. Not losing sight of the need for facility rehabilitation and renewal is vitally important. Also, there has to be reasonable geographic distribution of leisure services so that there is balanced access across the community. There needs to be key linkages to service areas and scale so that neighbourhood facilities service neighbourhoods, district facilities support collections of connected neighbourhoods and city-wide facilities support city-wide access patterns. Services should not be concentrated in one area but need to have a dispersion so that everybody feels that they have reasonable access, travel times are shared and all areas of the community feel well served. Many segments of the population have specialized needs or could achieve a particularly enhanced benefit from participating in leisure activities. To date, older adults, youth, persons with disabilities, new Canadians and children have generally been identified as important populations for various economic, health, social development and other considerations. Though these targeted audiences can change over better socialization which can affect the longer term successful development of a child, or keeping older adults active so that they are healthier and more connected to the community and less isolated, along with achieving greater inclusion for persons with disabilities or new Canadians who cannot speak the language and experience significant barriers. Another key principle is to sustain the important focus on the neighbourhoods of Kitchener. This is a strategic priority as expressed within the cstrategic plan. The LFMPupdate needs to address key opportunities to provide leisure programs and activities locally, whether through a resource centre or enhanced access to local schools or other community-based facilities. It also reflects the fact that there needs to be investment in community groups in terms of them being able to sustain themselves, develop their leadership capacities,communications and other skills that will foster their success and sustainability. The citycommunity services department has an important leadership role in the planning, development, facilitation, delivery and evaluation of leisure services in Kitchener. The department represents a huge resource in terms of the assets they have to work with, their technical skills and capabilities and other inputs that are vital to both the services they deliver directly and the supports they can provide to other parties who are central to the overall leisure services delivery strategy. It is very important to stress that thecity does not need to be all things to all people or undertake everything directly. The ability to work with neighbourhood associations, organized leisure services groups and other third parties is an integral strategy in expanding the array of services,their geographic distribution, generating opportunities for people to contribute to their community through volunteerism and to ensure greater levels of resident participation and outcomes. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 3-5 3 - 31 There are innovative models of leisure services delivery evolving that need to be assessed, tested and implemented where feasible. A principle on the use of these approaches is vital in terms of the need to flexibly as demographic and market trends occur, and to reflect the reality that the city cannot do everything alone or be all things to all people. The range and complexity of leisure services continue to grow and more holistic community capabilities and involvement is needed to effectively respond to a different and challenging future. The cinfrastructure services department has an equally important leadership role within leisure services in Kitchener. The cs and natural areas represent very significant community resources. They impact the urban form and development pattern of the community, as well as conserve key natural resources that are valued by residents and are necessary to sustain a healthy ecological and environmental balance. These resources need to support both program and non- programmed activities. Not all leisure services need to be programmed. There is significant importance in ensuring that there are opportunities for spontaneous and unorganized activities which foster more creativity, social interchange and adaptability. Key areas of consideration within this principle involve the community t fields. Leisure facilities no longer stand alone as they can become important investment instruments in terms of broader community strategies. Therefore, the LFMP Update needs to ensure that the leisure facilities being proposed are supportive to various senior government health initiatives, Smart Growth, the city economic development strategy, transportation priorities and investments and other strategic initiatives and that they are affordable and consistent with the cavailability through the tax base and development charges. Investments in leisure facilities and services also need to be sustainable over the long term. This can come in the form of innovative designs and efficient operations or may involve facilities and services that are adaptable and flexible. There are a host of considerations desired that are important to this principle in terms of ensuring the coutcomes, long term sustainability and participant benefits and satisfaction. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 3-6 3 - 32 4,%)352% 3%26)#%3 0/,)#)%3 !.$ $%,)6%29 342!4%')%3 Municipalities are under increasing pressure to deliver a wider range of leisure services, many of them involving more sophisticated facilities, integrated service delivery approaches and growing long term capital, operational and sustainability requirements. The increasing mix of leisure services and the differentiated connecting points that participants have with each leisure service activity are generating a more complex service delivery environment. Further complicating this environment is that new groups are forming that need support while established groups go through cycles of strength and weakness variability. It is important for the city to develop a sound service delivery policy that provides a framework for how the city will engage in the development, delivery and evaluation of individual leisure services, whether facility or program-based, and whether directly delivered by the city, through partners or within one or more of the emerging third party delivery models. For most ofthese specific initiatives, feasibility studies and/or business cases will be required to develop their scope, detailed costing, partnerships and management profiles. 4.1LEISURESERVICESDELIVERYPOLICYFRAMEWORK The Leisure Services Delivery Policy Framework has been updated and is primarily based on the c 2005 LFMP policy as priorities outlined in the framework remain relevant today. The city supports the value of and need for community organizations and volunteers to successfully operate leisure services as a primary means to expand the accessibility, availability, affordability and mix of leisure services that are available to residents. continue to focus on servicing Kitchener residents as the primary users. The first priority of the framework remains leisure services that facilitate and encourage broad-based participation amongst city residents at a recreational activity level, including in-city, regional and provincial competitive oriented activities for children and youth. The second priority are those leisure services and accessibility supports that link to the specialized needs of identified populations including persons with disabilities, older adults, young children, teens and new Canadians. The third priority are leisure services that are primarily intended to support key city strategic initiatives such as downtown redevelopment, conversion of brownfield sites, conservation of major open space resources and specialized services that ensure a broad mix of leisure opportunities for residents. Lastly, the fourth priority of the framework continues to be development of leisure facilities that is targeted primarily at national and international level athletes and participants and which will only be considered within a sport tourism framework where need and/or use levels and impact potential demonstrate an evident benefit to the community, and where other partners (neighbouring municipalities, senior government levels, sustainable non-profit organizations and the private sector) are active, substantial and committed contributors. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 4-1 3 - 33 Recommendation Leisure Services Delivery Policy Framework 2.That the city utilize the Leisure Services Delivery Policy Frameworkwhen considering any city involvement in leisure services delivery based on the following criteria: Identification of demonstrated need at reasonable participation levels; Evidence of long term sustainability; Assured public accessibility, participation and affordability; Involvement by the city reflective of the scale of the benefits to be achieved to both the participants and the community at large; The use of business case analysis and preparation as a basis to support city investments in leisure services initiatives. The city will continue to fulfill its role in the planning, development, delivery and evaluation of leisure services based on a hierarchy of responses and roles, specifically, facilitation, partnerships or joint ventures and direct delivery. The policy focuses on the fact that the city is best served if organized groups and individuals within their own perspectives and capacities can be integrated into the delivery of leisure services. This strategy generally focuses on program dimensions because facilities can be too costly and often require some form of direct or partial city involvement. Groups of individuals with a particular interest need to galvanize themselves to a point where they can take on many of the administrative, program development and delivery responsibilities. The city has a strong role in facilitating these groups in order to help them form, to provide technical supports and to assist them with the resolution of challenges that may occur from time to time. This role allows the city to engage with these groups at points where the groups can remain independent while having access tosome key resources including marketing and advertising, registrations, volunteer training and development, program evaluation, accessing grants, andassessing new opportunities. The city has many of the skills and capacities in-house or has access to such resources that can be very beneficial to these groups, especially if they are experiencing difficulties and their sustainability becomes threatened. Thus, the first priority is for the city to actively work to facilitate and support community groups and individuals in the development and delivery of leisure services. The second level of the policy indicates that the city will look for alternative approaches or service providers before it takes on direct involvement in the delivery of a leisure facility or service,. This could be through partnerships, joint ventures or other collaborative initiatives, of which some different and/or more complex opportunities are emerging. Pursuing these models will require changes in city and departmental perspectives and culture in regards to applying these types of approaches, especially related to risk and control. This second level of prioritization means that the city will enter into partnerships, joint ventures and related collaborative initiatives at variable levels of involvement that result in a shared responsibility for a leisure facility or service. The third dimension of the hierarchy occurs when the city, based on evident need and strategy compliance, decides to make a direct investment in the development of a leisure facility or the delivery of a leisure service. This will occur when no other available alternatives exist and need is apparent. It leaves the city with a very important role particularly with respect to leisure facilities. This level of involvement means that the city will undertake the direct delivery of leisure services where other delivery strategies are not viable or available and reasonable need or demand is evident. This will be done by utilizing direct capital investment, annual budget support and staff and/or volunteer resources. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 4-2 3 - 34 The policy further articulates key criteria and related considerations that need to be addressed whenever the city becomes involved in a leisure facility or service initiative. The affordability for and accessibility of the public becomes a major criteria, as does sustainability. Another important consideration is that the scale of the c to be in balance with the benefits that are going to be realized. It is possible that the ideas that come forward are out of scale with the benefits available. This needs to be assessed, all involvement. From a policy implementation perspective, the city will need to continue to develop the application dimensions of the policy, giving particular consideration to ensuring that the data recording systems are in place to assess bothparticipation levels and benefits. Additionally, the performance monitoring of the outcomes being realized need to be compared to the goals and commitments established for the leisure service being considered. 4.2COMMUNITYRESOURCECENTRES Kitchener has evolved a comprehensive system of neighbourhood-focused community resource centres dispersed across the city. They have evolved as valued neighbourhood resources providing enhanced access to leisure services due to their proximity to where people live, providing services that respond to the unique and changing needs of the local areas served and creating opportunities for community leadership and volunteerism. This model also aligns with the city's strategic p strong neighbourhoods. The consultation program in support of the LFMP update strongly identified the value that residents place on the cresource centres and the need to continue to develop, enhance and sustain these important community assets. Recommendation Community Resource Centres 3. That the city work with community leadership and residents to increase the awareness, opportunities, recognition, training and enhanced utilization of community volunteers in the program and service delivery and leadership roles within community centres and within neighbourhoods. 4. That the city develop and implement a comprehensive communications strategy aimed at increasing residents awareness of community centre leisure programming and encouraging more residents to utilize the centres in the future. 5. That the c neighbourhood associations promote and facilitate residents participation in local decision- making while recognizing the uniqueness of each individual community centre in serving the needs of their local neighbourhoods. 6. That the city develop a strategy to add new program space, or more effectively utilize existing space for additional programming in strategically located community centres across the city. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 4-3 3 - 35 7. That the city conduct a comprehensive review of its community resource centre operations to facilitate the sharing of best practices amongst centres, and to identify opportunities to improve service delivery and strengthen individual neighbourhoods. The sustainment and growth of the community resource centre model is widely supported and as a primary means by which the engagement of community residents can occur in the development, delivery and participation in leisure services. The Kitchener model is one of the most comprehensive and integrated in Ontario, is highly valued and should continue to be supported on an ongoing basis. However, there are some challenges that need to be addressed.The ongoing development of volunteer leadership, in order to effectively respond to succession requirements, needs to be focused on, particularly in a number of centres where the leadership has been in place since theinception of the centre.Also important is the need to build greater overall volunteer capacity. The city has a role to work with community centre leadership in promoting volunteer opportunities, training, recognition and ensuring meaningful opportunities. Volunteer leadership developed via community centre activity or involvement is one of many tools the city uses to enhance volunteer and community engagement opportunities. Section 4.5 in this report provides further information regarding volunteer development. Another important consideration that emerged from the consultation is finding the balance between the c more centralized policies and procedures and the importance of sustaining community volunteer leadership sothey feel they are making a meaningful contribution to the community centres and their local unique community identity. It is understood, that there are significant risk-management, financial and other legislative and/or policy considerations that the city must adhere toand ensure are in place, ranging from financial, to health and safety, to human rights, to accessibility and other regulatory considerations. However, these considerations need to be undertaken in a way that allows each community resource centre to achieve its individual goals and to respond to the unique needs and populations that exist within their individual service areas. This balance is an important contribution to sustaining and enhancing the community resource centre model, and to ensure, that over time, the centres do notexperience diminished volunteer and resident engagement and participation. 4.3INCLUSIONSERVICES Kitchener has developed a significant capacity to assist individuals who require supports in order to facilitate their participation. These supports can range from access to facilities, transportation, modified spaces and a host of other considerations. Under the Accessibilitwith Disabilities Act (AODA), there are growing responsibilities for owners and operators of leisure facilities to ensure that they facilitate access. Much of this involves physical built environment access, but there is also adaptive participation access that is vitally important to ensure that all Kitchener residents have an equal opportunity to realize the benefits of active leisure participation. The city will need to continue to foster innovative opportunities for persons with disabilities, continually examining new technologies, equipment, modes of operation, and other strategies and tools that evolve over time and create enhanced opportunities for individuals with disabilities to participate and benefit Recommendation Inclusion Services 8. That the city develop stronger internal governance and reporting mechanisms for issues related to inclusion and the provincial requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 4-4 3 - 36 Inclusion services are an important contribution by thecity to facilitate more equal access to leisure services participation and the realization of the benefits from these activities. The area of inclusion services is very dynamic, and there is continuing research and capacities being developed to facilitate access in terms of the modifications of spaces, changes within how activities are delivered, the rules of play and other perspectives. The city has been a leader in this area and should position itself to continue to be a recognized and active leader in facilitating equal opportunities for all residents. 4.4USERFEESANDSUBSIDIES Over the last decade or more, there has been increasing emphasis by municipalities to raise user fees charged to facility users and program participants. This is a natural outcome since municipalities are under significant financial pressures across their service offerings. Facility and program costs have also increased significantly due to regulatory requirements and market expectation transitions. Users across all municipal, provincial and federal services are being asked to pay higher proportions of the costs of service delivery. If user fees are increased too much, two concerns can arise.First, if user fees are simply raised on a percentage across an array of activities, the foundation of how user fees evolved will never change and some leisure services will pay higher proportions of their costs than others which can create equity concerns. Secondly,as user fees increase, there are members of the population who will not be able to engage and to realize the benefits of participating in leisure activities. It is important that all residents, regardless of their economic situation, are able to enjoy the health and social benefits leisure activities provide. While the City of Kitchener does review user fees on an annual basis, there is a need to conduct a full and comprehensive review of user fees that creates a more transparent, integrated and equitable fee policy by: Ensuring clarity as to the role, scale and rationale for the user fees charged; Assessing the equity of the user fees between various leisure program and facility offerings; Providing affordability mechanisms that facilitate equitable participation by all economic spheres of the community; Potentially establishing multi-year user fee increases in order to support community organization planning, budgeting, registration fee development and related perspectives rather than an annualized approach that can create challenges for community groups; Ensuring the positioning of user fees charged by the City of Kitchener with both strategic and participation trends and the regional competitive environment which can impact participation volumes and net income; Developing flexible fee structures that support emerging leisure activities to establish themselves over a defined period of years, e.g.,considering volume-based rates and other strategies associated with the principles and directions within the LFMP Update. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 4-5 3 - 37 Recommendation User Fees and Subsidies 9. That the city undertake a comprehensive review of its leisure services user fees as a basis to create a transparent, integrated and equitable policy. 10. That the city regularly review its Leisure Access Card (LAC) program to ensure it is continuing to meet the needs of users while remaining financially sustainable. 4.5VOLUNTEERANDCOMMUNITYENGAGEMENT For Kitchener, volunteers have been a mainstay in the development, governance and delivery of leisure services. Without volunteers at all levels, the range and quality of leisure programming available to residents would be substantively reduced. The city could never directly deliver all the leisure programs andservices that exist today without the army of committed volunteers who are engaged across this service sector. It is in the best interest of the city, on behalf of its residents, to ensure that there is anactive volunteer development program at both strategic and tactical levels. Strategically, the city can support the promotion of volunteerism and the value connected with giving back to the community, can inform residents of volunteer opportunities and contributions, can ensure the recognition of volunteer efforts and can provide selected training initiatives. The city also can possibly act as an ombudsman when volunteer challenges emerge within community service delivery organizations. Tactically, the community leisure services providers have a primary role in therecruitment and meaningful placement of volunteers and their recognition. Some challenges in volunteering have been identified in the consultation program and through other sources. For example, the trend toward targeted volunteering for specific time frames reflects changes in volunteer preferences and commitment. The city should work with individual leisure service providers to assist them in better managing the meaningful utilization, recognition, training and related perspectives of volunteers specific to their organizational needs and operations. afe and thriving neighbourhoods, the city must continue to actively engage in the planning and implementation of strategic volunteer and community engagement opportunities. While the city has a strong history of engaging the community in leisure service delivery and decision-making, an opportunity exits to build on those strengths through the development of a comprehensive neighbourhood strategy that recognizes and promotes the unique character of each neighbourhood. Such a strategy has the potential to strengthen neighbourhoods across the entire city by significantly expanding who is being engaged in decisions and initiatives affecting -to-day lives, and by providing greater focus for municipal staff who can help promote stronger neighbourhoods. Recommendation Volunteer and Community Engagement 11. That the city develop a comprehensive neighbourhood strategy that considers a wide variety of factors in the strength of any neighbourhood (e.g., people and cultural connections, leisure opportunities, the built form, neighbourhood design, public safety) and focuses on three objectives: Engaging and empowering more residents in planning, building, sustaining and supporting safe and thriving neighbourhoods based on the unique character and needs ofeach individual neighbourhood; City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 4-6 3 - 38 Building a stronger sense of belonging and connection between residents and their neighbourhoods as a way of increasing civic pride in the community; Aligning municipal staff behind a focus on building safe and thriving neighbourhoods as the basis for a healthy community. 4.6COMMUNITYUSEOFSCHOOLS Kitchener has a long history of significant engagement with both the Waterloo Region District School Board and the Waterloo Catholic District School Board in the use of their indoor and outdoor facilities that can support leisure services. Over the years, campus development of neighbourhood and some district parks, gymnasium additions to schools and other developments have occurred. There have been some challenges in terms of access, costing, scheduling and related concerns at the operational level. Schools represent a significant resource, particularly since many of them are distributed through neighbourhoods at the elementary school level and at district levels via secondary schools. Most of the secondary schools are already heavily utilized for internal academic activities and events, as well as for community use. What is important is to ensure that there is maximum use being made of the potential of the elementary and secondary school facilities so that redundancy and duplication via the development of additional city facilities does not occur. Also, the potential development of resource hubs as promoted by the Ministry of Education may create unique opportunities in local neighbourhoods for more integrated, community use of schools by leisure, social, educational, health and other community service providers. Recommendation Community Use of Schools 12. That the city increase its efforts to work with local school boards to develop policies, procedures and mechanisms that ensure the maximum use of indoor and outdoor school facilities to the mutual benefit of the schools and city residents, and which minimize the need for additional, duplicated leisure facilities and services. It is recognized there have been challenges in the past often related to changing policies and other rationales at both the city and the school boards. However, with the levels of capital investment involved, mutual agreements and strategies should be explored and implemented where common benefits exist, cost savings are evident and residents are better served, both from participant and taxpayer perspectives. 4.7RESIDENTIALREURBANIZATION Since the 2005 Leisure Facilities Master Plan, Kitchener continues to experience an ever-growing demand for urban living. Kaufman Lofts and Arrow Lofts are a few examples of a number of residential redevelopments occurring in the central part of the city. The provincial requirements to accommodate a certain amount of growth within the existing built up area, the advent of light rail transit and a revised population could have some demographic differences compared to conventional suburban areas as there may be a higher occurrence of younger age groups gravitating to more intensive urban lifestyles. One of the key attractors and retainers for people in these areas are amenities such as urban parks and recreation facilities to support an active lifestyle and the desire for public space and activity. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 4-7 3 - 39 One of the challenges with this emerging trend is that it could place a growing emphasis on providing additional park space and leisure facilities in an already developed area. This is particularly the case inside the Conestoga Expressway and Westmount Road. The Parks Strategic Plan includes actions regarding enhancing parkland in existing areas. In the 2005 LFMP, the Cameron Heights pool was recommended tobe sustained in order to ensure that there were some leisure service amenities in the core area to service a larger population due to intensification initiatives. This remains a requirement as that location is within a rapid transit station area and there is expected to be much more growth in the near future. Key considerations involve the need to provide a range of adequate park space and leisure facilities. One option could be to explore potential partnership and integration opportunities with developers and service providers to deliver leisure services for a growing population in the central areas of the city. Unique and different partnerships beyond those that have been used up to this point in time, direct investments and other strategies will need to be employed to ensure the adequacy of leisure services in the changing central area of the city. Recommendation Residential Reurbanization 13. That the city actively assess and respond to evolving residential reurbanization in regards to the leisure services needs and impacts that will result over the next decade or more related to: Continuing to work with developers and service providers to enhance the availability of parkland and leisure facilities within potential partnership models for proposed and existing development projects; Pursuing strategies to secure directly or indirectly school lands resulting from school closures that have historically acted as neighbourhood parkland and are vital to urban neighbourhoods; strategic imperative and enlarging them as opportunities and needs arise. 4.8PARTNERSHIPSANDJOINTVENTURES Asignificant difference between the cexploring alternative forms of service delivery and engaging partners to participate in building, financing and operating leisure facilities. Municipalities across Ontario are giving increasing consideration to alternative forms of leisure services development and delivery. For over 20years, partnerships and to alesser extent, joint ventures have beenused as a means to examine how leisure services delivery can occur beyond direct delivery by a municipality. No municipality has the capacity to deliver all theleisure services needed. What has become evident is that there needs to be an increasing evaluation,testing and use of more innovative models of partnered and/or shared leisure services delivery in order to both sustain and expand leisure services delivery. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 4-8 3 - 40 To this end, a number of municipalities have forged new partner-based service delivery models involving community centres or indoor pools with YMCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs, faith-based communities, colleges, universities and other parties who are engaged in similar types of activities. There has been a growing array of not-for-profit and private sector operators who have become involved in the delivery of specific leisure services where their sustainability has reasonable potential. Kitchener has used partnership models over the years. These models have typically been more limited in their benefit-to-risk profile and not as experimental as could have been undertaken. This is understandable as there are risks in partnerships and joint ventures, and problems can create angst and concerns amongst participants, community organizations, and residents.Having an organizational culture that is open toassessing and pursuing different partnership models on an experimental basis is a key asset in being innovative, facilitating change and ensuring that the maximum array of leisure services opportunities are available for residents. It is recognized that challenges and issues could occur with this strategy. Benefits clearly must outweigh such challenges and concerns. If other forms of partnerships are not actively pursued, then the city will be increasingly called upon to be the primary direct funder and deliverer of more and more leisure services, especially involving larger leisure facilities. Recommendation Partnerships and Joint Ventures 14. That the city actively assess and pursue more innovative partnership and joint venture strategies for leisure services and facility development and delivery based on the Leisure Services Delivery Policy Framework outlined in Section 4.1 of the 2013 LFMP Update. 15. That the city conduct a comprehensive study into the partnerships, joint ventures and alternate leisure service delivery models other municipalities have undertaken in building, financing and operating leisure facilities. Partnerships and joint ventures will evolve on a case by case basis for leisure facilities, services and programs. Thecity must ensure that at the inception of any initiative to expand or develop a new leisure facility, service or program, careful evaluation of which partnership and joint venture opportunities may exist be undertaken. This is particularly important when considering models that go beyond the type of partnerships and joint ventures currently utilized by the city. Without this strategic priority and direction, it will be difficult to build an organizational culture that embraces the innovative delivery models that are evolving. This culture shift will beimportant in sustaining and growing the range of leisure services available to residents over the longer term. 4.9LEISURESERVICESFUNDINGMODELS Capital and operating funding is a key consideration for leisure services. Due to fiscal constraints andthe array of theother municipal service responsibilities, municipalities are continuously assessing opportunities for new capital and operating revenue streams. The consultation program undertaken for the LFMP Update asked questions of respondents, focus groups and workshop participants relative to the use of new funding models. Corporate naming programs, increased involvement of residential land developers, and community fund development initiatives were generally favoured, along with more rigorous alignment of facility standard with level of need versus continuously developing higher end venues. Concerns were raised around the increased use of property taxes, participation/user fees and direct city capital investment due to the implication on affordability from bothtax and user fees perspectives. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 4-9 3 - 41 Recommendation Funding Models 16. That the City of Kitchener explore the use of an expanded mix of leisure services funding models through research, pilot projects and comprehensive policy development, involving: The development and implementation of a corporate sponsorship strategy; Engaging developers to explore additional opportunities to improve the timeliness and scope of neighbourhood and district parks and facilities development; Potential application of private public partnerships for larger capital facility investments; Implementing a mix of facility design standards that align with differentiated user needs; Potential application of capital surcharges on user fees. It is recognized, that changing capital and operating funding models for leisure services is a challenging undertaking. There are a variety of funding models being utilized in municipalities. Communities like Burlington have introduced significant capital surcharges on their arenas and artificial turf soccer fields while other communities have employed lower capital surcharges. Corporate naming has become more common, especially for larger facilities, and represents a possible funding opportunity. Engaging developers to make enhanced contributions to neighbourhood and district park and facilities development, as occurs in the Greater Toronto Area, are also being considered. Public private partnerships (3P) have evolved on a very limited basis in Ontario in the leisure services area. They have been more typically utilized for hospitals, court houses and other facilities that require a capital investment in excess of $40 million. However, exploration of these possibilities should be considered for larger leisure facility investments, but such a strategy may also require third party facility management and operating agreements to be viable. Increasing the differentiation of facility design standards could also result in efficiencies. The range of funding tools for leisure facilities is growing but will take a number of years to be fully understood. There are risks that need to be assessed. There also needs to be a change in organizational culture and attitudes regarding the exploration of these new models. This change can enhance both the sustainability and the growth dimensions necessary to meet the evolving needs of residents for leisure services, the growing number of leisure activities that are occurring and the quality expectations for leisure facilities and services that continue to increase, both in terms of market and regulatory requirements. 4.10RESEARCHANDINNOVATION The municipal leisure services sector is changing dramatically. It has changed significantly over the last 50years in terms of the range of leisure services, the quality of facilities, market and user expectations and a host of other areas. Thus, many municipalities are increasingly challenged to sustain the current level of service, let alone enhance and grow the services as their populations grow and user trends and preferences evolve. Leisure services are a significant contributor to continuing economic development. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 4-10 3 - 42 Therefore, municipal investment in leisure services needs to be considered as strategic investments in the long term health and wellness of residents and in the economic prospects of the community. The ability to research societal trends, to identify and profile participation, market and user trends and needs, to explore new leisure services funding and delivery models and measuring services delivery performance against desired goals and outcomes is an increasingly important function and responsibility that municipalities should be undertaking comprehensively. One question that continues to be asked is what benefits can be realized from the municipality significant investments and efforts in developing and delivering leisure services. As with any investment perspective, identifying outcomes and measuring achievement of those outcomes and the growth that is being demanded and experienced, becomes an important skill and capacity in making informed investment decisions at both municipal and community organization levels. To this end, the city should continue to strengthen its leisure research and innovation capacities by: Ensuring the capability to identify and evaluate societal and participation trends on an ongoing basis, and their application and benefits for leisure services delivery, development and use; Developing investment outcomes for leisure services, and evaluating the service outcomes realized as part of a performance management approach to ongoing services planning, delivery and prioritization; Sharing research and outcomes evaluations with community organizations and groups to assist them in their ongoing services planning and delivery; Being an innovative leader in leisure services through assessing, testing and implementing innovative forms of service delivery, partnerships, funding models and outcomes measurement. Recommendation Research and Innovation 17. That the city continue to develop its research, evaluation and innovation capacities for the development and the delivery of leisure services, with a particular focus on the increased use of partnerships and joint ventures. 4.11ORGANIZATIONALDEVELOPMENT Leisure services are one of the most far reaching and diverse service delivery areas that the city undertakes. It involves direct, partnered, joint venture and other service delivery models. The city also engages with not-for-profit community organizations and private sector deliverers in order to provide the array of leisure services that are used by Kitchener residents. Over the years, city leisure services delivery has evolved organizationally from an integrated and focused responsibility of a single parks and recreation department to having functional roles in a number of city departments and divisions. Community Services has program and service delivery leadership, working with community organizations. The Operations and Facilities Management divisions have the responsibility for facility and parks maintenance, parks planning and other dimensions. The Planning division also has significant involvement, as does Finance and Corporate Services. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 4-11 3 - 43 One of the challenges that occurs in the delivery of leisure services when various specialties evolve and one moves from an integrated organizational model to a more dispersed model across departments and divisions, is the potential to not have a common vision and mandate and to significantly increase communication and integration requirements. Additionally the lack of a strategic champion on an integrated basis contributes to a lack of focus for leisure services delivery. planning, development and delivery has its strengths in terms of specialization, operational efficiencies and related perspectives. It also has challenges in terms of efficient and effective integration and communications, and no evident strategic champion. As well, resolving multiple competing interests and developing clear and integrated leisure services accountability can be challenging. Residents and community organizations engage in and operate leisure services on a more holistic basis that diverse divisions and departments may not as effectively support. Municipalities have undertaken various organizational models over the last 25 years to deliver leisure services. Some have separated parks into broader operational units only to bring them back together with recreation services. Others have been successful in sustaining the operating efficiencies of a separated model and have been able to successfully integrate leisure services from a customer/user perspective. What is essential to the successful development and delivery of leisure services is the need for all the organizational elements to collectively work together towards a common mandate, vision and integrated approach that supports how leisure services planning and delivery needs to operate on behalf of participants, residents, community groups and partners. What is also critically important in leisure service organizations today, considering the significant societal and leisure trends, fiscal constraints, expanding activity interests, facility quality expectations and participation trends, is the need to look at different and innovative models of service delivery. Municipalities have historically focused significantly on the direct delivery of leisure services, with partnership and joint venture development being applied in more specialized or unique situations and circumstances. As a result, the evolution of an organizational culture that focuses more on stronger controls, centralization and uniform policies and procedures can occur. An intensifying risk management and centralized support system can become challenging for community organizations and volunteers in the community. Such a system is a potential constraint in actively and objectively exploring and being open to different and evolving service delivery models and funding approaches. Kitchener, for over 60 years, has developed one of the premiere leisure service delivery systems in Ontario that includes a wide array of quality services, programs and facilities. This successful model is being impacted by service delivery trends and expectations, corporate re-organizations, the diffusion of internal divisional mandates and goals, the potential lack of certainty about risk levels and control related to partnerships and joint ventures, concerns over pursuing innovative and less tested delivery approaches and other change perspectives. For Kitchener to move ahead into a different future, as it has successfully done so over the last six decades, two perspectives should be considered in light of the changing operating environment,including City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 4-12 3 - 44 the evolving leisure service needs of residents, the emergence of new delivery models and continuing societal and leisure participation trends. The first is the need from a corporate perspective to develop a common mandate, vision, delegated strategic leadership role and related perspectives that organizationally bring together and champion leisure services as a vital community resource and city leadership responsibility. The second is to foster the development of an organizational culture that supports greater innovation in facilitating, leading, sponsoring and being open to new forms of services delivery, financing and engagement with the not-for-profit and the private sectors. The timeliness of such cultural initiatives, as well as the challenges that such initiatives represent, is apparent. Strong and efficient organizations have the ability to test, evaluate and transition themselves for the continuously emerging realities and opportunities, for the different future that lies ahead and for the growing need to articulate and provide evidence as to the benefits of leisure services. This rationalization is critical to the significant investments in operating and capital costs that Kitchener is making in leisure services on behalf of its residents. In the short to medium term, the city should undertake a body of work focused on organizational development by: Developing a common vision for leisure services in Kitchener that is committed to by all departments and divisions, as well as council; Establishing a clear mandate for the leisure services and roles to be delivered by Kitchener built on theLeisure Services Delivery Policy Framework outlined in Section 4.1; Utilizing more diverse and integrated communication processes with program participants, community delivery organizations, partners and city staff; Completing a review of the cfor the delivery of parks, trails and leisure services that provides recommendations on how to: Achieve greater integration and more holistic approaches to leisure services development and o delivery; Maximize efficiency balanced with effectiveness that is aligned with evolving service delivery o trends and opportunities; Achieve improved community service provider engagement, role clarity and contributions; o Support increased integrated research and services evaluation processes that facilitate increased o innovation, experimentation and sector leadership in leisure services. Recommendation Organizational Development 18. That the city undertake an initiative that supports the achievement of a more integrated and focused leisure services delivery model within t 19. That Kitchener actively develop education/training, mandate, policy and other frameworks that inspire an organizational culture of innovation, experimentation and support for alternative leisure service delivery models and funding approaches. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 4-13 3 - 45 5,%)352% 3%26)#%3 ).)4)!4)6%3Κ&!#),)4)%3 The following material identifies leisure services initiatives and facility recommendations based on the LFMP Update research report findings and analysis, the community consultation program and trends assessments and other inputs. These initiatives represent the more significant priorities that the city should be considering over the next 10 years to continue to support the ongoing development of leisure services on behalf of its residents. 5.1PARKSANDOPENSPACES Through the research for the LFMP Update, considerable commentary was received and assessed in regards to the value and importance of community trails, neighbourhood parks and the Grand River corridor, with the principle discussions around the first two elements. The input and perspectives were consistent with the 2010 City of Kitchener Parks Strategic Plan and itbecame clear that the city should actively pursue the implementation of both the Parks Strategic Plan and the Multi-use Pathways and Trails Master Plan (2012). Community trails are one of the most highly valued leisure resources available across all population groups for a variety of reasons including recreational enjoyment, health and wellness benefits,and alternate transportation opportunities. Neighborhood parks are also highly valued due to their ability to support spontaneous activity, to be less programmed andto provide the opportunity to develop these parks tomore flexibly respond to the unique and evolving needs of individual neighbourhoods. The Grand River corridor has been cited as a significant resource parks and recreation master plans since 1976,specifically the Grand River Corridor Conservation Plan (1995) and the Parks Master Plan (2010). This resource should be captured before encroaching development constrains the opportunities to create a valuable, linear corridor of open space, parks, access points and related outdoor leisure and natural area resources. There is anincreased interest in the of community garden plots on public or private lands. Kitchener has a long history of this activity and beliefs,food security and food affordability. Recommendation Parks and Open Spaces 20. That the city more urgently pursue the completion of the vision for the Grand River corridor including open space land acquisition and a Riverside Park master plan, in order to ensure that the unique opportunities presented by the Grand River are realized. 21. That the city explore opportunities to accelerate/increase the community garden program as a way of strengthening neighbourhoods, promoting healthy living and addressing food affordability issues. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 5-1 3 - 46 5.2SOUTHWESTAREADISTRICTPARKANDFACILITIES The proposed southwest district park and the Williamsburg Community Centre are both intended to serve the needs of this high growth area of the city. The southwest district park reflects the long standing strategy of the city to develop key park resources on a multi-neighbourhood service level that aggregates larger sport fields and indoor leisure facilities to support district populations. A district park for this area was identified in the 1991 master plan as a long term need consistent with the parks classification strategy that continues to be applied in Kitchener. It was further supported by the 2005 Leisure Facilities Master Plan and the 2010 Park Master Plan. The proposed southwest district park has had acommunity consultation program completed in 2013 and is currently having amaster plan developed for council consideration. Initial findings of that master planning process have indicated that if an opportunityshouldarisefor the city to expand the current park area,a more diversified district park for the total southwest area of the citycould be developed. The Williamsburg Community Centre reflects the c resource centres across the city that enhance resident accessibility to and involvement in leisure services at a neighbourhood level. Both of these projects (southwest district park, Williamsburg Community Centre) have been identified in the long term capital forecasts. Both represent priorities that are consistent with the findings in the LFMP Update researchreport, the community consultation and trends analysis, the c planning and the cstrategic plan all of which support strong neighbourhoods. Recommendation Southwest Area District Park and Facilities 22. That a master plan for the southwest district park at Huron and Fischer Hallman Roads be approved and implemented. 23. That the Williamsburg Community Centre be maintained over the short and medium term until a permanent community centre is developed. 24. That the city develop a plan to relocate the community garden plots currently on the Huron and Fischer Hallman Roads site to a suitable area. 5.3SPORTSFIELDSDEVELOPMENT There has been significant forecasted growth for soccer across youth and adult, and male and female participation profiles. With this significant growth, as well as the potential transition of the fields at Budd Park, there will be a continuing need to consider developing new soccer fields over the short and medium term. There is capacity in the current system in terms of potentially lighting some fields, introducing artificial turf fields to replace natural fields, playing on weekends and other approaches. However, the planning of future fields is important as this sport continues to grow significantly. Baseball participation in Kitchener has rebounded from a significant decline as considerable work and effort was made to regenerate the sport. Future baseball fields may be needed in the long-term to respond to the increasing number of participants. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 5-2 3 - 47 Itis important to recognize that there are a number of other field sports that do not have the same access to sports fields as soccer because they do not have the volumes or the high growth demand requirements of soccer. They represent important leisure activities thatcollectively involve a significant number of residents. These sports involve football, cricket, rugby, field lacrosse, disc sports and other related activities. It is possible to play a number of these sports on one or two soccer fields on an overlay basis. However time and use conflicts can be significant with such an arrangement. Development of two multiuse fields should be considered by the city to facilitate the current and future growth associated with these sports. One is proposed in the southwest district park and a second field should beconsidered in the east area of Kitchener. Another trend is the increasing demand for indoor turf facilities to support growth in indoor soccer, baseball training and development camps and a host of other similar activities on a year round basis.An artificial turf facility similar to the one at Budd Park is seen as a preferred strategy but without the boards around the perimeter and within a larger footprint. While the southwest district park is a possible location for such a multi-use facility, a specific location is not in the scope of this update. Recommendation Sports Fields Development 25. That the city work with soccer organizations to maximize the use of existing soccer field capacity in parallel with developing new outdoor soccer facilities over time, focusing on: Developing artificial turf soccer fields in the Southwest District Park; Developing a strategy to replace the Budd Park fields if they are no longer available; Over time, introducing artificial turf and lights as a soccer field capacity builder that reduces the longer term need to acquire land by significantly enhancing existing individual field capacity; Examining partnerships with local school boards to determine the availability of secondary school football/ soccer fields in terms of whether unused capacity exists, along with working with multicultural clubs, private soccer service providers and others to develop an integrated strategy towards the development and operation of future soccer fields on a timely and more comprehensive basis. 26. That the city ensure it has a minimum of two, and possibly three, multi-use outdoor sports fields to support other sports activities such as cricket, field hockey, rugby, field lacrosse, disc sports, football and related activities. 27. That the city pursue the development of an additional indoor multi-use artificial turf facility, potentially with a private sector partner, to support a variety of sports and other leisure activities that could benefit from a facility that operates year round. 28. That the city actively work with community sports field groups to develop strategies, policies and procedures that ensure the maximization of the current sports field inventory on an City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 5-3 3 - 48 equitable basis, potentially reviewing the user fee and the sport field classification system to determine whether the current model can be made less complex and more aligned, in terms of field quality and user needs based on the differentiated needs of the community groups. COMMUNITYRESOURCECENTRES 5.4 community resource centres represent one of the primary delivery strategies for leisure services. They are highly valued and represent astrategic alignment with building strong and safe neighbourhoods across the city. In the 1990s, the city undertook a community centre feasibility study which identified the longer term needs for community resource centres as the city grew. Now, some 20 years later, it is timely to undertake a similar initiative in order to identify the longer term community resource centre needs as the city continues to grow,considering both residential reurbanization in the central areas of the city and greenfield developments. Also, related to the community centre considerations, are strategies associated with the Rockway Centre for which a proposal has been put forward, and the Breithaupt Recreation Centre. The Breithaupt Centre is an aging facility, now almost 60 years old and its future strategic direction should be considered relative to reinvestment or replacement. Recommendation Community Resource Centres 29. That the city undertake a comprehensive 20 year Community Resource Centres Development Master Plan to identify the needs for additional community centres or enhancements to existing centres in both urban intensification and greenfield development areas of the city. 30. That the proposed strategy for the potential redevelopment of the Rockway Centre be pursued, particularly with its emphasis on a possible private sector partnership. 31. That the current planned community centre additions for Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre and Mill Courtland Community Centre be implemented. 32. That the city conduct a review of the Breithaupt Recreation Centre including renewal or replacement strategies that best meet the needs for the programs and services offered in that facility for the residents of the north area of Kitchener. 5.5ARENASANDALIGNEDVENUES Two facility initiatives have been identified within this theme. The first is the possible conversion of the former Queensmount arena to an indoor multi-use facility. With a concrete floor, dressing rooms and other amenities, this facility has the opportunity to support additional activities such as the current , rollerblading, and other sports and activities requiring this type of facility. Any possible conversion would have to consider the displacement of the current users. The second initiative is the potential development in the long term of an additional twin pad arena. There has been growth in ice user participation due to marketing and other efforts, particularly in the youth participation segments. Currently, the city has a considerable array of arena facilities. However, with participation and population growth, the demand profile could increase over time which could result in the need for future arena facilities. Two ice arena perspectives are identified: The potential closure of single pad facilities due to age and alternate land use initiatives,and replacing them with a more operationally efficient and upgraded twin pad facility; City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 5-4 3 - 49 The possible longer term development of a new twin pad facility once demand levels and capacity utilization reach a point where such a facility is warranted. The single pad arena replacement strategy represents a response to aging facilities that are more costly to maintain, are less efficient in terms of utilities and have constraints in regards to the flexibility of the facility. Twin pad arenas are considerably more efficient to operate, potentially 20% to 25% compared to two stand-alone single pad facilities. Depending on alternate land use opportunities for single pad arenas, a new twin pad facility could be considered in the shorter term if alternative land uses materialize. A new twin pad facility that would be undertaken solely to increase existing ice capacity is not seen as a short term need. It would be considered once demand warrants and current ice capacity prime time hour use is beyond 90% to 92% utilization on a consistent basis. Recommendation Arenas and Aligned Venues 33. That the city consider the redevelopment of the existing Queensmount arena into a permanent multi-use indoor sports facility that could potentially support additional activities such as roller skating, rollerblading, and other dry land sports. 34. That the city consider medium term strategies for the potential need to replace single pad arenas and the longer term development of a new twin pad facility to increase overall ice capacity when warranted. 35. That the city develop a long-range master plan for the future of the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex, Jack Couch Park and Centennial Stadium property. 5.6AGINGLEISUREFACILITIESRENEWAL,REPLACEMENTANDREUSE Kitchener, like almost all municipalities in Ontario and beyond, have developed for over 60years an array of leisure facilities, both indoor and outdoor. Many of these facilities have aged, fields of play and utilization profiles have changed, new technologies have emerged, operational efficiencies have become a concern and other opportunities and challenges have evolved. The city has a leisure facilities inventory that ranges from alarge multi-use complex to small service buildings in parks and everything in between. Many of these facilities are now 30 to 60 years of age or older. Many have been updated, such as the KMAC and others in terms of systems, structural elements, etc. Some reuses have also occurred such as thePatrick Doherty arena now being used as the Kingsdale Community Centre. As all of these factors (i.e., aging facilities, technology changes, fields of play evolution, regulatory requirements increase and operating financial challenges) increase, there exists a need to develop a more integrated and comprehensive strategy towards planning for these aging leisure facilities related to their long term renewal, replacement or reuse. This work is important in determining capital maintenance and redevelopment cost planning, identifying life cycle and renewal strategies and what reuse potential could exist for each facility that is replaced or not required any longer. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 5-5 3 - 50 The interim loss and uncertainty of the track and field venue at Centennial Stadium is impacting the community track and field groups who use it for training and events. There is no longer an anchor for these activities, and the groups are operating on a relatively ad hoc basis. Developing a track and field strategy, directly or in partnership, is needed to provide stability and an effective outdoor resource for these community groups and their participants. Deferred maintenance and long term capital maintenance costs need to be effectively addressed, whether with the replacement of single pad arenas with a twin pad,determining the future of the Breithaupt Recreation Centre, examining the long term perspectives for Centennial Stadium track and field, developing long term strategies to address inadequate infrastructure issues at Cameron Heights pool, Kiwanis Park pool and many other park and leisure facilities with similar challenges. Recommendation Aging Leisure Facilities Renewal, Replacement and Reuse 36. That the city complete a comprehensive assessment of its aging leisure services facility infrastructure over the next five years and develop long term asset management plans for their renewal, replacement and reuse in support of more effective planning of their capital maintenance, new capital investment and reuse strategies and opportunities. 37. That the city undertake to develop and implement a short term strategy for replacing the track and field venue at Centennial Stadium, potentially in partnership with local school boards 5.7REGIONALFACILITIES Since the 1991 Parks and Recreation Master Plan, two activity areas, involving multiple community groups, primarily indoor aquatics and track and field, have consistently identified a preferred need for significant venues for participant and sport training, development and competitions. For the aquatics groups, a 50 meter indoor pool with a full diving facility has been a long term goal. For track and field community groups, the development of an outdoor track and field facility to replace Centennial Stadium and the development of an indoor track and field venue for year round training and events has been identified across multiple master planning processes. Both of these initiatives represent regionally oriented facilities because their user base will come from across Waterloo region and beyond. Currently, both of these activities have residents from Waterloo region travelling to Brantford, Toronto and other locations to train for their particular sports. Facilities of this quality are necessary to host provincial, national and international sport tourism events. Such events are important to the development of the aligned community sports organizations in terms of their participants training, organizational development and revenues, attracting participants and related considerations. It is unlikely that any single municipality can consider undertaking such significant investments in these facilities alone when the users come from a much broader geographic service area. Some of the municipalities within the region have come together in the past to support the upgrading of the Wilfrid Laurier University pool. However with only six lanes,shared usage with the university can sometimes be a complication. What is required to further consider these leisure facility developments is for one of the r members toorganize and facilitate a discussion amongst municipal partners to determine what might be possible in terms of the funding, locational and operating/management considerations associated with these initiatives. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 5-6 3 - 51 Recommendation Regional Facilities 38. That Kitchener participate in any discussions that may occur amongst the municipal partners in the Region of Waterloo regarding whether there is interest and feasibility in pursuing the joint development of higher quality regional facilities for community aquatics and track and field programs and potentially other larger scaled services. 5.8POTENTIALLEISURESERVICESINITIATIVES/FACILITIESSUMMARY Table 5-1 provides a summary of potential leisure services initiatives/facilities including additional comments, estimated capital costs and potential funding sources. Table 5-1 Potential Leisure Services Initiatives Summary Potential CommentsEstimated Potential InitiativeCapital CostsFunding Sources Parks and Open Spaces Neighbourhood $250KTaxes Highly valued by residents park development Development neighbourhoods charges (DC) Provides pedestrian access to parks where people live Supports non-programmed and spontaneous use opportunities Serves population growth Aligns with 2010 ParksStrategicPlan Community $150K (per one Taxes Highly valued and used trailskm) Serves aging population leisure activity needs Development Aligns with city strategic goals on health and charges (DC) wellness, connections and strong neighbourhoods Connects with alternative transportation strategies and benefits Serves ongoing population growth/new areas development Aligns with 2010 Parks Strategic Plan and 2012 Multi-use Pathways and Trails Master Plan Grand River $10M (district Development Unique and evident resource for broad range of charges for corridorpark) leisure activities amenities Encroaching development has/will limit future opportunities for land acquisition Taxes for land acquisition design Will require potential joint action/integration Partnerships strategies with partners Southwest Area District Park and Facilities Southwest $10M (indoor Development Serves population growth in the area Area Leisure pool)charges Facilities policy and development strategies $500K (natural Partnerships Supports participation trends for soccer, multi-use City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 5-7 3 - 52 fields and spaces and related servicesmulti-use field) Sponsorships development strategy for indoor pools $1.2M (artificial multi-use field) Creates options for future arena and indoor multi- use spaces May be opportunity to expand park through partnership Williamsburg $4.5MDevelopment community leisure services Community charges delivery strategy Centre Serves a current and future high growth population area neighbourhoods Sports Fields Soccer$500K (natural Development Serves participant and population growth trends field)charges Consistent with provincial and national trends Use of artificial turf and lights are capacity builders $1.2M (artificial Partnerships for existing and new fields that reduces the need to field) acquire land for more fields Multi-use fields$500K (natural Development Responds to increasingly differentiated sport field field)charges use activities and demand profiles Provides more equity in field allocation between $1.2M (artificial smaller and larger volume field users field) Serves population growth and participation trends Maximizes use of selected fields by supporting multiple use activities Indoor multi-$8MDevelopment Serves participation trend and populationgrowth use field facilitycharges Provides enhanced opportunities for pre- season/sport training and development initiatives for Partnerships variety of sports (e.g., rugby, field hockey, football, disc sports) Supports launch of extended/new season league Sponsorships opportunities Design needs to be multi-use Should not be developed as a single/dominant use facility Community Centres Rockway $5M-$10MTaxes Finalize a strategy for an aging facility Centre Partnerships Opportunity for a private public initiative that has Sponsorships mutual benefits Serve evolving participation and population trends Current $3.7M (Doon Development Finalize approved community centre projects community Pioneer Park CC)charges currently planned to meet community needs and centre expectations additions and $3M (Mill Aligns with the current leisure services delivery facilities Courtland CC) model neighbourhoods$4.5M (new) City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 5-8 3 - 53 Breithaupt $10M (district Taxes Takes action to establish the future direction for a Recreation community centre) valued but aging facility Centre future Partnerships Need to consider longer term investment direction $10M (indoor alternatives, partnerships and strategies in a pool) planned and effectivemanner Sponsorships Addresses a plan of action for an aging facility with operational and program inefficiencies Arenas and Aligned Venues Queensmount TBDTaxes Opportunity exists for an effective and efficient Arena reuse redevelopment Partnerships Aligns with master plan principles to ensure support for smaller volume and emerging leisure activities Creates a home base and quality facility to enhance sport and organizational development for multiple sports groups Twin pad $20MTaxes If alternative land use negotiations evolve, positions arena city to decommission two aged, higher cost single development pad arena facilities with a more efficient and Partnerships enhance quality twin pad facility Identifies a potential longer term facility for Sponsorships additional ice capacity aligned with future participation and population growth trends if warranted Regional Facilities Aquatics $30MTaxes for land Responds to long term and consistent requests for facility acquisition enhanced, competition-level indoor aquatics facilities Development Supports participant training opportunities as well charges for as sport tourism initiatives amenities Enhances targeted sport organization development and their ability to attract increasing participant levelsPartnerships Serves regional population growth and participation trends Sponsorships Facilitation role only is proposed to assess regional approach feasibility Track and field $25MTaxes for land Responds to long term and consistent requests for facilityacquisition enhanced, competition-level indoor track and field Supports participant training opportunities as well Development as sport tourism initiatives charges for Enhances targeted sport organization development amenities and their ability to attract increasing participant levels Partnerships Serves regional population growth and participation trends Facilitation role only is proposed to assess regional approach feasibility City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 5-9 3 - 54 63µ≠≠°≤ 2•£Ø≠≠•Æ§°¥©ØÆ≥ The following provides all the recommendations contained in the 2013 Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update: A. Foundations 1. That the City of Kitchener approve the following vision statement to help guide future development of leisure facilities and services: Kitchener residents will have access to a diverse array of accessible leisure opportunities that encourage their active participation and -being, strong and vibrant neighbourhoods and community capacity-building. B. Service Delivery Policies and Strategies 2. That the city utilize the Leisure Services Delivery Policy Framework when considering any city involvement in leisure services delivery based on the following criteria: Identification of demonstrated need at reasonable participation levels; Evidence of long term sustainability; Assured public accessibility, participation and affordability; Involvement by the city reflective of the scale of the benefits to be achieved to both the participants and the community at large; The use of business case analysis and preparation as a basis to support city investments in leisure services initiatives. Community Resource Centres 3. That the city work with community leadership and residents to increase the awareness, opportunities, recognition, training and enhanced utilization of community volunteers in the program and service delivery and leadership roles within community resource centres and within neighbourhoods. 4. That the city develop and implement a comprehensive communications strategy aimed at increasing residents awareness of community centre leisure programming and encouraging more residents to utilize the centres in the future. 5. That the cas well as its relationships with and supports to neighbourhood associations promote and facilitate residents participation in local decision-making while recognizing the uniqueness of each individual community centre in serving the needs of their local neighbourhoods. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 6-1 3 - 55 6. That the city develop a strategy to add new program space, or more effectively utilize existing space for additional programming in strategically located community centres across the city. 7. That the city conduct a comprehensive review of its community resource centre operations to facilitate the sharing of best practices amongst centres, and to identify opportunities to improve service delivery and strengthen individual neighbourhoods. Inclusion Services 8. That the city develop stronger internal governance and reporting mechanisms for issues related to inclusion and the provincial requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). User Fees and Subsidies 9. That the city undertake a comprehensive review of its leisure services user fees as a basis to create a transparent, integrated and equitable policy. 10. That the city regularly review its Leisure Access Card (LAC) program to ensure it is continuing to meet the needs of users while remaining financially sustainable. Volunteer and Community Engagement 11. That the city develop a comprehensive neighbourhood strategy that considers a wide variety of factors in the strength of any neighbourhood (e.g. people and cultural connections, leisure opportunities, the built form, neighbourhood design, public safety) and focuses on three objectives: Engaging and empowering more residents in planning, building, sustaining and supporting safe and thriving neighbourhoods based on the unique character and needs each individual neighbourhood; Building a stronger sense of belonging and connection between residents and their neighbourhoods as a way of increasing civic pride in the community; Aligning municipal staff behind a focus on building safe and thriving neighbourhoods as the basis for a healthy community. Community Use of Schools 12. That the city increase its efforts to work with local school boards to develop policies, procedures and mechanisms that ensure the maximum use of indoor and outdoor school facilities to the mutual benefit of the schools and city residents, and which minimize the need for additional, duplicated leisure facilities and services. Residential Reurbanization 13. That the city actively assess and respond to evolving residential reurbanization in regards to the leisure services needs and impacts that will result over the next decade or more related to: Continuing to work with developers and service providers to enhance the availability of parkland and leisure facilities within potential partnership models for proposed and existing development projects; Pursuing strategies to secure directly or indirectly school lands resulting from school closures that have historically acted as neighbourhood parkland and are vital to urban neighbourhoods; City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 6-2 3 - 56 leisure facilities, park and open space lands in the central areas as a strategic imperative and enlarging them as opportunities and needs arise. Partnerships and Joint Ventures 14. That the city actively assess and pursue more innovative partnership and joint venture strategies for leisure services and facility development and delivery based on the Leisure Services Delivery Policy Framework outlined in Section 4.1 of the 2013 LFMP Update. 15. That the city conduct a comprehensive study into the partnerships, joint ventures and alternate leisure service delivery models other municipalities have undertaken in building, financing and operating leisure facilities. Leisure Services Funding Models 16. That the City of Kitchener explore the use of an expanded mix of leisure services funding models through research, pilot projects and comprehensive policy development, involving: The development and implementation of a corporate sponsorship strategy; Engaging developers to explore additional opportunities to improve the timeliness and scope of neighbourhood and district parks and facilities development; Potential application of private public partnerships for larger capital facility investments; Implementing a mix of facility design standards that align with differentiated user needs; Potential application of capital surcharges on user fees. Research and Innovation 17. That the city continue to develop its research, evaluation and innovation capacities for the development and the delivery of leisure services, with a particular focus on the increased use of partnerships and joint ventures. Organizational Development 18. That the city undertake an initiative that supports the achievement of a more integrated and focused leisure services delivery model within the c 19. That Kitchener actively develop education/training, mandate, policy and other frameworks that inspire an organizational culture of innovation, experimentation, and support for alternative leisure service delivery models and funding approaches. C. Leisure Services Initiatives/Facilities Parks and Open Spaces 20. That the city more urgently pursue the completion of the vision for the Grand River corridor including open space land acquisition and a Riverside Park master plan, in order to ensure that the unique opportunities presented by the Grand River are realized. 21. That the city explore opportunities to accelerate/increase the community garden program as a way of strengthening neighbourhoods, promoting healthy living and addressing food affordability issues. Southwest Area District Park and Facilities 22. That a master plan for the southwest district park at Huron and Fischer Hallman Roads be approved and implemented. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 6-3 3 - 57 23. That the Williamsburg Community Centre be maintained over the short and medium term until a permanent community centre is developed. 24. That the city develop a plan to relocate the community garden plots currently on the Huron and Fischer Hallman Roads site to a suitable area. Sports Fields Development 25. That the city work with soccer organizations to maximize the use of existing soccer field capacity in parallel with developing new outdoor soccer facilities over time, focusing on: Developing artificial turf soccer fields in the Southwest District Park; Developing a strategy to replace the Budd Park fields if they are no longer available; Over time, introducing artificial turf and lights as a soccer field capacity builder that reduces the longer term need to acquire land by significantly enhancing existing individual field capacity; Examining partnerships with local school boards to determine the availability of secondary school football / soccer fields in terms of whether unused capacity exists, along with working with multicultural clubs, private soccer service providers and others to develop an integrated strategy towards the development and operation of future soccer fields on a timely and more comprehensive basis. 26. That the city ensure it has a minimum of two, and possibly three, multi-use outdoor sports fields to support other sports activities such as cricket, field hockey, rugby, field lacrosse, disc sports, football and related activities. 27. That the city pursue the development of an additional indoor multiuse artificial turf facility, potentially with a private sector partner, to support a variety of sports and other leisure activities that could benefit from a facility that operates year round. 28. That the city actively work with community sports field groups to develop strategies, policies and procedures that ensure the maximization of the current sports field inventory on an equitable basis, potentially reviewing the user fee and the sport field classification system to determine whether the current model can be made less complex and more aligned, in terms of field quality and user needs based on the differentiated needs of the community groups. Community Resources Centres 29. That the city undertake a comprehensive 20 year Community Centres Development Master Plan to identify the needs for additional community centres or enhancements to existing centres in both urban intensification and greenfield development areas of the city. 30. That the proposed strategy for the potential redevelopment of the Rockway Centre be pursued, particularly with its emphasis on a possible private sector partnership. 31. That the current planned community centre additions for Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre and Mill Courtland Community Centre be implemented. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 6-4 3 - 58 32. That the city conduct a review of the Breithaupt Recreation Centre as to the renewal or replacement strategies that best meet the needs for the programs and services offered in that facility and for the residents of the north area of Kitchener. Arenas and Aligned Venues 33. That the city consider the redevelopment of the existing Queensmount arena into a permanent multi- use indoor sports facility that could potentially support additional activities such as roller skating, rollerblading and other dry land sports. 34. That the city consider medium term strategies for the potential need to replace single pad arenas, and the longer term development of a new twin pad facility to increase overall ice capacity when warranted. 35. That the city develop a long-range master plan for the future of the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex, Jack Couch Park and Centennial Stadium property. Aging Leisure Facilities Renewal, Replacement and Reuse 36. That the city complete a comprehensive assessment of its aging leisure services facility infrastructure over the next five years and develop long term asset management plans for their renewal, replacement and reuse in support of more effective planning of their capital maintenance, new capital investment and reuse strategies and opportunities. 37. That the city undertake to develop and implement a short term strategy for replacing the track and field venue at Centennial Stadium, potentially in partnership with local school boards. Regional Facilities 38. That Kitchener participate in any discussions that may occur amongst the municipal partners in the Region of Waterloo regarding whether there is interest and feasibility in pursuing the joint development of higher quality regional facilities for community aquatics and track and field programs and potentially other larger scaled services. City of Kitchener LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE Page 6-5 3 - 59 3 - 60 3 - 61 Acknowledgements City of Kitchener Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update Project Team Bob Cheyne, Supervisor of Athletics Colleen Collins, Manager, Corporate Communications Jim Edmondson, Manager of Projects/Energy Management Dylan Matthews, Business Analyst Paul Pickard, Manager, KMAC and Community Arenas Breanna Pilon, Interim Inclusion Coordinator Dan Ritz, Supervisor, Design and Development Kelly Steiss, Interim District Facilitator, Victoria Hills Community Centre City of Kitchener Staff Mike Elliott, Mapping Technologist, GIS Brandon Sloan, Manager, Long Range Planning, CSD Garett Stevenson, Planner, CSD City of Kitchener Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update Steering Committee Deb Campbell, Manager, Community Resource Centres Cynthia Fletcher, Director, Facilities Management Hans Gross, Director, Asset Management Ryan Hagey, Director, Financial Planning Mark Hildebrand, Director, Community Programs & Services (Project Sponsor) Greg Hummel, Manager, Park Planning, Development & Operations Denise Keelan, Manager, Aquatics & Athletics Kim Kugler, Director, Enterprise Michael May, Deputy CAO (Project Champion) Lori Palubeski, Manager, Program & Resource Services Kathleen Woodcock, Manager, Service Coordination & Improvement (Project Manager) Consultant Fred Galloway, F.J. Galloway Associates Inc . 3 - 62 Citizens and Stakeholders The City of Kitchener would like to thank the individuals and organizations who participated in the LFMP Update for sharing your vision and ideas for the future and for your contributions and commitments to sustaining and improving the quality of life in our city. Specifically, the city would like to thank the representatives of the following organizations who contributed their input to this initiative. Boardwalk Neighbourhood Association Kitchener-Waterloo Track and Field Club Bridgeport Community Association Kitchener-Waterloo Water Polo Club Chicopee Ski and Summer Resort Kitchener- City of Waterloo Compass Kitchener Seniors Country Hills Recreation Association Mill-Courtland Neighbourhood Association Cycling Advisory Committee Mount Hope-Breithaupt Park Doon Pioneer Park Community Association Neighbourhood Association Downtown Advisory Committee Olde Berlin Towne Neighbourhood Downtown Neighbourhood Alliance Association in the Civic Centre Environmental Advisory Committee Region of Waterloo Health Unit Grand River Accessibility Advisory Region of Waterloo Swim Club Committee Special Olympics Grand River Conservation Authority Tri-City Roller Girls Heritage Greens Lawn Bowling Victoria Hills Neighbourhood Association Highland-Stirling Community Group Waterloo Organization of Disc Sports Kitchener Minor Baseball Waterloo Region District School Board Kitchener Minor Hockey Association Waterloo County Rugby Football Club Kitchener Minor Soccer Club Westmount Neighbourhood Association Kitchener Public Library Williamsburg Community Association Kitchener Youth Advisory Committee Kitchener-Waterloo Diving Club Kitchener-Waterloo Ladies Fastball YMCA Kitchener-Waterloo Synchronized YWCA Kitchener Waterloo Swimming Club 3 - 63 Table of Contents LEISURE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN UPDATE RESEARCH REPORT AUGUST 2013 ....................................1 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................1-1 2 COMMUNITY PROFILE..............................................................................................................2-1 2.1 Community Historical Profile ..................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Regional Context ........................................................................................................................ 2-1 2.2.1 Region of Waterloo ............................................................................................................ 2-1 2.2.2 Broader Regional Connections ........................................................................................... 2-2 2.2.3 Regional Impacts on Leisure Services Planning and Delivery ............................................ 2-2 2.3 Population Profile ...................................................................................................................... 2-4 2.3.1 Current and Historic Population ........................................................................................ 2-4 2.3.2 Population Growth Projections .......................................................................................... 2-5 2.3.3 Demographic Characteristics ............................................................................................. 2-6 2.4 Community Planning ................................................................................................................ 2-13 2.4.1 Policies and Plans ............................................................................................................. 2-13 2.4.2 Development Activity and Trends .................................................................................... 2-14 3 LEISURE RESOURCES PROFILE ..................................................................................................3-1 3.1 City's Role and Delivery Model .................................................................................................. 3-1 3.1.1 .................................................................................................... 3-3 3.1.2 Department Focus .............................................................................................................. 3-4 3.2 Leisure Facilities Condition Study .............................................................................................. 3-6 3.3 Leisure Resources Inventory ...................................................................................................... 3-6 3.3.1 Neighbourhood Associations ............................................................................................. 3-7 3.3.2 Community Resource Centres ........................................................................................... 3-8 3.3.3 Community Facilities .......................................................................................................... 3-8 3.3.4 Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex (KMAC), Community Arenas and Ice Rinks ..... 3-9 3.3.5 Aquatic Facilities ................................................................................................................ 3-1 3.3.6 Parkland Amenities ............................................................................................................ 3-3 3.3.7 Sports Fields ....................................................................................................................... 3-7 3.3.8 Integrated Transportation System ................................................................................... 3-10 3.4 Participation and Utilization Profile ......................................................................................... 3-14 3.4.1 Aquatics ............................................................................................................................ 3-14 3.4.2 Community Resource Centres and School Usage ............................................................ 3-16 3.4.3 KMAC and Community Arenas ......................................................................................... 3-19 3.4.4 Kitchener Cemeteries ....................................................................................................... 3-21 3.4.5 Kitchener Golf .................................................................................................................. 3-23 3.4.6 Sports Fields/Diamonds ................................................................................................... 3-24 3.5 Financial Operations ................................................................................................................ 3-27 3.5.1 Operating Budget ............................................................................................................. 3-27 3.5.2 Capital Project Forecasts .................................................................................................. 3-30 4 COMMUNITY CONSULTATION .................................................................................................4-1 4.1 User Organization Focus Groups ............................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.1 Neighbourhood Associations ............................................................................................. 4-1 3 - 64 4.1.2 Sport Field Users ................................................................................................................ 4-5 4.1.3 Aquatics Organizations ...................................................................................................... 4-8 4.2 User Group Interviews ............................................................................................................. 4-10 4.2.1 ................................................................................................... 4-10 4.2.2 Kitchener Minor Soccer Club ........................................................................................... 4-11 4.2.3 Kitchener Minor Hockey Association ............................................................................... 4-13 4.3 Municipal Council Input ........................................................................................................... 4-14 4.4 City Staff ................................................................................................................................... 4-19 4.4.1 Supervisors ....................................................................................................................... 4-19 4.4.2 Department Managers ..................................................................................................... 4-23 4.4.3 Senior Leadership Team ................................................................................................... 4-26 4.5 Partners .................................................................................................................................... 4-28 4.6 Advisory Committees of Council .............................................................................................. 4-31 4.6.1 .............................................................. 4-31 4.6.2 Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee ................................................................ 4-32 4.6.3 Compass Kitchener........................................................................................................... 4-32 4.6.4 Kitchener Youth Advisory Committee .............................................................................. 4-33 4.6.5 Safe and Healthy Community Advisory Committee......................................................... 4-34 4.6.6 Environmental Advisory Committee ................................................................................ 4-35 4.6.7 Downtown Advisory Committee ...................................................................................... 4-37 4.7 Community Survey ................................................................................................................... 4-39 4.8 Consultation Workshops .......................................................................................................... 4-41 5 DOCUMENTS REVIEW ..............................................................................................................5-1 5.1 Community Investment Strategy ............................................................................................... 5-1 5.2 Trails and Parks .......................................................................................................................... 5-2 5.2.1 Kitchener South District Park Master Plan, 2013 Pending ................................................. 5-2 5.2.2 Multi-use Pathways and Trails Master Plan, 2012 ............................................................. 5-2 5.2.3 Parks Strategic Plan/Park Master Plan, 2010 ..................................................................... 5-4 5.2.4 Emerald Ash Borer ............................................................................................................. 5-5 5.3 Targeted Populations ................................................................................................................. 5-5 5.3.1 Accessibility Plan, 2013 ...................................................................................................... 5-6 5.3.2 Leisure Access Card (LAC) Strategy, 2006 .......................................................................... 5-6 5.3.3 Older Adult Strategy, 2009................................................................................................. 5-7 5.3.4 Rockway Community Centre Feasibility Study and Business Case, 2013 ........................ 5-10 5.3.5 Volunteer Services Strategy, 2010 ................................................................................... 5-12 5.3.6 Youth Services Strategy, 2010 .......................................................................................... 5-13 5.4 Recreation Services/Strategies ................................................................................................ 5-14 5.4.1 Sport Tourism Strategy, 2008 .......................................................................................... 5-14 5.4.2 Athletics Strategic Plan, 2013 .......................................................................................... 5-16 5.4.3 Community Resource Centre Model, 2005 LFMP ............................................................ 5-17 5.5 Leisure Facility-related Documents ......................................................................................... 5-18 5.5.1 KMAC and Community Arenas ......................................................................................... 5-18 5.5.2 Kitchener Golf .................................................................................................................. 5-20 5.5.3 Outdoor Rinks program ................................................................................................... 5-22 5.5.4 Cemeteries ....................................................................................................................... 5-23 5.5.5 Sport Tourism Strategy, 2008 (facilities) .......................................................................... 5-25 5.6 Strategic Documents ................................................................................................................ 5-26 3 - 65 5.6.1 City of Kitchener Strategic Plan, 2011 -2014 ................................................................... 5-26 5.6.2 LFMP Vision, Mission, Values, 2005 ................................................................................. 5-27 5.6.3 Capital Budget Forecast ................................................................................................... 5-29 5.6.4 Business Planning ............................................................................................................. 5-29 5.7 Other ........................................................................................................................................ 5-31 5.7.1 Cycling Strategy (City of Kitchener), 2010 ........................................................................ 5-31 5.7.2 Region of Waterloo Cycling Master Plan, 2004 ............................................................... 5-31 5.7.3 Planning Around Rapid Transit Stations (PARTS) Phase 1, 2013 ..................................... 5-32 6 TRENDS ...................................................................................................................................6-1 6.1 Societal and Leisure Trends ....................................................................................................... 6-1 6.1.1 Aging and Youth Populations ............................................................................................. 6-1 6.1.2 Changing Cultural Face of Canada ..................................................................................... 6-3 6.1.3 Sport Activities ................................................................................................................... 6-4 6.1.4 Facility Quality .................................................................................................................... 6-8 6.1.5 Tourism and Sport Tourism ................................................................................................ 6-9 6.1.6 Environment ..................................................................................................................... 6-10 6.1.7 Community, Health, Educational, Social and Policy Services Integration ........................ 6-12 6.1.8 User Fees and Charges ..................................................................................................... 6-12 6.1.9 Market Segmentation/Services Differentiation ............................................................... 6-13 6.1.10 Leisure Services Development and Delivery Strategy ...................................................... 6-14 6.1.11 Volunteers and Leisure Services Delivery ........................................................................ 6-15 6.1.12 Urban Design and Intensification ..................................................................................... 6-16 6.1.13 Centres of Excellence ....................................................................................................... 6-18 6.1.14 Community Trails ............................................................................................................. 6-20 6.1.15 Collaboration, Partnership and Joint Ventures ................................................................ 6-21 6.1.16 Role of the Parks and Recreation/Community Services Department .............................. 6-22 6.1.17 Capital and Operating Finances ....................................................................................... 6-23 6.1.18 Evaluation......................................................................................................................... 6-25 6.1.19 Multi-Use Facilities ........................................................................................................... 6-25 6.1.20 Use of Schools and Their Availability ............................................................................... 6-25 6.1.21 Geographic Service Levels ................................................................................................ 6-27 6.1.22 Balancing Rehabilitation with New Development ........................................................... 6-27 6.1.23 Capital Facility Maintenance ............................................................................................ 6-28 6.1.24 Summary of Societal and Leisure Trends ......................................................................... 6-28 6.2 Specific Activity Trends ............................................................................................................ 6-30 6.2.1 Baseball ............................................................................................................................ 6-30 6.2.2 Ice Activities ..................................................................................................................... 6-32 6.2.3 Soccer ............................................................................................................................... 6-34 6.2.4 Other Field Sports ............................................................................................................ 6-35 6.2.5 Trails/Walking .................................................................................................................. 6-37 6.2.6 Track and Field ................................................................................................................. 6-37 6.2.7 Aquatics ............................................................................................................................ 6-38 6.2.8 Gymnastics ....................................................................................................................... 6-39 6.2.9 Gymnasium Sports and Fitness ........................................................................................ 6-39 6.2.10 Summary of Specific Activity Trends ................................................................................ 6-40 3 - 66 7 FINANCING AND SERVICE DELIVERY MODELS ...........................................................................7-1 7.1 Municipal Service Delivery ......................................................................................................... 7-1 7.2 School Board Partnerships ......................................................................................................... 7-2 7.3 Third Party Facility Services Delivery ......................................................................................... 7-4 7.4 Private Facilities ......................................................................................................................... 7-6 7.5 Rental Capital Surcharges .......................................................................................................... 7-7 7.6 Public Private Partnerships ........................................................................................................ 7-8 7.7 Corporate Naming Rights ........................................................................................................... 7-9 7.8 Summary of Financing and Service Delivery Models ................................................................. 7-9 8 CONCLUSIONS AND FINDINGS ..................................................................................................8-1 8.1 Strengths of the Current Leisure Services Delivery ................................................................... 8-1 8.2 Concerns, Issues and Gaps ......................................................................................................... 8-2 8.3 Trends and Directions ................................................................................................................ 8-6 8.3.1 Activities and Facilities ....................................................................................................... 8-6 8.3.2 Services Development ........................................................................................................ 8-6 8.3.3 Community Profile ............................................................................................................. 8-8 8.3.4 Priorities ............................................................................................................................. 8-8 8.3.5 Funding and Alternative Service Delivery Models ............................................................. 8-9 8.4 Key Findings ............................................................................................................................. 8-10 9 APPENDICIES ...........................................................................................................................9-1 9.1 APPENDIX I, Leisure Facilities Master Plan Tracking .................................................................. 9-2 9.2 APPENDIX II, Population Density ................................................................................................ 9-5 9.3 APPENDIX III, Population Forecast Density ................................................................................ 9-6 9.4 APPENDIX IV, Age Range Density ............................................................................................... 9-7 9.5 APPENDIX V, Age Range Density Youth ..................................................................................... 9-8 9.6 APPENDIX VI, Community Composition ..................................................................................... 9-9 9.7 APPENDIX VII, Update to Building Condition Study ................................................................. 9-10 9.8 APPENDIX VIII, Neighbourhood Associations........................................................................... 9-13 9.9 APPENDIX IX, Community Facilities ......................................................................................... 9-14 9.10 APPENDIX X, Arenas and Ice Rinks ........................................................................................... 9-15 9.11 APPENDIX XI, Aquatic Facilities ................................................................................................ 9-16 9.12 APPENDIX XII, Multi-Use Pathways .......................................................................................... 9-17 9.13 APPENDIX XIII, Cycling Routes .................................................................................................. 9-18 9.14 APPENDIX XIV, Parkland Amenities.......................................................................................... 9-19 9.15 APPENDIX XV, Sports Fields ..................................................................................................... 9-20 9.16 APPENDIX XVI, Outdoor Courts ................................................................................................ 9-21 9.17 APPENDIX XVII, Survey Results ................................................................................................ 9-22 3 - 67 1INTRODUCTION The City of Kitchener has a long tradition of developing and updating master plans in support of parks, recreation, leisure and related community services based on ten or twenty year cycles. The city was one of the first in the province in 1976 to develop a Parks and Recreation Master Plan. This was followed in 1991 by the next generation Parks and Recreation Master Plan. In 2005, the Leisure Facilities Master Plan was completed, followed by a Parks and Open Space Master Plan in 2010. These plans typically had 20 year planning horizons, with approximately five year updates that are also connedevelopment charges by-law. In the fall of 2012, the city identified the need to update its 2005 Leisure Facilities Master Plan (LFMP). This initiative was required to support the inclusion of new demographic, utilization and other change perspectives that influenced the 2005 plan recommendations, and the fact that the majority of the initiatives identified within the 2005 LFMP had been completed, were on track for completion or had been included in subsequent master plans. Appendix I, Leisure Facilities Master Plan Tracking provides the status as at October 2012 of all recommendations contained in the 2005 Leisure Facilities Master Plan. As well, there was a need to provide updated information for the 2013 Development Charges Background Study and By-law update. In support of this initiative, the city formed a project team that included a number of staff from various departments and divisions, as well as a consultant whose role was to support the update process relative to providing trends, a consultation program and related master plan development activities. The City of Kitchener is a community of 219,153 (census 2011) people that lies in the centre of the Region of Waterloo, which has an overall population of 507,000 residents. It is an industrial and commercial community that is connected by Highway 401 to Toronto to the east, London to the west and lies directly adjacent to the Greater Toronto Area. The community has evolved significantly over the last 100 plus years. Originally founded as a German- Mennonite community, it has evolved through the early 1900s and into the 1960s with a significant German population, which has provided a unique cultural identity and perspective to the community, culminating in the 30 plus years of success for Oktoberfest, one of Canada's top community festivals and attractions. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P1-1 AGE 3 - 68 Since the 1970s, the community continues to grow significantly, has become one of the top settlement areas for new immigrants and refugees to Canada, has diversified its economic base and continues to be one of the most vibrant, diverse and successful communities in the province and country. One of the major characteristics and focuses of the community over its long history has been the availability, investment in and participation by residents relative to leisure activities and services. From the development of Victoria Park as a community focal point, to the development of the old Queen Street Arena, to the development of the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex in the 1950s, to the development of the Centre in the Square in the 1980s, and to the development of McLennan Park in the 2000s, the city has invested significantly in the provision of unique, accessible and widely distributed leisure facilities, both cultural and recreational, for its residents. Part of this priority on leisure services has evolved from the sense of community spirit and commitment, whereby community organizations and individuals have come together to provide important services, whether minor sports or a pottery class. Part of this investment also emerges from the cultural dimensions of the community in providing a quality of life and sense of community that has been a significant part of the evolution of Kitchener over 100 plus years. Part of this investment in leisure services has also emerged from a long history of leisure services planning through master plans and other processes. The city's strong focus on and value for a planned approach to services delivery has been one of the hallmark features in the on-going development of the community and its public investment priorities. This approach, along with community and staff leadership, have been key ingredients in the significant array of leisure activities and facilities available to the residents of Kitchener, making it one of the leaders in leisure services delivery in Ontario and beyond. This research report was used as the basis to update the Leisure Facilities Master Plan per community input received, updated trends information and other changes that impact the implementation of the initiatives in the plan. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P1-2 AGE 3 - 69 2COMMUNITY PROFILE This section involves an overview of the city's historical development and economic profile, population analysis, regional presence and community development perspectives. All of these perspectives are important inputs in assessing the future strategic directions and actions for an update of the Leisure Facilities Master Plan. 2.1Community Historical Profile From its roots as an agricultural community with a German-Mennonite background, to a strong German heritage after the first World War to the 1960s, to one of Canada's primary settlement areas for new immigrant populations in the 1990s and early 2000s, the city has developed a rich ethno-cultural heritage, a widely recognized unique work ethic, a powerful sense of community ownership and participation and an excellent economic foundation that has served the community well for over 100 years. This city continues to be well positioned as a dynamic community which has been a leader in the development of leisure services and continues to place significant priority on these investments in conjunction with and on behalf of its citizens. 2.2Regional Context 2.2.1Region of Waterloo One of the most significant and unique planning characteristics/considerations for the City of Kitchener is how the city exists within a regional context, which represents two regional perspectives. First, the City of Kitchener is one of seven municipalities that constitute the Region of Waterloo, formed in 1974, involving the Cities of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge and the Townships of Woolwich, Wilmot, Wellesley and North Dumphries. The City of Kitchener is the largest of the municipal entities in the region. What is unique about this arrangement is that Kitchener and Waterloo are known as the "Twin Cities" and many of the services provided are undertaken on a Kitchener-Waterloo basis while many others are undertaken on a one city only basis, such as minor sports. Also, the boundary between Kitchener and Waterloo divides the communities through highly developed urban areas, crossing contiguous streets, sometimes dividing properties, and for many people, resulting in an indistinguishable physical KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P2-1 AGE 3 - 70 relationship. It is very common for individuals to work in one city and live in another, shop in one area and live in other areas. The Cambridge population, though more distant and separated by Highway 401, is significantly integrated. This occurs at the regional level where the transit system is operated by the region, providing public transit between Waterloo, Kitchener and Cambridge; garbage collection and waste management is a regional responsibility, as are trunk sanitary sewers, waterlines, etc. Also, strategic land use planning is undertaken on a regional level that ties in the interests of all the communities. In many respects, the larger urban municipalities in the Region of Waterloo operate at a unified or single market entity. This can affect leisure services as many individuals from across the region utilize the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex (KMAC) for example and participate in various adult sport leagues offered by all the municipalities. In addition, the City of Waterloo has undertaken two significant leisure facility investments in terms of the Waterloo Recreation Centre and RIM Park. These are extensive facilities, particularly RIM Park, which attract audiences/users from across the region for ice use, the field house, indoor soccer, golf and other activities. Augmenting this cross-border utilization is the fact that the Breithaupt Centre is located in Kitchener but almost directly on the border with Waterloo and has had long historical use by Waterloo residents. Kiwanis Park, operated by the City of Kitchener, with roads access and services provision in partnership with the City of Waterloo, lies on the border and attracts broad regional use due to its large outdoor recreational base, the swim lake and other unique leisure activity opportunities. 2.2.2Broader Regional Connections The second regional perspective involves the proximity of Kitchener to Guelph and to a lesser extent Woodstock and Stratford. Guelph has become part of the "Technology Triangle," has a university and Kitchener and Guelph over the years have been growing physically together along the Highway 7 corridor. If a four-lane divided highway is built to connect the communities as currently planned, the travel time between them will be shortened directly. Also, the airport is positioned to service both the Waterloo Region and Guelph. Considering the broader regional context, another 150,000 individuals reside in these areas that have direct linkages to Kitchener in terms of access to employment, post-secondary education and possibly higher-end leisure services. 2.2.3Regional Impacts on Leisure Services Planning and Delivery From a leisure services planning perspective, the existence of leisure facilities in other neighbouring communities, as well as the broader market draw for Kitchener facilities and services, becomes an important policy consideration in terms of how the city invests its capital dollars and its annual supports KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P2-2 AGE 3 - 71 for individual leisure services and groups. The market, especially for adult-oriented services and cultural activities, often works on a regional basis and demand needs to be looked at on a broader perspective. Many of the children's activities on the other hand are delivered on a city and neighbourhood basis due to their sport association, district or neighbourhood level servicing considerations. They have a more profound direct impact on city leisure priorities and focus. Therefore, the leisure services market is complex for Kitchener but the city has historically and continues, to play a central role in the delivery of leisure facilities. At the regional level, many of the city's larger facilities take on regional servicing models while the district and neighbourhood facilities are focused almost totally on their own resident populations. The cooperation level between the municipalities in terms of leisure services delivery is limited. Most of the cities provide their own leisure services plans and deliver their specific services. There have been some joint initiatives in terms of the Breithaupt Community Centre. However, the tendency has been for the municipalities to work unilaterally, particularly as parks and recreation is a local municipal responsibility. The region has a very limited role in the delivery of leisure services. At some community volunteer levels, significant cooperation has existed. One of the most significant cultural events in the country is the Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest which is a joint community initiative. Many of the adult sport leagues and cultural programs are undertaken on a joint basis by community groups. Therefore, community service providers of leisure services, depending on the specific nature of the activity, may need or desire a broader operating basis than a single municipality. Municipally-based leisure services planning, therefore takes on multiple considerations and facets. This planning needs to consider the municipality's primary audience and focus, which is the residents of the City of Kitchener, ensuring that their needs are met within reasonable cost parameters. The city also needs to understand that many of the community volunteer groups require a broader audience, resulting in them needing to work with two or more municipalities in order to access the supports and resources necessary to facilitate the delivery of their leisure service. No mechanism exists to facilitate these considerations between municipalities, and therefore, it is up to the individual service providers to work with the individual municipalities whether they operate on a regional basis or with a Kitchener- Waterloo market focus. The city's leisure services planning also needs to be supportive to the fact that many of the leisure services are designed for neighbourhood level or district level considerations, which does not impact regional or twin city perspectives. The regional context prevails primarily in regards to leisure facilities and services that are city-wide or have a regional context, though leisure resources that lie in close proximity to border areas can often draw beyond the municipality's own population or are of interest to organizations that provide services on a joint basis to more than one community. The policy considerations for the city are significant in this regard and need to find a balance that is supportive to the taxpayer needs, the capacities of volunteer organizations and ensuring a comprehensive array of KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P2-3 AGE 3 - 72 leisure services that are accessible to its citizens, in terms of location, affordability, quality and availability . 2.3Population Profile In order to affirm that the strategic directions of the Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update continue to serve the needs of the community, some of the demographic trends examined in the original report have been reviewed to include up to date information. A number of information sources have been utilized in order to examine the demographic analysis. The information sources include: Statistics Canada 2001 Census, 2006 Census, 2011 Census; Region of Waterloo 2011 Census Bulletin; Regional Official Plan, Region of Waterloo, Council-adopted, June 2009; Statistics Canada National Household Survey 2011; Ontario Municipal Benchmarking Initiative (OMBI); Waterloo Region Vital Signs 2012; CANSIM table 105-0105. It is important to note that this report reflects a number of limitations in the availability of data. While a Canadian census was undertaken in 2011 the final results have not yet been released. 2.3.1Current and Historic Population In 2011, the City of Kitchener had a population of 219,153, representing a percentage change of 7.1% th from 2006. This compares to the national average growth of 5.9%. Kitchener has the 9 largest nd population in Ontario and the 22 largest population in Canada. (Statistics Canada Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census) Table 2-1 Historic Population Census Year City of Kitchener % Change Region of Waterloo % Change 1976 131,870 289,129 1981 139,734 6.0 305,496 5.7 1986 150,604 7.8 329,404 7.8 1991 168,282 11.7 377,762 14.7 1996 178,420 6.0 405,435 7.3 2001 190,400 6.7 438,515 8.2 2006 204,668 7.5 478,121 9.0 2011 219,153 7.1 507,096 6.1 (Region of Waterloo and Statistics Canada, 1976-2011 Census) KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P2-4 AGE 3 - 73 As indicated in Table 2-1, for the period of 1991 to 2006, Kitchener population grew at a slower rate than the Region of Waterloo as a whole. From 2006 to 2011, the population growth rate exceeded the r. Appendix II, Population Density provides the low to high population density by dissemination area in the City of Kitchener. 2.3.2Population Growth Projections The population of the Region of Waterloo is anticipated to reach approximately 712,000 by the year Employment is forecast to grow to approximately 359,000 jobs in the same time period. The amount of growth allocated to each area municipality has been determined by the region in collaboration with area municipalities, and is shown in the table below. Table 2-2 Regional Population and Employment Forecasts to 2029 Municipality Population Employment 2006 2029 2006 2029 Cambridge 123,900 173,000 75,220 100,000 Kitchener 214,500 313,000 99,380 130,000 North Dumfries 9,200 16,000 6,080 8,400 Waterloo 101,700 137,000 64,070 88,000 Wellesley 10,100 12,000 3,290 4,100 Wilmot 17,700 28,500 6,730 9,700 Woolwich 20,100 32,500 13,540 18,800 Region 497,200 712,000 268,310 359,000 (Regional Official Plan, Region of Waterloo, Council-adopted, June 2009.) While the actual population growth rate for Kitchener over the last ten years has not quite kept pace with the projections stated in the 2006 Regional Official Plan, nonetheless current growth rates will put demand for leisure services and pressure on the current inventory of leisure facilities is probable. Appendix III, Population Forecast Density shows the areas of Kitchener where growth is projected to occur. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P2-5 AGE 3 - 74 2.3.3Demographic Characteristics 2.3.3.1 Age Profile Table 2-3 Total Population by Age Group, City of Kitchener Age Group Total % Male Female 0 to 4 years 13,705 6.3 7,010 6,700 5 to 9 years 12,320 5.6 6,270 6,055 10 to 14 years 12,620 5.8 6,485 6,135 15 to 19 years 14,025 6.4 7,205 6,820 20 to 24 years 15,955 7.3 7,980 7,970 0-24 68,625 31.3 34,950 33,680 25 to 29 years 17,620 8.0 8,720 8,900 30 to 34 years 16,395 7.5 8,230 8,160 35 to 39 years 15,500 7.1 7,745 7,750 40 to 44 years 15,850 7.2 7,935 7,915 45 to 49 years 17,245 7.9 8,535 8,705 25-49 82,610 37.7 41,165 41,430 50 to 54 years 16,065 7.3 7,900 8,160 55 to 59 years 13,655 6.2 6,570 7,090 60 to 64 years 11,330 5.2 5,485 5,845 50-64 41,050 18.7 19,955 21,095 65 to 69 years 8,115 3.7 3,795 4,325 70 to 74 years 6,260 2.9 2,955 3,305 75 to 79 years 4,985 2.3 2,190 2,800 80 to 84 years 3,980 1.8 1,595 2,390 85 years and over 3,525 1.6 1,135 2,390 65-85+ 26,865 12.3 11,670 15,210 All 219,155 100 107,735 111,420 As shown in Table 2-3, the median age of the population is 37.2 years. The median age for males is 36.3 years and 38.1 for females. The percentage of the population aged 15 and over is 82.4%. The percentage of males aged 15 and over is 81.7%. Females aged 15 and over are 83% of the population. The largest five year cohort is aged 25 to 29 years. The smallest five year cohort is age 85 plus. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P2-6 AGE 3 - 75 In 2011, the percentage of the population aged 65 and over in the City of Kitchener was 12.3%, compared with a national percentage of 14.8%. The percentage of the working age population (15 to 64) was 70.1% and the percentage of children aged 0 to 14 was 17.6%. In comparison, the national percentages were 68.5% for the population aged 15 to 64 and 16.7% for the population aged 0 to 14. In 2011, 35.8% of the national population was age 50+, while the Ontario figure somewhat younger in this demographic, the number of residents moving into senior adult years will accelerate. Appendix IV, Age Range Density shows the distribution throughout Kitchener for the 0 to 24 years, 25 to 49 years, 50 to 64 years and 65 plus years population. 2.3.3.2 Youth Region of Waterloo The youth population, aged 0 to 14, accounted for 92,975 (18.3%) of the r Although the increase in this population group was very small between 2006 and 2011, Waterloo Region was one of only six municipalities (census divisions) across Ontario that did not experience a decrease in this age group between censuses. The number of young children aged 0 to 4 years has shown an increase in the past three censuses in Waterloo Region. In 2011, a 5% increase was measured for these children, lower than the rate on a national level (11%) but on par with the provincial growth rate in this age group. Consideration of both of these statistics indicates that demand for services associated with youth should remain stable if not increase, all other factors notwithstanding. Appendix V, Age Range Density Youth shows the distribution throughout Kitchener for the 0 to 4 years and 5 to 14 years, 15 to 19 years and 20 to 24 years population. 2.3.3.3 Working-Age Region of Waterloo The population between 15 and 64 years old, which represents the age often referred to as the working- age, accounts for 70% of the total population in Waterloo Region. From 2006 to 2011 this age group grew by 6%. Waterloo Region ranks 7th in terms of the size of its working-age population in Ontario and 13th in Canada. The working-age population is growing older, with the percentage of population in each of the 45 to 65 age categories increasing since 2006. In 2011, the largest component (almost 78,000 people) was comprised of 45 to 54 year olds. These residents are still 10 to 20 years from the age typically associated with retirement. Those closest to retirement age (55 to 64 years) represent over 58,000 people, and experienced the largest increase, growing by 10,355 people from 2006. Appendix IV, Age Range Density and Appendix V, Age Range Density Youth, show the distribution of this age category (15 to 64 years). KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P2-7 AGE 3 - 76 Despite the aging of the working-age population, Waterloo Region has substantially more people of the age to be typically entering the workforce (15 to 24 years) than of the age to be typically leaving it (55 to 64 years). This is in contrast to the national trend. Demand for leisure services geared towards retirement age and older adults should anticipate an accelerated increase over the next 10-20 years based on this demographic trend. Demand for leisure services associated with the younger adult demographic should also remain strong in the City of Kitchener given the large number (31.3 % age 0-24) of residents moving into this demographic over the next ten years. (Region of Waterloo 2011 Census Bulletin) 2.3.3.4 Family Profile Table 2-4 Family Profile Geographic Total Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Area Families of of Total of of Total of Lone-of Total Married-Common-parent couple law-Families Families couple Families Canada 9,389,695 6,293,950 67 1,567,905 16.7 1,527,840 16.3 Ontario 3,612,205 2,612,890 72.3 394,670 10.9 604,645 16.7 Kitchener 62,255 42,655 69.6 8,025 13.1 10,575 17.3 North Dumfries 2,825 2,340 82.8 245 8.7 245 8.7 Cambridge 36,255 25,365 70 4,615 12.7 6,270 17.3 Waterloo 26,775 20,845 77.9 2,505 9.4 3,430 12.8 Wilmot 5,775 4,795 83 475 8.2 505 8.7 Woolwich 6,570 5,495 83.6 510 7.8 565 8.6 In 2011, the number of census families in Kitchener was 62,255, which represents a change of 7.3% from 2006. This compares to a growth rate for Canada of 5.5% over the same period. In Kitchener, 69.6% of census families were married couples in 2011, while 13.1% were common-law-couples and 17.3% were lone-parent families. Among couples (married and common-law) in the census divisions of Kitchener, 49.7% were couples with children aged 24 and under at home. In comparison, as a whole, 46.9% of couples in Canada had children aged 24 and under at home. Kitchener has outpaced the national average with regards to the growth in the number of census families. As such, demand for services should continue to grow. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P2-8 AGE 3 - 77 2.3.3.5 Private Households Table 2-5 Household Type Household Type Kitchener Ontario Canada # % # % # % Total private households 86,375 100 4,887,505 100 13,320,615 100 Couple-family households with children aged 24 and under at home 24,315 28.2 1,402,420 28.7 3,524,915 26.5 Couple-family households without children aged 24 and under at home 24,140 27.9 1,408,120 28.8 3,935,540 29.5 Lone-parent family households 9,610 11.1 535,825 11 1,375,450 10.3 One-person households 22,970 26.6 1,230,980 25.2 3,673,310 27.6 Multiple family households 1,560 1.8 128,660 2.6 268,060 2 Other households 3,775 4.4 181,500 3.7 543,340 4.1 There were 86,375 private households in Kitchener in 2011, a change of 8.7% from 2006. Of these, 28.2% of households were comprised of couples with children aged 24 and under at home, a change of 0.3% compared with five years earlier. The percentage of lone-parent households in Kitchener exceeds the national average (11.1% to 10.3%). Any increase in the number of private households tied to the growth in residential neighborhoods has associated impacts on demand for services in the city including active and passive leisure opportunities in proximity to residential areas. Appendix VI, Community Composition shows the distribution of lone- parent families in Kitchener. Other data/maps regarding household type were unavailable as the final results from the Canadian 2011 census have not yet been released. 2.3.3.6 Socioeconomic Trends Areas with lower socioeconomic status in Waterloo Region tend to have higher levels of chronic health conditions (e.g. cardiovascular disease, diabetes, etc.) and use more health services than people living in higher socioeconomic levels. In 2009/10 almost 9% of the households in Waterloo Region had too little to eat, or inconsistent access to food as a result of low income. (Waterloo Region Vital Signs 2012) than the provincial and national levels at over 25%. (CANSIM table 105-0105) A higher stress level in the population has implications for the delivery of leisure services in Kitchener, particularly from a program perspective. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P2-9 AGE 3 - 78 There are currently less than 120 licensed daycare spots per 1,000 children aged 12 and under in Waterloo Region. While the availability is trending upwards, it is being outpaced by the province. (OMBI) This could have implications for how leisure services are delivered for preschool and school-age groups. As of April 2013 the Kitchener-Cambridge- 66.6 per cent, the sixth highest rate in the country. (Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey) In Waterloo Region in 2006, the average total annual income of all individuals was nearly four times that of individuals with low income ($38,512 versus $9,698). The income gap between all individuals and those with low income has increased over time. In Waterloo Region, there was an $18,901 disparity in 1996, which grew to $28,814 in 2006. In 2006, government transfers represented 60.3% of total income for individuals with low income in Waterloo Region, compared with only 14.8% for all individuals. The provincial trend was similar (58.5% versus 15.6%). Average income values for individuals with low income increased at a lower rate over 10 years than values did for all individuals living in Waterloo Region (17.6% versus 41.9%). The provincial trend was similar (19.8% versus 39.5%). In 1996 and 2001, Waterloo Region had slightly lower average total income values compared with all of Ontario. In 2006, this trend continued for individuals with low income; however, average total annual income for all individuals in Waterloo Region surpassed the provincial average ($38,512 versus $38,207). (Statistics Canada 2006) Appendix VI, Community Composition shows the average household income (2006) distribution in Kitchener. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P2-10 AGE 3 - 79 2.3.3.7 Ethnicity Table 2-6 shows the number of immigrant arrivals in the City of Kitchener (census division) from 1971 through to 2011. From 2001 to 2005, the total number of immigrants arriving to Kitchener was 7,860. Immigration to Kitchener increased 12% from 2006-2011 over the previous five year period (8,805 people). Immigration for the ten year period 2001-2011 increased 21.5% from the previous ten year period. Table 2-6 Immigrant Arrivals Year # % Change Before 1971 10,900 - 1971 to 1980 6,635 - 1981 to 1990 8,520 28.4 1991 to 2000 13,715 61.0 2001 to 2011 16,660 21.5 Table 2-7 shows the most common places of birth among immigrants to the City of Kitchener (census division). The United Kingdom represents the highest number of immigrant birth origin, followed by Asia and Romania. Table 2-7 Birth Country Country # United Kingdom 4,125 Other places of birth in Asia 3,640 Romania 3,575 Poland 2,780 Germany 2,775 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2,650 India 2,635 Other places of birth in Europe 2,455 Portugal 2,300 Other places of birth in Africa 2,205 Table 2-8 shows the percentage of population by generational status in private households in the City of Kitchener (census division). 27% of the population in City of Kitchener private households are first generation Canadians. (National Household Survey 2011 (voluntary)) KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P2-11 AGE 3 - 80 Table 2-8 Generation Status Generation Status Total % Total population in private households 215,950 100 First generation 58,645 27 Second generation 43,360 20 Third generation + 113,950 53 Table 2-9 shows the percentage of population by visible minority in private households in the City of Kitchener (census division). In 2011, 18% of the City of Kitc a visible minority; the largest percentage South Asian, followed closely by Black, Latin American and effective promotion of recreation programming and the leisure facilities to support them. By 2030, an Waterloo Region Vital Signs 2012) Table 2-9 Visible Minorities Visible Minority # % South Asian 8,960 4 Black 6,635 3 Latin American 5,735 3 Southeast Asian 5,005 2 Chinese 3,975 2 West Asian 2,550 1 Arab 2,520 1 Filipino 1,375 1 Multiple visible minorities 1,290 1 Visible minority 810 0 Korean 560 0 Japanese 310 0 KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P2-12 AGE 3 - 81 2.4Community Planning 2.4.1Policies and Plans Regional Official Plan A new Regional Official Plan (ROP) was adopted by regional council on June 16, 2009 and approved by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on December 22, 2010 and has been subsequently appealed. The ROP contains the planning policies needed to direct growth and change in Waterloo region over the next 20 years. Through the ROP, the region will continue its tradition of innovative planning and growth management. Key elements of the ROP are; a fixed border between rural and urban areas; directing growth to make better use of land within the built up areas of the region; increasing transportation choice, including the creation of a rapid transit system; protecting our drinking water and significant environmental areas; and increasing the quality of life of citizens in Waterloo region. City of Kitchener Official Plan The current Kitchener Official Plan (OP) was adopted by city council in 1994 and approved by the region in 1995. In 2009 planning staff officially began a comprehensive review to develop a new OP to guide planning and development for the next planning horizon to 2029. The new draft OP introduces a refined vision for a healthy and complete Kitchener. The new draft OP strengthens the clusive, collaborative and comprehensive planning process to create and maintain an attractive, healthy, safe, and complete community where residents will have convenient access by various modes of travel to employment, commercial opportunities and cultural and recreational amenities. The new draft OP states that the city will consider populations trends, housing trends, social, economic, cultural, and environmental conditions and other relevant data that will inform and guide park, open spaces, and community facility planning, when reviewing the Leisure Facilities Master Plan. Further, the new draft OP supports and facilitates an appropriate mix and range of community infrastructure and facilities and will consider the projected needs of the population in planning for growth and in the formation of the Kitchener Growth Management Plan. Kitchener Growth Management Plan The Kitchener Growth Management Plan (KGMP) is a comprehensive planning tool that evolved from the cram which was started in the 1960s. The purpose of the plan is to show timing of development approvals, in conjunction with the timing of infrastructure, for the c KGMP document and map sets out the order in which subdivision development can proceed in the greenfield area of the city. It also identifies targeted areas of growth, such as the downtown, intensifications areas, and small incomplete KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P2-13 AGE 3 - 82 pieces of communities as well. The map also includes the timing and location of growth-related infrastructure, such as new sewers and roads. The KGMP is based on the overarching principle in the city's Official Plan, the Ontario Planning Act, Provincial Policy Statement and Places to Grow Growth Plan that places the utilization of existing infrastructure and services as a high priority. Although a tool for identifying new development in the c redevelopment in the c Strategy program, an annual report is completed every year which outlines development and growth activity, as well as available land supply, in the city. 2.4.2Development Activity and Trends Kitchener is expected to accommodate a relatively significant amount of residential and employment growth over the next 20 years. The city is also mandated by the province to achieve certain numerical targets and other planning objectives, such as minimum densities in key locations in the city. The density of residents and jobs per hectare in the Urban Growth Centre (Downtown) is continuing to gradually increase. Most recently, the amount of residential development occurring in the built-up area of the city is greater than greenfield development. Kitchener five year average of intensification (development in built-up area versus greenfield) is 45% which meets the target for urban municipalities within this region. The city and other partners have undertaken significant efforts over the past decade to support intensification which are now contributing to positive results. Moving forward, there are number of residential development trends emerging in the city as follows: Redevelopment in the cbuilt-up intensification areas will continue to be strong. Residential development in the cdowntown, intensification corridors, and strategic locations in the central city neighbourhoods will continue, with many residential projects nearing the approval stage. These projects are supported by key investments in the downtown and central city neighbourhoods such as the King Street redevelopment and the implementation of light rail rapid transit in the Central Transit Corridor. Intensification within the central city neighbourhoods will continue through strategic re- development of brownfield or former industrial sites, greyfield or obsolete commercial and institutional sites. The predominant housing form is likely to be low-to-medium rise multiple residential integrated with community amenities. The largest areas of suburban growth will be in the Doon South Phase 2, Huron South, and Rosenberg planning communities. Growth will also continue to occur in the Grand River South and Laurentian West Phase 3b planning communities, as well as other smaller development parcels needed to complete communities throughout the designated greenfield area. Current and future planning initiatives such as the new draft Official Plan, the rapid transit station area planning program, and the comprehensive zoning by-law update will continue to plan for areas KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P2-14 AGE 3 - 83 of growth in the city. These projects will involve stakeholder input including the city staff that will be developing plans for leisure facilities and programs in the city. The shift to intensification and re-development in the downtown and strategic locations within the and community facilities, and may result in additional leisure facility needs. An aging population and changing ethnic diversity may impact on the delivery of programs and services and change the nature of some leisure facilities and the activity components within them. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P2-15 AGE 3 - 84 3LEISURE RESOURCES PROFILE For the purposes of this update, staff reviewed current leisure resources and utilization. The following section focuses on four components: Delivery model Leisure facilities inventory/description Leisure resources availability and supply profile Participation and utilization profile 3.1City's Role and Delivery Model The city's role in the delivery of leisure services is comprehensive. It is undertaken primarily through the departments of Community Services and Infrastructure Services. Even though the corporation has undergone structural changes since 2005, the core responsibilities for the delivery of leisure services have, for the most part, gone unchanged and are as follows: Planning, development and maintenance of parks, open space and outdoor facilities. Planning, development and maintenance of leisure facilities, involving arenas, pools, community centres, pavilions, etc. Delivery of programs in community centres, aquatic facilities, arenas, within schools, seniors' facilities and other venues. Administration and monitoring of a major community investment strategy grants program and affiliation agreements with minor sports and neighbourhood associations. Facilitation, technical, volunteer recognition and other administrative and developmental supports to community service providers and groups. Enterprise operations involving the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex, two golf courses and full-service cemetery operations involving multiple sites. Leisure services education, volunteer support, marketing, communications, supports for inclusiveness/the disabled and other specialized services of a direct delivery nature. Leisure services planning and strategy development on a strategic level, along with administrative and management services. The overall delivery services model, on a broad basis, involves the City of Kitchener through the community services department (CSD), infrastructure services department (INS), finance and corporate services (FCS), over 70 community services providers of both a volunteer and not-for-profit nature, multiple school boards, the Grand River Conservation Authority, Conestoga College, private sector KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-1 AGE 3 - 85 operations and others. It is a complex, though integrated service delivery strategy of which the city plays primary planning, coordination, facilitation and delivery roles. Within a regional government structure, where many of the higher cost services, such as social and health services, waste management and transit, are delivered by the region, the departments of community services and infrastructure services within the City of Kitchener represent one of its most significant service delivery roles and responsibilities in terms of budgetary investment, scope, staffing levels and most importantly, contact with residents and community groups at the area municipality level. There are two city departments primarily involved in the delivery of leisure services: community services department and infrastructure services department. Within these two departments, there are four main organizational divisions responsible in the delivery of leisure services: community programs and services (CSD), enterprise (CSD), operations (INS) and facilities management (INS). Each of the divisions has responsibility for a wide set of facility, and in some cases, significant programmatic/service delivery responsibilities. The structure is designed around four program and service delivery roles: parks, trails and open space, community programs; those facilities/services that have a more business oriented focus and facility maintenance/operation. Within each of the divisions, a series of specialized supervisors exist who are responsible for specific operations, such as seniors centres and services, aquatics, community centres, services for people with disabilities, sports, KMAC and community arenas, golf courses, parks, trails and cemeteries. These operations are supported by over 1,500 staff, with the overall leisure services system within the city being supported by 2,000 direct and 5,000 indirect volunteers. The current corporate structure allows for an integrated model in the delivery of leisure services with other city departments and divisions. The facilities management division in the infrastructure services department is significantly involved in the strategic development and major systems maintenance of all the leisure facilities operated by CSD and INS. Significant coordination and interaction exists on this front. The finance and corporate services department (FCS) is involved in terms of financial and administrative systems that are undertaken by community services and infrastructure services departments, particularly when considering the amount of revenue production that needs to be managed and processed from the various leisure services operations. The planning division, now within community services, has a role in the delivery model in regards to land use planning. Significant interaction occurs in regards to future parks and open space areas, the identification of population patterns and residential development directions, along with being significantly involved as a division in key strategic initiatives, such as neighbourhood building, supports for neighbourhood associations, downtown redevelopment, etc. Therefore, while the divisions located KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-2 AGE 3 - 86 in community services and infrastructure services are the leaders in working with neighbourhoods and citizens, they both interact at varying levels with other divisions within the city structure to provide comprehensive leisure service to the residents. 3.1.1Vision and Mission From a city perspective, an important linkage for this update of the Leisure Facilities Master Plan is with s Strategic Plan for 2011-2014. Built on three streams of information, community priorities, effective and efficient government and the people plan, the plan for a healthy Kitchener is the creation of a healthy community through efforts in three vital and interrelated areas including social vitality, environmental viability and economic prosperity. Where these areas intersect or overlap lie the greatest possibilities for prosperity, health, resilience and vitality. A healthy city is achieved through translating these overlaps into municipal policies, practices and processes. Encircling the WHO prototype is a fourth circle representing community values and culture. The community vision for the City of Kitchener remains the same as it was in the 2005 Leisure Facilities Master Plan: Together, we will build an innovative, caring and vibrant Kitchener with safe and thriving neighbourhoods. The neighbourhood theme within this vision is well demonstrated in the community services and infrastructure services drspective via the significant support and emphasis that is put on neighbourhood associations and the development of neighbourhood-oriented community resource centres and neighbourhood parks. Through the continued work of Compass Kitchener, a citizen advisory committee appointed by council, this vision is brought to life through the establishment of a number of community priorities: Quality of life Leadership and community engagement Environment Diversity Development Dynamic downtown In addition to these community priorities, the City of Kitchener has developed foundational strategies and processes that provide a framework for change, growth and success in the services provided to the public: efficient and effective government (financial management; asset management; information technology; communications, marketing and customer service; organizational governance) and the KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-3 AGE 3 - 87 people plan (culture of learning; culture of safety and well-being; culture of inclusion; culture of appreciation and fun; culture of community stewardship; culture of accountability). The following mission remains a part of the foundational framework within which the city provides services to residents: Proudly providing valued services for our community . The mission speaks to the notion of celebrating or being proud of what is delivered. As well, it refers to the notion of valued services, meaning services that are not just participated in but that the residents actually want and feel are critical to their quality of life and the development of their community. This valuing of services is reflected in the feedback that was received during the consultation component of this plan update. These perspectives provide the focus that the city uses to make strategic decisions about provision of services. 3.1.2Department Focus As mentioned above, the delivery of leisure services is undertaken primarily through the departments of community services and infrastructure services. The mandate of the community services department has been developed as follows: provision of customer-focused, community-oriented programs, services, information, guidelines and directions. The daily face-to-face interactions of staff in building, by-law enforcement, community programs and services, enterprise, fire and planning ensure public safety and serve the collective good and wellbeing of the community. In the community services department, there are two divisions primarily involved in leisure services provision. Within community programs and services division the following sections are: Aquatics and Athletics Aquatics: Operate aquatic and recreational facilities, pools, spray pads and Kiwanis Park. o Provide swimming lessons, leisure programs, leadership development and lifeguard training. Deliver recreational and fitness programs in aquatics and athletics. Athletics: Facilitate minor sports organizations including volunteer development, o recruitment and planning support. Sport tourism development, and summer sports camps. Community Resource Centres/Community Development: Oversee community resource centres, develop and maintain neighbourhood volunteer-based committees. Liaise between city, neighbourhood associations and community partners and groups. Ensure the provision of recreation programs and service delivery. Program and Resource Services: Develop and deliver city-wide programs, resources and services including inclusion services, adults 50 plus services, summer playgrounds, winter rinks, Building Youth Leadership Development (BYLD) youth leadership program, and youth services. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-4 AGE 3 - 88 Volunteer Resources and Community Engagement: Recruitment, referral, and recognition of volunteers for municipal volunteer programs and services. Consultation on volunteer management to city staff and boards of directors for minor sports groups, neighbourhood associations, and other groups affiliated with the city. Enterprise division operates the following three business units that provide leisure services while utilizing business principles as a foundation: Kitchener Cemeteries: Oversee and manage the c Kitchener Golf: Oversee business operations for Rockway and Doon Valley Golf Courses. KMAC and Community Arenas: Oversee Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex (KMAC), community arenas and civic square rink. The mandate of the infrastructure services department has been developed as follows: assets, encompassing the divisions responsible for the design, construction, operations, maintenance, security, and/or management of those assets. The infrastructure services department focuses primarily on t operations and facilities management divisions the following sections play a key role in the provision of leisure services and facilities: Forestry Services (OPS): Woodlot management, urban tree management, boulevard trees, tree protection, stump removal, winter forestry activities and winter support. Sports fields (OPS): Maintenance and operation of sports fields, turf renovation, co-ordination with sports field user groups, portable bleachers, tennis/basketball, horseshoe pits, winter maintenance and by-law sidewalk snow removal. Turf Maintenance (OPS): Open space turf maintenance, turf maintenance on road rights of way and hydro rights of way, cul de sacs and cross walks, winter maintenance and community rinks. Horticulture Services (OPS): Maintenance of city-wide gardens, flower and shrub beds, greenhouse operations, community garden plots, facilities grounds maintenance, winter maintenance and city- wide park operations (McLennan, Victoria Park, Huron Natural Area). Playgrounds and Support Services (OPS): Maintenance of street furniture, skate parks, bike park, installation of park signs, maintenance of foot bridges, trail maintenance/inspection/parking lots, special events services, playground inspections, graffiti program and winter maintenance. Design and Development (OPS): Planning, design, development, project management, stewardship and education for the delivery of parks, sports fields, urban forestry, natural areas and trails. Maintenance Operations (FM): Maintenance operations including corporate security, property management, building maintenance, custodial maintenance, construction project management and resource planning for city facilities. Maintenance includes: plumbing, electrical, HVAC, life safety systems and building envelope maintenance for all city facilities. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-5 AGE 3 - 89 Projects and Energy Management (FM): Development, planning and implementation of construction and related projects, construction project management. Operation and control of mechanical operating equipment, building environmental systems, preventative and on demand corrective maintenance and monitoring of the energy management program for all city buildings. The community services department delivers customer and community service provision for residents through six divisions. Leisure services and programs fall primarily within community programs and services and enterprise and are focused on the collective good and well-being of residents. Through the s, the parks operations division and facilities management division of the infrastructure services department contribute to customer and community services provision. 3.2Leisure Facilities Condition Study The 2005 Leisure Facilities Master Plan research process included a visual review of facilities. That review was intended to assess the general condition of facilities with respect to architectural components. Structural, mechanical and electrical components and systems were not included as part of the LFMP. The recommendations in the 2005 LFMP were related to extending the life of the particular building elements and finishes. A building condition study was not a part of the project scope for this update. Appendix VII, Update to Building Condition Study, provides a status update on the recommendations from 2005. Any recommendations that have not been implemented are part of ongoing business planning, budget planning and core service delivery in the facilities management division, INS. 3.3Leisure Resources Inventory With information technology department, an inventory of parks, recreation and community leisure facilities was compiled and depicted in map form as follows: Appendix VIII, Neighbourhood Associations (neighbourhood associations, community centres) Appendix IX, Community Facilities (community centres, washroom buildings, golf courses, cemeteries) Appendix X, Arenas and Ice Rinks (arenas, outdoor rinks) Appendix XI, Aquatic Facilities (indoor pools, outdoor pools, splash pads) Appendix XII, Multi-Use Pathways (primary and secondary multi-use pathways, light rail transit corridor) Appendix XIII, Cycling Routes (active and proposed on-road cycling network, light rail transit corridor) Appendix XIV, Parkland Amenities (parks, playgrounds, bike park, skateboard parks, dog parks, picnic shelters, toboggan hills) KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-6 AGE 3 - 90 Appendix XV, Sports Fields (baseball diamonds, Frisbee, track and field, soccer, indoor field house and stadiums, lawn bowling) Appendix XVI, Outdoor Courts (basketball, volleyball, tennis) 3.3.1Neighbourhood Associations Kitchener residents enjoy a wealth of programs and resources close to home thanks to a working partnership the city has with volunteers from the many neighbourhood associations that operate across the community. The city works closely with association volunteer committees and other groups to facilitate recreation and leisure program delivery and neighbourhood-based resource development. This partnership provides creative, safe and enjoyable community programs that our residents of all ages count on and enjoy. Over the years, the number of associations affiliated with the city has grown. The following table is a list of the active neighbourhood associations as at July 2013. Table 3-1 Neighbourhood Associations Active Neighbourhood Associations July 2013 Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association Grand Hill Village Neighbourhood Association Auditorium Neighbourhood Association Greenbelt Neighbourhood Association Boardwalk Neighbourhood Association Highland-Stirling Community Group Bridgeport Community Association Kingsdale Neighbourhood Association Caryndale Neighbourhood Association Lower Doon Neighbourhood Association Cedar Hill Community Group Mill-Courtland Neighburhood Association Central Frederick Neighbourhood Association Mount Hope-Breithaupt Park Neighbourhood Association Centreville-Chicopee Community Association Olde Berlin Towne Neighbourhood Association in the Civic Centre Chandler Mowat Neighbourhood Association Pinegrove Community Association Cherry Park Neighbourhood Association Country Hills Recreation Association Stanley Park Community Association Deer Ridge Estates Social Club Victoria Hills Neighbourhood Association Doon Pioneer Park Community Association Victoria Park Neighbourhood Association Downtown Neighbourhood Alliance Westmount Neighbourhood Association Forest Heights Community Association Williamsburg Community Association Appendix VIII, Neighbourhood Associations provides a map showing the boundaries of the neighbourhood associations listed above and the location of the community resource centres throughout the city. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-7 AGE 3 - 91 3.3.2Community Resource Centres The City of Kitchener operates 14 community resource centres, where unique collaboration between staff, volunteers, community organizations, seniors groups and neighbourhood associations ensures quality recreational services and programming is provided to citizens throughout the community. They are: Breithaupt Centre Bridgeport Community Centre Centreville Chicopee Community Centre Chandler Mowat Community Centre Country Hills Community Centre Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre Downtown Community Centre Forest Heights Community Centre Kingsdale Community Centre Mill Courtland Community Centre Rockway Centre Stanley Park Community Centre Victoria Hills Community Centre Williamsburg Community Centre Appendix VIII, Neighbourhood Associations provides a map of the location of the community resource centres in the city. 3.3.3Community Facilities 3.3.3.1 Washroom Buildings In addition to washroom facilities in community centres, the City of Kitchener operates five washroom buildings in district parks. These facilities contribute to citizen comfort and quality of life while enjoying the parks and trails located throughout the city. Appendix IX, Community Facilities shows the location of the following washroom buildings: Breithaupt Park comfort stations Huron Natural Area washrooms Kiwanis Park washrooms McLennan Park comfort station Victoria Park comfort stations KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-8 AGE 3 - 92 3.3.3.2 Kitchener Golf The City of Kitchener owns and operates two golf facilities, offering a range of affordable services with a focus on developing juniors and introducing new players to the game. Rockway was built as a depression-era work project back in 1935. Doon Valley opened as a privately owned facility in 1955 and was bought by the city in 1968. U marketplace, these courses have been self- began paying significant dividends back to the cgeneral revenue fund (which is rare for municipal golf). Doon Valley golf course offers an 18-hole championship course, a full length 9-hole course, a 9-hole as well as a practice range. Rockway golf course is located close to downtown Kitchener and features an 18-hole championship course with a rich history. Appendix IX, Community Facilities shows the location of these golf courses in the city. 3.3.3.3 Kitchener Cemeteries The City of Kitchener owns and operates six cemeteries: Williamsburg Cemetery and Crematorium Woodland Cemetery Kitchener Mount Hope Cemetery St. Peter's Lutheran Cemetery Bridgeport and Free Church Cemetery Strasburg Historical Cemetery Woodland Cemetery and Williamsburg Cemetery, which opened in 1995 and is launching phase two of its development, have the most available plots, whereas the other locations have limited space available. Williamsburg is also being promoted for other uses too; it has a beautiful pond, wetlands and restored 19th century Mennonite chapel perfect for weddings, memorials and even meetings. There are also a variety of activities including bird watching or hiking the Trillium Trail. Appendix IX, Community Facilities shows the location of the cemeteries within Kitchener. 3.3.4Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex (KMAC), Community Arenas and Ice Rinks 3.3.4.1 KMAC and Community Arenas Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex (KMAC) and community arenas are used for ice and floor rentals, hall rentals, corporate meetings, and special events. The table below provides the name and KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-9 AGE 3 - 93 facility particulars for each facility. Appendix X, Arenas and Ice Rinks shows the location of these facilities throughout the city. Table 3-2 KMAC and Community Arenas Kitchener Dom Cardillo The Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex Memorial Arena affectionately known as The Aud Auditorium premiere sports and entertainment facility, hosting Kinsmen Arena Complex international and national sporting events, concerts, Kiwanis Arena (KMAC) special events, and trade shows. Jack Couch Park Seats 1,400 KMAC is home to the Kitchener Rangers Jr. A Hockey Centennial Lit soccer and Club, Kitchener Dutchmen Jr. B Hockey Club, Stadium football field Kitchener Panthers Baseball Club, K-W Braves Lacrosse Club and Oktoberfest. Activa Kitchener Minor The Activa Sportsplex is a multi-purpose Sportsplex Hockey environmentally-friendly athletic facility that hosts Association ice sports, summer indoor sports, boxing and a Alumni Arena recreational walking track. Home of the Kitchener Minor Hockey Association Patrick J. and Waterloo Regional Box Academy, and other Doherty Arena seasonal rental groups. Lyle S. Hallman Public use walking Foundation track walking track Sportsworld Home of the Kitchener Adult Hockey League, KW Spectator Arena Arena seating capacity Missionary Church Leagues, and other seasonal Practice Arena rental groups. Don McLaren One ice surface Home to the KW Skating Club and other seasonal Arena rental groups. Grand River One ice surface ral Hockey League and Arena other seasonal rental groups. Lions Arena One ice surface Home of the Kitchener Ringette Association and other seasonal rental groups. Queensmount One floor The facility offers space available to be rented for Arena surface sporting activities, special events and facility events. Home to Oktoberfest, KW Minor Lacrosse, Tri Cities Ball Hockey League and other seasonal rental groups. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-10 AGE 3 - 94 3.3.4.2 Outdoor Winter Ice Rinks From December through March, with help from more than 350 dedicated volunteers, more than 30 outdoor rinks operate at schools and parks throughout the city. The rinks are dependent on weather and volunteer support. Without generous help from community volunteers, the rinks would not be possible. In addition, the Kitchener city hall rink is open daily December through March. The following table is a list of winter ice rinks located throughout the city. It is noted that the locations change from time to time. Table 3-3 Outdoor Ice Rinks Outdoor Ice Rink Locations (subject to change) Admiral Park Lakeside Park Belmont Park Max Becker Commons Bridgeport Community Centre Mill-Courtland Community Centre Chandler Mowat Community Centre Morrison Park Centreville Chicopee Community Centre Pioneer Park West Cherry Park Prueter Public School Conway Park River Ridge Community Rink Country Clair Park Salvation Army Church Country Hills Community Centre Sheppard Public School Crosby Park Smithson Public School Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre Stanley Park Community Centre Elmsdale Park Timberlane Park Forest Heights Community Centre Vanier Park George Lippert Park Victoria Hills Community Centre Glendale Park Victoria Park Guelph Park Weber Park John Darling Public School Westmount Public School King Edward Public School WT Townshend Public School Appendix X, Arenas and Ice Rinks shows the locations of outdoor rinks throughout the city. 3.3.5Aquatic Facilities Kitchener owns and operates four indoor pools and three outdoor pools, eight splash pads and Kiwanis Park, which includes a large outdoor shallow pool and 119 acres of natural woodland, shaded picnic areas and open fields. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-1 AGE 3 - 95 Each indoor pool offers a variety of recreational swim programs, aqua fitness classes and swimming lessons for all ages. Specialty aquatic programs are also offered including an introduction to many aquatic sports, and leadership and lifeguarding courses. Table 3-4 Indoor and Outdoor Pools Indoor Pools Facility Size Special Attributes Capacity Breithaupt Centre 25 yds. x 12 yds. Part of Breithaupt Centre 138 yard pool 5 lanes Warm water exercise pool, diving 20 exercise pool board, small slide, family change room, located in large park Cameron Heights Pool, 25m x 10.8m Sauna, diving board 230 Located in Cameron 5 lanes Heights High School Forest Heights Pool 25m x 12m Male and female saunas, warm water 230 main pool pool, family change room, diving 6 lanes 50 warm water board, link to Kitchener Public Library pool Lyle Hallman Pool Free form with Waterslide, sauna, warm water pool, 175 three 25m Lanes family change room Outdoor Pools (open June to September) Facility Size Special Attributes Capacity Harry Class Pool 65 yds. x 25 yds. Extremely large shallow end, diving 600 boards, waterslide Idlewood Pool 25 yds. x 12 yds. Large shallow end, located in park 175 Kiwanis Park Approx. 1 acre Large, shallow concrete pool for 1500+ park swimming Circular, sloped 500+ pool entry 119 acres of green space, playground, beach volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, canoeing, picnic shelters Wilson Pool 18m x 12m Large shallow end, located in large park 120 KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-2 AGE 3 - 96 There are many splash pads located throughout the city. These facilities are open May to September. Some are located within a park or at a community resource centre. They provide an accessible facility for residents of all ages to enjoy during the hot summer months. Splash pads are: Breithaupt Park Splash Pad Centreville Chicopee Splash Pad Chandler Mowat Splash Pad Doon Pioneer Park Splash Pad Kingsdale Splash Pad McLennan Park Splash Pad Vanier Park Splash Pad Victoria Park Splash Pad Appendix XI shows the location of indoor and outdoor pools and splash pads across the city. 3.3.6Parkland Amenities 3.3.6.1 Parks Classification Summary The Parks Strategic Plan (2010) identified the following parks classification summary. Appendix XIV, Parkland Amenities shows the location of parks and green space throughout the city. Table 3-5 Parks Classification Category Description Examples Natural Areas Parkland owned or managed by the city generally Huron Natural intended to be preserved in its natural state (e.g. forest, Area 106 sites woodland and swamp, marsh, valley land, etc.) including Steckle Woods 1,082 ha cultural communities (e.g. plantation and cultural Laurentian meadow) Wetlands City - Wide Parks Parks that provide multi-activity or multi-sport venues Victoria Park and/or serve specialized recreational, social and economic 4 sites Kiwanis Park functions for the entire city that may also draw regional- 108 ha McLennan Park scale audiences Huron Natural Area KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-3 AGE 3 - 97 District Parks Community-level parks providing access to formal and/or Breithaupt Park informal active and/or passive outdoor recreation 17 sites Kaufman Park facilities and amenities serving multiple neighbourhoods 138 ha Lions Park Neighbourhood Parks Local parks providing walkable access to passive open Heritage Park space areas, playground facilities and other outdoor 102 sites Kinzie Park recreational amenities 199 ha Northforest Park Urban Greens Urban green spaces designed for high public use and Benton Green aesthetics in a diversity of settings including the urban 51 sites Vogelsang Green core, within neighbourhoods and along trails and typically 15 ha include a concentration of public amenities and higher level of design detail Greenways Linear green spaces providing linkages among parks, trails Balzer Greenway and other open space areas and public realm elements 45 sites Kolb Greenway within the urban environment Sandrock 126 ha Greenway Trails Off-road pedestrian corridors providing opportunities for Iron Horse Trail a range of recreational activities and active transportation 175 km Walter Bean Trail routes connecting various destinations Dominic Cardillo Trail Parks Classification Summary, Parks Strategic Plan (2010) 3.3.6.2 Playgrounds Playgrounds are distributed throughout the city and located in neighbourhood parks. As new subdivisions are developed, installation of new play structures is considered. Older and existing play structures are renewed through a 20 year capital replacement program. Larger, community sized accessible playgrounds are located at our city-wide parks, McLennan Park and Victoria Park. Appendix XIV, Parkland Amenities shows the location of playground facilities across the city. 3.3.6.3 Bike Park Located at McLennan Park on Ottawa Street South, the bike park features the following four dedicated bike courses, ranked appropriately - beginner, intermediate and advanced - based on skill level: Jump Park (beginner, intermediate and advanced) The jump park features three independent lines for riders of different skill levels. Each course has a series of dirt jumps and rollers. The advance run offers a grade change of 13m (43 ft.) and a run of 152m (500 ft.). KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-4 AGE 3 - 98 4X Course (intermediate) The 4X course is a race style course for use by BMX and mountain bike riders. The 279m (915 ft.) run offers a grade change of 28m (93 ft.), has a variety of jumps and banked corners and is designed for a maximum of 4 riders in a race format but can be enjoyed by individual riders. Free-ride (beginner, intermediate and advanced) The course features traditional west-coast components such as skinnies, drop progressions, boulder gardens, a teeter totter and wall rides. The 183m (600 ft.) course runs through a small wooded area and offers a challenge for a range of users. Pump Track (beginner) This 53m (176 ft.) circuit is an excellent area for novice riders to develop riding skills and features tight banked corners, rollers and table tops. Appendix XIV, Parkland Amenities shows the location of the bike park at McLennan Park. 3.3.6.4 Skateboard Parks It is evident that the popularity of skateboarding is growing. Skateboarding has become the third largest participant sport in North America for the 10 to 18 age group. There are two skateboard parks in Kitche skateboard park, located at McLennan Park. We also have a portable unit (skatium) which is rotated to various community centres throughout the summer. The Aud Skatepark The skateboard park features include a concrete pad, a bowl, a double camel's hump, a quarter pipe with a rail, a ramp with a grinding rail, a pyramid and a horizontal grinding rail. McLennan Park Opened in 2011, Kitchener's newest skateboard park features a street course and a concrete bowl. Doon Skatium Mobile Skatepark There are nine ramps in total, including a five-foot quarter pipe, pipe ramp, a three-piece fly over box, two 2ft-kicker ramps, one grind box, and two grind rails. The park travels to a different community centre each week, making it accessible to boarders from across the city. Appendix XIV, Parkland Amenities shows the location of skateboard parks throughout the city. 3.3.6.5 Leash Free Dog Parks Local dog owners have two city-owned places to go and enjoy time with their four-legged friends, Kiwanis Park and McLennan Park. The K-W Humane Society also offers a leash free dog park at its Riverbend Drive facility. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-5 AGE 3 - 99 Kiwanis Park Opened in 2009 and located at 600 Kiwanis Dr., the park offers a 2.5 hectare (6.3 ac.), fully fenced area where residents with medium to large dogs can exercise their pets; as well as a .25 hectare (.63 ac.) area that is reserved just for small dogs that are under 11 kg (25 lbs.). The leash free dog park incorporates the pa McLennan Park Opened in 2005 and located on Ottawa St. S., the park offers a 0.7 hectare (2.0 ac.), fully fenced area for off leash dogs to run. The site offers nearby parking and a water tap. Appendix XIV, Parkland Amenities shows the location of the dog parks in Kitchener. 3.3.6.6 Picnic Shelters The city offers picnic shelters in several parks throughout the city, free of charge on a first-come first- served basis, at the Breithaupt Centre, Eby Park and Victoria Park. The gazebo at McLennan Park and the picnic and shelter area at Kiwanis Park are also available for bookings. Appendix XIV, Parkland Amenities shows the location of picnic shelters within the city. 3.3.6.7 Toboggan Hills McLennan Park offers our premier toboggan run, during park hours. Additional smaller toboggan areas are also informally provided within parks throughout the city. These locations are shown on Appendix XIV, Parkland Amenities. 3.3.6.8 Outdoor Courts The purpose of outdoor courts throughout the city is to provide accessible sport opportunities. All courts are free and available to use on a first-come, first-served basis. Basketball courts are available in these parks: Admiral Park, Belmont Park, Bridgeport Community Centre, Caryndale Park, Centreville Chicopee Community Centre, Chandler Mowat Community Centre, Country Hills Community Centre, Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre, Forest Heights Community Centre, George Lippert Park, Glendale Park, Guelph Park, McLennan Park, Mill Courtland Community Centre, Sandhills Park, Timberlane Park, Vanier Park, Weber Park, Wilson Park, Windale Park, Yellow Birch Park, and Tremaine Park. Beach volleyball courts are available at McLennan and Kiwanis parks. Tennis courts are located at: Admiral Park, Belmont Park, Budd Park, Kaufman Park, Heritage Park, Country Hills Park, Eby Park, Forest Heights Collegiate Institute, Franklin Park, George Lippert Park, Glendale Park, Highland Courts Park, Margaret Avenue Public School, Montgomery Park, Notre Dame School, Stanley Park Senior Public School, Sunnyside Public School, and Weber Park. Appendix XVI, Outdoor Courts shows the location of the outdoor courts throughout the city. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-6 AGE 3 - 100 3.3.7Sports Fields There are a number of sports fields throughout the City of Kitchener that can be used to hold practices, games or tournaments for various sports such as baseball, soccer, field hockey, rugby, ultimate and are owned and maintained by the city Board or the Waterloo Catholic District School Board. 3.3.7.1 Athletic Fields Table 3-6 Athletic Fields Field Attributes Service Standard A1 Quality Fields Budd Park #1, 2, 3, 4 Change rooms, lights 1.Irrigated turf/playing surface Centennial Stadium Lights 2. Lines painted weekly for sport specific use Eastwood Collegiate Forest Heights Collegiate main 4. Washrooms and/or portable toilets Grand River Collegiate Fields 5.Change rooms where available Huron Heights Main Field 6.Lights where available Kauffman Field 1 Meinzinger Park (5 minis) Resurrection Catholic Secondary Woodside Synthetic turf, lights A2 Quality Fields Bridgeport #1, 2 Portable toilet 1.Playing surface not irrigated Budd Park #5, 6 Portable toilet 2.Lines painted weekly as required Fisher #1, 2 Huron Heights Practice Portable toilet Kaufman Park #2 Wilson Park Grand River Portable toilet B1 Quality Fields Biehn Park Knollwood Park 1.Playing surface not irrigated Carlyle Park Laurentian Park 1 & 2 2.Lines painted by schedule basis (2wk rotation) Cloverdale Park KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-7 AGE 3 - 101 Country Hills Park Meadowlane Park 3.Two week mowing rotation Countryside Park Morgan park Driftwood Park Morrison Park Eby Park Westheights Park Idlewood Park Westwood Park Kiwanis S1 Quality Fields School Montgomery 1.Playing surface not irrigated 2.Lines painted by schedule basis (2wk rotation) 3.Two week mowing rotation S2 Quality Fields - School Crestview Smithson 1.Playing surface not irrigated Driftwood Southridge 2.Lines and mowing on a 3wk rotation Forest Heights (6 micros) St. Dominic Savio Mackenzie King Sunnyside Queen Elizabeth Trillium Queensmount Westheights Rockway 3.3.7.2 Diamonds Table 3-7 Diamonds Diamond Attributes Service Standard A1 Quality Diamond City Breithaupt #1, 2, 3 No lights 1.Clay surface Budd Park #1, 2 Change rooms 2.Infield groomed daily Lions #2 Jack Couch Change rooms 4.Backstop, team benches, outfield fencing Joe Thompson 5.Irrigated playing surface Peter Hallman #1, 2, 3 6.Regulation pitching and home plates Rosenburg #1, 2 7.Washrooms and/or portable toilet 8.Lights where available at additional costs KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-8 AGE 3 - 102 Diamond Attributes Service Standard A2 Quality Diamond - City Bridgeport #1, 2, 3 #2 no fence 1.Clay or stone dust infield Fischer park Lights 2.Infield groomed daily Southwest Optimist #1, 2, 3, 4 #3, #5 no fence 4.Backstop, team benches, outfield fencing Wilson #1, 2, 3 #2 no fence, washrooms 5.Playing surface not irrigated 6.Regulation pitching and home plates 7.Portable washrooms 8.Lights where available at additional costs B1 Quality Diamond - City Carlyle park Knollwood park 1.Stonedust infield surface Cherry Park Midland Park 2.Groomed weekly during schedule Country Hills Park Morrison Park 3.Backstop and team benches Crosby Park Queensmount Park 4.Pitching and home plate Driftwood Park Rittenhouse 5.Two week mowing rotation East Forest Park Rolling Meadows Park 6.Litter facilities and pick up weekly Forest Hill Park Southridge Park 7.Unirrigated playing surface Franklin Park Southwest Optimist #5 Greengable Park Voison Park Gzowski Park Weber Park Hillside Park Westheights Park Hofstetter Park Westwood Idlewood S2 Quality Diamond School Sites Alpine Smithson 1.Stonedust infield Driftwood Southridge 2.Groomed weekly during field scheduling Franklin St. Aloysius 3.Backstop John Sweeney St. Paul 4.Home plate Mackenzie King St. Timothy 5.Two week mowing rotation Monsignor Gleason Sunnyside 6.Litter facilities and pick up weekly Queen Elizabeth Trillium 7.Unirrigated playing surface Sheppard Wilson Ave. Sports Field information taken from City of Kitchener Sports Fields web page (June 2013) KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-9 AGE 3 - 103 3.3.7.3 Indoor Field Houses and Stadiums Budd Park indoor field house is primarily a three season facility that offers an arena style boarded soccer sports like lacrosse, ultimate, field hockey and other grass sports. The facility also offers a lounge for meeting space and/or birthday parties and four dressing rooms that are also accessible to the outdoor users during the summer season. 3.3.7.4 Lawn Bowling The city leases land to two different lawn bowling clubs offering programs to the community. The Heritage Greens Lawn Bowling Club moved to its current location at the Grand River Recreation Complex replacing the previous Rockway Lawn Bowling Club. The facility offers two playing greens and a full service club house that has been host to both national and provincial championships. The Kitchener Lawn Bowling Club, operating since 1902, plays out of their facility in Highland Park, which offers a single 10 rink green and a full service club house. 3.3.7.5 KW Gym/Judo Club The gym/judo training centre was built in 1990 in cooperation with the cities of Kitchener and Waterloo; the K-W Gymnastics Club and the Asahi Judo Club. The facility and land are owned by the City of Kitchener, but the facility is leased and operated by both sports clubs. The facility is divided into two parts providing a third of the facility to the Asahi Judo Club and its needs of a reception area, office, training areas and dressing rooms. The other part of the facility is dedicated to the K-W Gymnastics Club that utilizes one main training area, reception, offices, dressing rooms, board room, viewing gallery for parents and a small training space for young children. The two clubs share a common lobby with public restrooms and parking lot. Appendix XV, Sports Fields shows the location of the sports fields, diamonds and other field amenities throughout the city. 3.3.8Integrated Transportation System Public transit, walking and cycling are quickly becoming the transportation modes of choice for many residents in our community. The city is encouraging these sustainable modes of transportation by moving towards an integrated transportation system with things like our trails, cycling and transportation master plans. The goal is to develop the infrastructure to allow citizens to travel throughout the region without the use of their car and support regional bus and planned rapid transit service. Some of the objectives of the study include: Develop guiding transportation policies for subjects ranging from traffic control (traffic signals, roundabouts) through to parking requirements, road noise mitigation and truck route management Setting short, medium, and long term goals KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-10 AGE 3 - 104 Provide transportation planning direction for enhanced alternative modes of transportation (walking, cycling, and transit) Figure 3-1Integrated Transportation System Integrated Transportation System information taken from City of Kitchener web page (June 2013) KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-11 AGE 3 - 105 3.3.8.1 Multi-Use Pathways The Multi-Use Pathways and Trails Master Plan (2012) includes an implementation strategy to guide the city in improving its multi-use pathway and trail infrastructure over the next 10+ years and beyond. The proposed implementation plan consists of three phases: short term 0-5 years, medium term 6-10 years and long term 10 plus years. Appendix XII, Multi-Use Pathways shows the location of the active primary and secondary pathways, proposed primary and secondary pathways, and light rail transit corridor. Figure 3-2 Multi-Use Pathways and Community Trail Network Phasing Multi-Use Pathways and Trails Master Plan (2012), Figure 5-2 Network Phasing KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-12 AGE 3 - 106 3.3.8.2 Cycling Master Plan, 2010 st The Cycling Master Plan for the 21 Century (2010) is intended to attract new cyclists, strengthen bicycle policies, create a bikeway network on city streets, increase bicycle parking, expand programs to support bicycling, increase funding for bicycle facilities and create a sustainable culture of cycling development. The Cycling Master Plan proposes both a network of bikeways to be implemented over time, policies to support making Kitchener a bicycle-friendly City, and related practices and programs to further those policies into action. Staff and elected officials at every level of government have recognized that cycle- friendly programs and infrastructure are key elements of public health, urban quality of life, and the efficient use of motor vehicle More information about the Cycling Master Plan is contained in roadways. section 5.7.1 of this report. Appendix XIII, Cycling Routes shows the active and proposed on-road cycling network throughout the city. 3.3.8.3 Rapid Transit Waterloo region is one of the fastest growing communities in Canada. With a population of more than 500,000, and expected growth to 729,000 within the next 20 years, the Region of Waterloo is planning now for the challenges and opportunities associated with rapid population and employment growth. Rapid transit is a key element that will help shape the future of our growing community. Light rail transit corridor is shown on Appendix XII, Multi-Use Pathways and Appendix XIII, Cycling Routes. Figure 3-3 Waterloo Region Transit System Route Map (2012) KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-13 AGE 3 - 107 According to the information on the Region of Waterloo rapid transit web page (June 2013), the next steps for the rapid transit project are: ABRT) in construction of stage 1 light rail transit (LRT) 3.4Participation and Utilization Profile The following material provides indications of utilization levels for some of the core services within the leisure services delivery model implemented by the community services department and infrastructure services department. 3.4.1Aquatics Tables 3-8 and 3-9 profile the usage of the City of Kitchener aquatic facilities in terms of bather load, or number of actual swimmers and number of hours rented per year. This data is derived from a combination of program registration, rentals and physical head counts conducted by city staff. In total, over 389,000 swimmers participated in programs that took place in the four indoor and four outdoor facilities throughout the city. The dominant use across all facilities is recreational swims/aqua fitness and lessons, which constitute approximately 93% of total utilization. Swimmers participating through rentals and school board utilization constitute approximately 27,000 hours or 7% of total utilization. Pool space on evenings and weekends is in high demand by numerous user groups for example o swim lessons, adult aquatic fitness programs (lane swim and aqua fitness) and aquatic sport groups. Pool space is near capacity at all indoor facilities during these prime times. In terms of indoor pools utilization, there is variability amongst the use of pools with Forest Heights and Lyle Hallman pools showing the greatest amount of utilization around direct programs and recreational swims. Warm water pools at both Forest Heights and Breithaupt are near full capacity as a result of an increasing demand with preschool lessons and aqua fitness programs for individuals with medical conditions such as arthritis and fibromyalgia. At the Breithaupt pool, the public swims continue to be the more dominant use of that facility. With the use of Federal and Provincial infrastructure programs, a major renovation was conducted to improve the family change rooms resulting in a renewed interest in the facility particularity with families. Breithaupt pool was closed for part of 2011 and 2012 during the renovation, affecting their overall utilization as reported in Table 3-8. The Cameron Heights pool sees the least amount of utilization (21,238 swimmers) but carries almost half of the total rental hours for all the indoor pools. It should be noted that Cameron Heights pool is KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-14 AGE 3 - 108 located in a high school and has no exterior access. This limits the hours of operation to non-school hour times giving this pool a significantly different use profile and volume level. Cameron Heights pool has been positioned increasingly as a specialty pool where aquatic clubs and other types of uses, such as rentals, have been more centralized. Day-time school board use has been on the decline (average of 5,000 swimmers per year) as a result of budget cuts experienced by the school board, primarily to cover the cost of lifeguards and teacher qualifications. The City of Kitchener took over operation of Kiwanis Park in 2008. Therefore, its utilization was not included in the 2005 report. As the largest outdoor pool, Kiwanis Park pool shows the greatest amount of utilization with nearly 60% of total bather load for all outdoor pools. Harry Class pool, which had the most significant attendance in the 2005 report, is still consistently used with over 30,000 visits. As one of the oldest outdoor pools, Harry Class pool went through a major renovation in 2011 to improve accessibility and provide an overall facelift. Idlewood and Wilson pools have visitation levels in the 4,000 and 3,500 range respectively, of which public swims are the most dominant use with 80% of utilization for both pools. Wilson outdoor pool also experienced a renovation in 2011 to improve accessibility. The substantial number of visits to the pools indicates the importance of public swims, swim lessons and related programs to the community. It should be noted that Cameron Heights pool is in a different market segment category and utilization level, which could indicate a gap in service levels within the downtown area. The outdoor pools are important city-wide resources with Kiwanis Park providing a destination facility. Harry Class, Wilson and Idlewood pools provide a valued neighbourhood resource. Table 3-8 Pool Attendance by Program and Facility 2012 Recreational Swims/ Lessons Rentals Total (hours) Aqua Fitness Indoor Pools Breithaupt 27,536 23,544 4,618 55,698 Forest Heights 39,988 66,547 5,433 111,968 Lyle Hallman 52,408 65,820 765 118,993 Cameron Heights 7,305 5,233 8,700 21,238 Total 127,237 161,144 19,516 307,897 KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-15 AGE 3 - 109 Outdoor Pools Idlewood 3,503 234 291 4,028 Wilson 2,458 241 872 3,571 Harry Class 26,939 2,705 648 30,292 Kiwanis Park 36,927 141 6,153 43,221 Total 69,827 3,321 7,964 81,112 Total indoor + outdoor 197,064 164,465 27,480 389,009 Table 3-9 Comparison of Attendance Totals for all Pools from 2004-2012 2004 2008 2012 % change from 2004 to 2012 Recreational Swims/ Aqua 157,411 155,357 197,064 20% Fitness Lessons 133,920 145,854 164,465 19% Total 291,331 301,211 361,529 19% 3.4.2Community Resource Centres and School Usage The City of Kitchener operates 14 community resource centres for use by the public to meet a variety of needs. These include the ability to access affordable recreation programs, to access resource services, as a gathering place for community celebrations and special events. Tables 3-10 and 3-11 indicate the availability and scheduled use of these centres. The data does not reflect the informal use of the centre, the resources and the amenities. Usage and attendance levels tend to be reflective of the size and location of the centre, as well as the interest and capacity of the neighbourhood association in community programming. The data in the following tables is collected by staff at each centre. This includes programs provided by our neighbourhood associations, programs provided through partnerships, direct city programs and facility rentals. It does not reflect the informal use of the centres, use of facility amenities, or service provision by centre staff. Because neighbourhood associations are volunteer based, we can expect to see fluctuations in program and service delivery. It will be important to continue to tap into partnerships, alternative service delivery and direct programs to complement neighbourhood association programming and ensure that there is a wide range of programs and services offered and available to meet the diverse needs of the community. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-16 AGE 3 - 110 Table 3-10 Community Resource Centre Usage (attendance) 2011 Direct Collaboration/ Facility NA Program Program Partnership Rental Total Breithaupt 135 55,519 17,791 4,106 77,551 Bridgeport 0 0 0 0 0 Centreville-Chicopee 5,355 6,202 3,308 6,997 21,862 Country Hills 25,437 1,211 4,748 17,463 48,859 Chandler Mowat 2,583 97 7,019 4,291 13,990 Downtown 6,504 36,454 27,207 9,620 79,785 Doon Pioneer Park 21,134 3,393 5,722 10,326 40,575 Forest Heights 26,173 3,655 0 16,266 46,094 Kingsdale 3,233 1,500 2,016 4,146 10,895 Mill Courtland 29,557 57 5,546 5,384 40,544 Rockway 0 35,920 1,580 12,041 49,541 Stanley Park 33,883 9,157 39,649 9,190 91,879 Victoria Hills 32,120 1,705 10,367 18,248 62,440 Williamsburg 3,823 54 190 875 4,942 Total 189,937 154,924 125,143 118,953 588,957 Table 3-11 Community Resource Centre Usage (attendance) 2012 Direct Collaboration/ Facility NA Program Program Partnership Rental Total Breithaupt 55 54,076 20,720 4,229 79,080 Bridgeport 3,489 1,292 1,445 4,456 10,682 Centreville-Chicopee 3,763 4,136 2,305 4,037 14,241 Country Hills 23,838 1,087 4,671 15,247 44,843 Chandler Mowat 1,220 1,646 5,360 5,116 13,342 Downtown 6,562 36,679 20,984 6,904 71,129 Doon Pioneer Park 21,633 2,810 5,205 9,917 39,565 Forest Heights 26,821 3,298 0 16,598 46,717 Kingsdale 5,673 2,207 320 8,885 17,085 Mill Courtland 26,258 11 5,204 4,902 36,375 Rockway 0 37,686 1,225 18,430 57,341 Stanley Park 31,925 7,704 37,711 7,467 84,807 Victoria Hills 31,094 3,079 11,588 19,525 65,286 Williamsburg 3,553 108 0 947 4,608 Total 185,884 155,819 116,738 126,660 585,101 KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-17 AGE 3 - 111 Schools and Churches Facility Use Schools and churches continue to be a good resource to supplement space requirements for community programs. The data in Table 3-12 demonstrate that quite a number of schools and churches are utilized widely across the City of Kitchener. The data also shows that some schools and churches are utilized some years and not in other years. There are many factors that impact that usage pattern including school renovations, program cancellations due to limited registrations and/or the opening of a new or expanded community resource centre. The use of schools and churches are important in the delivery of leisure programs in neighbourhoods. Over 32 schools and churches were used for children and adult programs as well as for special events. The ability to develop, nurture and sustain relationships will impact the continued use of these facilities. Table 3-12 School and Church Usage 2011 2012 Facility Hours of Use Attendance Hours of Use Attendance Alpine School 105 13 0 0 A.R. Kaufman School 79 1,480 68 1,208 Blessed Kateri 174 191 132 148 Blessed Sacrament 93 1,063 105 1,760 Bridgeport School 210 119 0 0 Brigadoon School 270 168 138 60 Carmichael School 150 50 195 74 Courtland School 352 418 27 425 Forest Hills School 0 0 4 13 Freedom In Christ Church 21 66 6 36 Gathering Church 29 36 0 0 Glencairn School 92 37 39 23 John Darling School 210 79 170 61 John Sweeney School 75 96 172 227 King Edward School 115 23 150 37 Lackner Woods School 210 120 195 92 Laurentian School 30 75 16 32 MacKenzie King School 165 39 100 20 Margaret Avenue School 0 0 165 58 Meadowlane School 0 0 210 117 Preuter School 110 93 0 0 KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-18 AGE 3 - 112 2011 2012 Facility Hours of Use Attendance Hours of Use Attendance Salvation Army Church 0 0 3 12 Sandhills School 180 98 210 79 Sheppard School 210 286 210 257 Smithson School 95 26 70 7 Southridge School 175 31 115 25 St. Anne's School 0 0 210 103 St. Stephen Church 360 1,050 432 1,122 Westheights School 270 186 64 79 Williamsburg School 291 147 319 332 Wilson School 210 86 195 43 WT Townshend School 240 191 247 77 Special Events (multiple schools) 460 2,000 525 2,230 Total 4,982 8,267 4,494 8,757 3.4.3KMAC and Community Arenas Tables 3-13 and 3-14 survey the usage patterns for the ten indoor arenas (versus eight in 2005) in Kitchener. The data is derived from weekly schedules developed and maintained by staff of the department. The weekly schedules detail the confirmed arena bookings for the 2012/2013 season. Accordingly, the arena utilization tables that follow show the utilization rate for an average week at each arena. In Kitchener, Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex (KMAC) and Activa Sportsplex facilities are open 18 hours a day, seven days a week. This leads to approximately 126 hours of operation per facility each week. Sportsworld, Don McLaren, Lions and Grand River are open 16 hours a day, seven days a week. This leads to approximately 112 hours of operation per arena each week. The hours of operation are divided into prime time and non-prime time hours. Prime time is considered to be weekdays from 5 p.m. to close (close will vary at each facility), as well as all day Saturday and Sunday. Non-prime time is considered to be weekdays from open to 5 p.m.. To gauge the effectiveness of the Kitchener arenas, both the prime time and non-prime time utilization rates are examined. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-19 AGE 3 - 113 Table 3-13 KMAC and Community Arenas Prime Time Arena Utilization per Week 2012/2013 Season Hours of Scheduled Hours Available Hours Facility Operation Maintenance For Booking Booked % Utilization Dom Cardillo 69 7 62 54 87% Don McLaren 69 7 62 58 94% Grand River 70 7 63 60 95% Kinsmen 69 7 62 60 97% Kiwanis 69 7 62 60 97% Lions 69 7 62 54 87% Activa Sportsplex P. J. Doherty 69 7 62 57 92% Alumni 69 7 69 60 87% Sportsworld Spectator 72 7 65 60 92% Practice 70 7 63 59 93% Total 695 70 632 582 92% *Note: Activa Sportsplex and Sportsworld added since 2005 LFMP The prime time utilization rates indicate that in most arenas there is an effective balance between demand and supply for prime time hours. All arenas have prime time utilization rates above 87%. However, overall ice demand has declined. Percentages are a result of facility efficiency (staffing to program needs), not client usage. Facilities are being used less. Additionally, the late night hours of operation have continued to decline. In 2005, between 11 p.m. and 12 a.m. utilization was 23% and between 12 a.m. and 1 a.m. utilization was 1%. Currently none of the rentals end at 1 a.m.. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-20 AGE 3 - 114 Table 3-14 KMAC and Community Arenas Non-Prime Time Utilization Per Week 2012/2013 Season Hours of Scheduled Hours Available Hours Facility % Utilization Operation Maintenance For Booking Booked Dom Cardillo 38 14 24 20 83% Don McLaren 32 10 22 7 32% Grand River 32 10 22 22 100% Kinsmen 41 6 35 12 34% Kiwanis 45 6 39 8 21% Lions 32 10 22 8 36% Activa Sportsplex P. J. Doherty 44 8.5 35.5 14 39% Alumni 44 8.5 35.5 15 42% Sportsworld Spectator 41 9.5 31.5 4 13% Practice 41 9.5 31.5 4 13% Total 390 92 298 114 38% *Note: community arenas closed 12-4 p.m. Non-prime time arena utilization rates are low at 38% versus 92% utilization during prime time. Effective scheduling has been done at Dom Cardillo and Grand River arenas with 83% and 100% utilization respectively during non- programs at Grand River provide the high utilization during non-prime hours. Sportsworld has a considerable amount of ice time available during non-prime hours with 13% utilization. Non-prime time hours are the biggest challenge and the most difficult hours to utilize in the industry. 3.4.4Kitchener Cemeteries Table 3-15 profiles the utilization of the City of Kitchener cemeteries. This data is derived from confirmation numbers that are created by the cemeteries administrative staff and is used for internal purposes. Total burial numbers are submitted to the Ministry of Business and Consumer Enterprise but are not confirmed or verified in any way by the Ministry. In 2012, there were a total of 729 burials versus 743 burials in 2011. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-21 AGE 3 - 115 The City of Kitchener cremates approximately 600 individuals annually. Table 3-14 illustrates a 54% to 46% ratio of casket burials to cremations in 2012 and a 51% to 49% ratio in 2011. Currently Kitchener/Waterloo is at a 50% cremation rate. A growing trend in the industry is families choosing "basic" services from a transfer service operator rather than having an elaborate funeral through a funeral home. Families are then having services and casual gatherings in churches, halls, golf courses and community centres, including Williamsburg's Dedication Centre. This is a choice that can be economical and flexible, occurring in a peaceful setting where the interment can also take place. Table 3-15 Cemetery Services Utilization, Casket/Cremation Facility 2011 2012 Casket Cremation Total Casket Cremation Total Williamsburg 115 116 231 115 110 225 Woodland 213 202 415 221 192 413 Bridgeport 3 8 11 3 3 6 Mount Hope 15 22 37 15 25 40 St. Peter's 21 16 37 17 7 24 Other* 12 0 12 20 1 21 Totals 379 364 743 391 338 729 Ratio % 51% 49% 54% 46% *Other-burial services provided to non-municipal cemeteries Williamsburg's Dedication Centre is located in the center of the cemetery, in a rapidly growing community in Kitchener. The dedication centre is multi-functional and serves not only bereaved families but also the community at large. In 2009 and 2010 Williamsburg Dedication Centre hosted 37 services. In 2011 and 2012 these numbers grew significantly to 61 and 63 services, respectively as shown in Table 3-16. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-22 AGE 3 - 116 Table 3-16 Williamsburg Dedication Centre Usage Type of Service 2009 2010 2011 2012 Memorial Services 37 37 61 63 Monthly Info Seminars 6 3 6 6 Weddings 5 1 0 0 Business Meetings 0 0 0 3 Specific Group Meetings 1 2 2 3 Totals 49 43 69 75 The back of the dedication centre houses Kitchener's crematorium which includes a garage and refrigeration facilities. A growing trend at the crematorium is families witnessing the cremation process, in particular, cultural groups within the community. After many efforts by Kitchener Cemeteries, the community is seeing cemeteries, in particular Williamsburg, as more than just a cemetery. This is demonstrated in more individuals utilizing the hiking trails, catch and release fishing at the pond, bird watching in the wetlands and roller blading on the cemetery roadways. 3.4.5Kitchener Golf The 2012 memberships sold at Kitchener Golf were almost equally represented in each of the three main membership classifications: 191 adult members, 171 senior members and 207 youth members. This balance within the memberships sold has a positive impact on the tee times utilized by the members due to the preferred tee times for each of these classifications. Traditionally the seniors play early morning, youth play afternoons and evenings and the adults play afternoons and weekends. In 2012 National Golf Foundation Consulting Inc. (NGF) completed an operational review of the two Kitchener Golf properties. Within their report they determined there were 23 regulation public golf courses within 25 km of either of the Kitchener owned courses and that there were 65,311 golfing households within Waterloo Region. The annual projected rounds per golf courses was identified as 21,130. The Kitchener Golf courses opened early in 2012, Rockway on March 22 and Doon Valley on March 24 for weekends and April 5 for weekdays. Doon Valley closed October 21. Rockway closed November 1. In 2012 Kitchener Golf recorded a total of 83,151 rounds for the 18 hole course at Rockway, 18-hole course and 9-hole course at Doon Valley as shown in Table 3-17. Even though the number of rounds recorded in 2012 exceeded the rounds projected by NGF it was evident that due to the competition and the need to price green fees at an affordable rate that the 83,151 rounds were needed in order to meet KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-23 AGE 3 - 117 Green fee rounds accounted for 63% of the rounds played in 2012 while member rounds accounted for 28% and tournament rounds accounted for 6%. Targeting and growing tournaments will be an area of focus for golf to utilize the courses in the weekday afternoons when the demand for tee times is lower and to grow guaranteed revenues. Tournaments play rain or shine and usually have a meal included in their day. The tournament focus will have a number of challenges due to business and corporate reductions in budgets and staff time to coordinate golf events. Table 3-17 Kitchener Golf Participation and Utilization, 2012 Doon Valley Rockway Kitchener Golf Round Type Number of Rounds Number of Rounds Total Greens Fees 30,231 22,572 52,803 Member Rounds 10,752 12,264 23,016 Starter/Marshall Rounds 899 1,045 1,944 Staff Green Fee 388 327 715 Tournament Check-in Rounds 1,807 3,330 5,137 Total 44,077 39,538 83,651 3.4.6Sports Fields/Diamonds City of Kitchener operations staff maintains approximately 143 sports fields that are general divided in to two types of diamonds and multi-use fields. The city also has one indoor artificial turf facility within its inventory. There are some commonalities found across all sports fields in that multi-use fields and diamonds are in the heaviest demand through the prime time evening hours of Monday to Thursday during the core summer months of May, June, July and August. Also, the use of sports fields on elementary school properties are in a general decline based on change of school curriculum, in the case of softball and as a result of the overall quality of these fields due to the difficulty in access to provide basic maintenance. The data in the following table is derived directly from rented hours of use during the 2012 season. Multi-use fields are used by youth and adult sports groups which include soccer, football, lacrosse, field hockey, rugby and ultimate as the main users with soccer representing the largest percentage of use. The multi-use fields are maintained to a predetermined classification that outlines general and seasonal maintenance, frequency of cut schedules based on turf length, lining frequency and irrigation. The classification ranges from A1 multi-use fields which are all irrigated and maintained to the highest standard to S2 fields that are located on mostly elementary school properties. User fees are calculated according to the classification operating standard. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-24 AGE 3 - 118 There are 73 multi-use fields of which there are two grass fields and five A1 natural grass fields dedicated to mini-soccer at Meinzinger Park. In 2012, the A1 multi-use fields were booked for just over 5,000 hours almost half of the approximate 11,200 hours of total field use (see Table 3-18). Since 2005 the inventory of full sized A1 multi- use fields has more than doubled, which includes the reconfiguration of Woodside Park to include two -use sport fields. The change to artificial grass dramatically increases the capacity of A1 multi-use fields from a maximum of 450 hours of use per season (including a three week maintenance shut down) to 2,500 hours of available time on each of the Woodside Park fields. Woodside Park also has two of the four multi-use fields currently with lights, an increase of only one lit field from 2005. As can be seen in Table 3-18 the utilization for the other classifications of multi-use fields drops consistently with each category of playing surface. The A2 to S1 fields do not have a cap on the amount of use as set for A1 multi-use fields, thus there is significantly more available hours of (28 multi-use fields). Diamonds are booked by youth and adult sports groups which include baseball, t-ball, fast-pitch and slow-pitch softball. There are approximately 70 diamonds maintained by the city to a predetermined classification that outlines general and seasonal maintenance, frequency of cut schedules based on turf length, lining frequency and irrigation. The classification ranges from A1 diamonds which are all irrigated and maintained to the highest standard and can have infields of either clay or stone dust to S2 diamonds that are located on mostly elementary school properties. User fees are calculated according to the classification operating standard. The difficulty incurred with maintaining a varied inventory of diamonds is that each type of diamond sport has specific field requirements, such as base pad distance, outfield fencing distance and backstop height that are required to meet the sports standard of play and safety expectations. Of the 70 diamonds the utilization is heavily weighted to both the A1 and A2 classification of fields hours book number of A1 and A2 diamonds. As seen in Table 3-18 inventory is considerably lower than either of the A1 or A2 diamonds. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-25 AGE 3 - 119 Like multi-use sport fields, diamond use is predominately focused on the months of May, June, July and August during the Monday to Thursday prime time hours. However, diamonds saw much greater tournament use in 2012 with just over 1,600 hours booked lending to greater use over the weekend times then did multi-use fields. The City of Kitchener has one indoor artificial grass surface at Budd Park. The prime utilization for this facility is from mid-October through to the end of February with slightly less use in the shoulder seasons of the fall and spring seasons as the facility is not open during the summer months. As seen in Table 3- 18 of the approximate 2,000 hours available during both the prime and shoulder seasons, the facility has a strong utilization rate of 85% or approximately 1,700 hours of use. During the prime season, this is mostly attributable to minor soccer, whereas, in the shoulder season there is increasing demand from other sports (baseball, softball, ultimate, field hockey, lacrosse) in preparation for the outdoor season. Table 3-18 Sports Fields and Diamonds Utilization, 2012 Sport Fields Hours Available Hours Booked % of Utilization A1 14,000 5,055 36% A2 10,075 2,326 23% B 21,700 3,256 15% S 7,750 596 8% Indoor Field 2,000 1,700 85% Diamonds Hours Available Hours Booked % of Utilization A1 17,225 5,193 30% A2 10,850 3,551 33% B 20,150 3,601 18% S 13,950 1,180 8% A1 Sport Field Seasonal Hours Available Hours Booked % of Utilization May - October (25 weeks) 14,000 5,055 36% May - October (Monday-Thursday) 7,700 2,955 38% May - August (Monday- Thursday) 4,540 2,600 57% KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-26 AGE 3 - 120 3.5Financial Operations 3.5.1Operating Budget Tables 3-19, 3-20, and 3-21 on the following pages, provide an overview of the actual operating expenditures and revenues for 2010 to 2012. Figures for areas tied directly to the services within the scope of this update have been included. The financial results indicate that expenditures in the relevant areas were $31,681,811 in 2010, $31,455,387 in 2011 and $33,798,089 in 2012. The total increase in expenditures from 2010 to 2012 is $2,116,278 or 6.7%. The top three areas of expenditure are KMAC and community arenas, aquatics and athletics and community resource centres. The financial results also indicate that revenues in the relevant areas were $14,486,676 in 2010, $14,554,641 in 2011 and $15,216,904 in 2012. The total increase in revenues from 2010 to 2012 is $730,227 or 5.0%. The top three areas of revenue generation are KMAC and community arenas, aquatics and athletics and Kitchener Golf. A key method used to highlight the relationship between expenditures and the resulting revenues created is the revenue coverage percentage. Overall, the revenue coverage percentage for leisure services was 45.7% in 2010, 46.3% in 2011, and 45.0% in 2012. Areas that had significant revenue coverage include aquatics and athletics, enterprise administration, Kitchener Cemeteries, KMAC and community arenas and Kitchener Golf. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-27 AGE 3 - 121 Table 3-19 2010 Operating Financial Review Revenue DivisionSectionExpendituresRevenues Net + (-)Coverage % /◘▓▓ĵ■╜ĊŦ tʼn◘┼ʼnĂ▓ℓ Ǖ {śʼnō╜ľśℓ Administration 376,971 34,977 (341,994)9.3% Aquatics & Athletics 3,984,637 2,938,186 (1,046,450) 73.7% Community Resource Centres 3,252,875 598,233 (2,654,642) 18.4% Programs & Services 2,187,542 751,431 (1,436,111) 34.4% Support Services 181,501 667 (180,834)0.4% 9■Ċśʼn♫ʼn╜ℓś {śʼnō╜ľśℓ Administration 221,127 11,073 (210,054)5.0% Cemeteries 1,512,105 1,583,595 71,490104.7% KMAC & Arenas 5,506,461 5,045,343 (461,118)91.6% D◘▄ź /◘ĵʼnℓśℓ Kitchener Golf 3,618,481 2,928,092 (690,389)80.9% h♫śʼnĂĊ╜◘■ℓ Environmental Services 1,950,240 25,498 (1,924,742) 1.3% Minor Improvements 640,852 - (640,852)0.0% Sportsfields, Parks & Sites 1,627,033 498,343 (1,128,691) 30.6% Turf & Rinks 1,491,520 8,381 (1,483,139) 0.6% CĂľ╜▄╜Ċ╜śℓ aĂ■Ă┼ś▓ś■Ċ Arenas 949,188 - (949,188)0.0% Cemeteries 79,785 - (79,785) 0.0% Community Centres 1,337,401 10,499 (1,326,903) 0.8% Pools 1,335,409 31,358 (1,304,051) 2.3% Other Building Maintenance 1,428,684 21,000 (1,407,684) 1.5% TOTAL$ 31,681,811 $ 14,486,676 $ (17,195,135)45.7% KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-28 AGE 3 - 122 Table 3-20 2011 Operating Financial Review Revenue DivisionSectionExpendituresRevenues Net + (-)Coverage % /◘▓▓ĵ■╜ĊŦ tʼn◘┼ʼnĂ▓ℓ Ǖ {śʼnō╜ľśℓ Administration 388,698 16,572 (372,126)4.3% Aquatics & Athletics 3,926,946 2,905,715 (1,021,231) 74.0% Community Resource Centres 3,626,044 626,574 (2,999,470) 17.3% Programs & Services 2,319,450 769,090 (1,550,360) 33.2% Support Services 186,859 - (186,859)0.0% 9■Ċśʼn♫ʼn╜ℓś {śʼnō╜ľśℓ Administration 243,674 200 (243,474)0.1% Cemeteries 1,622,343 1,602,956 (19,387) 98.8% KMAC & Arenas 5,463,756 5,303,916 (159,840)97.1% D◘▄ź /◘ĵʼnℓśℓ Kitchener Golf 2,620,110 2,628,797 8,687 100.3% h♫śʼnĂĊ╜◘■ℓ Environmental Services 1,948,975 29,210 (1,919,765) 1.5% Minor Improvements 605,604 - (605,604)0.0% Sportsfields, Parks & Sites 1,689,251 476,085 (1,213,166) 28.2% Turf & Rinks 1,278,844 1,143 (1,277,702) 0.1% CĂľ╜▄╜Ċ╜śℓ aĂ■Ă┼ś▓ś■Ċ Arenas 1,003,824 25,524 (978,300)2.5% Cemeteries 110,956 25,525 (85,431) 23.0% Community Centres 1,505,024 46,492 (1,458,532) 3.1% Pools 1,347,432 43,162 (1,304,270) 3.2% Other Building Maintenance 1,567,597 53,680 (1,513,917) 3.4% TOTAL$ 31,455,387 $ 14,554,641 $ (16,900,746)46.3% KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-29 AGE 3 - 123 Table 3-21 2012 Operating Financial Review Revenue DivisionSectionExpendituresRevenues Net + (-)Coverage % /◘▓▓ĵ■╜ĊŦ tʼn◘┼ʼnĂ▓ℓ Ǖ {śʼnō╜ľśℓ Administration 390,966 10,600 (380,366)2.7% Aquatics & Athletics 3,993,110 2,784,100 (1,209,010) 69.7% Community Resource Centres 3,830,833 685,915 (3,144,918) 17.9% Programs & Services 2,417,199 908,281 (1,508,918) 37.6% Support Services 189,849 - (189,849)0.0% 9■Ċśʼn♫ʼn╜ℓś {śʼnō╜ľśℓ Administration 243,804 - (243,804)0.0% Cemeteries 1,710,144 1,854,570 144,426108.4% KMAC & Arenas 5,676,983 5,433,403 (243,580)95.7% D◘▄ź /◘ĵʼnℓśℓ Kitchener Golf 2,775,564 2,765,397 (10,167) 99.6% h♫śʼnĂĊ╜◘■ℓ Environmental Services 2,173,964 19,238 (2,154,726) 0.9% Minor Improvements 889,483 879 (888,604)0.1% Sportsfields, Parks & Sites 1,935,552 678,803 (1,256,749) 35.1% Turf & Rinks 1,701,144 28,419 (1,672,725) 1.7% CĂľ╜▄╜Ċ╜śℓ aĂ■Ă┼ś▓ś■Ċ Arenas 1,053,101 - (1,053,101) 0.0% Cemeteries 87,510 - (87,510) 0.0% Community Centres 1,663,361 6,855 (1,656,506) 0.4% Pools 1,407,402 40,444 (1,366,958) 2.9% Other Building Maintenance 1,658,121 - (1,658,121) 0.0% TOTAL$ 33,798,089 $ 15,216,904 $ (18,581,186)45.0% 3.5.2Capital Project Forecasts The City of Kitchener maintains a ten year capital project forecast. The ten year forecast itemizes the expected maintenance and repair of existing community services facilities and sites, while also planning financial expenditures for significant facility additions and the development of entirely new sites. Between 2013 and 2022, projected capital expenditures for leisure are expected to total $124,507,000. Over this ten year period, the largest expenditures include a new south district arena ($20M) , a new south district indoor pool ($15M), a new south district park ($10M), a new south district community centre ($5M), community trail development ($6M), and general park development ($5M). Table 3-22, highlights forecasted capital project expenditures on a year-to-year basis between 2013 and 2022. The total spending year to year is not constant across the forecast and is significantly higher in KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-30 AGE 3 - 124 2020 and 2021. The heavy concentration of spending in these years is the result of the major facility developments outlined above. Table 3-22 2013-) Capital Project2013201420152016201720182019202020212022Totals COMMUNITY PROGRAMS & SERVICES 293 237 245 4,832 2,141 1,013 1,696 8,226 5,575 4,925 29,183 ADMINISTRATION 10 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 13 13 117 AQUATICS & ATHLETICS 167 105 107 114 206 130 208 5,006 5,252 4,765 16,060 COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTRES 116 121 127 4,707 1,923 871 1,476 3,208 310 147 13,006 ENTERPRISE SERVICES DIVISION 1,984 1,302 764 1,191 1,203 1,542 787 11,551 10,380 3,495 34,199 CEMETERIES 493 44 136 521 503 504 41 1,464 338 44 4,088 KMAC & ARENAS 1,491 1,258 628 670 700 1,038 746 10,087 10,042 3,451 30,111 FACILITIES MANAGEMENT 1,103 834 924 918 925 977 998 1,021 1,043 1,064 9,807 GENERAL 1,103 834 924 918 925 977 998 1,021 1,043 1,064 9,807 OPERATIONS 5,756 3,539 4,619 3,218 6,586 3,275 11,717 5,026 3,256 3,306 50,298 ACTIVE PARKLAND 1,062 1,008 1,555 541 3,938 510 8,901 1,721 536 547 20,319 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 226 233 235 241 246 251 251 256 261 265 2,465 COMMUNITY TRAILS 2,378 522 490 534 532 653 673 727 704 757 7,970 FACILITIES MAINTENANCE 27 28 28 29 30 31 31 31 32 32 299 GRAND RIVER CORRIDOR 83 85 586 89 92 93 96 598 100 102 1,924 NATURAL AREAS 768 901 953 956 908 711 662 569 476 434 7,338 NEIGHBOURHOOD PARKS 1,212 762 772 828 840 1,026 1,103 1,124 1,147 1,169 9,983 GOLF COURSES 64 96 97 101 103 105 110 112 115 117 1,020 GOLF 64 96 97 101 103 105 110 112 115 117 1,020 Grand Total 9,200 6,008 6,649 10,260 10,958 6,912 15,308 25,936 20,369 12,907 124,507 Tables 3-23 to 3-25, detail the source of funding for the projects being initiated on a year-to-year basis. The majority of funding for capital projects is budgeted to come from one of two sources; development charges or the capital pool. Development charges are budgeted to fund $58M or nearly 47% of the capital program over the next 10 years. The costs of new facilities (e.g. south district arena, south district pool) are the most significant items funded by development charges. The capital pool is budgeted to fund $56M or nearly 45% of the capital program over the next 10 years. The capital pool funds the costs of significant repairs and maintenance of existing leisure infrastructure and also funds a portion of new facilities not covered through development charges. All other funding sources are budgeted to fund $10M or approximately 8% of the capital program over the next years. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-31 AGE 3 - 125 Table 3-23 Capital Funding Source2013201420152016201720182019202020212022Totals COMMUNITY PROGRAMS & SERVICES 293 237 245 4,832 2,141 1,013 1,696 8,226 5,575 4,925 29,183 ADMINISTRATION 10 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 13 13 117 Capital Pool 10 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 13 13 117 AQUATICS & ATHLETICS 167 105 107 114 206 130 208 5,006 5,252 4,765 16,060 Grant 38 38 76 Capital Pool 129 105 107 114 206 130 170 623 650 604 2,838 Development Charges 4,383 4,602 4,161 13,146 COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTRES 116 121 127 4,707 1,923 871 1,476 3,208 310 147 13,006 Capital Pool 116 121 127 1,008 1,171 767 139 1,872 310 147 5,778 Development Charges 3,699 752 104 1,337 1,336 7,228 ENTERPRISE SERVICES DIVISION 1,984 1,302 764 1,191 1,203 1,542 787 11,551 10,380 3,495 34,199 CEMETERIES 493 44 136 521 503 504 41 1,464 338 44 4,088 Capital Pool 493 44 41 435 459 460 41 992 338 44 3,347 Development Charges - 95 86 44 44 472 741 KMAC & ARENAS 1,491 1,258 628 670 700 1,038 746 10,087 10,042 3,451 30,111 Capital Pool 1,221 1,038 455 494 521 856 561 1,942 1,495 1,209 9,792 Reserve Funding 270 220 173 176 179 182 185 189 193 197 1,964 Development Charges 7,956 8,354 2,045 18,355 FACILITIES MANAGEMENT 1,103 834 924 918 925 977 998 1,021 1,043 1,064 9,807 GENERAL 1,103 834 924 918 925 977 998 1,021 1,043 1,064 9,807 Grant 200 200 Capital Pool 703 834 924 918 925 977 998 1,021 1,043 1,064 9,407 Reserve Funding 200 200 OPERATIONS 5,756 3,539 4,619 3,218 6,586 3,275 11,717 5,026 3,256 3,306 50,298 ACTIVE PARKLAND 1,062 1,008 1,555 541 3,938 510 8,901 1,721 536 547 20,319 Capital Pool 142 682 649 202 948 157 1,418 709 162 165 5,234 Reserve Funding 600 600 Development Charges 320 326 906 339 2,990 353 7,483 1,012 374 382 14,485 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 226 233 235 241 246 251 251 256 261 265 2,465 Capital Pool 226 233 235 241 246 251 251 256 261 265 2,465 COMMUNITY TRAILS 2,378 522 490 534 532 653 673 727 704 757 7,970 Grant 250 250 Capital Pool 178 181 176 179 202 282 329 340 343 354 2,564 Reserve Funding 1,650 1,650 Development Charges 47 82 49 84 51 86 53 88 55 91 686 Fed Gas Tax 253 259 265 271 279 285 291 299 306 312 2,820 FACILITIES MAINTENANCE 27 28 28 29 30 31 31 31 32 32 299 Capital Pool 27 28 28 29 30 31 31 31 32 32 299 GRAND RIVER CORRIDOR 83 85 586 89 92 93 96 598 100 102 1,924 Capital Pool 83 85 86 89 92 93 96 98 100 102 924 Reserve Funding 500 500 1,000 NATURAL AREAS 768 901 953 956 908 711 662 569 476 434 7,338 Capital Pool 448 901 953 956 908 711 662 569 476 434 7,018 Reserve Funding 320 320 NEIGHBOURHOOD PARKS 1,212 762 772 828 840 1,026 1,103 1,124 1,147 1,169 9,983 Capital Pool 548 441 445 494 500 679 749 763 779 793 6,191 Reserve Funding 350 350 Development Charges 314 321 327 334 340 347 354 361 368 376 3,442 GOLF COURSES 64 96 97 101 103 105 110 112 115 117 1,020 GOLF 64 96 97 101 103 105 110 112 115 117 1,020 Golf Funding 64 96 97 101 103 105 110 112 115 117 1,020 Grand Total 9,200 6,008 6,649 10,260 10,958 6,912 15,308 25,936 20,369 12,907 124,507 KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-32 AGE 3 - 126 Table 3-24 Capital Funding Source2013201420152016201720182019202020212022Totals Development Charges 681 729 1,377 4,542 4,177 934 9,227 15,608 13,753 7,055 58,083 Capital Pool 4,324 4,704 4,237 5,170 6,220 5,406 5,457 9,228 6,002 5,226 55,974 Reserve Funding 3,390 220 673 176 179 182 185 689 193 197 6,084 Fed Gas Tax 253 259 265 271 279 285 291 299 306 312 2,820 Golf Funding 64 96 97 101 103 105 110 112 115 117 1,020 Grant 488 38 526 Grand Total 9,200 6,008 6,649 10,260 10,958 6,912 15,308 25,936 20,369 12,907 124,507 Table 3-25 Capital Funding Sources % Summary Capital Funding Source2013201420152016201720182019202020212022Totals Development Charges7.40%12.13%20.71%44.27%38.12%13.51%60.28%60.18%67.52%54.66%46.65% Capital Pool47.00%78.30%63.72%50.39%56.76%78.21%35.65%35.58%29.47%40.49%44.96% Reserve Funding36.85%3.66%10.12%1.72%1.63%2.63%1.21%2.66%0.95%1.53%4.89% Fed Gas Tax2.75%4.31%3.99%2.64%2.55%4.12%1.90%1.15%1.50%2.42%2.26% Golf Funding0.70%1.60%1.46%0.98%0.94%1.52%0.72%0.43%0.56%0.91%0.82% Grant5.30%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.25%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.42% Grand Total100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00% KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P3-33 AGE 3 - 127 4COMMUNITY CONSULTATION This section provides one set of inputs to the LFMP update process, involving stakeholder consultation and trends assessments. The consultation program for this update incorporates the following components: Results of 15 focus groups and multiple interviews with community user group representatives, partners, staff and others; Individual interviews with council members; Societal and user trends assessment. The following sections reflect user input and comments within the individual focus groups and interviews. This input was provided in response to key questions utilized in most sessions, generally involving: From a leisure and recreation services perspectives/programs viewpoint, what is working well in Kitchener for your group/for residents; From your perspectiveel exist in Kitchener for leisure and recreation services currently and in the future; What leisure and recreation services trends/experiences have you witnessed recently and/or would anticipate over the next five years that the LFMP Update needs to assess and consider; What do you/your group believe are the top three or four priorities in terms of policies, directions and venues that the Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update should consider and why; What new or innovative strategies do you believe the Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update should consider in regards to facility/venue development, partnerships/collaboration, capital funding, revenue generation and service delivery approaches. 4.1User Organization Focus Groups 4.1.1Neighbourhood Associations All neighbourhood associations were invited to attend one of the two opportunities to provide input. In total, 11 neighbourhood associations participated, including Boardwalk, Victoria Hills, Bridgeport, Westmount, Mount Hope-Breithaupt, Doon Pioneer, Country Hills, Mill Courtland, Williamsburg, Olde Berlin Towne, Highland-Stirling and Downtown. The following are responses from participants in answer to the key questions. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-1 AGE 3 - 128 Strengths of Current Leisure Services Delivery The neighbourhood association-based programs delivery model strengthens neighbourhoods, builds capacity and aligns programming with the interests and evolving needs of the neighbourhoods; Many of the supports that the city provides in terms of online registration, training, printing, etc.; The excellent neighbourhood association facilities, as well as the neighbourhood parks; The opportunity to build each neighbourhood as a unique entity; The city plays an excellent facilitation role in its support to community development approaches; Excellent parks and trails throughout the city; Good relationships/connectivity with the city in terms of helping to navigate through various dimensions of the city services; The diversity of neighbourhood associations and community centres; The delivery model is not top down driven but bottom up; The community centres are good destination spots within small and large communities. There is a strong sense of ownership; Creates excellent opportunities for people to volunteer and to give back; The city has an excellent hierarchy of services in terms of neighbourhood/local, district and city-wide that targets different audiences. This is a great vision; The city is starting to work with the private sector, such as in Williamsburg, in terms of land, rental spaces, etc. Concerns, Issues and Gaps in new areas or through intensification in mature neighbourhoods, relative to new community centres being developed or existing ones expanded. How community centres evolve in co; A lot of confusion in the minds of residents who believe the city runs/operates the community neighbourhood associations undertake; A significant need for more green space, as well as increased tree planting which needs reinvestment, especially in terms of Ash Borer and other tree losses; around the community centres and neighbourhood associations as the city gets more involved in terms of insurance, control, policies, staffing and a host of other areas that can diminish the role and impact of the neighbourhood associations and the volunteers; Increasingly hard to mesh neighbourhood association programs in the community centres as the city is offering more programs and rental of the rooms reduces accessibility for the neighbourhood associations; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-2 AGE 3 - 129 The agreements between the neighbourhood association/community centres and the city seem to be variable and some are very complex; There should be a needs assessment for each community centre to help with program planning that align the needs of the area and to continuously change and upgrade the programs; There is an increasing confusion as to who does what in the community centres as the role of the city increases; A new centre in Westmount, increased accessibility to the Breithaupt Centre in the north or an expanded centre in Victoria Hills were identified by the neighbourhood association representatives as needed; Increasing rentals of community centres by the city generates revenue but curtails neighbourhood association activities; In terms of a service gap, cricket was identified as a possibility, as well as responding to childhood obesity, the high cost of housing, aging facilities and keeping up with an infrastructure renewal strategy for existing facilities; Also identified as gaps were technical supports to the neighbourhood associations in terms of grant writing, incorporating, volunteer recruitment and recognition and other areas; Parks and facilities tend to lag significantly in terms of years behind the development of new neighbourhoods which frustrates residents who pay development charges and have expectations not met yet paid for; Additional land for community gardens associated with neighbourhood associations could be considered as they support active lifestyles and provide good exercise and social experiences; Challenges in recruiting adequate numbers of volunteers exist. Many of the centres and neighbourhood associations are operated by a core group of volunteers who have been around for a long time and succession is a concern. This could result in the city believing it needs to become more engaged in the direct operations of the centres which changes the model; There is an increasing array of programs offered across the city which is growing the competitive environment for programs, including direct competition with City of Kitchener programs in some cases; Concerns that there is an increasing bureaucracy emerging for the operation of the community centres and neighbourhood associations which can be frustrating to volunteers. This involves more rules, forms/paperwork, etc. Future Trends and Directions A need for more green space, and to keep the green spaces that exist; Expect intensification in mature neighbourhoods to continue, which will have an impact on facilities and services in these areas which were designed from a previous era and smaller populations; Hope there is movement towards a more grassroots approach to services delivery such as in the arts and culture community, and that there are more community-minded people available; The high cost of housing which deters participation; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-3 AGE 3 - 130 Childhood obesity will grow and will need to be responded to; Sustaining aging facilities and infrastructure will become a growing problem; Climate change and the impact this could have on outdoor activities will increase; More naturalization of open spaces with less grass is desirable; The new LRT could have significant impacts on transportation patterns, accessibility and on downtown areas; The aging population, and changing multi-cultural demographics could require repositioning of service programs and planning priorities; Sustaining non-programmed outdoor spaces so people can just gather, play and do unique things freely is important; Increasing demand for sports fields is likely to occur, particularly for soccer; Potentially fewer volunteers in the future; The gap between the haves and the have-nots, relative to affordability and access to leisure programs, could increase; An increasing trend, that is troubling to some, is the need to have children always in programs rather than just having the ability to play freely and spontaneously. Priorities Keep neighbourhood identities, and build strong neighbourhoods/communities through a strengthened sense of community; An indoor turf facility for field sports; Programs for an aging population; Developing a strategy for aging facilities and infrastructure; Thinking out of the box, such as putting a gymnasium in the transportation hub; Broadening the concept of leisure. Funding and Delivery Approach Alternatives Pursue operational efficiencies, such as hours of operation; Affordability is key and if fees go up, this will deter participation. May need to consider sliding scales of fees aligned with income levels; Operate the facilities to generate more revenue; Charge more for profit-making organizations; Put more reliance and emphasize on the role of the neighbourhood associations on the operation of facilities; Develop stronger partnerships with the YMCA, YWCA, Conestoga College and others, such as how pools are developed and operated in other municipalities; Capture the wealth in the community, and put more emphasis on fundraising and investing in the community. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-4 AGE 3 - 131 4.1.2Sport Field Users All sport groups were invited to attend a scheduled focus group to provide their input. Three focus groups involving ten organizations were completed. The organizations involved the K-W Track and Field Ball (dual representative), Kitchener Minor Baseball and the Rugby Football Club. The following are responses from participants in answer to the key questions. Participation Trends Lawn bowling is up 5% in recent years, bringing the number participants to 125; Special Olympics is highly variable depending on the sports that are being undertaken; K-W Track and Field Club is relatively stable at 100 participants, and is increasing its participation through adaptive races within the disabled community; Disc sports has increased by about 10%, and now has over two hundred people who are playing, as well as on an indoor basis in Cambridge; Kitchener Minor Baseball has experienced increases over four years in a row, and is now at 700 participants; Rugby has now grown to 270 participants with relatively unrestricted growth. It was also identified that rugby is now the fastest growing high school sport in Ontario, and is back in the Olympics which will promote increased participation. Strengths of Current Leisure Services Delivery For lawn bowling, excellent greens, increases in disabled athletes participating and the hosting of national events; The Activa Centre and its walking track which has no cost to use; The city is well served by arenas, and overall has a good facilities supply; There are many good fields and lots are in excellent condition; City staff are very responsive to maintenance requirements; Good life guards at the pools and pools are clean; There are some excellent ball fields in terms of Lions Park, Jack Couch and others; The turf field at Woodside was seen as an excellent investment, as was irrigation at Kiwanis Park and lights at Rosenburg; A sense the city is investing in some infrastructure; There seems to be few conflicts in the allocation of fields; Some ball fields have better drainage while others can be challenging. Others also have covered dugouts which are an increasing requirement due to climate change. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-5 AGE 3 - 132 Concerns, Issues and Gaps Communications can be tricky in terms of knowing what the rules are ahead of time for use of fields and getting in line for allocations; fields that are permitted; Concerns over the fact that city crews sometimes start lining fields for weekend tournaments and other uses when groups are already using them and bumping them off. There needs to be greater coordination; For track and field, there has been a significant loss of capacity due to the closure of Centennial Stadium. The best track facilities are now at secondary schools, and there is no good city track facility in Kitchener. Access to school facilities is limited now to about two to three hours after school; Centennial Stadium was the best track in the city and is now no longer accessible. It was the best facility in the region; For indoor track and field, the Waterloo Recreation Centre is the only indoor track but it has a concrete base which is not good for running. It is really designed for walking more than running; Special Olympics have to go to Waterloo for tra Kitchener facility; There is recognition that a standalone stadium facility is probably not feasible but there needs to be some investment in track and field capacity, both for indoor and outdoor. In terms of indoor track and field facilities, Variety Village in Toronto, York University and The University of Western Ontario are the only indoor facilities in the province. This is a significant handicap for local track and field participants. Consideration needs to be given to adding such a facility onto an existing or new recreation centre and not as a standalone facility; For lawn bowling, currently it can only occur in the daytime. Having lights at Budd Park would be very helpful and extend the range of participation and utilization; Kitchener is a excellent location for sport tourism, and some of the facilities should be upgraded to national standards to attract more events and activities; The city continues to build recreation facilities in the suburbs but not downtown. Cherry Park would be a good location for a new ball field and possibly other facilities; Cameron/Kaufman Park also could be developed into a much stronger facility. It will be located near the LRT and is on the Iron Horse Trail. It could be a stadium location. It would also need lights and would be a shared facility with the school board; Concerns over the difficulty of getting access to sports fields and facilities due to demand, particularly for newer groups who get the less desirable times and have to wait; For minor baseball, there is a need for one or two additional hard ball diamonds, particularly at a midget scale; Rugby has a gap in terms of their need for access to two or three fields which could be anywhere in the city, and they are the same size as a soccer pitch; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-6 AGE 3 - 133 Baseball, rugby and others would use an indoor soccer facility for off-season training and development activities. Therefore, an indoor soccer facility based on a multi-use concept should be considered; Soccer appears to always have priority against other uses which creates fairness and accessibility challenges; Some field drainage can be a major challenge; The investments in facilities by the city hat causes participation sometimes to go down. It takes a long time to rebuild participation levels. As well, all sports are cyclical and this should be recognized in facility planning; Significant difficulty in getting A-1 diamonds, and the priority given to Kitchener Minor Soccer Club creates some challenges; Communications can be frustrating in terms of knowing who to contact. Also, the staff who take field is which can result in the wrong use on the wrong fields. More staffing may be required to effect a more aligned reservation strategy for user groups, especially as all the field users start up at the time each year; Disc sports would benefit from lights at Kiwanis and could play there year-round rather than moving to Woodside in the fall. Future Trends and Directions The LRT could impact accessibility and put an emphasis on a greater need for downtown leisure services as the population grows; An aging and more multi-cultural diverse population could shift some patterns of use and change need priorities; An increasing emphasis on accessibility for people with disabilities and mental health challenges; The newer seniors are more active, like walking and could have a different perspective on the use of senior centres. They want to be more engaged in main stream activities; Substantial growth will occur in southwest Kitchener which will need more facilities. As well, the overall city population keeps growing which will put pressure on facilities; Need to give consideration in the future towards sustaining the Lions Park diamonds, possibly relocating Couch Park and new diamonds in the South Kitchener District Park; Disc sports will likely need another field in the future; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-7 AGE 3 - 134 Active participation lifestyles in the population is going to grow, generating increasing demands for everything from organized sports to informal use of parks and open spaces, to use of trails and related activities. The growing emphasis will be on active and healthy communities, employee fitness and other activities which is already being supported by income tax credits. Priorities Increased coordination, communications and accessibility to sport fields; Trail development via the closing of gaps and the transitioning of trails from recreational to transportation perspectives; Somehow integrating school facilities into the overall leisure facilities inventory, bringing resources closer to where people live and reducing duplication; An indoor pool in th e southwest. Funding and Delivery Approach Alternatives Participation affordability will be a key and growing issue. An increase in user fees needs to be undertaken with great caution; Consideration of payment plans for larger cost programs; Developing partnerships with clubs and others to get them engaged in more direct operations of facilities and services; Partnerships with a YMCA on a potential pool in the southwest; Increased community fundraising; Move towards membership-based operations versus pay as you play; Corporate naming strategies. 4.1.3Aquatics Organizations All sport groups were invited to attend a scheduled focus group to provide their input. Four representatives of aquatic organizations, involving the K-W Diving Club, K-W Synchronized Swimming Club, Water Polo and the Region of Waterloo Swim Club attended a focus group for aquatics. The following are responses from participants to the key questions. Strengths of Current Leisure Services Delivery Good relationships on pool contracts and operations; The Aquatic Alliance works very well. It came together after the Poseidon Project did not evolve and has created significant synergies and energy between the groups; The best tier two diving facility is in Waterloo but it has no towers. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-8 AGE 3 - 135 Concerns, Issues and Gaps There is not enough water time for the adequate training of athletes; There is an inability to hold any national events as the pool facilities in the Waterloo Region are not at an acceptable standard like they are in London, Brantford, Etobicoke and other communities; The Laurier Pool was refurbished in 2008 at a cost of $4.1 million but has no gallery and is only six lanes wide which does not allow it to be used for national meets; The city pools are antiquated. Breithaupt is only twenty-five yards and is over sixty years old. Grand River has limited competitive capacities due to its configuration. Forest Heights is a reasonable pool but it has significant community programming, and Cameron Heights is an older facility and has challenges in terms of accessibility with the school board; A strong feeling that their sports cannot grow and prosper as there are not adequate facilities necessary for the level and intensity of activity that the sports need in order to successfully deliver their programs; The groups feel that there is an absolute need for a fifty metre aquatics facility with a full diving well involving up to ten metre towers. The groups are frustrated in that there appears to be no champion within any of the local municipalities within the Region of Waterloo to move this forward. They are also frustrated with the fact this should be a regional initiative, and yet the Region of Waterloo indicates that they have no mandate in delivering recreation services; of the challenges. Such a facility likely goes beyond a single municipality. However, many of the other facilities that have been developed over the years serve broad audiences across the Region of aquatics. Future Trends and Directions An aging population that will be more multi-cultural; A lack of growth in aquatics sports in Kitchener due to the quality of the facilities and the lack of a major training and event facility; Aging facilities that are becoming antiquated and need significant reinvestment; A more active population from youth to seniors, increased efforts to overcoming childhood obesity, transitions. Aquatics is a great sport for older populations as its less impacting on limbs, etc.; A move towards more regionalization of services delivery in the recreation and leisure spectrum. Priorities A 50 metre, eight lane facility with gallery and dry-land training, as well as a full diving tower arrangement with one to three metre springboards, and five, seven and ten metre towers. Funding and Delivery Approach Model Potential partnerships, such as an aquatic facility with a university, college and/or others; Corporate sponsorships and naming; Increased community fundraising; Concerned about raising user fees as some groups feel they are at the limit of affordability and increases could diminish participation. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-9 AGE 3 - 136 4.2User Group Interviews Three user groups were interviewed due to their availability to attend scheduled focus group participation. 4.2.1 Participation They currently have 70 members and started in 2008 with 35, essentially doubling; They wish to start a recreational group that could attract another 30 to 45 adults, as well as a youth program. Strengths of Current Leisure Services Delivery The program hits a demographic of 19 to 45 year old women who are looking for alternate types of organized sports than the mainstream activities. These are not gymnasium /fitness people but alternative participants; A growing niche across the country; A novelty sport that is attracting increased visibility. Concerns, Issues and Gaps Adequate skating space on a consistent basis; Currently averaging ten hours a week, including their boot camps and need potentially another six hours a week for practices and for growth, as well as to undertake more tournaments; Concerned about user fees which can impact participation levels; Could use a space for multi-use activities that also supports lacrosse, in-line hockey, bicycle polo, etc., Queensmount might be such a facility; Also need a setting that they can attract up to 1,200 people to their activities/meets. Future Trends and Directions Increased activity for alternate and ultimate sporting activities; Participation growth across the region in this particular sport. Priorities Access to a concrete or wood floor space with ten plus additional hours per week; May have to look at leasing a warehouse but need help to find space. Funding and Delivery Approach Alternatives Willing to pay increased fees. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-10 AGE 3 - 137 4.2.2Kitchener Minor Soccer Club Participation Have experienced significant growth over the last ten years; Anticipate growth from 7,500 registrants to 10,000 registrants by the 2014/2015 season; Introduction of a semi-professional team for both women and men this season will add another The hosting of three World Soccer events, two in North America, in the next couple of years, including the Toronto Pan Am Games, will further expose the sport and likely increase participation levels across youth, young adult and adult levels. Strengths of Current Leisure Services Delivery A significant number of high quality fields are available, including the excellent artificial turf field at Woodside; The sport is increasingly well organized, has good Strategic Plans and leadership; The Budd Park indoor facility has multiuse capabilities that support baseball, lacrosse and other sports. Concerns, Issues and Gaps The potential loss of a significant number of fields at Budd Park which will put pressure on field availability; Forty teams are practising in the Township areas around the city. Now utilizing the field behind the Roseville Community Centre; The Woodside Park facility is heavily used and has little availability remaining; The shoulder seasons for outdoor soccer are very important, and artificial turf responds directly to that and overall capacity increases. Such fields need to be considered as a baseline in the future; Outside of the loss of the Budd fields, four additional soccer fields are needed on a shorter term basis; Artificial fields can operate from April to the end of October, while the start time for natural fields is early June which is a significant constraint on pre-season training; The Budd Park indoor facility is okay for younger children, but represents an older design and is not appropriate for the forty representative teams due to the boards. Boards are no longer utilized in new indoor facilities; An additional indoor field capacity is needed to support the program but also for multiuse field sport considerations; The club on behalf of its teams, is spending $250,000 a year to private facilities to access fields for the November to March period. The forty representative teams require 1.5 hours per week of development time; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-11 AGE 3 - 138 Considerable concern over the availability of quality fields as the sport continues to grow dramatically, as well as year round use, across youth, young adult and adult, and male and female categories. Future Trends and Directions Continuing significant increased growth in soccer participation, across gender, age and related perspectives, due to its connection with multicultural communities who are the primary drivers of population growth; the lower cost to participation; and other factors; Increasing opportunities for higher end play with the introduction of semi-professional teams and future professional teams will provide even more exposure and development for the sport; An emphasis on multiuse activities, especially for indoor facilities, should be considered; An increasing population in Kitchener that will also be more multi-culturally diverse will push up registrations; Increasing challenges of accessing fields, working on a multiuse basis and related considerations; Potential to consider an administrative hub for all minor and adult sports as a way to achieve economies of scale, enhance registration and marketing and to better build leadership and technical capacities. Priorities Four to eight outdoor soccer facilities, depending on the future of Budd Park, preferably with significant additions of artificial turf fields; A minimum of one new indoor soccer facility of a contemporary design; Consideration of establishing a sports administrative hub as a way of improving sports development, marketing and gaining economies of scale and the sharing of resources and facilities. Funding and Delivery Approach Alternatives Corporate naming and sponsorships; Club-based fundraising and development; Concern over rising user fees that could diminish participation; Pursuing shared services/administrative hub. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-12 AGE 3 - 139 4.2.3Kitchener Minor Hockey Association Participation Three years ago KMHA had approximately 2,600 participants which by 2012, has grown to 4,000 participants. Anticipate another round of growth over the next three years adding an additional 400 to 500 participants; Undertook a $60,000 marketing campaign to stabilize and grow participation; Have also introduced new programs, such four by four hockey in the spring which has grown from 300 to 700 youth participants; The fundamentals program has also shown an increase; Strengths of Current Leisure Services Delivery The variety of programs and services available for leisure activities in the community; Some excellent arenas, parks and other facilities; Overall sports culture within the community; The strength of the tournaments and special events that are held within the hockey community; The community fundraising that supported Activa and other facility developments; The strength of the support of the city in terms of facilities, sport development, etc. Concerns, Issues and Gaps Some aging arenas that lack amenities and have other challenges, such as the small dressing rooms at Lions arena, and parking at McLaren arena; Very little ice available outside of the community to augment the ice available within the city; With population growth, increasing demand for ice activities will place pressure on the existing facilities and result in a need for additional capacity, especially if existing arenas are closed due to aging and reinvestment and/or operational costs; Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex is a phenomenal facility but the Cardillo Bowl is not generally available within the ice inventory for minor hockey, and the twin pad has a late season start due to Oktoberfest which is a program constraint. Future Trends and Directions Anticipate continuing growth in minor hockey program participation, potential up by an additional 500 participants over the next two to three years; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-13 AGE 3 - 140 A growing population that will be increasingly multicultural. This trend will require increased marketing and communication with diverse populations; The current arena facilities will continue to age and have increasing renewal costs; Rising fees for ice and related hockey activities could diminish participation; Priorities Possible replacement of Lions and McLaren arenas with a new twin pad facility; A future twin pad facility that could also support tournaments and related activities. Funding and Delivery Approach Alternatives Concern over rising user fees that would be impacted by increases in ice rentals. This approach should be treated with serious caution; Corporate sponsorships; Community fundraising. 4.3Municipal Council Input All members of council were invited to attend an interview regarding leisure services and facilities. Ten members of Municipal Council of the City of Kitchener participated in one-on-one interviews. The following material summarizes the primary comment themes that emerged from the perspectives and input provided. Trends and Influences on Leisure and Recreation Participation and Program Experiences An aging population that is becoming increasingly multi-cultural. The demographics will impact participation and programming interests. One example could be the growth in cricket. This trend has influenced participation in soccer, which has grown significantly but could result in diminishing participation in ice sports, baseball and other areas; There could be a shift in programming to the forty to sixty year olds and away from youth in terms of emphasis and levels of demand, along with older adult programming also growing with potential for more expensive sports to drop off due to cost to participate and lower cost sports growing; Need for more flexible and multi-use spaces indoor and outdoor, along with informal use supports; The focus will increasingly be on active lifestyles, overcoming obesity and creating participation opportunities that enhance wellness; There will be a need in the future to engage the population more and likely to have participants contribute higher user fees to cover the costs of delivery; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-14 AGE 3 - 141 Service planning will need to focus more on target audiences, real demand levels and balance user fee contributions of participation with the cost of delivery. Also will need to look more globally with the municipality to specific needs and not necessarily on a ward by ward basis; Also increasing pressure to use all the community resources available, such as school gymnasiums and related facilities; Walking and trails will align with population aging, active lifestyles, alternate transportation requirements and related perspectives; Aging facilities will need to be responded to, and retrofitting/renewal/reuse will become an increasing priority; Sport tourism and related events delivery has economic value and may have a heightened perspective through the creation of new opportunities; Possibility of a significant integrated aquatic facility may need to be considered but on a regional basis; Southwest area needs consideration for a possible swimming pool, particularly to support young families. Also, community centres/facilities involving a wider range of programming need to be considered across the community, as well as socialization opportunities for seniors; More multi-purpose fields should be a consideration for the future; Future indoor facilities should consider more multiuse dimensions, such as walking tracks and how year round activities can be integrated. What is Working Well in Kitchener Relative to Leisure and Recreation Services? The variety of programs and opportunities that are offered to residents; The community centres and other facilities that are distributed throughout the city and are relatively close to where people live rather than just focusing on a few large facilities; Volunteer engagement in the community centres has been successful; The city has done a good job in responding to the needs of the community; The parks and trails are highly valued; The city has made considerable investments; For some councillors, receive few complaints about leisure services; There appears to be high levels of resident/participant satisfaction with a few mostly in terms some overriding issues though there are some challenges; Users appear to be very satisfied with the facilities and programs. The facilities are mostly up to date and effective; The community centre delivery model has been very successful, provides an identifier for neighbourhoods and an active home; The partnerships with communities and other that are strong and effective; People appear to appreciate what the city provides and have high value for the services; City staff are excellent at facilitating community groups, sport clubs and leagues and others to realize their goals and potential. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-15 AGE 3 - 142 What Concerns, Gaps and Constraints Do You Feel Exist in Leisure Recreational Services? Need for services in the southwest area as it continues to grow; Soccer will grow and the number of fields available will need to align with the growth. Need to consider artificial turf as one way to meet increasing demand; Escalating costs at all levels are a challenge; The Bridgeport Community Centre may be underutilized. There also may be a need for an over site committee to compare community recreation centres to maximize their services and opportunities. As well, the community centres may not be as well-known as they need to be; Why are some neighbourhood associations in rented/leased facilities? The community trails system has been invested in, but it has gaps in its connections that will need to be addressed; A gap exists in terms of availability of gym space. But efforts with the school board may need to be considered first in order to meet demand; Many of the areas are seen as old and outdated; Cricket and activities that align with multi-culture communities may be a gap that needs increased attention; Measuring demand as to needs and not just wants, and creating a balance in the delivery system is a continuing challenge; Need to work on sports fields, in terms of availability, hierarchies, fees and related considerations; Probably do not make enough connection between health and wellness/active lifestyles and the rationale and value of investments in leisure and recreation services; Are we doing enough to support volunteers who really are central to the success of the delivery model? How do we capture the baby boomers to be more engaged as volunteers? Significant variability between the scale and quality of playgrounds in some neighbourhood parks; Nordic sports seem to be increasing, and may need alignment within the services delivery mix, possibly in conjunction with Chicopee; Need to divide trails between cyclists and pedestrians. E-bikes are also a concern; Growing seniors population is a third of the population and we only have The future of Centennial Stadium, Jack Couch Park and other aging facilities needs to be fully assessed by looking at options of renewal/replacement, etc.; The LRT will create intensification within mature neighbourhoods that could change demand profiles. These are not currently being planned for or necessarily fully understood in terms of parks and leisure services; The model of looking at alternative delivery systems and partnerships probably has not been assessed to the levels necessary and needs to be a key future strategic direction; Many aging facilities need to be addressed, such as the Budd Park tennis courts and some trails within the network; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-16 AGE 3 - 143 Some community centres are closed on weekends and at other times. There needs to be consideration in maximizing the use of these facilities, and the creation of more opportunities for youth and families; To what level should we financially support higher levels of participants compared to market fee participation; Increased youth engagement needs to be considered at the community centres; The focus in the past has been more on development of new facilities and services. There needs to be an increasing focus on maximizing both what the city provides as well as other service providers have that can contribute currently in the future to leisure services opportunities. Please Identify the Top Three or Four Priorities in Terms of Policies, Directions and Venues Continuing to develop parks, open spaces and trails; Keep working on what we have and make it better as things are working well; Make people aware of what opportunities are out there to enhance participation, especially better marketing; Better focus on and intensity of use of the community recreation centres, particularly around higher volume utilization; Develop capacities to support the growth in soccer and other activities that are associated with demographic transitions, especially around multi-cultural sports and programs; Reducing delays in servicing our communities as they develop, and making sure services and programs reflect the needs of the area; Need to identify the next generation of community centres in terms of both new and expanded venues. Also enhance the sense of community ownership of community centres and intensify the programming across all days of the week; Focus the next generation of facilities on underserviced areas of the city, such as the southwest and those that could be experiencing intensification; Continue to build volunteer capacity and recruitment; Assess corporate sponsorships and other fund development initiatives, along with sport tourism and broader revenue generating opportunities; Develop a priority to focus on renewing aging physical plant/facilities; Examine new service delivery models in terms of partnerships, joint developments and operations, etc., along with working more intensively with private operators; Need for an additional pool and outdoor soccer fields are priorities. Identifying Individual Priorities Versus Other Leisure Services and Facilities fix existing ones; Need to be cautious with expectations for the budget and be realistic; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-17 AGE 3 - 144 Priorities should be weighted as to priority and not necessarily dropped; Need to align the final decisions with growth patterns and clear demand indicators, such as in the southwest and areas of intensification, along with key changes, such as Budd Park that occur within the operating environment; Focus only on what we have budgeted for and maximize what we already have. Exploring Different Funding Approaches Are you supportive of user fee increases? Two councillors identified that they saw this strategy as a primary approach to fund future leisure services, while eight councillors did not for fear of diminishing participation and related to affordability unless enhanced affordability supports exist. Are you supportive of corporate sponsorships? All respondents had variable levels of support, particularly if there was alignment with municipal values and perspectives, and such income actually reduced user fees. Several did not see this as a primary strategy, but more about partnerships. Are you supportive of a tax increase as the primary approach to pay for leisure facilities and services? The responses ranged from no, to a last resort, to yes depending on the application. There was a broad range of considerations relative to this being a primary funding source. Are you supportive of the city issuing debt as a primary source to pay for leisure facilities and services? There was a mixed response with approximately one half saying yes, some reluctantly, while others felt this should not occur. Need to live within our means. Are you supportive of a reduction in service levels as a primary approach to fund for leisure facilities and services? The majority of council members did not see this as a primary approach. Two individuals felt that it could be looked at but did not necessarily see this as a primary strategy. Do you have other ideas the city could explore as a primary approach to fund for leisure facilities and services? A number of individuals identified public/private partnerships and/or sponsorships, including corporate sponsorships. The primary considerations were sponsorships and 3 Ps (private public partnerships) Development Charges only cover a portion of the new capital costs. Should developers be more accountable? Only if the other approaches also add value/capacity. This should not be the only approach. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-18 AGE 3 - 145 4.4City Staff 4.4.1Supervisors Two focus groups involving 28 park, recreation and leisure services supervisors within the city were held. The following are responses from participants in answer to the key questions. Strengths of Current Leisure Services Delivery The efforts made to keep the facilities pulation; The leisure facilities are out in the community and many can be walked to; The trails and walkways that are available that are increasingly becoming part of the alternate transportation system; Strong parks and open spaces that are often updated; Staff with good skills that also support strong customer service, along with cooperation amongst staff who work as a team; Strong working relationships with affiliated groups and neighbourhood associations; The strong focus on ensuring leisure services are affordable and accessible; The services delivery model through neighbourhood associations and community centres is unique, positive and strongly valued, as well as strengthens engagement with communities and supports positive community development; The wide array of programs that are available; The increasing use of technology for information, online registration and other supports; The number of master plans that provide strategic direction involving trails, cycling, parks, etc. They were all developed with significant community engagement and consultation; The inclusion support programs that facilitate accessibility for those with challenges through adaption processes; The advisory committees model which is helpful, such as for youth, seniors and cycling, and further involves the community; Several of the key leisure facilities are multi-use and provide a range of participation opportunities; The strength and array of community-based organizations who take significant leadership in leisure services delivery; The intergenerational use of many of the facilities, and the ability to socialize in common areas; The community gardens and other unique spaces; The quadrant-based planning process, such as for pools, skateboard parks and other key facilities works well at the district level and is also supported by the continuum of facilities at neighbourhood, district, city and regional levels. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-19 AGE 3 - 146 Concerns, Issues and Gaps Maintaining aging facilities is increasingly challenging with many having components or the entire building past their reasonable life cycle, such as Rockway Centre; Some inequities amongst neighbourhoods in terms of the quality of facilities, the strength of the volunteer base, etc. which results in different levels of opportunities and services; The southwest area of the city continues to grow, and will do so for a good number of years. It is significantly underserviced; Accessibility to gymnasium spaces for indoor activities is increasingly challenging due to accessibility and cost constraints with school board facilities and the lack of city gymnasiums; Accessibility to school facilities overall is becoming increasing challenging and is now a gap that needs to be rebuilt to where it was a decade or so ago. There needs to be formalized expectations of both what the city would provide and the school boards will deliver within an agreed structure/agreement. There is a lack of gym space for youth, as well as smaller scale skateboard parks at the neighbourhood level, though service is enhanced at the district level; Due to time and funding constraints, the city is doing less community development; The population is aging, and it is becoming more multi-cultural. There is concern that the city may not be adapting to the structural demographic shifts as quickly as is required; A sense that there is low awareness of the leisure programs and services available, particularly in regards to what the community centres provide. Many areas, such as the southwest and other areas that have young populations, have constant turnover in families and need more consistent and reinforced messaging; The use of social media by the city is limited and needs to be strengthened to better communicate with under thirty-five generations; People, volunteers and users need to become more aware of the balance between utilization and the cost to run leisure facilities. A lot of assumptions exist; There appears to be no community centre strategy to support emerging or changing neighbourhoods, whether due to suburban growth or intensification in mature areas; The current capital funding model is too reliant on development charges. There needs to be more flexibility in securing capital funds; The focus on no tax increases is diminishing community development and will impact leisure service levels overtime; The city has master plans for a number of elements that are well thought out and based on community consultation. However, when the infrastructure funds become available from senior governments, all the priorities change. There are significant gaps in the trail system that need to be overcome in order to have a truly integrated system; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-20 AGE 3 - 147 The campus concept with schools is becoming increasingly challenging due to school closures, schools that were never built and the continuing reduction in outdoor maintenance standards by school boards which is resulting in more pressure on the neighbouring parks for school functions; A sense that the leisure facilities and services are not keeping up with the growth in the population; Engagement and hearing the voices through neighbourhood associations appears to work well. There is a need to ensure additional input from new Canadians and those with other challenges (i.e., accessibility financial, physical, mental health); Technology upgrading will need to be a continuous task in order to better communicate and deliver leisure services; There are growing challenges to balance competing demands/interests for space in multiuse facilities, as well as between groups and individuals competing for prime time hours while significant non-primetime availability exists; Need to better develop programs based on the characteristics each of the individual facilities as they all have some limitations; Need to achieve a better balance in decision-making, such as opening a new splash pad at McLennan Park but not being able to close smaller ones nearby; How priorities are determined is a concern, such as continuing to use single pad arenas that are aged and have a high cost to operate; There are barriers to participation, such as transportation, especially as facilities become more centralized and aggregated requiring moving them into district parks and further away from where people live; The department used to be able to plan significantly for change but it has increasingly become reactive; There is an increasing challenge in managing expectations for facilities and services everywhere in the city and at all levels of the corporation; There is also a continuous leap-frogging in facility development. As an example, one city gets a quad arena and everyone else wishes to have one as it becomes the new standard, especially around sport tourism There is a growing integration of leisure services at the regional level, which is market-based, compared to the city delivering services within in its own boundaries. Therefore, there is a growing disconnect between how services are participated in versus how they are delivered. Partnerships with other municipalities may be an increasing requirement, such as for a major aquatic centre; The school boards removed baseball from the curriculum and now they are not maintaining or replacing their ball fields, which puts more pressure on the city to provide such facilities. Future Trends and Directions More older adults in the population in terms of absolute numbers and proportionately who will have different perspectives on leisure services that they wish to participate in than previous generations; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-21 AGE 3 - 148 There will likely be more competition for leisure services delivery in terms of the private and not for profit sectors; The ability to sustain the current service delivery model with the volunteers trends and user expectations evolving will be challenging; The market is moving to longer days of operations, such early morning fitness classes at 5 p.m. and midnight basketball. How does the city work within that type of delivery model; Aging facilities will get older and older, and will have higher costs of maintenance; Climate change will require increased investments in services, such as irrigated fields, covered dugouts, etc.; Will there be a stronger movement towards user fees paying a higher proportion and/or all of the operating costs for services which will increase fees significantly and impact participation?; There will likely be an increase in demand for adult sports league, such as the CARL program in Waterloo; Expectations around the quality of facilities will grow in terms of additional dressing rooms, around specialized floors, size of kitchens, accessibility requirements, etc.; There will be significant growth in program accommodations/adaptions for people with disabilities to support their participation across all ages, and could include more personal care support; Sport tourism will move to a strengthened Kitchener-Waterloo platform versus individual municipalities; Differentiate fees for nonresidents could become more significant; If participation costs grow, affordability issues will become more significant and demand for financial supports will increase; There will be many staff and volunteer retirements over the next number of years which will result in the loss of expertise; There will be an increasing focus on revenue generation in order to not put pressure on taxes, and therefore, staff will have to hold costs down and undertake better utilization of space; There will be increasing utility costs which will put pressure on facility operational budgets; Trends towards more multi-use/multi-group facilities will continue; significantly larger populations which could require increased park and leisure facility spaces, such as the core area; There will likely be an increased use of corporate naming and sponsorships to fund facilities; The population is increasingly demanding instant access and online services which will put pressure on technology requirements. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-22 AGE 3 - 149 Priorities Invest now in aging facilities, especially those that are long past their useful life cycle; Develop a more standardized fee and usage schedules, such as reducing the number of field levels, grandfathering and maximizing utilization; Place emphasis on multi-use fields and buildings, and reduce the focus on specialization which results in exclusion; Move to a stronger reuse model for older facilities, such as occurred with the Kingsdale Community Centre; people. Is it children, older adults, etc.? Need to move more strongly towards a benefits based model that supports the most people, not the loudest group. This includes clear positioning as to whether the city is focused on participation, active lifestyles, youth and seniors, health or more on specialized needs and interests; A reduced focus on additional arena capacity, though replacement capacity may need to be considered, as well as an increased emphasis on fields development; There needs to be an increased effort to keep pace with new residential development areas that are underserviced, and often only receive playground and other services long after the children have gotten older, resulting in not meeting home owner expectation, especially amongst younger families. Funding and Delivery Alternative Approaches activities involving health and recreation; Corporate partnerships and naming rights; Engaging the private sector more into the delivery of adult leagues; Explore partnerships that go beyond the current dynamics which are more comprehensive in their scope, control, etc., such as using the YMCA model in regards to pool operations that exist in other communities; Needs stronger definitions as to core services and focus the city on those; Increased advertising and promotional support to grow participation and revenues where capacity exists in current facilities. 4.4.2Department Managers Ten managers participated in this focus group. The following are responses of participants to the key questions. Strengths of the Current Leisure Services Delivery Kitchener is very strong in trails and the development of an active community, and related to pools and arenas, and user subsidies which are well advertised; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-23 AGE 3 - 150 Victoria Park is a focal point for all seasons and special events; Sports fields have come a long way, including the introduction of artificial turf; There is a strong variety of programs with good accessibility except in the southwest; Investment in the Kitchener Auditorium and its capacity development have resulted in a premier facility; McLennan Park is seen as a jewel and a popular destination; The transportation system supports participation, such as public transit, the Expressway, and in the future, the LRT; A sense leisure services are strong and well developed in Kitchener compared to other communities; The community centre/neighbourhood association model is unique and highly valued. It engages neighbourhood associations, provides physical resources that are close to where people live, and is able to respond to changing demographics; The pools and splash pads are great for children and youth, and have become community places; There are a variety of programming opportunities in the community centres involving arts, fitness, general interest, etc.; Some excellent partnerships exist in support of programs, and have some good relationships with the two school boards, which enhance what the city can deliver; Strong and positive relationships with community groups. Concerns, Issues and Gaps between the different types of spaces/uses; The use of schools is not where it needs to be resulting in facility overlaps in some neighbourhood areas, such as gymnasiums; A lot of community groups are moving towards a regional model, especially at house league or recreational levels, which results in increasing coordination with Waterloo particularly, and also Cambridge and the Townships. The market is moving distinctively away from municipal boundaries. The city works well with Waterloo and coordination is increasing. There is confusion in the minds of many people in terms of boundaries and partnerships; The trails are transitioning to an alternate transportation system and away from recreation. This creates needs for different types of conditions, signage, surfaces, etc. which requires additional investment and ongoing maintenance, such as snowplowing in the winter and more hardened surfaces; The neighbourhood association model has stresses and pressures related to the effective recruitment of volunteers, especially in leadership and governance roles. There needs to be a new way of looking at this model; There is increasing pressure to maintain aging infrastructure in terms of the necessary funding resources; The city needs to clarify its role in terms of active lifestyles as to purpose and focus; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-24 AGE 3 - 151 There is increasing legal and risk elimination pressures occurring around children, use of public facilities, etc. which is resulting in a loss of balance and constraining what people can do which is not well understood by a lot of users and can create tensions, as well as increases in operating and program costs; etc., on recreation services to do more and more. There needs to be a way to get parents more involved with their children and take responsibility for them; There is an imbalance in the user fees between what ice users pay and other groups. Should it be what the markets bares or should there be a model that is more equitable, rationale/understandable, etc.? s are particularly aging and need a longer term renewal/replacement strategy; Al lot of what the city does in the delivery of leisure services is piecemeal and not integrated, that is individual decisions are not seen in terms of the whole and often driven by a crisis, such as Centennial Stadium, Rockway, etc. Also, the city created some previous expectations of what people will have in terms of leisure facilities but is now moving away from those directions/interests; Some conflicts are emerging in terms of moving big events into Grand River and McLennan Parks between the events and regular users; Need to link capital decisions with operating dollars more comprehensively. There is often little discussion in capital decisions relative to their influence on operating costs, wages, etc. Often results in just simply having to find the money with the existing resources somehow. Also, corporate initiatives increase costs without any increase in resourcing; There is increasing difficulties in getting clear direction decisions on key facilities, such as Centennial, Rockway and the indoor pools; Appears to be little growth in financial resources which will put increasing pressure on facility operations and maintenance; Kitchener is redefining itself from an old industrial city to the new economy. What will the impacts of this be on leisure services delivery; There is increasing priority on investments in the downtown, but concerns exist as to meeting requirements in the growing suburban areas. Future Trends and Directions An aging population that will want more and may have increased affordability issues; The growth in regulations from senior governments that have significant cost implications; Silos and related structural dimensions of the city and the possibility of more amalgamations and partnerships creates an uncertain framework for moving forward; The city has an extensive array of master plans that identify tens of millions of dollars of investment which is unrealistic in terms of the current capital funding context. Where are the dollars coming KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-25 AGE 3 - 152 from? They also create expectations with a huge price tag. This raises concerns around expectations management and funding; There will need to be an increasing priority for maintenance and capital dollars as facilities age; There will be rising standards for facilities, such as more lighted fields, hard surfaces on trails, etc. which will also lead to increasing user conflicts in terms of light reflections penetrating neighbourhoods, trail users who want soft surfaces, etc.; There will be an increasing emphasis on active lifestyles, especially for children; There will be growing cultural demographic transitions as the population grows in terms of values, perceptions, participation interests, etc.; Technology, particularly social media will become a bigger part of what will be important to use and have available in responding and communicating with people. Many smaller groups would not be able to afford technology development and support and will look to the city for those services which There will be increasing need to be able to identify and analyze change within society and the community and how to respond to it; The downtown area will increasingly become a place for students, young professionals, recent divorcees and retirees with six condo projects being planned. This will create a unique user requirement profile compared to the suburban areas. Funding and Service Delivery Alternatives More partnerships, using what other agencies can provide and building on their funding; Pressure to look at alternative delivery models within public/private partnerships and seriously consider them beyond the current controlled framework the city typically utilizes; Developing more partnerships with the YMCA, Chicopee and other major service providers who are as effective in delivery as the city; Increased use of schools and church facilities which have diminished over the last decades but represent significant opportunities, especially schools which essentially are funded by the same taxpayer. 4.4.3Senior Leadership Team Five members of the senior management team participated in this focus group. This focus group centered primarily on future directions and perspectives. Council will need to consider doing things differently in the future related to capital funding and connecting it to the operating model; The community centre/neighbourhood association model is highly valued, provides a lot and is cost effective. Sustaining it will be a continuing challenge; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-26 AGE 3 - 153 Liability and asset management costs that connect with ownership will be an ongoing challenge, particularly in regards to multiuse, scheduled maintenance, aging facilities, etc.; Need to look at other delivery models, such as engaging with partners in the delivery of major facilities, i.e.: schools as occurs in other communities; Need to give greater consideration to what the core services and roles of the city are compared to what the private and not for profit sectors can deliver. Examples could be golf courses, pools, etc.; There needs to be greater education at all levels of the city in terms of the connection between user fees and tax supports. It is all one taxpayer; The focus of the city in terms of its priorities should it be on children, active lifestyles, seniors. This will direct user fee development in terms of children being financially supported by the city but adults needing to pay for the cost of delivery; A need exists to connect the user fees to cost of delivery more directly and evidently; Moving towards a market rate model of user fees for everything the city delivers has been considered but may need to be more effectively implemented. Council could approve grants off- settings some cost elements based on clear policy frameworks and directions; The impact of fees in neighbouring centres needs to be recognized since the market works within broader municipal boundaries. There is pressure to maintain the status quo with fees but there may need to be a stronger rationale and framework for the fee development structure, especially if it involves enhancing levels of service and more and better facilities; Need to review the standards for new construction. Do all facilities need to be at a premier level? Could there be gradients of facility quality to reflect different levels of use; Increasing priority on outdoor spaces, such as sports fields in multiple locations; Drive times appear to be less of a concern in terms of locational determinants; Are we managing the portfolio of leisure services effectively as possible? Should the city identify and move out of low yield services in terms of what the benefits and outcomes of city investments are trying to achieve? With an aging population there will be need for more walking trails, indoor tracks, etc.; How do we increase the use of their non-primetime in arenas, pools and community centres, especially since full day learning could impact some of the community centres; Can the city sustain the amount of dedicated space for one or two uses? Does there need to be an examination of more multiuse opportunities and strategies? There needs to be more effort at strategic thinking in the planning, development, delivery and evaluation of leisure services. A lot of the thinking is primarily focused on operational and immediate response perspectives; The development charges capacity of the city will not be able to fund all the or contribute significantly to the array of capital projects that are identified for a significant period of time; Changes in development charges also could impact capital funding availability. Different revenue sources need to be identified or projects will need to be moved out in time significantly. Some of KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-27 AGE 3 - 154 this emerges from the Orangeville OMB ruling which could cut $30 million out of leisure services in Kitchener. As well, population growth has not been at the levels projected; A clear need to prioritize major leisure services projects. The position cannot be all or nothing, service levels may need to be adjusted, such as for arenas; Design standards may need to be reconsidered. Not everything needs to be LEED Gold; Current capital project discussions, such as Rockway, Breithaupt, arenas, new pool, etc. collectively are well beyond the capital funding that is identified as available within the capital budget of the city. 4.5Partners Eight representatives of partner organizations participated in this focus group involving the City of Waterloo, the YWCA, the YMCA, the Waterloo Region District School Board, the Grand River Conservation Authority, the Region of Waterloo Health Unit, Kitchener Library and Chicopee Ski and Summer Resort. The following are responses of participants in answer to the key questions. Strengths of Current Leisure Services Delivery The neighbourhood associations and community centres support better engagement and provide more affordable services. They are also dispersed throughout the community; The subsidized participation program which works well and is promoted; Good partnerships between the Region, Waterloo and Kitchener, especially for outreach to low income families using community centres; The opportunity for partnerships, such as the libraries and the pools coming together; Excellent sports fields; The network of indoor pools; The trail system where some of the gaps are being filled and the Trails Master Plan gives direction; Generally something for everyone in the city, culturally, accessibility-wise and for many interest and age levels; The programming at the civic square; The flexibility in responding to trends, such as the skateboard parks. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-28 AGE 3 - 155 Concerns, Issues and Gaps The underdevelopment, under appreciation, and just underwhelmed perspectives around the Grand River Corridor which in any other community would have been identified as a primary resource and invested in significantly. It is simply not integrated into community life in Kitchener; Supports for low income adults to participate need to be enhanced; The southwest area is booming and is underserviced in terms of facilities and parks; A shortage of female only programs, some of them multi-culturally-based; There will be increasing emphasis on multi-cultural-based programming as the population grows; The inability to effectively access schools gymnasiums and facilities which is resulting in duplication; Delays in capital funding are pushing out major projects many years which is reducing services in some areas of the city; Operating dollars, especially for aging facilities; Need for more sports fields as the schools withdraw from baseball and other sports, and put increasing pressure on adjacent parks and facilities; There is a lack of capital support for key non-profit organizations, such as the YMCA, YWCA, Chicopee and other who can handle operating costs but have real challenges on the capital side; A number of key facilities are regional services in nature, and they get caught in the gap between local municipalities and the region who has no mandate in recreation and leisure services. This would involve a regional aquatics facility, track and field resource and other more broadly-used facilities. There needs to be a regional strategy for some of these key facilities; A need exists for more bike lanes to support cycling as both recreation and alternative transportation resources; Affordability of facility access is growing and will impact participation. Future Trends and Directions ill have different interests; Increased incidence of new Canadians in the population will drive changes and expectations, participation and needs; There will be a growing attachment of municipal decisions to economic realities; The LRT will increase walkable / healthy community considerations, especially in the downtown area; Need to give greater consideration to how children will interact. Do we need more program experiences or allow them to do a lot of different things and gain broader experiences; The possibility for greater interactivity between the GRCA and city, who have in some cases different but also similar clienteles, and there could be an opportunity to introduce these clienteles to each other services; The market will evolve more regionally with less regard for municipal boundaries; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-29 AGE 3 - 156 Need a set of principles to guide the leisure services and what the values and outcomes desired of these investments are; Climate change could affect outdoor sports in terms of irrigated fields, shade cover, etc.; Provincial urban intensification policies in mature neighbourhoods could grow and require different servicing responses in terms of both policies and the impacts of the LRT; Are the top five sport activities going to change in the next ten years, with cricket, soccer, disc sports growing, hockey, baseball and others declining. Also, people are going to be looking for both the established sports but also the new more contemporary activities; Should we consider reducing the life expectancy of facilities in terms of how we design and build them? Many facilities probably should have intended life designs of thirty years and not seventy years, resulting in more flexible spaces and designs; Need have more integrated planning and to work better together between departments, municipalities, service providers, partners and others; There will be increasing pressure for integration at all levels of service delivery across all spectrums; le have available to participate, affordability, locations, etc.; User fees will become increasingly challenging, and will need stronger rationales, research and development strategies: Low income families are losing their financial buffers and could disengage if there is not some o form of subsidies/financial support; Individuals may reduce their participation in high cost sports; o Some people may be involved in fewer sports/activities than currently; o May need to look at more private sector funding support. o Priorities Increased focus on partnerships, especially more innovative ones that engage in broadened opportunities, and moving beyond the current partnership frameworks the city looks at and their high control, low risk approaches; Increasing corporate sponsorships and related supports; Identifying core services and investing in them, as well as services that can be partnered with; etc. other opportunities for golf and this may also be a similar scenario in other service areas; Should consider more family/neighbourhood hub models, as is emerging within the provincial initiatives. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-30 AGE 3 - 157 4.6Advisory Committees of Council Six advisory committees were contacted for their input on the Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update. A number of the advisory groups were given a presentation and opted to advise their members to utilize the online survey to provide their input (Cycling and Compass Kitchener). The following materials represent the input received from specific advisory committees. 4.6.1dvisory Council for Kitchener Seniors Strengths of Current Leisure Services Delivery The Leisure magazine and the information provided; The range of opportunities for people to get involved; Services and facilities are very welcoming; The green spaces and the community centres that are provided; The water management and trails maintenance. Concerns, Issues and Gaps oard relationships and facility utilization needs to be worked on; plus; The need for subsidies to assist people to participate; The recruiting and training of instructors and volunteers; One third of the population will be over the age of fifty and their needs to be a larger focus on The intergenerational use of community centres needs to be fostered, but there should be one dedicated senior centre; Needs centres that provide different atmospheres and opportunities, including areas only for seniors; A question exists as to how well the community centres are being utilized. Future Trends and Directions Some members are not sold on the impacts of urban intensification or what will really happen in this area; Younger families are moving into neighbourhoods and need services; The fifty plus year olds are downsizing. Will they link into the LRT or keep driving; Need to encourage others to participate on a city-wide basis and not just in their neighbourhoods to gain efficiencies. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-31 AGE 3 - 158 Priorities Programs for seniors; Responding to demographic priorities; An emphasis on cycling and trails due to increased health and transportation needs; More active/wellness programs; Integrate with intellectual aspirations/schools and education, along with better cooperation with post-secondary institutions; Continue to support garden plot availability in all areas of the city. Funding and Delivery Alternative Approaches the LAC option is applicable; Corporate sponsorships and fundraising should be pursued; Tax increases should be a last resort; Look for operational efficiencies, cooperation and coordination before tax increases are used; Issuing a capital debt should only be considered for capital investments; Support for corporate naming and contributions was cited; A reduction in service levels was not supported. A study on current efficiency should be completed first. 4.6.2Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee A need exists for more programs and services that are specific with people with disabilities that also incorporate fun; People with disabilities have challenges in terms of becoming aware of programs that are available and therefore tend not to participate. People who are deaf require visual announcements, other need clearly lit facilities and there needs to be capability for emergency notifications; The Kitchener Auditorium has been updated and repaired but there is still work to do to meet the Herrington Audit; A number of the community centres do not have adequate handicap parking; The number one priority is to enhance the inclusion of people with disabilities in programs, followed by facility accessibility and maintenance. 4.6.3Compass Kitchener ies through the consultation input when making decisions; Very important to speak to and engage with all communities to get their input; Alignment with strategic priorities of the community based on the consultation will be important; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-32 AGE 3 - 159 Important that recomm and perspectives. 4.6.4Kitchener Youth Advisory Committee Strengths of Current Leisure Services Delivery Services for families with very young children; McLennan Park, especially the beach volleyball and the off leash areas; The Kingsdale Community Centre and the services to families; The informal programs at the DTC; Budd Park; The trail system; The tennis courts and the free programs. Concerns, Issues and Gaps Sometimes the age categories are strange, such as ending at fourteen or beginning at eighteen; Not much available in the Huron Heights or Doon Pioneer Park areas; Need for summer and weekend youth drop-in programs with sports and physical activities; Not enough pools within the city; Better maintenance of trails for cycling instead of having to use roads; Additional indoor programs for youth in the winter time; Ice skating in the winter should be more accessible. Priorities More options for tennis and volleyball; Development of a trails map; Need for a multi-use centre with a track, pool and gymnasium, along with a fitness area; Increased number of nature trails going through untouched areas; Improved communications around changes in schedules, availability of trails, etc.; Improved bus service to facilitate accessibility, especially in the winter season. Funding and Delivery Alternative Approaches Support for increased user fees was generally negative, possibly some small increases; Corporate sponsorships and community fundraising was supported, and youth could be volunteers to raise funds amongst youth agencies; Generally a lack of support for increased property taxes to fund leisure facilities and services; In terms of issuing debt, the general sense was not to pursue this unless there is significant federal/provincial contributions; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-33 AGE 3 - 160 A mixed reaction to reductions in services, possibly in certain small areas. Can some services provided by the city be replaced by volunteer organizations? 4.6.5Safe and Healthy Community Advisory Committee Strengths of Current Leisure Services Delivery The community centres and their distribution; McLennan Park related to the variety of things available/something for everyone; Huron Natural Area is good, accessible and provides variety; The outdoor playgrounds which are well maintained and used; The camp program areas are good but need shade/shelter from the heat. Concerns, Issues and Gaps Need something like a Waterloo Park with an aquarium; Need places to warm up before hockey games; Smoking needs to be banned from all facilities and venues, such as sports fields and parks; The need for more picnic areas in parks for family gatherings, along with community spaces for active community events, places to hold meetings; More programs in conjunction with school boards; Needed for public spaces for celebrations; Private banquet halls and meeting rooms are too expensive. Their needs to be free or limited cost places for community activities; More cultural days are important to our community; There should be a hub for communications for all activities, services, etc.; Social media needs to be a stronger tool for publicizing all programs, services and events; May need to consider gender neutral change rooms for the gay and transgender communities; Need to do something about the youth challenges, as teens just want to hang out at the community centres and in neighbourhoods. There is a lot of creative work being done to address this but needs to be a continuous focus; Would like to see more opportunities for unstructured play; Opportunities to participate without having to pay and to provide programs and services without going through structured groups. Priorities The southwest area is underserviced in terms of the growth being experienced ; The removal of Centennial Stadium leaves a gap in track and field, and there is no proper track facility in the city; A higher priority focus to be placed on accessibility and affordability; Need to focus more on anti-oppression frameworks; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-34 AGE 3 - 161 Need to increase healthy activity participation opportunities that utilize minimum equipment which can be expensive; Our budgeting for leisure services is behind/too low, as the proposed new recreation complexes are being pushed out further and further in time. Future Trends and Directions Increasing demand for cycling and trails; Increasing priority for natural areas, such as the Huron Natural Area, with good parking, accessible and closer into town; Still significant demand for ice activities; Will need more well maintained sports fields; More people are getting out and being active which will increase demand; Some shift to field sports, such as lacrosse and field hockey was identified, and therefore will need other types of sports fields; Need to consider a trend towards more women only programs, plus co-ed activities in terms of market segmentation; Soccer will experience significant growth and will need more field capacity, possibly working in partnership with school boards; Increased use of artificial fields should be considered, along with multiuse facilities such as Activa with its walking track; Will need to increasingly consider cricket due to new Canadian immigration trends; As the population ages, seniors/older adult programs will become more important, and many seniors cannot afford YMCA programs; Need to prepare for more special needs/adapting type programs as we move towards being a more inclusive community; Will be increasingly important to consider opportunities for unstructured play. Funding and Delivery Alternative Approaches No support for user fees being the primary approach to increase funding for leisure facilities and services; Community partnerships and corporate naming/funding and fundraising was supported as long it is not just focused on one are of the city or one group that would benefit; Increasing property taxes had mixed response. What is important is that any increases in taxes go evidently to leisure services. 4.6.6Environmental Advisory Committee Strengths of Current Leisure Services Delivery Easily accessible as there are many facilities and services offered for all ages; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-35 AGE 3 - 162 Provide a lot to the community, such as trails and corridors, the natural areas and parks. The trail improvements offer great benefit. Concerns, Issues and Gaps There is some lack of consistent policies amongst the indoor aquatic facilities in terms of exercise classes, such as warm water pool programming; Not enough bike lanes and some bike lanes exist that are not real bike lanes which poses safety hazards. There may need to be an etiquette brochure like the City of Calgary has; Some of the trails need more shade areas and sitting facilities; A sense that in the dog parks the procedures on the signage are not being enforced. Future Trends and Directions Downtown will look different as there is going to be more transportation options and will become more centralized through intensification which will create larger deficits in terms of the available recreation and leisure services which will need to be addressed; There will be increased stress on Victoria Park due to intensification, and there will be a need for more activities; More activities/services in the arts and related areas will be needed to respond to changing population trends; A need in the future to concentrate ball diamonds and other facilities to serve four or five neighbourhoods; Facilities and services will need to be inclusive so they serve more than one function, i.e., multi-use, such as Homer Watson Park; Facilities that connect to the transit line need to be considered. Priorities Senior services facilities improvements, such as at Rockway. The needs of seniors will be more varied and different types of activities will need to be provided; Emphasis should be on more walkable and healthy communities/neighbourhoods with courtyard concepts. Funding and Delivery Alternative Approaches Concern over user fees increasing too much which will make leisure services only affordable to the affluent; Need to sustain a focus on youth. The cost of sports for children is getting very high; There should be a way of funding things through corporate sponsorships, such as in the United States where companies offer to do community work on landscape design and construction; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-36 AGE 3 - 163 Tax increases were not supported as a broad strategy though there maybe sub-strategies that could can be considered when the benefits are enjoyed by the majority of the population; People want to increasingly see the value of what their taxes are providing or developing. The general public has a real concern about taxes, and there needs to be a different way to look at things; Social media fundraising could be considered; Some people live in older areas of the c being developed in the outer areas; Utilizing capital debt to develop facilities has its challenges as it incurs costs that future generations have to pay and there can be challenges along the way; The size of many of these facilities requires a debt oriented strategy, though pay as you go is preferred; PPPs, lease agreements and other tools should be considered; The city has for ten years been involved in modest tax increases which have been appreciated by the population; The development industry may need to be held more accountable for the development of parks and facilities that often help sell/market their developments. Some of the developments result in increased costs after development is completed which is incurred by the municipality. Building developers be responsible for developing a park, putting in the playground equipment, sports fields, etc.; Cash in lieu tends not to get translated into park and trail development; Natural areas should not be considered parkland as they have other roles and make broader contributions, particularly related to the environment; There is a backlog of neighbourhood and district park development which needs to be addressed. Contracts should be developed with developers so that these facilities go in earlier to support residents when they move into these areas. Such strategies can be complicated by the fact there can be multiple developers in a single area. 4.6.7Downtown Advisory Committee Strengths of Current Leisure Service System The aquatic facilities and pools; The signage on the Iron Horse Trail; Victoria Park receives many good comments. Concerns, Issues and Gaps Public awareness of what is available; The amenity packages need to be included; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-37 AGE 3 - 164 Need enhanced supports to facilitate access for the elderly and those that have physical challenges; Increasing need for community garden spaces in the downtown area, many people do not have cars to travel to the c More lighting on trails. Future Trends and Directions More younger people in the downtown which will require more marketing and awareness creation Keeping up on the trends and knowing what they are; Increased emphasis on wellness activities; Group oriented programming where people have common interests; Cultural activities in the downtown area; More active programming for older adults, fifty-five plus; An off-leash park in the downtown area. Priorities Creating a diverse array of leisure opportunities that meet the needs of seniors and younger people; virtual site and have multicultural capacities for different populations; More ways to engage in active lifestyles in the downtown area, and connectivity to trails by filling trail gaps. Funding and Delivery Alternative Approaches User fees increases could be used but need to be concerned about the impacts if they become too expensive on affordability; Corporate sponsorships and naming was widely supported. Corporate naming was supported but needs to be consistent with the branding of the city. Corporate naming of venues should be at a high level and not small facilities or green spaces; Rarely are all people in favour of tax increases and there is often a push-back; Issuing a debt should not be a tool; Service level reductions could be considered if facilities are not being used. Possibly can consider grea not needed; Mixture of funding approaches could be used, including user fees, as long as there is a fee assistance program available. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-38 AGE 3 - 165 4.7Community Survey During April and May 2013, residents of the City of Kitchener were encouraged to participate in an online survey on leisure facilities and services that would assist to inform the preparation of the Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update. Additionally, paper surveys were made available at satellite city locations. The tabulated results of the questions are available in Appendix XVII, Survey Responses. The following material is a summary of the key themes that emerged. Table 4-1 outlines the strengths and assets of the leisure facilities and services in Kitchener, some 133 responses were received. The top five considerations identified in terms of strengths were: The variety and quality of leisure programs; The distribution, accessibility and quality of leisure facilities generally; The quality, accessibility and distribution of arenas; The community centres/neighbourhood association model and services; The aquatic facilities and programming. Following these five strengths, were: Trails/pathways; Customer services/bookings/registration/staff. In Table 4-2, leisure services concerns/weaknesses and gaps were identified by respondents with a total of 135 responses. The top five were identified as: The southwest area of the city needs services; Ice availability, flexibility, allocation and aging arenas; Need for cricket pitch/facility; More diversity/evening hours for senior services and centres; Cost of programs/rentals. Table 4-3 examines in the next five to ten years in Kitchener that need to be planned. Some 130 responses were received. Four response themes stood out for this question: The aging population/need for seniors services that are more dynamic/varied; The city will continue to grow and will need more services/growth in services; A more multicultural population/need for new types of services, communications, etc., e.g., cricket, soccer; Increased emphasis on wellness and physical activity, i.e., walking/trails, cycling, older ad fitness, etc. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-39 AGE 3 - 166 Table 4- specific priorities across four levels of priority, one through four. In terms of the top priority the following leisure services received eight or more responses out of the 136 total responses received: Soccer (fields, dome, turf); Cricket pitch/indoor; Southwest Kitchener facilities (pool, community centre and fields); Trails and bike lanes; Senior services; Youth services/engagement. On a second priority basis, 131 responses were received and the following priorities had eight or more identifications: Affordable/lower fees; Trails and bike lanes; Cricket pitch/indoor; Youth services/engagement. In terms of the third level priority, 117 responses were identified, and only one had eight or more responses which was trails and bike lanes. In terms of the fourth level priorities, some 68 responses were received and no particular leisure facility or service received more than six responses. Table 4-5 asked respondents if their priorities could not be realized within the next 15 to 20 years would they change their priorities. The respondents indicated that there was very little likelihood of them changing their priority as 92% or 112 respondents indicated they would not change their priorities. Table 4-6 provides for leisure facilities and services. Some 56.0% said this should not be undertaken and 44.0% said it could be, indicating a relative split with the majority not preferring to this strategy. Table 4-7 outlines respondents support for corporate sponsorships/community fundraising as a primary approach to pay for leisure facilities and services. Some 85.0% said they were and only 15.0% said they were not. Table 4-8 identified in paying for leisure facilities and services. Some 56.0% said they were not in favour of such an approach and 44.0% said they were favourable. This is relatively similar to the use of user fees in terms of a relative split. It is interesting to note that both questions had identical proportionate results. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-40 AGE 3 - 167 Table 4-9 identified the city offering debt as the primary approach to pay for leisure facilities and services. Some 73.0% said no to this being a preferred approach and 27.0% said yes. Table 4-10 asked respondents if they were prepared to see a reduction in leisure services as a primary approach to pay for leisure facilities and services. Some 88.0% said no to this strategy and 14.0% said yes, indicating a clear preference that there not be a reduction in leisure service levels. The data from the community survey is consistent with the consultation data and other inputs that were received through the course of the research report development for the Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update. There is continuing emphasis on affordability; youth and the southwest area; and soccer, arenas, cricket and multiuse sports fields. In terms of funding/financing strategies, there is some split in terms of increasing user fees and using property taxes; with strong support for corporate sponsorships/community fundraising, and no significant support for the use of capital debt or leisure services reductions as a means to fund future leisure services. 4.8Consultation Workshops Two consultation workshops were held to secure input from community residents and departmental staff in regards to assessing leisure services priorities based on three questions: Short term facility priorities over the next five plus years; Priorities when considering capital costs; Alternative financing and delivery strategy preferences. At the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex on June 19, 2013, an advertised public workshop was held for community residents to participate via work table discussions. Subsequently a staff session was held in June to undertake a similar exercise. Participants were provided background materials of key themes and findings that emerged from the public consultations and preliminary findings from the KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-41 AGE 3 - 168 project research and data collection to that date, typical facility costs and other information to support their discussions. On a consolidated basis, the following themes emerged in terms of leisure priorities: Short Term Priorities The following short term priorities emerged from the two workshops: Community trail network development; Indoor pool, community centre and sports field development in the southwest area of the city; Neighbourhood parks in the east and west areas of the city; Parks and open space development along the Grand River corridor; Multi-use fields for rugby, field lacrosse, football, field hockey and related sports. Priorities When Considering the Capital Cost of Facilities The following priorities were identified when considering the capital costing of various leisure services initiatives: Community trail network development Reuse of Queensmount arena for hard-floor sports; Neighbourhood parks in the east and west areas of the city; Indoor pool, community centre and sports field development in the southwest area of the city; District level community centres. Financing and Delivery Alternatives The following priorities were identified in terms of leisure services capital financing and delivery strategies: Developers having increased involvement earlier in the parks and leisure services development process in their developments; Corporate naming and sponsorship programs; Developing facilities at different levels of quality and scale that reflect differentiated user needs and quality requirements. There was significant consistency across the three questions with an evident openness to examine and potentially pursue new forms of leisure services capital funding and delivery models. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P4-42 AGE 3 - 169 5DOCUMENTS REVIEW A series of policy, planning and project documents relevant to this update of the Leisure Facilities Master Plan were reviewed by the project team. Many of the documents/policies/strategies reviewed were the result of the implementation of recommendations made in the 2005 LFMP. There are a mix of considerations/themes related to venue-based master plans, specific facilities, strategic development and policy areas. 5.1Community Investment Strategy The 2005 LFMP scope included a review of the community services grants program. Since then council has approved a Community Investment Strategy, Council Policy I-525 (approved November 24, 2008; last amended October 24, 2011). Community investment provides funding and support for programs and opportunities that benefit residents of the City of Kitchener. There is a framework of 14 different investment sources, each with its own governing policy and accountability structure. The objectives of the community investment framework are to: Rationalize the many ways the community accesses funds from the city Make transparent the mechanisms available Align with council priorities funds for different purposes Hold the program funding owner accountable for the use and impact of the funds Enable council to weigh the competing priorities for scarce pool of community grants Champion c The framework invests significantly in community groups, both as a primary service delivery strategy and to broaden the delivery of services available in the community, to enhance the use of volunteers and the expertise that lies across the resident base. The nature of these grants is to facilitate community empowerment, leadership and responsibility, to provide points of leverage to secure other funding and in-kind supports; and to keep city staff focused on their primary responsibilities while community groups pursue what they do best and in which they have the deepest expertise and capacities. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-1 AGE 3 - 170 Grants are not included in the scope of this update. However, it is important to recognize the Community Investment Strategy and Framework as a funding approach for community groups and organizations to utilize for delivery of services to a variety of Kitchener neighbourhoods and residents. 5.2Trails and Parks 5.2.1Kitchener South District Park Master Plan, 2013 Pending In the 1991 Parks and Recreation Master Plan, the 2005 Leisure Facilities Master Plan and the 2010 Parks Master Plan for the City of Kitchener, identification has been consistently made in regards to the development of a district park in the South Kitchener area. These ongoing recommendations have targeted the South Kitchener area where significant growth was planned and is currently occurring as one of the remaining large developable areas within the city. In 2012, the operations division of the city initiated a conceptual master planning process for the Kitchener South District Park. This master planning process involved two phases: Phase 1 a multi-dimensional consultation program and activities trends analysis involving user groups, city advisory committees, city councillors, city staff and others; Phase 2 development of conceptual master plan alternatives to be submitted for further public consultation and subsequent consideration and approval by council. 5.2.2Multi-use Pathways and Trails Master Plan, 2012 city has embraced the importance of developing and providing off-road pedestrian and cycling routes and facilities throughout the city. This original master plan created a vision for the concept of linked open spaces in the official plan. The vision served as the basis for the development of approximately 125 kilometres of community trails in existence today including the Water Bean Trail and the Iron Horse Trail. Since that time many municipalities have surpassed Kitchener in terms of the extent, quality and funding -ing networks. In June 2010, a study steering committee consisting of staff who are involved with the Parks Strategic Plan, Kitchener Natural Heritage System Background Report and the Cycling Master Plan for the 21st Century was formed to guide the development of the City of Kitchener Multi-use Pathways and Trails Master Plan. Trail planning and design specialists from MMM Group and Ecoplans Limited were retained by the city in June 2010 to undertake the development of the master plan with city staff. The implementation of recommendations in this master plan over the next 10-15 years will see Kitchener begin to keep pace with the growing public demand for a high quality, connected system of multi-use pathways that connect neighbourhoods with places of recreation, shopping and employment. In addition, well developed multi-use pathway and trail systems provide a variety of other KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-2 AGE 3 - 171 transportation, economic, environmental and community health benefits. The Kitchener Multi-use Pathways and Trails Master Plan builds on past and current trail development efforts, and is intended as a blueprint to guide the development and operation of multi-use pathways throughout Kitchener in the short, medium and long term. The focus and emphasis on the Multi-use Pathways and Trails Master Plan -- network. Through this study, the following vision was created for Multi-use Pathways in Kitchener: -use pathways form the primary continuous off-road walking and cycling network that provides residents of all ages and abilities the means to travel easily and safely throughout their neighbourhood, across the city and to neighbouring municipalities. Multi-use pathways offer year-round opportunities for active recreation and active The objectives of the Multi-use Pathways and Trails Master Plan are: 1.Implement a continuous and connected multi-use pathway system throughout the city of 2.Kitchener within open space and greenway corridors outside of road rights of way; 3.Build upon, enhance and improve the continuity and connections to existing and previously developed multi-use pathways (community trails) including connections to adjacent municipalities; 4.Ensure the implementation of multi-use pathways within all new neighbourhoods; 5.Consult with the public and key stakeholders that could have a role in the development, maintenance and promotion of trails in the city; 6.Coordinate and link the c which also includes the approved Region of Waterloo cycling network; 7.Assess the current condition and function of multi-use pathways (community trails) in Kitchener; 8.Examine current design standards and maintenance practices and make recommendations for changes based on best practice research; 9.Identify and recommend potential policies, strategies, and programs that Kitchener and its partners can support and implement to encourage more people to use the multi-use pathways (community trail) system more often for recreation and transportation purposes; 10.Examine corporate planning and development process and policies to ensure that pathways are routinely considered in the process in an appropriate and timely manner; and 11.Develop an implementation strategy that will identify trail development costs and prioritize projects for construction. The promotion of walking and cycling through the development of an integrated multi-use pathways network can provide transportation, health and fitness, economic development and environment benefits. Providing options that will encourage people to reduce the use of personal automobiles, and to walk and cycle more, can reduce health care costs, and can help create sustainable, more livable communities. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-3 AGE 3 - 172 5.2.3Parks Strategic Plan/Park Master Plan, 2010 In 2008, the City of Kitchener embarked on the development of a Park Master Plan to direct the c investments and initiatives in the future planning, design, acquisition, improvement, management, programming and use of city parks. The process of preparing the Park Master Plan included three stages of development: Situational Analysis, Park Master Plan and the Implementation Strategy. This process engaged the community in a variety of forums to cultivate ideas and priorities for the future of our parks. Through this park master plan and a number of related initiatives, Kitchener residents and organizations revealed just how important parks are to this community. This park master plan is motivated by the need and objectives of Kitchener to: 1.Recognize the value and benefits of parks as public infrastructure that is vital to our health and support systems, including the social, physical and economic environment; 2.Create a contiguous linked public parks and open space system that is a defining feature of the community; 3.Engage and activate the community in a renewed effort of park planning, development, management, programming and use; 4.Strengthen, expand and effectively manage our significant parkland resources to respond to current and future needs and trends; 5.Capitalize on opportunities of continued urban development while addressing the challenges of growth and change; 6.Provide a strategic focus for parks aligned and integrated with community and corporate strategic plans and initiatives; 7.Ensure access for all to diverse parks, programs and outdoor experiences; 8.Create a foundation for increased and sustained investment in the parks system. A strategic framework was created that included the foundational elements of the master plan: vision and mission; principles and goals; park classification system and policies; strategies and actions; and monitoring and performance measures. Building on the strategic framework, a series of park initiatives and strategies were formulated within six strategic themes as follows: 1.Conserving and restoring city natural areas; 2.Strengthening and expanding the community trail network; 3.Completing the vision for the Grand River Corridor; 4.Enhancing active parkland and fostering growth in outdoor sports; 5.Building and renewing our neighbourhood parks; 6.Engaging and activating the community. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-4 AGE 3 - 173 In the implementation components, the master plan provides a prioritized action plan for undertaking each initiative along with related capital cost implications for major projects, where applicable. 5.2.4Emerald Ash Borer The Emerald Ash Borer is an introduced tree pest that is killing millions of ash trees across eastern North America. In five years it is expected that 80 per cent of the ash trees in the city will be dead. There are about 6,000 ash trees along residential streets and in city parks. On city streets, ash accounts for about 10 percent of the city street trees and about 13 percent of the trees in parks. No information is available on the number of ash trees in natural areas, other city lands and private property. The city's plan to deal with emerald ash borer is focused on monitoring and adaptive management, communication, removing infested, dying and dead ash trees, protecting large, healthy ash trees and stumping and replanting trees. The cost to remove and replant 4,500 ash trees on residential streets will exceed 4.3 million dollars. $6.75M will be required for stumping and re-planting which is currently not included in the 10 year capital forecast. The costs associated with 2,000 ash trees in city parks, 1,000 hectares of natural area and other city lands still needs to be determined. The impact of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is significant on unbudgeted resources (staff, capital costs) and on the infrastructure of our leisure/recreation spaces. The loss of 6,400 ash trees will result in a loss of the economic, environmental and social benefits the urban forest provides to the community through a reduction in direct (e.g. property values) and indirect (e.g. air quality) benefits. 5.3Targeted Populations The 2005 LFMP indicated some gaps in policy development around targeted populations and accessibility to leisure and recreational services and facilities in the City of Kitchener. In addition to compliance with provincial legislation (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, AODA), the city has deemed it important to fill those gaps since then with the development of various strategies (Leisure Access Card Strategy, 2006; Older Adult Strategy, 2009; Volunteer Services Strategy, 2010; Youth Services Strategy, 2010). A brief summary of each strategy regarding purpose, implementation and/or status is provided for consideration. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-5 AGE 3 - 174 5.3.1Accessibility Plan, 2013 The AODA passed into law to improve opportunities for persons with disabilities and to provide for their full involvement in the identification, prevention and removal of barriers to their full participation in the life of the province. The purpose of the accessibility plan is to identify, prevent and remove barriers to accessibil-laws, policies, practices and services. The accessibility plan must be made available to the public. The plan describes the actions taken by each of the participating municipalities, including the City of Kitchener, in 2011 and the activities for 2012 that identify, prevent and remove barriers for persons with a disability. The AODA focuses on improving accessibility in areas such as buildings and spaces, employment, customer service, information and communications and transportation in the private, government and broader public sector. These goals are to be achieved on or before January 1, 2025. The Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC) was established to advise the participating Councils on the preparation, implementation and effectiveness of their respective plan. This initiative is a corporate project on the 2013 CSD Business Plan. Annual compliance deadlines extend up to 2025. 5.3.2Leisure Access Card (LAC) Strategy, 2006 In 1989 the fee assistance program was established. Since then, the service has evolved to its present format and processes. The service has benefited from an approved philosophy for fee assistance which serves as a foundation for policy development. In December 2004, a review of the LAC service and process was initiated to develop a sustainable delivery strategy for the service and to investigate other sources of funding for the service. Background statistics, extensive research and input received from public focus groups assisted the review team in reaching its conclusions. During the review, staff conducted extensive research on local and Canadian poverty statistics. Much of what was found supports the information that was heard through the focus groups. Poverty is more than an economic disadvantage the impacts are shown in health statistics, higher mortality rates, increased usage of probationary, counseling and social work services. Several KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-6 AGE 3 - 175 focus group sessions were conducted with the assistance of the University of Waterloo Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies. Currently, a standard procedure for requesting a leisure access card is administered on a centralized basis using the Canadian Low Income Cut Offs (LICO) prepared by Statistics Canada and Kitchener residency as eligibility guidelines. The process to apply for LAC service must be sensitive to the privacy, confidentiality and dignity of the applicants. The LAC service is not intended as a revenue generation mechanism. It is a subsidy system that helps to make recreational and leisure programs and services accessible and affordable for individuals and families. Fluctuations in the economic situation of the Region related to employment and immigration impact the budget for the LAC service. In addition, it is recognized that the dignity and care for the users, is paramount in successful, sensitive administration of the service. Through the LAC service, the city can focus greater resources for children and youth that provide accessible recreation and leisure services for many. 5.3.3Older Adult Strategy, 2009 The City of Kitchener has a long history of providing quality recreation programs and services for older adults, with three older adult centres currently in operation, and a variety of other facilities and agencies offering programs, services, and opportunities of relevance to this age group. Growing recognition of the significant demographic shifts being experienced on a national, provincial, baby breview their service provision to older adults. Municipalities across Canada and Kitchener is no exception are looking for a strategic response to the challenges and opportunities emerging from this rapidly growing segment of the population. The research points to two distinct older adult market segments whose leisure needs will demand attention in the coming years. 1.The raditional senior becoming the rail elderly older adults being served by the cityolder adult centres today. The majority of these individuals baby be of that generation. These individuals will require more assistance and support as they grow older and may struggle with mobility challenges, loneliness and isolation, and in some instances dementia. ears, and municipal recreation departments will need to determine their role and primary responsibilities to this group, particularly relative to health service providers and other agencies. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-7 AGE 3 - 176 2.baby boomer: The baby boomers are now entering their z expectations for their retirement years than the previous generation of older adults. On the whole, zoomers are healthier, more affluent, more active, more technologically savvy, more culturally diverse, and ready to enter a new phase of life, free from full-time work obligations. They have interests in travel, lifelong learning, health and wellness, aging well, and staying physically active. There are significant implications for leisure services. For example, zoomers will avoid services and to pay for program and services that cater to their needs and are of high quality; they will seek out programs and experiences that are empowering, incorporate more opportunities to learn, help broaden horizons and help develop leadership and other skills; they will prefer flexibility in program options, and will be less likely to make a long-term commitment or pay membership fees; they are less likely to volunteer, but when they do, they will look for positions that match their level of skill, interests, schedules, and personal goals; they will focus on health and wellness and staying active; and will demand high quality, comfortable, welcoming facilities that meet a variety of interests and a range of needs. As noted above, the emerging older adult market will be very similar to the adult market. Increasingly the recipients of these services will not be isolated seniors, predominantly women, with health limitations and limited income. This demographic will be superseded by the zoomer an older adult by age but with recreational interests that in many cases will not be dissimilar to the childless adult market of today. Furthermore, unlike other segments of the adult market, these individuals will be retired or partially retired and consequently will represent an extraordinary market for leisure services they are healthy, have time on their hands, and want and are willing to pay for quality recreational experiences. Some strategic directions for the city from the Older Adult Strategy are: Meet community demand for leisure opportunities in a manner consistent with available resources and agreed-upon priority outcomes and should not establish service priorities based solely on the age of the service recipient; A continued role to play in providing supportive leisure and nutritional programming for the frail elderly, although this role should continue to be as a partner with relevant health, social service, and other agencies as appropriate, and not as the lead agency. The city, in partnership with other agencies, should continue to explore creative ways to take on a secondary role in service to the frail elderly, which may or may not include facility provision; Dedicated older adult centres should no longer be included in the c and alternative uses should be explored and eventually adopted for the Rockway Centre; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-8 AGE 3 - 177 The city should continue to work with neighbourhood associations to ensure that they can continue to play a meaningful role in providing quality services and programs to meet changing community needs and interests; Park provision standards, design standards and park classification systems should be reviewed and revised to better reflect the emerging needs of the older adult population. This may involve different types of parks with a wider range of features and amenities oriented to older adults/adults; Facility allocation policies and facility scheduling priorities will need to be reviewed to better reflect the needs of the older adult/adult market; Memberships for older adult centre should be gradually eliminated and more flexible fee and program structures should be implemented; Fees and pricing policies should be reviewed and revised. Automatic fee subsidies based on age should be phased out and gradually replac The department should explore opportunities to expand program offerings directed to adults and older adults; The department should review current community development approaches aimed at sport development and determine if a different role is required to facilitate adult recreational sport leagues; Program guides, web-sites, brochures and other marketing/communication tools should be reviewed to ensure they are convenient and easily accessible and that images presented are reflective of the changing demographics, and increasing ethnic diversity of the community; The department should review the current range and scope of volunteer opportunities and arrangements, and methods of recruiting and using volunteers, to better reflect the interests of the emerging older adult population; The Community Services Department will need to dedicate resources to and place a higher priority on ongoing research aimed at understanding the needs and interests of the emerging markets; Appropriate training will be required for all city staff, neighbourhood association representatives, and other voluntary service providers to better understand the needs and interests of the emerging adult and older adult populations; less emphasis on age segregated services for older adults. The Older Adult Strategy is a first step in the cges and opportunities of meeting the leisure needs of this rapidly growing segment of the population. This report identified a significant change in the composition, interests and needs of the adult and older adult market, which will be an increasing proportion of the c number of issues that will need to be explored further before recommendations can be finalized. As well, it is anticipated that the directions outlined in this report will be reviewed extensively with community representatives; other service delivery agencies; politicians and the general public prior to being implemented. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-9 AGE 3 - 178 Implementation of the strategy is ongoing as a divisional project in the 2013 CSD business plan. Pursuant to the strategic directions in this strategy, implementation includes evaluation of the mandate of CSD in providing services to older adults. 5.3.4Rockway Community Centre Feasibility Study and Business Case, 2013 The purpose of the study was to: Define the current and future requirement for older adult programming and the facilities to support that need for Kitchener residents, and examine the ability of the Rockway Centre to meet its share of those evolving needs within the context of what is provided at other community centres and by other providers within the community; Identify and analyze options and recommend future directions for the Rockway Centre and site, including associated capital cost and high level operating cost implications; Examine community partnership opportunities for facility, program and service delivery related to options for the Rockway Centre During the course of the study, the scope was expanded to include a community consultation including an online survey of adults and a travelling exhibit; exploration of other options for providing an older adult recreation facility including other sites; preparation of a Heritage Impact Assessment of the Rockway Centre and site, the Rockway Gardens and the adjacent Rockway Golf Course; preparation of concept plans for some of the options. An analysis of the older adult population in Kitchener indicated that the age 50+ population in Kitchener has increased to 31.1%. The highest concentration of this population in Kitchener is in the west-central part of the city, with Stanley Park and Grand River community centres central to that area. Other community centres within areas of high concentration of age 50+ residents include: Rockway, Forest Heights, Doon Pioneer Park, Centreville Chicopee, Breithaupt and Kingsdale. Projections indicate that by 2031, 35.4% of the Kitchener population (approximately 40,000) could be age 50+. Coupled with an increase in numbers of age 50+ residents, increasing ethnic diversity in the older adult population will have implications for the effective promotion of older adult social, recreation and wellness programming, and related services. Currently, three city community centres are the main supplier of age 50+ adult programming and related services: Rockway Centre, Breithaupt Centre and Downtown Community Centre. Many programs and services for adults and senior adults are also provided by neighbourhood associations at other city- owned community centres. Churches, non-profit groups, health agencies, the Region of Waterloo, the YMCA, nine senior neighbourhood clubs, retirement residences and entities within the commercial sector (among others) also provide social, recreation and wellness programs and related services for adults and older adults in Kitchener. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-10 AGE 3 - 179 Some findings from the study include: Influenced by the big baby boom generation, the older adult market which has been branded by interests, with increasing expectations for services and facilities; The increasing number of frail elderly as life expectancy increases and the baby boom generation reaches that phase of their life cycle; A transition is underway, with expectations that most of the current range of leisure interests of traditional older adults will be retained for a decade or more as the current market of older seniors age out of significant involvement in activities. Increasingly, there traditional interest will be augmented by a new set of interest and level of participation influenced by the baby boom generation; Many activities regularly requested by age 50+ adults cannot be accommodated at the Rockway Centre, ranging from expanded fitness/wellness and educational opportunities to social spaces, gym-based sports, performance and creative arts, and food-related services, as well as outdoor activities and amenities; VIP memberships are in decline. The Rockway Centre appears to be meeting the needs and expectations of many who use it today. However, the number of regular customers continues to decline. The Rockway Centre will increasingly be in competition with all other providers of social, recreation and wellness opportunities for adults that are and will be available in Kitchener and beyond. Increasingly, the Rockway Centre will only be able to accommodate the least active of uses. Eight options emerged from the study: Option One - repair the Rockway Centre and modify the facility to meet accessibility requirements; Option Two expand the Rockway Centre and preserve the heritage exterior; Option Three replace the Rockway Centre with a purpose-built full-service older adult recreation centre; Option Four expand and modify Forest Heights Community Centre to incorporate a full-service older adult recreation centre; Option Five build a full-service older adult recreation centre on another site; Option Six build a multi-storey, mixed-use structure (including a full-service older adult recreation centre) on another site; Option Seven build a multi-storey, mixed-use structure (including a full-service older adult recreation centre) as an addition to the Rockway Centre; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-11 AGE 3 - 180 Option Eight build a multi-storey, mixed-use structure (including a full-service older adult recreation centre) in place of the Rockway Centre on the same site. While the project team selected Option Four (to expand and modify Forest Heights Community Centre to include a full-service older adult recreation centre), the Rockway Centre will continue to be utilized for age 50+ programming and related activities for some time. If a new older adult recreation centre is established elsewhere, it will take several years at a minimum to secure the funding and design and construct a facility. The Rockway Feasibility Study and Business Case is a corporate project in the 2013 CSD business plan. Per CSD-13-051 in May 2013, the Rockway Feasibility Study and Business Case was referred to the Leisure Facilities Master Plan (LFMP) Update and Development Charges (DC) review for prioritization against other recreational needs within the community. 5.3.5Volunteer Services Strategy, 2010 The purpose of developing a volunteer services strategy is to reconfirm the value and role of volunteers in consultation with staff, council, current volunteers, volunteer boards and the community to investigate emerging trends and current issues and identify priorities for the coming years. A number of key trends were identified during the study as follows: Fewer volunteers contributing more; Typical volunteers are female, middle-aged, well-educated Core volunteers are same as typical, but not employed The new volunteers are zoomers, millennials, corporations The key motivation for volunteering is making a difference Various barriers to volunteering exist such as lack of time, inability to commit Why volunteers leave include not matching skills, lack of recognition Best practices include utilizing skills and talents, managing effectively While the study does not provide any recommendations, it did capture various strategic directions for implementation by volunteer services as follows: Demonstrate leadership and commitment to volunteerism and raise the profile of volunteerism within the corporation Expand participation in volunteerism by strengthening the communication of volunteer opportunities and establishing connections and partnerships Expand and improve upon the range of volunteer opportunities available Provide staff and volunteer boards with expanded/improved training, tools and resources to manage volunteers more effectively KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-12 AGE 3 - 181 Strengthen the value of volunteerism to the city and volunteers by improving the mechanisms for providing feedback and recognition Improve the communication and evaluation of volunteer successes and contributions, to raise the profile of volunteerism within the community and to plan for the future Implementation of the strategy is ongoing as a divisional project in the 2013 CSD business plan. 5.3.6Youth Services Strategy, 2010 A strategic planning process for youth services was undertaken to establish an inspiring vision and a clear mandate for youth services unit. The objective of the youth services strategy (YSS) was to develop a program and service delivery model that would serve as a foundation for the youth services unit providing direction and guidance to staff in planning, resource allocation, partnership development and program/service development and delivery. Additionally, the goal was to define specific recommendations (rooted in youth input) that would provide direction to youth services for the next 10 years. A youth services framework (vision, mandate, and guiding principles) was developed to create a foundation on which to build the strategy. A strengths-based framework of asset-building and positive youth engagement that is inclusive and supportive has guided the work of the unit to date and continues to serve as the cornerstone for future directions and recommendations. Staff who work with youth value the capacity and the strengths of our young people and of our community over the weaknesses and deficits. It is their belief that a healthy community promotes wellness in young people and young people who are well build healthy communities. Staff has served and shall continue to act as partners, facilitators and direct program providers in service provision to youth. A core value of youth services is to listen to and engage youth in meaningful ways. The research is clear - engaged youth are healthy, happier, and supported in their community networks. As such, staff believe it is important for people who work with youth to do so using an asset-based model that concentrates on working wit The focus for youth services is to provide inclusive and meaningful opportunities for youth participation in community life through access to resources, recreation, leadership development and civic engagement. Barriers to participation in recreation and leisure programs have a significant impact on participation rates. Youth stakeholders reported that they experience several barriers to participating in recreational programs including: cost, transportation, school and work demands and not knowing where and when programs/activities are happening. A continued commitment to meaningfully engage our youth supports the healthy community vision and strategically places the Youth Services Strategy as an operational vehicle for which to realize the intended outcomes. Ultimately, this strategy provides direction for youth services staff enabling them to KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-13 AGE 3 - 182 support youth in our community while also contributing to the achievement of the vision and priorities outlined in the City of Kitchener strategic plan. The following strategic directions are contained in the Youth Services Strategy: - That the City of Kitchener outlines its commitment to engaging youth in meaningful ways and valuing them as contributing members of our community through the approval and completion of the actions identified in the Youth Services Strategy. Program and service delivery modela partnership approach - That the City of Kitchener continue to offer youth programs using a continuum of service delivery models (facilitation, direct delivery and partnership) with an increased focus on creating strategic partnerships that will assist in more outh community. Connecting with youth who are not currently engaged - That inclusive and preventative principles that support all youth be entrenched in operational practices to ensure that the interests of youth are considered across all service delivery areas of the corporation. Accessible, affordable, community-based programs - That City of Kitchener staff identify and develop specific strategies to ensure youth participation and involvement in programs, services, facilities and committees; with a particular focus given to working in cooperation with its affiliated partners. Youth-centred information, knowledge, resources and training - That staff and City of Kitchener affiliated groups are provided with general information, training and resources in order to support the provision of services to young people. Communication and marketing strategies designed to reach youth - That staff develop a communication strategy that is responsive to youth culture and that includes specific actions designed to reach parents/guardians and youth-serving agencies. Implementation of the strategy is ongoing as a divisional project in the 2013 CSD business plan. Pursuant to the strategic directions in this strategy, Phase 2 implementation includes development of a tool kit and checklist to aid staff when engaging youth in consultation processes, training/education module for staff and volunteers and discussions with neighbourhood associations as it relates to the delivery of youth programs and services in neighbourhoods. 5.4Recreation Services/Strategies 5.4.1Sport Tourism Strategy, 2008 The strategy is based on a strategic framework that includes five categories with actions for implementation in each category (ranked high, mid, low) in addition to organizational structure recommendations and identified gaps in leisure facilities. An organizational model is recommended that includes determining City of Kitchener and City of Waterloo representatives on the Joint Sport Tourism Committee (JSTC), working with the City of Waterloo to develop a terms of reference for a JSTC that reflects organizational model 2 (integrated KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-14 AGE 3 - 183 organizational capacity, marketing and communication initiatives and separate event acquisition and event support initiatives) and recruitment of members for the JSTC. The categories with core recommendations (high and mid only) for implementation are: Developing community capacity - assemble and disseminate an event planning toolkit for current and prospective event organizers; develop and implement a series of ongoing workshops and roundtables for event organizers; Enhancing event impact - working with local destination marketing organizations (DMO)and event organizers, to organizing committees; facilitating the development of accommodation packages by bringing together key stakeholders including event organizers, accommodation, restaurant and attractions operators; Attracting new high impact events - finalizing the draft Event Evaluation Framework based on goals, objectives and strategies outlined in approved municipal and departmental strategic plans; developing and implementing a marketing and communications strategy to promote the twin cities as a sport tourism destination with a dedicated sport tourism website as the primary vehicle; establishing a prospect list of sport governing bodies and the events they control at the provincial, regional, national and international level; confirming the level of organizational support and capacity available from local sports organizations; establishing the of events that produce health and well-being and community and economic benefits most closely aligned with municipal goals, that can be hosted by facilities currently available within the communities and that have strong support and organizational capacity from local sports groups and other stakeholders; establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with the sport governing bodies identified as top prospects; preparing business case for targeted events, identifying funding and other commitments required from the municipalities and other stakeholders; establishing a bid development fund to assist in host city bid preparation for selected events; Exploring opportunities for event creation - investigating niche market opportunities for new event types and to identify emerging marketing trends; identifying local market support, participation levels, infrastructure and organizational capacity; preparing business case for new events determined to have market potential based on track record of comparable events and local capacity; Increasing community support and understanding for sport tourism developing a communications and advocacy strategy aimed at the community at large, and at the key stakeholder groups most directly affected by the proposed sport tourism strategy; developing the collateral material and the distribution strategy to reach the intended audiences, taking advantage of existing municipal communication channels where possible. Other actions are included in the strategy. However, they are deemed to be of lower impact and will be implemented as possible. Identified gaps in leisure facilities are provided in the next section, specifically 5.5.5 Sport Tourism Implementation of this strategy is a divisional project on the 2013 CSD business plan. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-15 AGE 3 - 184 5.4.2Athletics Strategic Plan, 2013 A staff team is currently undertaking the development of an Athletics section strategy that provides direction on how to support the existing, emerging and underserviced sport and physical activity providers in the community. Objectives of the project include: Review various approaches, models and tools used to aid the development of sport and physical activity; Assess/define and clarify the scope of services provided by the Athletics Section; Determine which services are still viable, where are opportunities for service enhancement, where there are gaps; Assess value of services to stakeholders; Ensure services align with priorities and strategic initiatives of the City of Kitchener; Develop strategic and service initiatives; Develop measures to monitor the achievement of section goals and objectives; Athletics end users/clients have been clearly defined and service needs identified; A thorough review of current services has been completed including associated value of each service by staff, community/user groups and other stakeholders; A process for future evaluation via benchmarks or key indicators has been established to ensure services provided by Athletics provide meaningful value to end user/client; A number of tools, approaches or models have been reviewed and tested against needs of the community, capacity of the Athletics section and corporate strategic objectives/directions; A recommendation, outlining the best service model, which allows for flexibility, to adapt to changes in priorities, user group needs etc. has been forwarded for consideration; The Athletics section has clear direction on how to support existing, emerging and/or underserviced groups/areas in the community, relating to sport and physical activity. Kitchener to be a community where sport and physical activity contribute significantly to the quality of life of our residents, ultimately becoming the most physically active community in Canada. The mission for the Athletics section is "Athletic Services supports external service groups through facilitation to empower self-sufficient, highly functional sport organizations that enable our residents to pursue sport to the greatest extent of their abilities and interests. Athletic Services supports internal service groups through consultation to build an engaged community participating in physical activity at all levels and ages to help support the City of Kitchener residents quality of life". KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-16 AGE 3 - 185 5.4.3Community Resource Centre Model, 2005 LFMP The community resource centre model enhances accessibility, supports neighbourhood identity and volunteerism and creates better opportunities for residents to access the services most meaningful to them and that reflect the needs of their respective neighbourhood. Recommendation 17 in the LFMP provided the following principles to support decision-making regarding entres: To create a stable and sustainable resource for the delivery of leisure and potentially social health and other linked services within a defined community; To provide an identity and centre point to a neighbourhood or community; To facilitate volunteerism in the delivery of leisure services and community development and other significant neighbourhood/community capacity-building initiatives; To develop and sustain a sense of community pride, ownership and participation at the neighbourhood level where people live, interact and recreate on a regular basis; To provide leisure resource opportunities that are accessible related to where people live, interact and wish to participate with their family, friends and neighbours on a local; To ensure a primary focus on the provision of leisure and social service programs that have demonstrated need within the community, with only a secondary or tertiary focus on rental sor other uses that are not necessarily tied to the community; To develop governance and management plans for each centre that reflect the needs, capacities and traditions of each area within an operating template that supports flexibility, reduces risks and focuses on outcomes. These principles remain valid for staff to use in their work with neighourhoods and communities within the city. Recommendation 18 in the LFMP provides a three-tiered model for staff to utilize to deliver services to neighbourhoods and communities within the city: Resource centres/neighbourhood program centres that provide leisure and social services programming to defined neighbourhoods/communities within Kitchener. These centres have some common characteristics: service one/two defined neighbourhoods; provide space for programs; may be connected to a library, school or related community facility; have space and building features to reflect the number of people who live in the defined service area; operate within a partnership framework with social services, local groups, neighbourhood/community associations; District recreation centres that are multi-use centres that focus on servicing district or city-wide populations AND a defined neighbourhood component. Common characteristics include use of a campus model, service city-wide organizations and leagues, directly operated by the city, usually larger size than the neighbourhood centre facilities; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-17 AGE 3 - 186 Specialized community facilities are those that have city-wide servicing parameters or beyond or are designed for targeted populations that attract people from broad geographical areas. Characteristics include space allocated primarily to specific population groups, highly variable space allocation per user group and need, primarily operated by city staff but community groups could be involved as well. The purpose of this three tiered model is: To establish the servicing range and expectations for a community facility per its primary focus, accountabilities and expectations; To establish the basis for the governance and operating model for the facilities, with more community/shared involvement in the smaller, localized facilities and direct city operating responsibilities within the larger facilities; To ensure the localized focus of the community-based facilities so that they do not expand overly much over time and lose their neighbourhood connectivity and focus; To establish reasonable levels of investment and scope. Additionally, Recommendation 18 provides criteria for community centre development in response to requests from community groups to have a community centre in their neighbourhood. These criteria establish minimum thresholds for community groups to pursue a resource centre and for the decision- making by the city regarding specific community needs, capital costs and sustainability. Staff utilize this model and criteria to determine viability of community neighbourhood association requests for eighbourhood association, etc. 5.5Leisure Facility-related Documents 5.5.1KMAC and Community Arenas 5.5.1.1 Kitchener Auditorium Parking Study, 2012 Paradigm Transportation Solutions Ltd. (Paradigm) was retained to carry out a study to address the increase in traffic and parking demand requirements related to the proposed expansion of the Dom Cardillo arena located at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex (KMAC). KMAC is a recreational facility with three ice pads, a teaching theatre, a fitness centre, viewing lounges, change rooms, banquet facilities, a stadium, a ball park and meeting rooms. It is home to the Ontario Hockey League team, the Kitchener Rangers. The facility largely serves the local community with recreational activities, trade shows, concerts and meeting facilities as well as Rangers home games. Certain areas are additionally used as banquet halls several times throughout the year. The Rangers home games are the biggest regular generator of trips to the Auditorium and parking meets site plan requirements but is undersupplied in terms of real demand. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-18 AGE 3 - 187 Through various surveys and interviews with users, it was determined the study area has a total parking capacity of 2908 including stalls at the auditorium and legal on-street spaces accounting for the reduced supply during winter restrictions (January to March). There is currently a requirement for 2260 spaces leaving a balance of 648 spaces in the study area which is enough to meet the additional requirement of 385 spaces with a surplus of 263 spaces, albeit these would all be on-street parking. Several strategies individually or in combination could mitigate the impact of the additional parking and traffic demand including: a shuttle service, providing additional parking on-site, providing incentives to increase car occupancy along with supporting incentives and disincentives. These strategies individually or in combination have pros and cons and hence need more investigation and feasibility analysis to determine a preferred strategy, if any. Implementation of parking strategies for the auditorium is a divisional project on the 2013 CSD business plan and as at the April 2013 update, the strategies were successful and the project complete. 5.5.1.2Roof Condition Assessment, Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, 2012 IRC Building Sciences Group Inc. (IRC) was retained to conduct a visual assessment of the roof assembly components on roof area R02 at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. The assessment included on-site visual inspections of all accessible roof areas, visual record of all potential sites for water entry into the building, interior visual walk through to ascertain location of leakages, interviews with appropriate building occupants and managers and document review (if available). The roofs over the arena consist of PVC membrane systems which were installed in 1990. exceeded its design life and is beyond repair. Capital expenditure is recommended within the next 0 determined that the roof area R-2 has surpassed its useful service life, was reported to be actively leaking (evidence of leaks were noted during the site review) and many areas on the roof were found to have debris and organic growth. Recommendations for specific repair were provided in the report with the overall recommendation being that the roof area R-2 be replaced in 2013. 5.5.1.3KMAC Goals and Needs Feasibility Review The city retained Deloitte to undertake a goals and needs study, examining the market support for expanding the Aud beyond its current seating capacity of approximate 6,268 seats. The need for such a study resulted from a proposal by the Kitchener Rangers to expand the 10,000 seats. Based on the assessment by the consultant, the market penetration for the Rangers (irrespective of arena size) would approximate 4% of its local population, roughly 8,225 fans per game. Assuming a target capacity of 85%, a building in the range of 9,700 seats would be appropriate. Given Kitchener and Kitchener CMA population growth predictions, the future market penetration potential for the Rangers could increase beyond 4%, further supporting an expansion to 9,700 seats. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-19 AGE 3 - 188 From an entertainment event perspective, expansion of the Aud appears to be viable. Although several factors need to be acknowledged such as a competitive market within the Kitchener geographic region countered by a local, high subscription rate and rate of attending such events. Increased seating could allow the Aud to increase the number of non-hockey events and attract an additional six to eight events. The feasibility study concluded an expansion to 9,700 seats would be appropriate given the current and projected market conditions and the Kitchener Ranger attendance demand. An additional benefit is the potential to capture some additional entertainment, as well as other major sporting events that are not currently realized. Implementation of the expansion was a divisional project on the 2012-2013 CSD business plan. The expansion has been completed. 5.5.1.4 Structural Condition Assessment for Centennial Stadium, 2011 IRC McCavour Engineering Group Inc. was retained by the city to perform the visual structural assessment, paying particular attention to the condition of the bearing supports for the structural tee sections used to support the bleachers at the stadium. They also reviewed the original construction drawings. There was concern about potential structural integrity that could be a risk to public safety. The damage was mostly caused by water damage and a failure of the bearing connections that was determined to likely lead to a collapse of at least a portion of the structure. The cost to repair the stadium to make it structurally sound would cost $1.24M.. Centennial Stadium refurbishment/disposition strategy is a divisional project on the 2012-2013 CSD business plan. As a result of this assessment, the grandstand has been removed and the site restored. Disposition of the track is still outstanding. A review of Jack Couch Baseball Park is a divisional project on the 2013 CSD business plan. To date, discussions have begun with the main tenant. 5.5.2Kitchener Golf 5.5.2.1 Operational Review The golf facilities appear to be very important to the city, and the Kitchener golf courses have developed a reputation for high activity and low fees that seems to be well known in the Waterloo Region. The city is beginner all the way up to seasoned golf professionals. In the last several years, the economic ress within the system. The City of effort to provide an economic return to the City of Kitchener. In 2011, National Golf Foundation Inc. (NGF) was retained by the City of Kitchener to assist with evaluating the Kitchener Golf system and to make recommendations to help ensure the long-term KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-20 AGE 3 - 189 NGF findings and recommendations are designed to give the City of Kitchener a full understanding of its golf system as a whole, along with an understanding of each individual facility within the city system. The ultimate goal of this project is to create a formal business plan for the city golf courses that will put the system on a path toward long-term economic stability and sustainability. The key issues addressed by the NGF team include: Overall condition and operating structure of the Kitchener Golf system; A review of golf industry standards and norms of operation; Status of the local Waterloo/Kitchener area golf market. The consultant review found that the City of Kitchener is operating high quality golf courses that suffer from a convergence of factors, many of which are not controllable by the city. The golf courses are operating in an environment of intense competition, limited golf season, declining demand for golf, and reduced discretionary funds among golf consumers. The city has reacted to this new reality with some clear action designed to reduce the expense within the golf enterprise. Given that expenses have already been reduced to the furthest extent reasonable, any future improvement in economic performance will have to be derived from enhancements to revenues at the city golf facilities. The NGF for Kitchener Golf in privatizing; and the existing dedicated, hard-working, experienced staff of professionals offers the best likelihood of improved economic performance in Kitchener Golf going forward. The golf operational review implementation is a divisional project on the 2013 CSD business plan focused primarily on customer service and course improvements. 5.5.2.2 Building Condition Assessment, Doon Valley Golf Club IRC Building Sciences Group London (IRC) was authorized by staff at the City of Kitchener to perform a Building Condition Assessment for the Doon Valley Golf Club. The purpose of the assessment was to evaluate the condition of all building interior and exterior components as well as all mechanical/electrical components, complete with recommendations for repair and/or replacements within the next 10-year period including budget estimates. IRC completed a review of all drawings and documentation, a comprehensive visual review including the site components, exterior cladding, roofs, windows, doors, building interior components, mechanical, electrical, fire and life safety systems, preparation of the Building Condition Assessment report noting KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-21 AGE 3 - 190 general observations and component conditions and provided recommendations for future repair options and associated budgetary costing within the next 10-year period. No destructive testing was completed to determine the as-built composition of the building unless specifically indicated in this report; therefore, all references to the building constructions are based on the visual and drawing review only. The facility audit found the most significant needs in priority rating D Building Functionality (replacement required for building components which have a direct and significant impact on the building as a whole) and priority rating E General upgrading upgrades of components that have surpassed their useful service life, that do not have a direct bearing on the safe operation or functionality of the building). More specifically, some of the issues related to building functionality include roof systems in some areas, wood siding, wooden and aluminum framed window assemblies need replacing, stairwell replacement, boiler replacement and interior lighting upgrade to energy efficient fixtures. Recommended general upgrades (priority rating E) include structural assessment every 5-year period, localized repairs to cracked mortar joints; repairs to roof access doors, waterproof coating/sealer on wooden deck and repaint, all areas of carpet replacement, exterior lighting replacement. Estimated cost in the next 5 years following the audit of the recommended work for that time frame would amount to close to $400,000. To implement any recommended work for the 5+ plus years would add another $1,000,000 in costs. 5.5.3Outdoor Rinks program runs a winter rinks program that is an example of how neighbourhood volunteers create community, and come together to enjoy a great Canadian pastime. Offered in partnership with the Waterloo Region District School Board, there are 40+ outdoor rink locations across the city. Between 10 and 12 rinks each year are located on school board property, with the rest located in Kitchener parks and community centres across the city. More than 350 dedicated volunteers spend countless hours shoveling, flooding and maintaining skating rinks throughout Kitchener. Much of their work takes place late at night when the weather is the coldest, and the best conditions for ice making. These dedicated volunteers often go unnoticed and underappreciated, but they do it so children can learn to skate, youth can practice their hockey skills and neighbours can meet for exercise and fun. For many young people, organized hockey or skating lessons are not a possibility. However, having outdoor skating in their neighbourhood park, community centre or school available at no charge, accessibility is not an issue - these children can to learn to skate and play with their friends in their neighbourhood. It is not uncommon to find a group of children, youth and adults playing a game of KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-22 AGE 3 - 191 shinny together on a Thursday evening, or a few parents teaching their young children to skate on a Sunday morning. Generations of families still maintain some of our rinks, and they are proud to continue the tradition for their own children and their community. 5.5.4Cemeteries 5.5.4.1 Kitchener-Waterloo Cemeteries Joint Services Initiatives, 2009 - based facilities and services which are regulated legislatively and are typically managed or influenced by multiple entities/departments and various governmental agencies including provincially, regionally and municipally. Hilton Landmarks Inc. was contracted to evaluate options,possibilities and potential benefits that might arise from sharing of services and joint operations with respect to the cemeteries of the cities of Kitchener and Waterloo. Some dialogue has occurred regarding areas of enhanced cooperation including standardization of by-laws, shared genealogical records/informational websites, joint marketing endeavours and service costing review. The cities of Kitchener and Waterloo own and operate between them ten cemeteries (Mount Hope cemetery is shared). Increased population base and aging demographic are contributing factors to a growth in annual deaths in the KW region, rising by about 1.9% annually from an anticipated 3400 in 2009 to 5100 in 2030 or by almost 50% over that period. Total demand for cemetery land in the K-W area between 2009 and 2030 is projected to be 73 net useable acres. Three potential future initiatives for the sharing of cemetery services are: Joint crematorium operation both cities own and operate crematoria sited on their primary operating cemeteries. Both crematoria are very active and together the existing facilities have the capacity to handle current and forecast cremation demand. However changes as a result of the pending Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act (FBCSA) may allow the introduction of a corporately-owned crematorium to compete directly with the two municipal operations, possibly hindering their revenue-generating potential; New cemetery land expansion a joint cemetery would serve the citizens of both communities equally and provide the best opportunity to achieve adequacy in its Care and Maintenance Trust Fund (CMF) to ensure its future sustainability; On-site visitation/funeral homes there is no unsatisfied demand for funeral services as the six funeral homes in the twin cities can service the after death care demands. The report from the study recommended that Kitchener and Waterloo undertake the following initiatives that would benefit both entities: Development of a new jointly-operated cemetery Integration of pricing, bylaws and record-keeping KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-23 AGE 3 - 192 Expanded joint marketing effort Joint or delegated operation of Mount Hope Cemetery In summary, the report prescribes a co- operative relationship between municipal partners on the operation and management of infrastructure. 5.5.4.2 Williamsburg Cemetery Master Plan, 2009 The City of Kitchener will continue to be in the gal, moral, fiscal, and community requirements. Of the three primary city of Kitchener-operated cemeteries, only Williamsburg Cemetery has a significant amount of developable acreage and none has a significant remaining developed inventory of disposition and memorialization funded the cemeteries need to develop more land in order to progress toward CMF adequacy else face the prospect of ever-growing municipal financial support. Hilton Landmarks Inc., were retained by the City of Kitchener to provide analysis of current and projected cemetery operations for Williamsburg Cemetery as the basis to provide for sustainable, cost effective, quality facilities/operati- death care needs for interments and memorializations. The City of Kitchener Cemeteries CMF currently covers about 40% of the annual care and maintenance costs. This current inadequacy does not present a problem unless and until no more developable cemetery land is available. Current revenue will provide funds to offset current maintenance costs. Once no more land is available for sale and current revenue declines then either the cemetery has sufficient funds in its CMF or it will require some other sort of financial support, typically tax roll supported. The situation in Kitchener is that of the three main city cemeteries (Mount Hope, Woodland and Williamsburg) only Williamsburg has developable land remaining. If this land is not developed in the next several years then sales at the city cemeteries will suffer and the need for municipal financial support will increase. The study indicates that land needs of Williamsburg Cemetery are anticipated to be about 0.6 acres annually for a total of about 13 acres to 2031. There is little developed inventory remaining in any of the saleable disposition and memorialization options. There is sufficient developable land at Williamsburg Cemetery to last until 2031. However the city achieve adequacy and thus avoid the necessity for continuing and increasing municipal fiscal support KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-24 AGE 3 - 193 will require about 20 acres of developable cemetery land for interment purposes. Only about 18 acres of suitable developable cemetery lands remain at Williamsburg Cemetery. Hence, it is in the ci interests to start searching for appropriate cemetery lands for expansion. Given that it can take more than 10 years to acquire and develop cemetery lands this search should start immediately. Careful consideration should be made for future, offsite, cemetery development being expedited in conjunction with the City of Waterloo (who also need cemetery expansion land) as part of a shared services initiative. Implementation of site works for Williamsburg Cemetery expansion is a divisional project in the 2013 CSD business plan. 5.5.5Sport Tourism Strategy, 2008 (facilities) The following are some identified gaps in facilities in the region as identified during the development of a sport tourism strategy: 10,000-15,000 multi-purpose sports and entertainment facility - that any consideration of a 10,000 to 15,000 multi-purpose sports and entertainment facility not be determined based solely on sport tourism but instead consider: life expectancy of the KMAC; o seating capacity that can be supported by Rangers; o erosion of facility competitiveness as ST events look for greater seating capacity; o impact of new competitive facilities in Ontario; o potential of a larger venue for concert entertainment etc.; o Track and field stadium - to support broadly-based community needs and provide additional opportunities for larger regional, national and international events, redevelop Centennial Stadium (dependent on consideration of potential KMAC expansion); High performance aquatic facilities - to investigate city and university partnerships for an aquatic facility to serve the twin cities to support enhanced sport tourism and high performance training; Soccer/fields- to pursue a field complex at the South Kitchener District Park to support the suspected significant growth in the sport over the next 10 to 20 years; Baseball - no strong evidence was provided for the necessity of additional baseball facilities. Core recommendations pertaining to the strategy are provided in section 5.4.1, Sport Tourism Strategy. Implementation of this strategy is a divisional project on the 2013 CSD business plan. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-25 AGE 3 - 194 5.6Strategic Documents 5.6.1City of Kitchener Strategic Plan, 2011 -2014 Section 3.1.1 provides a synopsis of the City of Kitchener Strategic Plan, 2011-2014. The plan is built on three streams of information, community priorities, effective and efficient government and the people plan as follows: Community Priorities Quality of Life Our shared vision is for Kitchener to be a community that invests in maintaining o basic services, in addition to amenities such as community centres, museums, theatres, art galleries, and leisure facilities, even if it means paying higher taxes. Leadership and Community Engagement Our shared vision is for Kitchener to be a community o in which the residents are engaged and active in decision making about local issues. Environment Our shared vision is for Kitchener to be a community that focuses significant o energy and resources on becoming more environmentally friendly. Diversity Our shared vision is for Kitchener to be a community where all residents have o equitable access to, and meaningful inclusion in, the social, economic and cultural fabric of civic life. Development Our shared vision is for Kitchener to be a community that has carefully planned o its neighbourhoods and growth by trying to attract specific types of growth, even if it means restricting some new developments. Dynamic Downtown Our shared vision is for Kitchener to be a community that has built a vital o and lively downtown which provides all residents with a unique mix of exciting big-city amenities and diverse services. Effective and Efficient Government Financial Management Long-term corporate financial stability and fiscal accountability to our o taxpayers. Asset Management A solid corporate asset management program ensures the availability and o sustainability of existing and future assets for the City of Kitchener. Information Technology A new Partnership: Technology investments support our work and o ensure that priorities and decision making align with strategic goals and objectives. Communications, Marketing and Customer Service A team approach to customer service that o fosters openness and transparency; shares information and educates stakeholders; promotes the municipality, its enterprises, programs and services; and engages citizens in public policy decisions. Organizational Governance city administration understands and effectively exercises mutual o accountability for good organizational governance (direction and control) of strategies, plans, KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-26 AGE 3 - 195 projects, core operations, services and culture. Through good organizational governance, council is supported in their leadership role. People Plan A culture of learning we seek the best people and promote continued development. We o encourage and mentor one another to reach our full potential. Culture of safety and well-being We do the right thing. For our citizens and our community. o And for ourselves. A culture of inclusion We talk openly. We hear and consider multiple interests. We share the o see and experience differently. We are who we are. And we believe that we all have value. We embrace and building upon our unique histories, expertise and aspirations. Culture of appreciation and fun o Culture of community stewardship We are proud of what we do. And what we do is every bit o as important as how we do it. We share an unwavering commitment to excellence in everything that we do. We go the extra mile. Culture of Accountability We all have a role to play. o All staff reports to committee/council contain a section relating the report topic to the relevant components of the strategic plan. 5.6.2LFMP Vision, Mission, Values, 2005 The 2005 Leisure Facilities Master Plan contains a vision and mission statement that was developed from the community input and situational analysis performed at that time. The vision A mixed array of accessible leisure participation opportunities that support our diverse community and encourage community capacity building, resident health and well- The mission he Kitchener Leisure Facilities Master Plan directs the city's achievement of a balanced array of accessible and participation-based leisure opportunities. It brings together all the community's leisure capabilities and resources that contribute to the enrichment of the quality of life for Kitchener residents through both partnerships and direct delivery strategies that: Inspire a true value for the benefits of leisure participation opportunities and encourage broad- o based, active resident participation that supports improved resident health, well-being and personal development; Generate a strengthened sense of community identity, spirit and service with residents; o Support improved neighbourhood unity and capacity, as well as positive community and o economic development. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-27 AGE 3 - 196 The 2005 Leisure Facilities Master Plan included the development of principles and values to guide the way the City of Kitchener fulfils the vision and mission of the LFMP on behalf of its citizens. The LFMP will focus on: The provision of a balanced mix of leisure opportunities, involving recreation, arts, culture, o minor sports, education and linked access to social, health and related services; Fair and equitable leisure opportunities that encourage participation by all dimensions of the o community in terms of ability, culture, economic, geographic and related interests and backgrounds; Developing and implementing operations, programs and resources that operate with integrity, o are continually evaluated relative to outcomes and respond to evolving resident needs; The maximum utilization of existing resources, through their on-going rehabilitation and o renewal; The provision of geographically dispersed facilities to meet changing market demands and o population growth patterns, while ensuring key linkages with neighbourhood, district and city- wide servicing requirements; The continuation of specialized services for seniors, youth, the disabled, new immigrants, early o years and other targeted populations whose citizenship and quality of life could be enhanced through better access to and increased participation in leisure services; Sustaining an important emphasis on neighbourhood-based leisure services provisioning o through the development of local resource centres; supports to community groups and neighbourhood associations; enhanced access to local schools and related community-based facilities; and other connected endeavours; The Community Services Department continuing its leadership role in the planning, o development, facilitation and supports for leisure services availability, using an array of innovative delivery strategies involving partnerships, joint ventures, direct delivery and community-based service provider approaches; Ensuring that the city's parks, open space, the Grand River and stream corridors and natural o areas continue being valued by the community, conserve key environmental resources, are accessible to the public for both programmed and non-programmed activities and contribute significantly to the urban form of the community; Developing leisure facilities that are flexible and can be linked to broader community strategies o and initiatives related to health, economic development, transportation, education and growth management; Facilities and services that are sustainable over the longer term through innovative designs and o effective operations, and that are adaptable and flexible, environmentally sound, affordable to construct and operate, facilitate an ease of maintenance and actively support inclusion. One of the objectives of the LFMP Update project is to validate the vision, mission and values contained in the LFMP. The tenets of the vision, mission and values remain in place with a greater emphasis on KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-28 AGE 3 - 197 neighbourhood focus as evidenced by the use of a community centre model for service delivery and provision of services throughout the city. 5.6.3Capital Budget Forecast Section 3.5.2 provides details regarding the 10 year capital budget. It is important to note that timing of all development charge (DC) funded projects in 2015 and beyond is tentative and is subject to change based on the results of the pending Development Charges Background Study and By-law Update. There are several major items in the current forecast that were outlined in the 2005 LFMP: Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre addition scheduled for 2016; Mill Courtland Community Centre addition scheduled for 2016 and 2018; Budd Park indoor turf replacement scheduled for 2017; South District Park development scheduled for 2017 and 2019; Community Centre in south end scheduled for 2018 to 2021; Indoor pool south end scheduled for 2020 - 2022; New arena south end scheduled for 2020 - 2022; One item not in scope of the 2005 LFMP is the Williamsburg Cemetery Phase II development scheduled for 2013 to 2020. 5.6.4Business Planning LFMP recommendation 6 spoke to the need for planning of process and projects through for example, the use of standardized business case documents. The Integrated Planning Centre of Excellence is beginning the process of standardizing processes to achieve better alignment of budgets, projects and core services. The main objective of the Integrated Planning Centre of Excellence is to create a common approach to how we plan and manage all this diversity of work and in particular, the projects that are needed to sustain and grow our city. The corporation has begun to use business planning as a tool to align budgets and staff resources for projects. It is anticipated that core services will be captured in the 2014 business plan. The Community Services Department (CSD) business plan, 2013 to 2015 and the Infrastructure Services Department (INS) business plan, 2013 to 2015 were reviewed for this project. 5.6.4.1 CSD Business Plan, 2013-2015 The mandate of the Community Services Department is to the provision of customer-focused, community-oriented programs, services, information, guidelines and directions. The daily face-to-face interactions of staff in building, by-law enforcement, community KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-29 AGE 3 - 198 programs and services, enterprise, fire and planning ensure public safety and serve the collective good and wellbeing of the community. This mandate is implemented through the work of six divisions: Building, By-law Enforcement, Community Programs and Services, Enterprise, Fire, Planning plus Deputy CAO and Administration. Staff in these divisions face issues related to their respective core business/service provision, especially customer service and community expectations, budget restraints that challenge service delivery, capitalizing on improvement opportunities with systems and processes, strengthening capacity of staff and dealing with political and legislative impacts on service delivery. Some of the actions contained in the 2005 LFMP are division or corporate projects in the current business plan; for example, update of LFMP, volunteer strategy implementation, youth services strategy implementation, implementation of the sport tourism strategy. Through business plan processes and procedures, the CSD can continue to move forward in achieving their mandate of providing customer-focused, community oriented programs, services, information, guidelines and directions. 5.6.4.2 INS Business Plan, 2013-2015 The mandate of Infrastructure Services Department focuses primarily on encompassing the divisions responsible for the design, construction, operations, maintenance, security, and/or management of those assets. This mandate is implemented through the work of seven divisions: Asset Management, Engineering, Facilities Management, Fleet, Operations, Transportation Services, Utilities plus Deputy CAO and Administration. Staff in these divisions face issues related to their respective core business/service provision, especially in balancing asset growth with budget growth, aligning core service growth with staff growth, capitalizing on opportunities for effectiveness and efficiencies and service levels. Asset Management, Facilities Management and Operations are all working on actions that arose from the 2005 LFMP or are related to the LFMP e.g., facilities inventory, mapping, development (e.g., creation of master plan for Kitchener South District Park, Budd Park Sport fields Short Term Lease Alternatives, Trails Upgrade). Through business planning processes and procedures, the INS department can continue to move forward in achieving their mandate of responsibility for the design, construction, operations, KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-30 AGE 3 - 199 5.7Other 5.7.1Cycling Strategy (City of Kitchener), 2010 st The Cycling Master Plan for the 21 Century includes the following key objectives: Attract new cyclistsPlan and design for people who are not yet riding by developing safe and comfortable bikeways (such as bicycle boulevards, bike lanes, trails, intersection and crossing treatments) that reduce potential conflicts between people cycling and people driving. Strengthen bicycle policiesAdopt policy change and associated tools for enforcement (by-laws, complementary policies, design criteria, etc.) to make bicycling more attractive than driving for shorter trips. Create a bikeway network on city streetsDevelop safe and comfortable bikeways on city streets that offer riders an array of route choices. Increase bicycle parkingImplement by-laws, strategies and programs to satisfy the growing demand for bike parking. Expand programs to support bicyclingExpand established programs, and develop new programs, to encourage and support bicycling passed with the bikeway network implementation. Increase funding for bicycle facilitiesPursue multiple strategies to increase funding for bicycle facilities. Create a sustainable culture of cycling developmentAdopt an institutional structure and process to allow for the effective monitoring of implementation of the cycling network and policies. Outcomes expected consist of more than doubling the number of trips by bicycle every three to five years. From the network perspective the mandate of the cycling master plan is to create a more bicycle- friendly environment for cyclists who are already using the c must address the perception of cycling safety and comfort through improvements to transportation infrastructure so that those residents and visitors who are interested in cycling but concerned about safety are encouraged to try it. 5.7.2Region of Waterloo Cycling Master Plan, 2004 The objectives of the regional cycling master plan were to confirm the purpose and rationale for a cycling network; to suggest optimum approaches to creating a unified cycling network within the Region; to identify ways of achieving the goal of doubling the number of cycling trips to 2% of all trips by 2016 (as identified in the Regional Transportation Master Plan); and identify the policies and strategies needed to implement the network. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-31 AGE 3 - 200 The Regional Cycling Master Plan consists of three main elements: Cycling Network - composed of main routes throughout the region; made up of routes located on regional and local roads and off-road trails owned and managed by various authorities throughout the region; complementary to and provides connections to Local networks; and provides key linkages and crossings of major barriers throughout the region. Design Strategies - includes facilities of a variety of on and off-road types, i.e. bike lane, shoulder bikeway, wide curb lane, shared bike/motor vehicle lane, shared bike/parking lane, off-road multi- use trail, and in limited circumstances, boulevard multi-use trail. Policies and Supporting Initiatives - include recognition of cycling as a viable mode of transportation and as such treats on- Network over time. Priority will be given to constructing the Core Network over the next 10 years, which serves as a trunk system that connects many of the most significant destinations, while the Long Term Network will be built over the next 20 plus years. To take advantage of the significant financial efficiencies to be achieved, routes will be implemented in association with regional and local road and other infrastructure improvement projects. Supporting initiatives include in the areas of encouragement and awareness, education, end-of-trip facilities, cycling and transit, and maintenance and monitoring. These initiatives are necessary to encourage greater use of the network and ensure associated amenities are available to cyclists Financial The overall cost to construct the remaining routes of the Regional Cycling Network is estimated at $33 million ($10 million for Core and $23 million for Long Term). An important principle of the Cycling Master Plan is that it is for the residents of the Region and its visitors. The key to the Regional and Local Municipal levels. As such, cost sharing is proposed for the development of the Regional Cycling Network. Strategic Objectives, including i) ensure high quality regional transportation system by encouraging modal shift to non-automotive forms of transportation ii) enhance community health and social well- being iii) protect and enhance the environment. 5.7.3Planning Around Rapid Transit Stations (PARTS) Phase 1, 2013 The Region of Waterloo is constructing a rapid transit line and associated stations (stops) which will link parts of Waterloo, Kitchener and Cambridge. Construction of the first phase is intended to be completed by 2017, which includes Kitchener. This is a years. This growth and change will occur primarily within a 10 minute walk of each station. There are ten stations (13 actual stops) in Kitchener. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-32 AGE 3 - 201 Phase 1 of th external resident service priority. The long-term results of Phase 2 will have more repercussions on service priorities (i.e. Phase 1 will not impact providing service at a community centre next year but after growth occurs in certain areas it could). Collaboration on this project from staff across city business units will ensure that these areas are properly planned allowing for the appropriate, timely and cost effective delivery of necessary infrastructure (i.e. community centres, public spaces, road/trails/pathways/sidewalk improvements, storm/sanitary improvements etc.). This process will also provide opportunities for the public to be involved in building their community. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P5-33 AGE 3 - 202 6TRENDS In developing the Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update, a number of key trends and considerations are relevant in setting directions and courses of action for the ongoing development, delivery and evaluation of leisure services in Kitchener. The following material is contributory to developing the specific services strategies and recommendations to be incorporated within the Master Plan Update based on two categories: Societal and Leisure Trends and Specific Activity Trends. 6.1Societal and Leisure Trends 6.1.1Aging and Youth Populations One of the most significant and well documented trends within Canadian society is that of the aging population. By 2016 to 2020, over 30% of most urban centres and a larger proportion of rural residents in Ontario will be over the age of sixty. Known as the "baby boom generation," this will have a profound impact in both the types of leisure services/activities that will be undertaken and resident servicing expectations. Today, many of the "boomers" are or are quickly moving towards an "empty nest" lifestyle. That is, their children have either left home or will be shortly. As a result, many of these adults are not raising families, have different priorities and are starting to, as they age, undertake different forms of leisure activities. Affordability, access, time available to participate, pursuing deferred interests and other impacts are occurring. Currently, the "baby boomers" are 50 to 65 years of age, of which one half are 55 to 65 years of age and one half is 50 to 55 years of age. They represent a significant proportion of the population, and from a public policy perspective, have typically been the centre point to most major government public policy initiatives over the last five decades. As this generation ages, there has been clear identification, politically and service delivery wise, towards health oriented issues. As a result, the following trends are being identified: Increasing political importance being placed on health care and wellness services. As boomers age, they become increasingly concerned about health care. This is also augmented by the fact that over 60% of a person's health care costs on average are incurred in the last five years of life; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-1 AGE 3 - 203 This generation tends to pursue interests and activities based on convenience, quality and price; compared to previous generations who tended to be significantly more price sensitive with convenience as a lower priority; This population group can also be somewhat nostalgic, often having a "60s phenomena" and have high expectations as to what their fees will provide, the quality of service received, the instantaneousness of response to information and other customer service perspectives. Major assessments of this generation, as per the books Boom, Bust and Echo, or Sex in the Snow, have identified profiles of this population as being more inwardly looking to their own needs, having higher expectations and being uniquely different from the previous generations, which are primarily those who are associated with the depression and the war eras. An aging population will have the following participation impacts in leisure and related services: A rising interest in bird watching, genealogy, walking and related health/fitness/wellness oriented activities; Declining interest in joining clubs, membership-based activities. This is evident in some changing profiles for senior centres, as well as golf course memberships where there is a trend to offering multiple courses in the same membership package; An increasing trend towards private fitness centres, personal trainers and related activities; A general willingness to pay for activities, but often asking what one gets for the increased costs on a year to year basis. More like a private sector purchase interaction; Broader travel interests; Increasing interests in art, culture and heritage. Other related demographic shifts, also involve the following points: The percentage of people retiring under the age of 60 has generally increased over the last two decades, resulting in younger and healthier retirees, even though legislation now bans forced retirement at an age threshold and economic impacts could, at least, in the short term, impact pensions and cause people to work longer; Improved pensions, as well as more females retiring from the workforce with pensions, which is graphic and financial situation; Many early retirees and other seniors are undertaking consulting, part time contracts and on-going work activities, or pursuing hobbies or deferred interests on a vocational basis; Seniors populations are showing interest in increased physical fitness and other related activity- based programming which is different from the more traditional socialization oriented leisure programming for older adults. In conjunction with the aging trends and impacts, is the fact that the birth rate as per the 2011 Census indicates 1.7 children per family, which has stabilized at a low level after a period of decline from over three children per family in to 1950s and 1960s. Many couples are not having children or only having KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-2 AGE 3 - 204 one child. The projections for most urban environments in Ontario are that for the 0-19 population over the next twenty years, to either remain stable in terms of their current absolute numbers of individuals in these age categories or to actually see some decline in the number of youth. The question in regards to youth services is not that youth are going to disappear or that there is going to be less of them, rather, it is more the fact that there will not be significantly more of them which has been the traditional planning profile for leisure services for the last 40 to 50 years. Therefore, proportionately, they will represent a reduced segment of the total population which is a uniquely different planning framework. As a result of the demographic shifts over the next 15 years, there will be absolutely more mature adults in terms of numbers who are looking for different types of leisure program relationships and activities while there will not be a growing but rather a likely stable or declining youth population. This trend uniquely changes some of the perspectives as to the planning and delivery of leisure services from what has historically been the benchmark of the last decades. The Echo Boom generation, now 25 to 35 years of age, has left secondary school and post-secondary institutions. They were the last identifiable growth-oriented youth age cohort, however they are now having children and there has been a slight rise in 0 to 4 year olds in the 2011 census compared to the 2006 census. The future of youth services will likely focus on existing or declining youth population volumes. 6.1.2Changing Cultural Face of Canada Due to birth rate declines, Canada needs approximately 300,000 net new immigrants per year to sustain its current population. This is felt to be a significant goal for the country in order to ensure a stable and growing economy. As a result, Canada has encouraged immigration from around the world in order to meet these particular policy objectives and strategic outcomes, probably more so than any other country. What has significantly changed related to immigration has been the source of new immigrants and refugees. Traditionally they have come from northern Europe, the Mediterranean area and related regions in large numbers through the later part of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. In the last 20 years, they have increasingly been arriving from non-traditional sources, such as the Middle East, Asia, Africa and South America. Many of these individuals have also been refugees from war torn, impoverished countries, with no fundamental experiences or traditions in regards to leisure activities, education, health care, etc. Others have come with a different array of leisure experiences, involving soccer, cricket and other leisure activities specific to their culture but of limited exposure historically in Canada. From a leisure services perspective, an ethnically diverse population creates communication requirements to inform and educate new Canadians about leisure services, ranging from everything from how to source information to encouraging participation in new experiences. This trend also can impact the types of services that people are interested in, ranging from increased soccer participation, KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-3 AGE 3 - 205 to reduced interest in activities that they may have no history in, such as ice-based sports, baseball, fitness and related considerations. An interesting example is South London, which twenty years ago had the largest minor hockey registration in that city at 1,200 participants. The area became a significant settlement area for new Canadians, particularly from the Middle East. Within a very short period of time, registration fell from 1,200 children to 600 children, which was due to the impacts of both stabilizing youth populations and the higher presence of immigrant children with no ice related experiences. However, today that minor hockey association is seeing some increased participants from cultural communities as second and third generation families begin to acclimatize to and participate in more traditional Canadian activities. Hockey Canada and local minor hockey associations have active marketing programs to engage new Canadians. 6.1.3Sport Activities There are some significant changes occurring within the minor and adult sports area which is one of the cornerstones to leisure services planning and development. The first one involves hockey. One argument that prevails is that there may be no more additional need for ice surfaces as the youth population is stabilized in terms of numbers and the adult population playing hockey is aging. This argument has been presented by David Foot in Boom, Bust and Echo and by others. However, there has been continuing demand for additional ice resources resulting in large part from the substantive growth in women's hockey, both at the youth and adult levels. Over the last number of years, women's hockey has grown between 10% and 30% annually in most urban centres, 10% to 15% in non-Olympic years and up to 30% in Olympic years. Though there has been some impacts on ringette, it has not caused ringette to collapse as some expected. There are many new female participants coming into the "ice world." As a result, the demand for ice time has been increasing on an annual basis in many areas. What is also important in terms of longer-term planning is that many of these females at the youth level will want to carry these activities over into their adult life. Therefore, communities see the rise of junior female teams, as well as adult female hockey leagues. The rise in female activity is not only at the youth level but will continue on through to the adult age groups. It is also anticipated that it will be a number of years before the female hockey participation growth rate stabilizes. Additionally, there is growth in terms of disabled athletes participating in ice sports, such as sled hockey. As well, in the adult leagues, there is more league segmentation occurring by age groups which encourages older aged participants to continue to play into their 50s, 60s and 70s. This is occurring with KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-4 AGE 3 - 206 the introduction of over 40, 50 and even over 70 years old leagues. All these different groups and new applications/uses result in some increasing demand for ice time, even though there may be stabilization in members in the more traditional user categories. Another ice consideration is changes occurring in figure skating. In terms of figure skating numbers, the traditional activities may be stabilized but the growth in precision skating, rhythmic skating and other team oriented skating activities has increased. The introduction of the masters skating clubs/programs, which is similar to old-timers hockey, is another area of interest for ice users. A number of communities now have masters skating programs that involve 50 to 100 individuals and this is anticipated to grow as more people re-engage with skating activities to be with their peers and for fitness. In the area of field sports, a number of key trends are emerging. The first is the substantive growth in soccer. Soccer has grown in the early 2000s to over 500,000 registered youth soccer players in Canada, both male and female. It now has the highest level of minor sports registration for any sporting activity in Canada. A projection by Soccer Canada in 2004, forecasted that registration by 2012 will be over 1,000,000 participants which effectively doubles the participation rate in soccer. Soccer has four key attributes that are attracting participation: Low cost of participation; Superior aerobic activity and benefit compared to baseball, golf and similar activities; More structured/definable times during the summer months which are valued by busy families; Connections to immigrant population experiences and interests as it is the dominant global sport. With the significant increases in youth soccer has also come growth in women's and men's adult soccer and the introduction of master's soccer leagues. These are following the same courses/patterns that adult baseball and hockey have followed over the last 40 plus years. As a result of these trends, one can anticipate continuing growth in demand for soccer facilities, both for recreational and competitive use. Soccer is also following similar patterns in terms of pursuing more highly developed sites to support competitive and tournament play, i.e., lighted fields, clubhouses and other higher level facilities than sometimes have historically been provided. This development is similar to the up-scaling of ice, baseball and other sport venues. A counter trend to the soccer growth has been a decline, in some communities in minor baseball registration. Also, there has been decline in some communities in the number of adult slo-pitch participants. Some minor baseball associations have experienced declines in registrations of 30% to 60% over the last number of years from the peak registrations after the Toronto Blue Jays won two World Series. Many of these individuals have transferred to soccer. Also, the impact of golf, year round aquatics and hockey/skating and other sports have impacted baseball. The Ontario Baseball Association KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-5 AGE 3 - 207 has undertaken an active promotional campaign for the sport over the last five years and is reporting renewal of participation levels closer to the early 1990s. For adult baseball leagues, trends are more variable from community to community. Some communities have experienced a decline in the number of adult participants in slo-pitch, and adult fastball leagues have been variable. This could be because of changing lifestyles, where summer is more intensive in terms of business and other activities, the impact of ethno-cultural populations who have no long-term history with baseball and other impacts. Other interesting trends involve tennis, golf and year-round aquatics. Tennis has had a highly cyclical history. In the 1970s, tennis participation grew significantly and many communities developed extensive community-based tennis facilities, such as Kitchener, London, Windsor and other centres. By the 1980s, tennis had declined in participation rates, with many communities moving from public facilities to private or publicly-oriented club environments. Today, tennis has a continuing interest at a recreation level but is not one of the dominant high growth leisure sport activities. Tennis court servicing needs to be considered in order to ensure reasonable opportunities but is no longer a given component in individual park master plans and development strategies as occurred in previous decades. Golf has increased its youth participation, due to interests in U.S. scholarships, the impact of professional golf figures and golf courses attempting to attract more youth players on daytime Monday to Friday use as both a revenue source and for developing future golfers. A significant growth period appears to have peaked, though there is a continuing interest in youth golf opportunities, which are primarily delivered through private sector and not-for-profit golf course operators. Some municipalities do operate public golf courses and a few expansions have occurred in recent years, though the number of new public municipally operated golf courses has not substantively increased over the last twenty to thirty years compared to the growth rate in non-municipal golf courses. Curling has become a popular TV-based sport. However, many curling clubs are challenged, especially in smaller communities such as in Stratford, Ilderton, Kitchener-Waterloo and other centres to remain financially viable. There has been increasing focus on youth development. However, the overall curling activity levels tend to be stabilized and in some areas declining. The TV exposure has not necessarily translated into substantive increased participation. Curling Canada has an active promotion and development program that achieves significant TV exposure and in-school programs. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-6 AGE 3 - 208 Racquet sports have declined significantly from their peak levels of interest and exposure in the 1970s and 1980s. This has occurred because of the lack of readily available facilities in many communities, but also due to an aging population. These sports tend to be more challenging due to the impact on knees, ankles and other areas of the body. Many racquetball clubs have reduced the size of their facilities or closed, while a number of municipalities, YMCAs and other providers have eliminated these activities altogether. Basketball and volleyball have increased in popularity and participation. Once the domain of the educational system in terms of intramural leagues and varsity sports, there are now more community- based leagues. Some of these are offered by police departments as part of youth development initiatives in high crime/risk areas of cities. The YMCA, Basketball Canada and other groups are increasingly offering community-based league opportunities. This has resulted in increased requirements for gymnasium access. A number of communities have moved into developing some of their own gymnasium resources, as school facilities are not always readily available at the times and volumes necessary. Kitchener, London, Stratford and Oakville represent some communities who have recently developed gymnasium-type facilities as part of community centre complexes to facilitate both youth and adult basketball and volleyball opportunities. Burlington has developed gymnasiums at the Tansley Woods, Brant Hills and Alton Recreation Centres. Other sports considerations involve a host of lesser known activities. One is cricket, which tends to have increasing interest amongst specific cultural connections in the population, particularly East and West Indians who come to Canada. Interest in this sport appears to be tied significantly to settlement patterns in North Rexdale, Mississauga and the Waterloo Region. As facilities are developed and immigration patterns unfold, there may be increasing interest over time but likely within narrower interest parameters. Another sport that has some changing parameters is rugby. In recent years, women's rugby has unfolded as a participation sport in the secondary school system. It is also now part of the Ontario Summer Games. Consideration is being given to introducing female rugby into the Canada Games. Such exposure will likely impact participation levels. Rugby is the fastest growing sport in Ontario secondary schools. Another area of consideration is the movement towards extreme sports. This is primarily an American phenomenon that is driven to a certain degree by television coverage. A number of communities, for example Lakeshore, London, and Niagara Falls, in their master plans, had community groups approach KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-7 AGE 3 - 209 them with respect to developing motocross courses, extreme bicycle venues and related activities. For over a decade, skateboarding activities within formal skateboard parks have been of increasing interest and many municipalities have introduced them. The City of Sarnia has constructed an in-ground bowl. The City of Kitchener called for the development of four permanent venues, one in each quadrant of the city. Many municipalities are moving towards making permanent investments in these outdoor facilities. Some requests are being received by communities for indoor skateboarding facilities. This service however has tended to evolve within the private sector domain. The growth in extreme sports is tentative due to the liability issues from injuries, the potential need for supervision and the level of attraction is variable on an activity by activity basis, often very narrow in scope. Therefore, the ability of a municipality to engage raises questions around accessibility, and trying to serve broad-based activity interests across the community. The trend data around sports activities suggests that there will be continuing demand for ice due to fundamental shifts in the demand for ice access amongst the female, disabled and skating populations. There is also structural change occurring around sports fields. The transition of women's hockey and soccer into adult age groups, both in terms of competitive and recreational participation, will probably ends become significant in terms of investment alternatives, which would put an increasing focus on soccer field development, and related supports and ancillary services. Increased demand for gymnasium time is also anticipated for youth and adult basketball and volleyball, along with emerging uses such as cricket, rugby and extreme sports. 6.1.4Facility Quality One of the fundamental transitions of the last 20 years has been the qualitative leaps that recreation/leisure facilities have experienced in municipal, YMCA and other related venues. The large multi-use complex, the twin pad and quad ice facility and the tournament/competitive level quality of many recreation facilities and community centres has been widely evidenced. One community builds a state of the art facility and other communities start to look at that facility as the new standard. The Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex and RIM Park in Waterloo, the Western Fair Fourplex in London, the YMCAs in Toronto, Mississauga, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Goderich, and many other venues are being visited and seen as the new standard. One of the consistent considerations with the "boomer generation" is their high expectations around quality. Therefore, arenas with large dressing rooms, showers, warm viewing areas and many ancillary supports are commonplace. Larger arena, multi-use complexes are incorporating food courts, rather than simple canteens. Older recreation facilities are being repositioned to contemporary standards at significant capital investment costs. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-8 AGE 3 - 210 One of the long-term planning considerations is the need to determine what level of quality new facilities should be developed at and how do existing facilities compete and not be cannibalized in terms of current uses/users moving to newer facilities. Sometimes this trend also needs to be assessed on a regional market basis where neighbouring municipalities are building significant new leisure facilities that could be used by residents of other municipalities. With increased facility quality comes increased initial capital costs, as well as increased on-going maintenance and operational costs. Therefore, these investments become more significant in terms of their total cost implications. As marketing and user preferences become a more critical part of the choices people make in terms of investing their leisure dollars, facility quality becomes important and the rates and fees structure around these facilities tends to increase. Sometimes, as rates and fees for users increase, quality expectations also increase. It is not uncommon now when arena fees go up in some municipalities that adult leagues, who typically played after 10 p.m., to midnight, now want more preferential times at 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. due to the level of fees that they are paying and the aging of their participants. A wide array of impacts can emanate from these trends and the associated costs that track with enhanced facilities. Another consideration in terms of facility quality and increased fees is that the private sector can become more involved in the service delivery model if a profit potential exists. This was a powerful argument undertaken in the mid-1990s involving arenas. However, the latest round of private sector investment in public arenas has had challenges with many being either for sale, having gone bankrupt or operating under trusteeship, such as in London, Cambridge, Oakville and other centres. Kitchener experienced this as well. 6.1.5Tourism and Sport Tourism One of the interesting trends within the leisure services sector has been the merging of tourism strategies with parks, recreation, culture and related services development and delivery. Increasingly, particularly as facility quality increases, the opportunity to attract day visitors and overnight tourists increases via tournaments, shows, meets and special events. One dimension of this has been the development of a market segment within tourism called sport tourism. Sport tourism involves tournaments, meets and other similar events that bring individuals and teams from out of town into the community for one or more days. There has been a long history of local soccer, baseball and hockey tournaments, swim and track and field meets, and related activities. What is increasingly occurring beyond this level is municipalities interested in pursuing larger provincial, national and international events, such as the World Under 17 Hockey Tournament, the Ontario Games, the Ontario Senior Games and many other such events. Cities like London, Brantford, Ottawa, Halifax, Brandon, Red Deer, Saskatoon and Kamloops represent cities KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-9 AGE 3 - 211 that have become very aggressive in the sport tourism sector and Kitchener has been a major venue for these markets. The drive to sport tourism as an increasingly marketed and municipally supported enterprise, results from the potential economic and related employment impacts that this type of activity can bring to the community in terms of room, food, retail, gas and other sales. They also are, at the minor sports level, popular amongst non-profit organizations due to their potential fundraising capacity for the host organizations. Increasingly, major municipal park and recreation facility development is being rationalized based on their sport tourism capacity in conjunction with the regular activity use supported by the facility or service. 6.1.6Environment Over the last 10 to 20 environment, particularly global warming, has substantially increased. Significant growth in political priority has been placed on environmental issues and needs. For municipalities generally, and leisure services specifically, this trend has considerable connectivity. One of the considerations which has occurred over several decades is the muni preservation of identified environmental land areas. Recently, the City of London passed a by-law that all woodlots would now become open space. The Town of Fort Erie has identified numerous parcels of land outside of the Official Plan that have potential environmental/open space priority. Other communities are increasingly reconsidering ravine lines, water courses, forested areas, wetlands, shorelines and related areas for public acquisition and conservation, either directly by the municipality or through partners, such as local Conservation Authorities or the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Conservation authorities typically now do not have the budgets to pursue the acquisition and management of all the parcels of land with which municipalities are becoming engaged. This engagement often is not derived from the municipality itself but from community advocates who form various coalitions in order to create community awareness and political support for the preservation of specific sites. It is anticipated that municipalities over the next 20 plus years, will have an increasing stewardship role in the protection, conservation and day-to-day management of a variety of environmental areas. Some of these areas will be able to sustain little if any human activity, while others will become significant open space and park activity venues. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-10 AGE 3 - 212 Another dimension of the environmental consideration relates to facility design. There are increased expectations that municipalities will use the latest environmental technology in facilities in order to both set an example as well as to save operating costs. Many municipalities have been active in energy reduction programs that require significant up front capital investments. Other municipalities have taken leadership roles, such as Activa in Kitchener and Burlington, to undertake pilot and development programs in their buildings to test environmentally friendly technology or to be demonstration sites. One initiative involves establishing Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) standards for all recreation and cultural facility development. Increasing consideration is also being given to public transit and community trails as ways to reduce carbon emissions and to enhance fitness. The development of trails is gaining increasing attention as not only a recreation resource, but also as an alternate form of active transportation. Therefore, the development of trail master plans and investment in trails has been a growing priority for many municipalities which link to health, transportation and environmental benefits. With walking being one of the most popular recreational activities and its direct linkage to health, fitness and other benefits, trails take on a multi-benefit perspective that is closely linked to sustaining healthy, living environments focusing both on ecological and personal well-being. Beyond these specific considerations is the notion of the healthy and sustainable community living environment. These principles, concepts and strategic directions are increasingly important in the making of community services decisions. Other impacts from climate change include the use of irrigation for sport fields, shade cover for dugouts and field use restrictions/limits to sustain natural turf. Therefore, the conservation of more natural areas, the expansion and increased promotion of trails and trail usage, increasing expectations on facilities being environmentally friendly and the reducing of environmental impacts from day-to-day parks and recreation operations is a significant growing trend and community expectation. This trend has definable capital and operating cost implications that are generally seen as important investments in enhancing the health, environment, liveability and sustainability of a community. establishment of community garden plots on public or private lands supported by water sources, plot allocation layouts, etc. Kitchener has a long history of this activity and growth is anticipated. Users ty and food affordability. A number of churches and other non-profits have also engaged by providing surplus/unused lands. Key challenges are water sources, theft/vandalism and accessibility. Also connected to this trend is the growing emergence of community kitchens that are often part of settlement programs as well as for young mothers and parents. Loblaw stores have developed many such facilities. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-11 AGE 3 - 213 6.1.7Community, Health, Educational, Social and Policy Services Integration Another trend that is occurring in the leisure services operating environment is the integration of education, social, health and leisure services, sometimes in conjunction with policing services. Increasingly, more holistic servicing strategies are emerging that look at all the needs of a family or an individual in their totality, not just in individual slices. As a result, many social services organizations, such as Children's Aid and Children's Mental Health, look to the municipality and other leisure services providers to deliver leisure services that their clients can participate in, often expecting reduced access costs due to affordability concerns and the clinical treatment benefits of leisure participation. What emerges from this integration strategy on a broader front is the movement towards wellness on physical, emotional and social levels. However, this is increasingly evolving into the youth and teen services areas. Many of the teen initiatives in various municipalities have leisure components but connect with broader services in terms of employment, mental health, youth justice and other linked service areas. Therefore, the ability to work within a broader context than pure leisure philosophy and perspectives is increasingly important to deliver the right services at the right time to various target audiences. Halton Social Services now operates two neighbourhood programs in Burlington that have on-site recreation Downtown Community Centre and the Mill-Courtland Community Centre also represent servicing examples of a more integrated, multi-service strategy. 6.1.8User Fees and Charges A number of municipalities are increasingly looking to user fees and charges for leisure services to fund a higher proportion of the costs of services delivery operations. On the cost side, municipalities are also looking more at the total cost of services delivery, involving department and corporate overheads, long- term repair and rehabilitation costs. On the revenue side, some rates and fees policies identify a specific coverage revenue target for children's/youth services, with usually a higher one for adult services. However, many municipalities still do not have a defined cost structure as a baseline to develop their user fees. Today, more sophisticated discussions are occurring on what is the role of the users in funding higher proportion of facility access/use costs, especially specialized facilities with high costs and more limited participation profiles, e.g., municipal golf courses, fitness centres. This is a key strategic question that has profound political considerations, influences the grants and subsidies provided by a municipality to various user groups and represents a significant challenge in terms of key principles around affordability, accessibility, enhanced resident health, a balanced set of participation opportunities and investing community tax dollars wisely and fairly. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-12 AGE 3 - 214 Some other communities have undertaken efforts to develop a sound cost understanding of services delivery and are recognizing the challenges of structurally changing this dimension of leisure services delivery, as many of the fees charged have no real foundation, have evolved on an ad hoc basis and are not connected to each other by a set of principles or an unifying strategy or policy framework. 6.1.9Market Segmentation/Services Differentiation One of the business components that is emerging in the leisure services operating environment is the recognition that the population is not generic or homogeneous as to what activities they wish to undertake and at what participation/quality levels. Increased target audiences or market segmentation strategies are emerging. As an example, participation can often now be tracked on the following levels of interest: Experimental, general interest; Hobby/specialized interest; Competitive/elite interest and skills development. Each of these levels has various degrees of intensity, cost and user preparedness to pay user fees and participation. They also have different levels of facility quality and capacity requirements. These range from the amount of seating for competitive and tournament oriented activities to the fact that unorganized recreational baseball can occur on school board or other less developed and maintained baseball fields. The tendency in many municipalities has been to deliver services on a more generic basis. However, changing facility quality expectations results in a question as to whether all facilities need to be developed at a high end or whether different levels of facility development should occur in terms of quality and capacity supported by different levels of user fees. This is a changing consideration, in that historically municipalities have charged a common level of user fees for ice and fields. An increasing trend is to consider charging different fees and rates based on the quality of the facility, with potential premiums being charged for the time slots that are most in demand. This is more of a business model and also focuses on different levels of intensity, interest and ability to pay. The repositioning of the market to a more targeted approach may also result in changes to two of the other trends identified in this report related to user fees and charges as well as facility quality. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-13 AGE 3 - 215 6.1.10Leisure Services Development and Delivery Strategy Input received from community members, municipal staff and councils, and the trends and analysis within the leisure services sector at the municipal level, indicate potentially substantive change in terms of how leisure services will be developed and delivered in the future. The expectation that a municipality is the centre point for leisure services delivery, involving programs, facilities, coordination, special events, is changing as municipal operating environment changes relative to overall service responsibilities (e.g. aging infrastructure), fiscal constraints and other factors emerge relative to the use priorities of available resources. In concert with these changes, are market-based changes in terms of the types and numbers of leisure interests that people wish to pursue; the level of interest they wish to pursue them at; their preparedness to pay user fees of a higher order; and trends towards increased participation by the private, non-profit and other service providers. Rock climbing, private arenas, sports and fitness centres, specialized programs delivery such as hockey schools and private sector adult leagues represent examples. The operating environment for leisure services at the municipal level is also changing with increased connectivity between sport, recreation, arts, culture, heritage, tourism and economic development, movement towards facilitated access and information resources for all leisure services, and consumer demands for more one window/coordinated accessibility to services. Of increasing concern to a community is the ability of community members to reasonably access leisure services related to costs, varying interests, locations, ability/skill levels, etc. As the leisure services delivery system gets more complex and user fees become more prominent, access issues become more significant. Therefore, efforts to reduce costs by gaining cost economies through partnerships, mergers and conjoint/joint venture activity are more evident. As an example, YMCA Canada reports that local YMCAs now have over 100 municipal servicing partnership and/or direct delivery agreements. What these changes lead to is a vision of an integrated leisure services delivery strategy that builds on the strengths of all services providers in a community and which uses all the community's resources to achieve positive outcomes in terms of each participant's personal development and the quality of life in the community. This is a holistic strategy that also needs to connect with education, health, social services, tourism, economic development, policing and other initiatives as leisure services do not exist in isolation within a single community or within broader regional markets. The trend towards a more integrated community-based leisure services strategy, that can achieve trust between service providers; establish strong leadership; and uses cooperative and collective efforts that focus on consumer interests and needs, practical financial realities, reasonably universal accessibility and ongoing services evaluation, is the service delivery model that will support future success. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-14 AGE 3 - 216 6.1.11Volunteers and Leisure Services Delivery Another emerging strategic theme and challenge for municipalities is the sustainability of volunteer service organizations as important service providers and partners. Volunteer organizations have a long and valued history in the delivery of an array of leisure services. However, increasing concerns are being raised about the sustainability of these organizations, particularly from a financial perspective, as operating and capital costs rise to significant levels, and their ongoing ability to recruit committed and/or skilled volunteers becomes increasingly challenging. A loss of capacity and service from this sector would greatly impact the availability of leisure services. Therefore, municipalities will need to examine various options, inputs and roles that it may be in a position to undertake in order to maximize the supports available to voluntary organizations in order to sustain, and if possible, enhance their present capacities. Governance and technical training, marketing and analytical supports, advocacy initiatives, volunteer recognition, grants acquisition, and other activities and services could be considered based on individual group needs. There are also a number of trends that are influencing the availability of and the level of participation of volunteers. First, is the assumption that with more retirees of an earlier age, the provincial educational requirements for 40 hours of community service by secondary school students and the historical tradition of volunteerism, that there would be a significant supply of volunteers to support boards of directors positions of non-profit entities, programs and services delivery, administrative supports and related activities. However, there has been a trend in recent years for volunteers to become more project-focused rather than engage in longer-term involvement. As an example, major events, such as the Canada Games, K-W Oktoberfest and other events, appear to be able to attract large numbers of volunteers for specific time frames and commitments. However, reports from non-profit organizations who deliver continuous service speak to the challenges of attracting volunteer board of directors and operational support volunteers where the need is more for continuing, longer-term commitments. This trend speaks to the challenges that are evident where people are looking to volunteer on a targeted basis and know what their defined commitments are. A second consideration is that many of the leisure services and community supports that exist have evolved on the basis of a few key volunteer players, some who have provided 20 to 30 or more years of leadership. However, succession is becoming an increasing challenge for some non-profit organizations and community groups, especially where it is not evident that there is the leadership commitment and support necessary to replace those individuals who are moving on. This generational transition in volunteer leadership and commitment is a challenge in sustaining the range of community services that are offered in communities across Canada. eering. Organizations, especially those involved with youth, now often require police checks, costing anywhere from $25 to $50 per check. Other volunteers are concerned about accountability of working with youth KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-15 AGE 3 - 217 and the negative public exposure that can occur. More and more not-for-profit community organizations need to undertake complex evaluation and reporting programs to government which creates more paperwork and less time associated with program and organizational development and delivery. The changing nature of the volunteer environment is becoming a potential constraint. The fourth, and final, consideration is that many volunteers are highly educated, have been involved in supervisory or managerial leadership and have a host of experiences. Therefore, how they are treated, valued, recognized, trained and supported becomes important as the sophistication of volunteers increases. Many not-for-profit organizations and community groups do not have a tradition or a capacity to adapt to some of the changing profile considerations of volunteers. Volunteers continue to be critical to the development and delivery of leisure services. However, their availability, development, use, recognition, recruitment, succession and related considerations, as well as changing preferences around their commitment and interests, needs to be effectively addressed and responded to in order to sustain a strong and vibrant volunteer pool in support of a broad array of accessible and affordable leisure services. 6.1.12Urban Design and Intensification Parks and open space provisioning is, and will be more so in the future, influenced by key land use development trends occurring in urban centres in Ontario. The Ontario Government has approved an urban intensification or growth strategy for the GTA area that will over time see 40% of new residential development occurring in developed areas and only 60% in greenfield zones by 2015. This strategy will result in a growing amount of infilling and intensification of densities in currently developed areas and will roll out across the province over the next 10 to 15 years. Some of these projects will be small in-fills while others will involve the demolition of existing land uses, sometimes involving industrial or commercial converting to residential. Unlike the historical development of the last five decades which tended to be large tracks of greenfields where parks, open spaces, trails and facilities could be integrated into the overall design process through secondary plans, and land could be acquired at a rate of 5% dedication, the new projects will have other implications for leisure services. The first implication will be higher densities, resulting in more people living in the same land space. As a result, leisure services provisioning standards may not be adequate. As the number of residents goes up in a defined area, the current park and open space areas may not be adequate to meet a denser and larger population with less private green space. Second, many of the developments that will be occurring are out of scale, thus it will be challenging to acquire adequate land for a park or an open space or facility area or an effective trail connection. The KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-16 AGE 3 - 218 tendency will be to accept cash in lieu of land, however, land costs may be escalating in these areas and the ability to purchase land may be restrictive. The third consideration is sourcing adequate land as intensification occurs. Pressure will exist on municipalities to attempt to utilize lands at schools, especially if closures are involved; to buy plots of land that may have been abandoned or are unused such as former industrial sites; and to utilize hydro rights-of-way, church properties or other semi-public domain lands for leisure services. The urban intensification strategy is in its early life. Over the next several decades, as intensification grows and potentially increased intensification is regulated, the ability to source adequate leisure services lands/spaces will be increasingly challenging compared to how these resources evolved in the previous decades. Therefore, municipalities will need to be vigilant in looking at land acquisition opportunities related to school closures, possible sites that are turning over, and the use of non- traditional sites. Also what may need to be considered are new forms of venues within emerging developments. This could include rooftop parks, on-site playgrounds, garden areas and other developments within site development plans. This would potentially place more of an onus on the developer to provide venue opportunities within the development, placing less pressure on municipalities to provide global or generic areas. However, these types of solutions will not likely resolve considerations related to sports fields whether for competitive or recreational use, large open greens for non-programmed use, trail connections and related resource requirements. Another consideration within this trend is the evident move towards urban design and place-making design standards. Most municipalities are in the process of developing or have developed urban design standards and place-making criteria as a means to significantly upgrade the urban design fabric of their communities. Many of these initiatives involve development of public transit nodes surrounded by commercial and high density residential development; the bringing of residential homes to the street line; the use of back lanes; and numerous other strategies. These strategies involve land use, architecture, transportation and in many cases, parks and recreation resources. In some cases, the concept of the self-contained neighbourhood or community is emerging, where people work, play, shop and recreate within their local community. concept where within a subdivision, a one or two acre park is developed with roads on four sides and then houses on the KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-17 AGE 3 - 219 opposite sides of the road. These parks typically are neighbourhood parks with no sports fields. They can provide playgrounds, sun shelters, pathways, garden areas and open play spaces. Some concerns have been raised about the utility of these spaces, the need to cross streets on all four sides to access them and the potentially more limited use that they may be able to offer. However, the urban green concept has advocates and has been used in Kitchener, London and in GTA communities on an initial strategy basis. The urban design standards will not only have significant potential impacts on the exterior design of the buildings, but will also shape parking, trail access, streetscape alignment and other design perspectives. One of the major targets within the urban design strategy is parking lots. The general intent is to bring buildings to the street line and have parking less visible and intrusive. Urban intensification and design trends will have important considerations related to parks, open spaces and community trails, and also in terms of the design and positioning of major recreation facilities. Strategies to respond to the impacts of these trends will be important in ensuring adequate venues and design perspectives associated with leisure facilities and services. 6.1.13Centres of Excellence After the 1988 Olympics in Calgary, there was the emergence of a centre of excellence concept. Centres of excellence have historically been involved with medicine, industrial research and the academic world. With the Olympics in Calgary, came the notion of Centres of Excellence for sport. Sport Canada and other groups have developed certain venues across the country where a sport is centralized in regards to theory, education and research, national team practice venues and the location of national team athletes. For Hockey Canada, Calgary represents such a venue. The University of Western Ontario has a centre. Most sports which are in international, multi-games events have various Centres of Excellence locations. The concept of centres of excellence has trickled down into local municipal recreation and sports delivery. Local not-for-profit sports organizations have adopted the centres of excellence label partly to attract participants, funding and to have more enhanced facilities developed. In Burlington, the Burlington Skating Club and Burlington Gymnastics Club both utilize the term centre of excellence. The K-W Skating Club in Waterloo uses the same term. As a result of the transitions over the last two decades, the definition of centres of excellence has widened and become multi-tiered and more competitive as a means for sports associations to differentiate themselves. In many cases, centres of excellence are not aligned with the municipal boundaries in which the centre operates. Centres of excellence often attract participants from wider regional areas due to the advanced coaching, programming, visibility and opportunities that they offer. This can result, such as in figure skating as an example, in local clubs aspiring only to provide programs KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-18 AGE 3 - 220 to a certain level as the more capable athletes then gravitate out of the community to a regional Centre of Excellence. As a result, a hierarchy of sport development is starting to emerge in some areas. This is not dissimilar to how the Ontario Hockey Federation and the Ontario Minor Hockey Association and the Hockey Alliance evolved approximately 15 higher levels of competition and athlete development. Centres of excellence could be a simple branding strategy to acquire resources. However, an ongoing centre of excellence typically has the following characteristics: Above average coaching and sport development capacities, including coaches who are connected to national teams or national or international events; A very strong organizational base that has the capability to widely promote the sport, attract higher level athletes, and develop the significant funding resources necessary to deliver higher quality, elite athlete oriented programs; An evident development program pyramid involving developmental programs that allow athletes to advance from beginner to elite, and / or arrangements with other clubs and programs that allow advancing athletes to move from core / base programs to higher performance level programming; An evident history of athlete or team success in terms of championships, medals, participants moving onto professional ranks and other key measures of program participant success; Peer recognition that the program and the organization are superior; Access to above average facilities for practices, events, shows, tournaments and other activities, including dry land training. This also includes access to scheduling times that allow for above standard practice times and games / event opportunities and allocations; and An emerging characteristic would be agreements with local school boards that allow for academic and athlete development scheduling that are aligned and facilitate increased practice and game / event opportunities. Coaching and an evident history of success, along with peer acceptance, are key variables in defining a centre of excellence. Agreements with local school boards and the development of a feeder system, developing athletes up to a more elite opportunity, are also key considerations. Facilities are similarly an important part of a centre of excellence. However, facility quality ranges widely. Centres of excellence can exist in average facilities however the trend is clearly towards more advanced facilities, including dry land training resources. Facility quality ranges from excellent field of play surfaces in terms of size and quality; relevant seating capacity; adequate dressing rooms and storage areas; ability to display awards and trophies; related practice surfaces/venues; and other features, such as above average public address systems for figure skating music, purpose built capacities for gymnastics club equipment, video training rooms and amphitheatres, such as the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex and dry land training facilities. Centres of excellence have potentially significant capital and operating costs. At the national and provincial sport levels, there is generally federal and provincial government funding. At the local levels, KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-19 AGE 3 - 221 the programs tend to be independent with user fees and fundraising being the dominant operating supports, while municipalities are often engaged in all or part of the facility development perspectives required to sustain a centre of excellence program. What municipalities need to consider is three-fold. First, how does the municipality promote centres of excellence where evident capacity exists in the community but in balance with the broader resident needs to access and participate in a multitude of leisure activities? Second, what definition will the municipality use to identify a centre of excellence and the level of resourcing the municipality may be asked to provide? This is a policy perspective that needs particular consideration. Third, how many centres of excellence can a municipality actively support in terms of facility access and/or other resourcing supports without having an impact on the broader based leisure interests of the community? 6.1.14Community Trails For over 30 years, communities have been developing trail systems throughout their community. These trails have utilized hydro rights-of-way, waterfront public lands, linear ravine systems, direct purchases of land and linkage and acquisition of land through the Planning Act in new development areas. Community trails have become one of the most popular and sought after development initiatives within communities. Initially, walking and jogging-type activities were the prominent use. In more recent years, cycling, rollerblading and other uses have emerged in force. The design of trails has advanced significantly, in terms of hard surfaces to support wheelchairs and bicycle use, rest areas to support older aged users and the concept of connecting destinations so that a linked network evolves. These destinations often involve schools, large parks, attractions, commercial areas, waterfronts, special environmental features and a host of other community resources. In the last 10 years, trail master plans have become common amongst municipalities and are often linked to bicycle master plans and other transportation systems plans. One of the most significant trends of the last five to 10 years has been the linking of community trails to broader linear transportation network planning as a component in these networks. As a result, community trails are increasingly taking on a role as an alternate transportation resource in combination with the fitness, recreational and related activities that have traditionally been the value basis for these resources. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-20 AGE 3 - 222 With the development of the broader network system, and also with the integration of trails between municipalities, particularly in regional government areas, has come the notion of a three tiered trail system: The spinal corridors that are the primary transportation routes; The local trails that connect neighbourhood and other destinations within communities; The specialty trails that are theme-based, such as the Chrysler Greenway, Essex County TransCanada Trail, many waterfront trails and those associated with key geographic features, such as the Bruce Trail along the Niagara Escarpment. Community trail development is evolving, and needs to be considered in all new and renewal development occurring within communities as both a recreational experience that sustains leisure interests, fitness and related activities, as well as providing alternate transportation opportunities. In addition, as trails become more multi-use, involving everything from cyclists training for marathons to seniors walking for health, comes the need to better manage trail utilization to reduce conflicts and to provide trails on a year-round basis. Trail conflicts have existed where bicyclists have collided with trail users, often seniors. As a result, strategies have evolved, such as yellow lines to separate use or to have two track trail systems in heavy use areas. Also evolving, are the development of trail heads, the use of tea rooms and other services along the trails and the maintenance of trails in the wintertime to facilitate year-round utilization. Many cities have been approached by groups who have asked councils to maintain the trails on a year-round basis so that users can sustain their fitness regimes and facilitate ongoing alternate transportation access. As the role of trails evolves and utilization grows, trails will become an increasingly important resource that will need continuing investment, maintenance and management to sustain their value and effective use and benefits. 6.1.15Collaboration, Partnership and Joint Ventures The use of partnerships and joint ventures has come to dominate many of the discussions around future leisure services delivery. They are seen as a service delivery strategy that uses all the resources in the community, allows organizations and individuals with expertise and capacity to more effectively deliver service, expands service opportunities within the community and potentially achieves greater cost efficiencies through economies of scale and more coordinated/integrated delivery efforts. Kitchener has developed some partnerships as a leisure services delivery strategy. This notion of partnerships and joint ventures, involving the public, private and non-profit sectors, as well as community-based groups, is widely seen from the research and input as a vital leisure service delivery strategy now and in the future. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-21 AGE 3 - 223 In terms of strategies, the use of partnerships, joint ventures and 3Ps (public private partnerships), and the expansion of their role and application in delivering major leisure facilities, is a strategy that will need to be examined in all services initiatives. This should be a check list question for each project as to potential partner identification, feasibility and desirability. However, the challenges with partnerships, in terms of risk, sustainability, mutual benefit and value for investment, needs to be continually assessed. Partnerships are also evolving in different contexts. As one example, YMCAs now have over 100 municipal partnerships and joint ventures in the delivery of leisure services in Canada. The Town of Goderich in 2005/2006 entered into a partnership with the Sarnia/Lambton YMCA to build and operate the new South Coast Recreation Complex involving an indoor pool, arena, walking track, gymnasium and fitness centre, along with operating all the town sports fields, a second arena and leisure programming. YMCAs are also moving into significant partnerships with the City of London on Northeast Recreation and Aquatics Centre and have undertaken similar initiatives in the City of Sarnia, along with the City of Waterloo on a new multi-use complex. In the City of Niagara Falls, a new recreation complex was built by the city and the YMCA in partnership, which houses a YMCA, branch library and the cparks and recreation offices. Many different types of partnership models are evolving, both in terms of leisure programs and facilities. There are ongoing efforts to consider different ways of delivering services than traditional municipal only approaches. Financial constraints and the increasing spectrum of leisure services interests results in collaboration, partnerships and joint ventures representing important strategies in responding to an ever changing operating environment. 6.1.16Role of the Parks and Recreation/Community Services Department Municipalities have traditionally held significant responsibility for the development and delivery of leisure services within their communities. This has been generally undertaken for leisure services through a department of parks and recreation/community services, and local library, museum, art centre and related boards who are funded in whole or in part by the local municipality. The municipal role over many years has been as direct funder, developer and operator of leisure facilities and programs. In more recent years, there has been some contraction of the role in leisure services delivery for some municipalities. Some municipalities, such as Niagara Falls, have opted to allow non-profit, community-based, private enterprises and others to undertake more of a role in leisure programs delivery in order to expand services, reduce competition and to use all the resources available within the community. Other municipalities, due to the growth in leisure services and changes in the market and fiscal realities associated with those services, have tended to focus their role on community development, facility capital development and operations and coordination/facilitation activity related to marketing, information provision/referrals and related supports to the overall leisure services network in the community. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-22 AGE 3 - 224 The role of municipalities can sometimes be prioritized around the following: To identify the leisure needs and interests of the community, along with the provision of information/education on and facilitating access to leisure services; To act as a facilitator and broker in bringing together partners, including the municipality, to develop and operate facilities, programs and events in the best and most flexible manner possible in meeting the leisure needs of residents, which are consistent with the strategic directions and priorities of the department and the municipality; To assist in the preparation of leisure facility proposals, business plans, event programs, grant applications and related tasks within potential partnerships by supporting organizational and technical development and other capacity building initiatives; To be directly involved in leisure services delivery when a partnership or third party provider is not viable, is too risk intensive or no other service provider(s) exist to deliver a leisure service that has demonstrated need in the community and meets the service delivery criteria established. 6.1.17Capital and Operating Finances For the last decade, considerable change has occurred within the context of capital and operating finances for major parks and recreation facilities. For the last 10 years or more, targeted senior government recreation and culture grants for leisure facilities have not been as available though some opportunities have opened up in recent years via infrastructure, rural development, culture and other granting programs. For decades, these grants contributed up to one third of capital costs via Wintario and other programs. In more recent years, fundraising, direct financing, development charges, municipal grants, corporate sponsorships and other strategies have become significantly more important in funding major parks and recreation facilities and development. Beyond the loss or limiting of capital grants, the capital funding environment has continued to change significantly. Amendments to the Development Charges Act in 1999 and subsequent rulings have reduced the application of this capital funding source for new resources. The definition of eligible facilities has been reduced, e.g., no cultural facilities, a redefinition of the service level has lowered the thresholds for the funding of future facilities needed to support population growth in the community, and there is a 10% arbitrary capital cost reduction, along with a penalty for overcapacity. As a result, development charges, which have been a primary source for parks and recreation facilities capital funding, especially in faster growing communities, can have a reduced role under the current legislation. Another capital financing strategy that has begun to emerge has been the use of capital surcharges. The City of Burlington was one of the first to utilize this for the development of the Appleby Ice Centre. In this case, there is a $45 plus surcharge on each hour of adult ice and a $16 plus surcharge on each hour of youth ice. The surcharges are used to pay off the city debenture used to build the facility. Pickering and Oshawa are also utilizing surcharges, the latter at $8 per hour. The Township of Strathroy-Caradoc KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-23 AGE 3 - 225 has introduced a surcharge of $3 for all ice hours rented and the County of Haldimand has a surcharge ' other three arenas. Other municipalities, e.g., Stratford, have looked at surcharge applications for both new capital development and long-term renewal/rehabilitation. Burlington has subsequently used this model for a new soccer field and has developed a 7% surcharge on all rental revenues for the Tansley Woods Recreation Centre. Broadening the use of surcharges is being discussed though it has moved slowly over the last 10 years. It does represent another form of capital funding that is user-pay focused. However, it does have some implications in terms of: High cost capital facilities, such as indoor pools, require sensitivity in terms of any surcharges as user fees could become too high and user volume is needed in order to reduce operating deficits due to the high fixed operating cost nature of these facilities; Surcharges can create affordability concerns, impact volunteer groups, etc.; Fairness and equity considerations emerge if surcharges are used on some facilities and not others. Fundraising and corporate sponsorships, including naming rights have become an increasing source of capital funding for larger recreation and leisure facilities. The opportunities to name facilities, to fund specific rooms or equipment, along with traditional cash donations have become increasingly important. However, the overall fundraising environment is increasingly competitive as not only the leisure services sector, but many sectors are competing for funds on a daily basis, such as health, education and others. Within the context of fundraising, corporate sponsorships have grown significantly which results in a changing relationship with corporate funders who take a stronger marketing and visibility-based approach to their contributions towards a particular project or program. Also, sometimes they wish to contribute value-in-kind as a displacement for direct funding. Fundraising may not always work as a strategy and securing and retaining volunteers to drive a fundraising campaign is a concern due to community volunteer fatigue. Fundraising can be a goal but does not come with a guarantee. It has enhanced application for joint venture initiatives where there may be significant shared outcomes. There is now a wider mix of capital funding sources applied to leisure facility initiatives than in the past. Where major facility initiatives were once funded from two or three sources, it is likely in the future, that they will require four, five and six sources. This direction will create stronger partnership needs and a greater risk orientation related to creative financing approaches. From an operating perspective, increases in user fees have become a growing strategy over the last decade for all municipalities. Most municipalities have increasing expectations that user fees will continue to move between 60% and 80% coverage of a department's total budget and even higher over time. Increasing onus is being put on users to fund facility operations. As these funding formulas become more sophisticated, they begin to include not only direct costs, but also allocated corporate and indirect administrative costs, capital maintenance reserves and capital upgrading charges KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-24 AGE 3 - 226 6.1.18Evaluation Municipalities are moving into the area of services evaluation that are more comprehensive, data and input-based and which will become a key component in establishing servicing priorities/core services and resource allocations. Some municipalities have instituted a regular three year resident survey on 25 or more service themes, which gauges the value residents place on services through a gap analysis approach involving the level of satisfaction versus level of importance. This process identifies outcomes related to utilization levels, value held for the service and overall importance to residents. The notion of evaluation has become increasingly apparent in all public and other service sectors as expectations grow for outcomes and restraint exists on the availability of public resources. Best practises and evaluation programs are supportive to continuous improvement approaches in ensuring that resource decisions and operations are consistent with the real, demonstrated needs and interests of residents. Evaluation of leisure services has become increasingly apparent now and for the years ahead. Both existing and new parks and recreation facilities and services will be influenced more and more by these evaluation strategies and their outcomes. As a result, leisure services will increasingly need to be targeted on specific needs that are demonstrated by community members, support specific outcomes that benefit those that have the needs and will need to be flexible and adaptable to the changing uses and applications that will occur within the population. 6.1.19Multi-Use Facilities The multi-use concept for major parks and recreation facilities has been available and used for many years both as a concept and in practise. Multi-use leisure facilities have more critical mass, potentially better operating and capital economies of scale, higher visibility and greater customer service potential by creating a single access venue. However, they also tend to result in larger facilities that move to a district and municipal-wide servicing perspective, potentially reducing neighbourhood/local area level presence and roles. There can be some significant trade-offs. Multi-use facilities have been identified from the research as a strategy in developing major leisure facilities in many municipalities, such as with joint venture operators and public libraries. It is a strategy that is the basis for a partnership oriented facility development model. Therefore, multi-use, which means bringing together the most number of uses and users that have demonstrated need and the right compatibilities, should be a valued facilities development strategy within this master plan. 6.1.20Use of Schools and Their Availability Currently, some community-based leisure programs and activities occur within schools owned and operated by local school boards. Bill 160 reshaped school management and operations, including the KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-25 AGE 3 - 227 cost of maintaining schools, how surplus schools are disposed of and other key considerations. In June 2004, the provincial government of the day announced $20 million provincially to facilitate increased affordability access to school-based facilities. This program was renewed in late 2006 and continues. The community use of schools user fees were recast between 1995 and 2004 to reflect a true cost accounting approach compared to the previous more free/low cost access model. This resulted in reduced use of schools and pressure for more municipal facilities due to affordability issues by community service providers. If school use were to be eliminated, it creates a need to develop new community centres and related facilities often with gymnasiums. Another community use of schools relationship issue is the development of campuses or the attachment of community facilities to schools. Future campus strategies will need to be assessed for balance, vulnerability and risk before being entered into. This is due to increasing school closures and anticipated schools or undeveloped school sites that are not needed, are being sold off. School boards also benefit from joint school and park development and have relied on adjacent parkland to fulfil school green space, play space and sport and physical education curriculum. Due to school closure policies and directions of school boards, the building of additions to schools for community facilities is potentially a less supportable strategy then it was fifteen to twenty years ago. A preferred strategy in this regard may be to develop multi-use facilities with other partners if longer-term sustainability is evident. If access to schools can be reasonably achieved and sustained, it represents an affordable and preferable strategy for providing selected indoor and outdoor activity spaces. With respect to non-specialized facilities, school resources continue to represent one approach as they are the most widely distributed resources for the provision of leisure programs in the community. They are flexible, service many neighbourhoods and represent a potentially more cost efficient approach. In terms of a strategic direction, access to schools should be a preferred delivery strategy under the following conditions: Local area/neighbourhood servicing strategies for leisure programs for both programmed and non- programmed activities; By improving relationships between the users and the onsite school staff to enhance access and participant experiences; Pursuing the development of specialized facilities with schools with caution, particularly existing schools in areas with declining student enrolment; Examining opportunities for campus relationships between the school boards and park and recreation facility providers, ensuring that there is a reasonable contingency plan, if school development does not proceed or if a school closure occurs. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-26 AGE 3 - 228 6.1.21Geographic Service Levels Community leisure facilities have different servicing scales and impacts, and thus serve different geographic service zones. As an example, twin pad arenas, larger community centres and indoor pools often serve larger geographic areas that represent clusters of neighbourhoods, i.e., a district or a whole municipality. At the local area/neighbourhood level, facilities can often involve a single pad arena, an elementary school, a clubhouse or small community room facility or related resource. As leisure services move to larger and more multi-purpose facilities, and as user expectations grow as to quality and intensity of the services offered, there has been a move to larger facilities that results in more district and municipal-wide level servicing. The likelihood of fewer neighbourhood/local area oriented facilities could result, due to their smaller market areas, higher operating costs for standalone facilities and other factors. What is important is not to lose the context of local area servicing related to both programmed and non- programmed activity. Some input was received during the consultation process about the move towards more intensively programmed facilities and the possible loss of free form/non-programmed- based recreational and leisure activities especially in local areas. Operating local centres is a higher operating cost strategy but can provide local area servicing opportunities potentially augmented by the use of available elementary schools, often using both public and Catholic schools. Other local area services can also be offered via churches, club facilities and related facilities. This continues to be the best strategy for the delivery of local area leisure services. However, it does have important challenges outlined previously. Such a strategy will require sustaining access to some centres and school facilities with potential municipal assistance to user organizations. 6.1.22Balancing Rehabilitation with New Development Another strategy consideration is whether parks and recreation facility initiatives become focused on new facility development or the redevelopment of existing facilities via additions, renovations, venue renewal and related changes. The strategies around this particular consideration will need to be evaluated on a case by case basis. It will also be dependent on what partnerships are available and what resource transitions are occurring at the time related to the types of uses, level of need and funding that is available. It may be that rehabilitation with expansion is a less capital intensive strategy than new construction if no land costs are incurred and if better economies can be achieved operationally. As a strategy, new leisure facility initiatives should be evaluated as to what options are available to achieve the facility in the context of rehabilitating and readapting an existing facility or venue. Balancing new facility and venue development with existing facility and venue rehabilitation should be part of an evaluation framework related to parks and recreation facilities development. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-27 AGE 3 - 229 6.1.23Capital Facility Maintenance One of the often forgotten dimensions of leisure facility ownership is the ongoing capital maintenance of facilities with respect to the replacement of major components, such as chillers in arenas, filters and pumps in indoor pools, roofs on community centres, park playground equipment and sportsfield infrastructure. Over a twenty year period, considerable capital rehabilitation can be required. Portions of these costs are sometimes paid for from reserves contributed from annual budgets. However, other supports are usually required due to the magnitude of the project and limitation of reserves. Since these projects often do not involve expansion or renovations, but rather capital replacement and maintenance, they typically are not candidates for fundraising or partnership approaches. One of the key recognized trends is that many public bodies have significant capital maintenance and reserves deficits that will put increasing pressure on operating budgets in order to sustain these facilities and venue resources. The utilization of pro-active reserve funding approaches for capital renewal, self- sustaining debt coverage and other financing strategies should be incorporated. 6.1.24Summary of Societal and Leisure Trends The following material summarizes the societal and leisure trends and strategies perspectives. An aging population profile is evolving, but there will not necessarily be an absolute decline in youth numbers. Therefore, a need to have a more balanced services delivery focus that moves beyond a strong youth orientation focus since the 1960s; The ability to address, both through the principle of inclusiveness and participation, the needs and impacts of a changing ethno cultural mix within the population. A mix that will have other types of interests based on their traditions and experiences, as well as will want, in some areas, to adapt to Canadian leisure activities. Education, communications, engagement and focused contact with these communities represent important strategy considerations; Key trends related to sports activities, which are one of the traditional bases of parks and recreation services delivery, as follows: o hockey; Expected growth in soccer at both the youth and adult levels; o Increased interest in extreme sports and specialized sports, such as year-round outdoor ball o hockey, more skateboarding facilities, etc.; Some declines in baseball, racquet sports and related activities; o Potential interest in culturally-related activities such as cricket. o Ever increasing expectations amongst users relative to facility quality, driven both by consumer and fee expectations, as well as what is being developed in other communities. This has significant capital and operating cost implications; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-28 AGE 3 - 230 The increasing merger of sport and cultural tourism with parks and recreation services facilities and operations as one of the key rationales and points of investment; An increasing interest in the environment and the conservation of key environmental features, such as water/wetlands, woodlots, ravines, etc., which often brings additional lands and management responsibilities to a municipality; An increasing emphasis on energy efficient facility and venue designs, using LEED Standards as a baseline; The growing importance and value for arts, culture and heritage as part of a healthy and creative city and in support of changing resident values and population characteristics; The increasing integration of community, health, education, social and policy services relative to holistic servicing strategies, often led by health units and both public and community-based social service providers; The increasing sophistication, emphasis on and impact of user fees and rental rates development relative to how they are prepared, their fairness and equity, transparency; and the ability to develop them in a meaningful and consistent way; The growth in market segmentation and services differentiation between recreational use, higher skill interests and other types of uses that define different market niches and varying types of expectations and levels of needs amongst participants; The increasing role of not-for-profit, private sector and community organizations in the delivery of leisure services and the potentially changing role of municipalities with a greater emphases on facilitation and community development; The growing use of partnerships, joint ventures and community engagement as a basis to facilitate services development and delivery; The increasing use of a wider array of capital and operating financial sources to support services delivery, including corporate sponsorships, community fundraising, senior government grants, etc.; The increasing emphasis on the evaluation of services delivery to ensure that the right services are being delivered within the appropriate frameworks and with the desired outcomes; The increasing emphasis on multi- facilities in terms of institutions, schools, clubs/associations, etc.; The growing emphasis to balance the need for the rehabilitation of aging facilities in conjunction with the development of new facilities, along with the importance of ensuring adequate resourcing for ongoing capital facility maintenance, renewal and serviceability. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-29 AGE 3 - 231 6.2Specific Activity Trends The following material provides some perspectives and insights on trends that are influencing participation in selective recreation and leisure activities that will have influence on the future development alternatives and priorities for the LFMP Update. Participation in various recreational and sport activities is driven by two key perspectives: Population growth as the population grows or declines, the absolute number of people available to participate in any activity also changes. Kitchener is forecasted to continue to experience significant population growth due to its diverse and strong economy; its positioning within the Greater Toronto Area which is a high-growth area; the ability to attract new Canadians which is the largest portion of population growth in Canada; and its overall quality of life. The city could be adding 1% to 2% to its population annually which is 2,500 to 3,000 people annually based on 2006 and 2011 Census Canada data; Participation rate participating in a specific recreational or sport activity. There are many influences that drive the impacts on participation, such as an aging population with proportionately fewer younger members within the demographic profile; the growing number of new Canadians within the population who have not experienced the same recreation and sport activities, such as the people from the Middle East and ice-based activities; contemporary/cultural popularity of certain activities; the cost of participation, as well as the convenience of schedules and venue availability; and the emergence of new activities or modified current activities that increase the diversity of choices that people have fees for participation; and a host of other influences. Because of the wide range impacts and influences on recreation and sports participation, the participation rates tend to be dynamic over relatively short periods of time, and therefore, venue adaptability and reuse considerations become significant in regards to developing any site master plan and selecting the activity priorities for a venue such as the Kitchener South District Park. 6.2.1Baseball Minor baseball has experienced one of the most significant participation transitions, greater than for most recreation activities. In the 10 years after the Toronto Blue Jays last won the World Series, registration in minor baseball in Ontario declined between 30% and 60% across many municipalities, except in the Niagara Region and Windsor-Essex where there is considerable affinity to the border areas with the United States and a strong culture for baseball exists. Over the last 10 years, Baseball Ontario has undertaken a significant marketing and community development effort to renew baseball. This KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-30 AGE 3 - 232 effort has resulted in increased registrations of over 30% compared to the lows experienced in the early 2000s. However, the registrations have not come back to the levels of 1992 and 1993 or likely will. Registrations have been impacted by a number of factors: The evident declining youth populations in rural Ontario and smaller communities, as well as in populations in communities up to 100,000 people outside of the Greater Toronto Area; baseball or not participating in baseball at all as they come of age to participate; A significant portion of the youth age cohorts involve new Canadians who have had no baseball exposure or experience and do not know the sport; Preference by some parents to have their children participate in higher aerobic-based activities for health and fitness purposes. The general perspective is that baseball registration could increase based on population growth but will experience little or no participation rate increases within the population as the key influencing factors of an aging population and declining youth cohorts, the increasing number of new Canadians proportionality and other factors will influence the choices made by families. In terms of adult baseball, the following is identified: The once popular and very dynam especially in rural and smaller communities where these leagues were once very popular. There are many small communities that have lighted fast ball diamonds that are not used or are significantly underutilized. This has been driven by the aging population and the continuing movement of younger adults from the rural areas to urban centres for education and employment; In terms of slo-pitch, there has been a decline in overall participation. This decline has been mitigated to some degree by the increasing segmentation of the sport in terms of competitive and recreational leagues, competitive and recreational mixed leagues, age-based leagues and other strategies that have sustained the sport to a degree. However, growth is likely connected primarily to population growth. The major boom in slow-pitch activity occurred over the last 25 to 30 years n. This generation is now fifty to sixty-five years of age. One half of this generation is 55 to 60 years of age. Therefore, for the next five to 10 years there will be a pool of players for slo-pitch from this generation but it will likely continue to diminish as this large cohort ages. Younger adults will continue to play slo-pitch, however there tends to be fewer of them in the population proportionately and immigration drives population growth. Also, with the rise of adult soccer, there may be a reduced number of people within the younger cohorts that select slo-pitch. The Waterloo Region, particularly Kitchener, has a strong history in baseball, fastball and slo-pitch. This legacy will result in continued interest in these baseball activities, however the general trends of aging, proportionately more new Canadians in the population, fewer younger people proportionally in the population and alternate activity choices will result in longer term decline in participation. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-31 AGE 3 - 233 6.2.2Ice Activities Boys minor hockey has been one of the strongest culturally-based activities in Canadian society. Registrations through Hockey Canada at one time were in excess of 500,000 individuals. However, boys minor hockey has experienced declines in recent years due to three key factors: The reduced number of children in the population, both proportionally in terms of absolute numbers, especially in rural communities, smaller towns and related geographic areas; The fact that population growth is driven by the influx of new Canadians who primarily come from the Middle East, the Far East, South America and Africa where ice-based sports have little or no presence, and therefore, there is no cultural affinity to participate in or an understanding of these activities; Increasing costs to support a child in minor hockey due to equipment, ice, registration and related costs, as well as injury concerns by some parents. Hockey Canada has a program to grow registration, particularly within new Canadian communities. Major work is being undertaken in this area as there is an evident understanding of the implications to the sport and Canada. One example would be the South London Minor Hockey Association which had the largest Minor Hockey Association in London with 1,200 children. Over a five year period, some 20,000 new Canadians moved into the White Oaks area, that along with an aging population in what was In Kitchener, the Kitchener Minor Hockey Association is reporting that it continues to experience participant growth. This is being driven by: Population growth; The introduction of new programs in terms of summer leagues, schools, development programs, etc.; The strength of the history of hockey in Kitchener, the success of the Kitchener Rangers and other market-based influences. The growth is primarily driven by population growth but there is some participation increases and this could advance to higher levels, if local efforts along with influencing new Canadian populations to participate. Olympic years. Growth has been ongoing for over a decade and has been a significant part of the driving force to expand arena capacity across Ontario. Growth has settled to lower levels but is influenced significantly by: Population growth; Young females continuing to take an interest in the sport, especially as stereo-typical expectations KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-32 AGE 3 - 234 y Canada and others to engage with new Canadian communities. speculation that ringette would devolve completely but this is not the case. Most ringette programs in Ontario are now developed at a regional basis in terms of team formation which has allowed the sport to continue and still be viable in some areas. The amount of ice time utilized has declined significantly over the last 10 years but still represents an ongoing activity for young females. The influences on its participation levels will be primarily marginally upward in terms of population growth and downward in Adult hockey is moving in two dir-based on the market segmentation strategies that now find under 35 and over 35 teams, under 50 and over 50 teams and the emergence of the over 70 year old teams. This type of segmentation keeps some players involved longer than would happen if they had to play with younger players. However, participation levels are declining as the aging population occurs. The strength of the adult participation over the last 25 to 30 50 to 65 years of age, fewer will be participating and there are fewer younger people in behind to offset those retiring from the sport. Also the emergence of an increased proportion of new Canadians within the adult population who have had no exposure to hockey, will also have an impact over the next 10 to 15 years. Aging population and - The increasing number of new Canadians proportionately in the population; Other choices that people have for participation; A growing population will mitigate some of the potential declines on a limited basis. For wom 25 to 30 continue participating at adult levels. The emergence of adult female hockey leagues is evident in many communities and is growing. This will likely be a significant trend over the next 20 years as the participants will not be from the boomer generation but will be from the X and Y generations. However, the increasing number of adult new Canadians in the population will mitigate the overall level of growth that will be experienced. Figure skating in its various forms has relatively stable participation. It will be primarily influenced by population growth as participation levels are influenced by the proportion of youth in the population and the growing number of children who are new Canadian and come from ethno-cultural communities. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-33 AGE 3 - 235 The Learn to Skate and the developmental programs should remain relatively stable and could experience some growth if new Canadian children participate at younger ages in these types of programs. Culturally, figure skating has had some exposure to new Canadians, especially from the Far East where it has a following but has limited exposure in Africa, South America and the Middle East. Population growth and some interest amongst new Canadians will likely result in stable or marginally higher levels of participation. Other ice sports, such as sledge hockey activities for specialized populations, will continue to grow however, the proportionality of these populations in the overall population is small and many new Canadians who have children or adults with disabilities would have little or no exposure to ice-based sports to influence their choices. 6.2.3Soccer Soccer has and will continue to grow substantively over the next decades in regards to both male and female participation and youth and adult engagement. The primary influences for these outcomes are as follows: Population growth; Significant participation in soccer by new Canadians in their homelands; Increasing TV, media and other coverage of soccer on a world scale, as soccer becomes a main stream sport activity; At the recreational and competitive levels for youth and adults, the low cost to participate; The aerobic/fitness value of soccer participation; The increasing organizational capacity at the local level for youth and adults, enhanced soccer facilities being developed, and the emergence of indoor soccer to create a 12 month a year playing opportunity. Youth soccer for boys and girls is experiencing growth due to both population and new Canadian influences. The participation of children and young adults has carry-over value into adult leagues which are growing significantly, being similar to adult hockey over the last 20 to 30 years. The Kitchener Minor Soccer Association has identified over the next two years their registration will grow based on past growth rates, from 7,500 to 10,000 participants on a year round basis and through their various developmental programs. They also expect to see a semi-professional team in the area which will highlight the sport even more. Of all the sport oriented recreational activities, soccer will experience the greatest growth across a spectrum of ages, gender, ethnicity, affordability and related perspectives. With significant participation growth and market segmentation in the adult leagues, i.e., under 35 and over 35, etc., similar to what occurred a number of years ago for adult hockey, the result will be KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-34 AGE 3 - 236 continued higher levels of play as the current youth players age. Soccer will not be influenced by the more based on the X and Y generations and higher penetration rates amongst younger generations. Growth rates of 5% to 15% could occur for at least another five to 10 years and then move towards more stabilization. Growth will be dependent on venue availability, time of play and accessibility to play and population demographics. Also, the current movement to a year round play and to being a mainstream activity etc. indicates strong growth perspectives. In terms of indoor play, this is comparable to hockey were summer ice and play became a major activity approximately twenty years ago and has continued but to a lesser extent in more recent years. Not all the outdoor soccer players will transition seasonally to indoor play, however a number will, and there will be increasing demand for indoor facilities to support year round play growth in this sport. 6.2.4Other Field Sports There is an array of field sports that also operate in municipal park facilities. These include minor football, field hockey, cricket, field lacrosse, disk sports and others. Some are long established activities and others are emerging ones. Minor football is a long established activity. However, it did experience significant declines through the 1990s as soccer participation grew significantly. There has been stabilization and some growth through the 2000s. Its future growth will be primarily related to population growth rather than participation increases. This is influenced by: The soccer choice option that is increasingly popular, especially amongst the growing number of new Canadians who would have no football experience or exposure; The proportion of children in the youth population; The higher costs to play football due to the equipment requirements. There will be some growth related to population increases but not likely significant growth in terms of needing more venues though additional venues may be required over time if population growth drives that particular need. Field hockey has had a variable history. In the Kitchener-Waterloo area, there has been a strong effort made to stabilize and grow the sport which is primarily played at Resurrection Secondary School. It is a sport that is primarily female-based at secondary school age levels with some young adult play. Its future growth will be primarily influenced by population growth and whether the sport can sustain a presence in light of soccer, golf and other options. Its history with female high school students tends to be strong in some areas of the province and non-existent in others. The program in the Kitchener- Waterloo area has improved and will continue to have a presence if that improvement and leadership can be sustained. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-35 AGE 3 - 237 Field lacrosse is a relatively unknown sport though there is a small following. This sport can utilize other outdoor playing fields. It appeals to people who have a specialized interest in lacrosse. It tends to be less popular than box/arena lacrosse. It is not anticipated to have any significant growth and may experience some declines. Indoor lacrosse, on the other hand could grow due to both population growth and the emergence/profile of the National Lacrosse League. Arena lacrosse uses arenas off season and no new venue needs are seen. Cricket is a sport that is currently organized on a broad regional basis, primarily played Sunday afternoons by new Canadian populations. With the emergence of two world class cricket pitches in Brampton, as well more modest pitches in the Waterloo Region, Burlington and other areas, this sport does continue to show some growth. Its growth is not population growth but based on new Canadians, primarily from the Indian sub-continent. With the continuing migration from these areas to Canada, participation in the sport will likely grow but modestly. It is not anticipated that there will be substantive growth like soccer but there will be some growth. Where venues are not available, increasing requests for specialized venues or placing a cricket pitch over two parallel soccer fields will likely increase. Currently, the organizational infrastructure for cricket is not at a level that will advance the sport significantly in the short term, but like soccer and other sports, this could change over the next decade. Disc sports are organized but have a niche market presence. It appeals particularly to young adults. Some have identified it as an emerging sport and it has over 200 participants in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. It also has outdoor and indoor components. It is a recreational activity that has both physical and social dimensions. Its growth will be influenced by population growth amongst the X and Y generations experience or exposure amongst new Canadians. However, its low cost to participate, social dimensions and physical activity could result in some growth. Growth would likely be both by population increases as well some limited participation increases. Rugby is a long standing sport that is primarily a niche orientated activity in secondary schools. adult activity will result in some expansion in this sport. Its key influences are: Population growth, some of which comes from countries such as England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and other areas where rugby has popularity; The low cost of participation; The high aerobic/fitness value; The notable/historic social dimensions within the rugby culture. Overall, it will likely remain a more niche-oriented sport with a limited following that could be influenced by population growth to a marginal growth level. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-36 AGE 3 - 238 6.2.5Trails/Walking With the increasing emphasis on healthy lifestyles, walking has grown amongst all population generations as an important activity. The use of trails continues to grow substantively, as do participants in mall/arena walking. The walking group at the Fairview Mall has approximately 300 participants. Walking will continue to grow for the following reasons: The low cost to participate; The multiple routes and alternatives available to create diversity and interest; The ability to walk alone, with friends, in small groups or larger entities; The availability of indoor and outdoor walking facilities that support year round participation no matter what the weather; The ability to undertake the activity anytime of the day or day of the week; The noted health benefits of walking in terms of muscle development/tone, aerobic support, etc.; The ability to wa 6.2.6Track and Field Track and field is a long standing activity within Canadian society. There are several clubs operating within the Kitchener-Waterloo area. This is a sport that has limited competitive activity relative to several meets a year but significant need for training facilities. There are also outdoor and indoor dimensions to the sport. Growth in this sport is primarily driven by population growth. Participation growth is influenced by: Low cost to participate; The high value of the fitness and aerobic activity; Periodic high exposure levels due to the Olympics, Pan Am, and other Games that influences participation. Impacts on track and field participation are: The emphasis on the amount of training for the number of meets; The need for good coaches and venues; The overall low visibility of the sport. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-37 AGE 3 - 239 There will be some growth due to population increases. Participation is not high due to the participation alternatives available to participants and the fact that track and field tends to be associated with high schools and universities, though there are community-based clubs as well. 6.2.7Aquatics Aquatics tend to involve a series of activities: Recreational and family swimming 15% of current use; Swim lessons and certificates 5% of current use; Swim, diving clubs and other clubs 10% of current use; Wide range of rentals 10% of current use. From a use and user perspective in Kitchener, the following trends were identified: at 95% usage capacity; Demand for lessons, classes, warm water use and cross training are increasing; Socialized elements of the aquatic programs are popular; Growing demand for safety training and lessons with over 200 drownings a year in Ontario; Increasing diversity in types of classes, similar to land-based fitness, e.g., water yoga registration has 900 participants; As population ages, increasing interests in warm water activities; Swim lessons are up to 3,000 plus registrants and 4,000 certificate participants a year. Important facility design trends are as follows: Inclusion of social spaces and family change rooms; Welcome and control desks are important; Spectator seating for events and parents at lessons; Larger change rooms for schools and group use; 25 metre, 8 lane FINA pool tank design with shallow and deep depths to support club-based use (water polo, synchronized swim, rentals); Wide halls and spaces for athletes, spectators, vendor displays, etc., plus space for meets and officials; Effective storage space. The strong preference/need is for a tank design versus leisure pool with a warm water/therapeutic pool operated independently. Aquatics activities are dependent on the availability of pools, primarily indoor though outdoor as well. Population growth will influence all types of aquatic activities in terms of some growth. However the following growth trends are also identified: KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-38 AGE 3 - 240 Increasing participation by adults in fitness lanes swimming due to its high aerobic value; and less impact on knees and ankles, i.e.: seniors; and related benefits, including the growth in master swim clubs; Family orientation that can be experienced during family or open swims; The popularity of lessons, particularly for children and preschoolers as both a learning experience and a safety factor. Swim participation will be also influenced by population growth primarily and enhanced accessibility to swim facilities will also increase participation. In terms of aquatic clubs, swim clubs will grow in light of population growth, however they tend to have limited growth in terms of participation rates within the population. Participation rates can be influenced by exposure to Olympics and related activities on T.V. Overall, the sport tends to have less visibility in the community. This is even more particularly true for diving, synchronized swimming, aquatic and water polo which are less known and more niche-based activities. Diving in particular also requires very specialized swimming facilities once you get to the five and 10 metre towers, some of which are not available in the Kitchener-Waterloo area and require out of town training. Competitive aquatic activities will primarily grow based on population growth and if a 50 metre tank and full diving facility were available. There will be additional growth in non-competitive aquatic activities if an indoor pool were built for public recreation, fitness and learn to swim activities. 6.2.8Gymnastics This is an activity that has transitioned to dedicated facilities, often within club environments. With the declining number of youth and the emergence of new Canadians proportionately in the population, gymnastics will not likely show much growth beyond population growth. Also, the amount of equipment and specialized set ups generally position this type of activity within club environments with 6.2.9Gymnasium Sports and Fitness Gymnasium sports for youth will continue to be evident but not likely grow substantially as the portion of this population stabilizes in terms of volume and changes in terms of cultural demographics. Basketball and volleyball are popular programs and have shown growth over previous years but has been more stabilized. Population growth will likely drive most of the increases for these particular activities. On the adult side, there has been increasing activity in adult volleyball and basketball leagues, as well as the emergence of the new adult recreation and social clubs that can have registrations up to 6,000 people a year in some centres. Floor hockey, yoga, basketball, volleyball, all-sports and related programs have attracted up 2,000 participants for seasonal cycle. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-39 AGE 3 - 241 The City of Waterloo has capitalized on this in their adult sports programs. In London, the Forest City Sport and Social Club now exceeds 6,000 annual registrations and utilize primarily public gymnasium and park facilities. It is anticipated that the X and Y generation will participate in these sports heavily as fitness is a big part of their quality of life priorities. Growth could be in the 5% plus range for another five plus years. Organized fitness activity has increased substantially over the last decade, with a particular emphasis on boomer, X and Y generations. Going to a health club and/or participating in specialized fitness classes, Pilates, etc. has increased significantly. There have been a significant number of program variants that have emerged, as h continuing interest in these types of activities and fitness centres as population growth occurs. In terms of fitness programming, this is very much driven by the latest fitness packages that emerge and often is more targeted to female participants although many male participants are also involved. Some of these fitness programs occur within health clubs, many occur within community recreation facilities, as well as YMCAs, hotels/motels and other centres that have fitness equipment or programming space. generation as it is on the X and Y generation and the emerging technology generation. 6.2.10Summary of Specific Activity Trends In summary, the following trends by specific activity could be experienced: Soccer, across gender and ages, will grow both based on population and participation rate growth. One could anticipate a minimum 5% to 10% annual compounded growth rate, possibly, for at least five and likely 10 or more years. The growth in soccer will occur both in terms of outdoor and indoor activities with the greatest growth potential on an outdoor seasonal basis; Minor hockey will likely grow in Kitchener more than in many other locations being an urban centre with a strong tradition, but primarily based on population growth with the one caveat being how -cultural communities and whether offsets for the increasing costs to participate can be achieved; Girls hockey will continue to grow, probably not at the 15% per year level, but likely more in the 3% to 5% range for the next decade; get older and there are fewer offsets to take their places in the adult leagues, though there could be increased growth amongst female adults for at least 10 more years or longer. Adult male leagues could decline in the 5% to 10% range in the next number of years while the female adult leagues will likely grow at 3% or higher a year on average; Figure skating and related activities will likely grow based on population growth at potentially 1% or 2% per year unless something comes into the operating environment that changes the participation levels; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-40 AGE 3 - 242 Baseball will likely grow more related to population growth in the youth categories. Some recovery has been achieved since the low ebb in the middle 2000s and the offset that soccer and other sports are causing. Adult baseball will likely continue its decline, potentially 3% to 5% a year as the aging population transitions out of physical activity and there are fewer adults who will have an interest in this sport due to the proportionality of new Canadians driving population growth; Minor football, lacrosse and similar sports will likely be relatively stable with some impacts from population growth; Rugby could achieve some growth beyond population growth as it has become more pronounced in multi-sport events, such as the Canada and the Ontario Games. It will not be significant in comparison to soccer; Emerging sports like cricket that are significantly related to immigration, and disk sports will grow above population growth. Cricket, because of its connection to immigration trends related to the Indian sub-continent, and disk sports related to the emergence of that sport and its popularity amongst X and Y generation could grow but starting from a very small base number of active players; Walking will continue t activity in retirement for all the reasons cited in terms of easy access and participation, indoor and outdoor activities, etc.; Track and field will experience growth primarily due to population growth and some increased growth due to health and fitness and related perspective growth. It is not anticipated to be substantial; Aquatics will experience growth in terms of fitness swimming and master swims related to the population aging. Development of new aquatic facilities will bring new people from the immediate competition-based clubs will likely reflect population growth and facility availability. At the highly competitive end of the participant pyramid for aquatic sports, facilities will directly impact participation but will not necessarily increase their growth proportionately compared to other sporting activities. Training in other centres for the top athletes may likely have to continue; Gymnastics will grow primarily based on population growth. The emergence of dedicated facilities delivered by clubs will support the higher end training and development programs. Some recreational activity within public gymnasiums could occur but is complex due to the need for equipment, equipment storage in the building, and set up and tear downs which typically is best undertaken in the club environments; Gym sports will have varied experiences driven partly by population growth but also by the declining number of young people for volleyball and basketball. Basketball does have a stronger position amongst some ethno-cultural populations, particularly from South America, the Mediterranean and Far East populations. In terms of youth sports, basketball will likely grow above population growth but volleyball will parallel population growth. For adults, one would anticipate growth in adult gymnasium sports in terms of basketball and volleyball, and also with the emergence of the newer adult social and recreation clubs that have become popular and have significant registrations and KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-41 AGE 3 - 243 are playing sports such as floor hockey, all-sports, etc. The emergence of young adult to middle adult age sport and recreation clubs that operate on a multi-sport basis could show increased growth, well above population growth, placing increasing demand on gymnasiums and outdoor play spaces; Fitness in terms of both fitness centres and fitness programs (fitness classes, yoga, Pilates, etc.) will continue to show growth, especially as new fitness program elements come into the environment. These activities have gained significant support amongst X and Y generations, particularly Y generation populations who place a higher emphasis on quality of life and healthy outcomes. These types of activities will grow by more than average population growth projections. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P6-42 AGE 3 - 244 7FINANCING AND SERVICE DELIVERY MODELS Over the course of the last 20 years, there has been the emergence of alternate financing and service delivery models related to municipal leisure services. There has been particular growth in some of these models in the last five to seven years however, they have not all evolved with consistency or necessarily broad acceptance. Some of the challenges have emerged from the quality of the proponents of alternative delivery models relative to their capacity and expertise to deliver, while in other areas, there can be concerns and resistance from municipal staff and volunteers who believe the existing models provide preferred quality, affordability, accessibility, certainty and fairness outcomes. 7.1Municipal Service Delivery The most common financing and service delivery model involves the municipality as the leading sponsor and deliverer of leisure services. This usually involves the use of development charges, reserves, debentures and other municipal resources to build facilities and venues, sometimes augmented by community fundraising, and particularly augmented by senior government grants ranging from Wintario in the 1970s to the Canada Infrastructure Program more recently. Services delivery, particularly in urban centres, often involves the municipality directly operating facilities and delivering leisure programs, supported by in-house marketing and specialist positions. In some cases, partnerships have evolved, such as the community centres partnerships with neighbourhood associations in Kitchener. However, in these situations, the buildings are owned and maintained by the municipality, and there is a sense that there is increasing centralization of scheduling, technology, risk management, user fee development and other perspectives as was articulated in the two focus groups with neighbourhood association representatives for the LFMP Update. Municipalities typically have the service leadership and sponsoring roles as they tend to be the have the capital funding capacity, particularly for major leisure facilities development; and have marketing, technology, facilitation, financing, risk assessment, insurance, printing and other supporting capacities that are often not available at the levels of expertise or resourcing that a smaller community, not-for- profit organization could muster or even larger community non-profit might be able to provide. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P7-1 AGE 3 - 245 For potential and existing private sector deliverers, the barriers to entry are typical property taxes which are not paid by municipalities and some non-profits, subsidized municipal user fees which changes the competitive profile, the need to repay capital investments, and to generate a profit. 7.2School Board Partnerships There has been a long history since the 1960s of municipalities and school boards working together on the development of leisure facilities. Historically, this was almost exclusively in the area of park development. The 1960s and 1970s saw the emergence of the campus complex that typically involved one and possibly two school boards and a park on a conjoined site. The thinking at the time was that less land would be needed as the school boards could use the park venue through the day and the residents would have access to the park and the school yard facilities in the evening and or on weekends, at break periods and over the summer. The result was that potentially less land would need to be acquired and less overall site development costs incurred. This model was used extensively in Kitchener and other municipalities but has run into challenges in the last 10 or more years. Some of the key challenges are: Some of the initial school sites were never developed after being purchased as part of a campus. School boards sold off these sites as surplus and residential crescents/courts were developed on these sites resulting in less land and more residents/users; Some schools involved in this model have been subsequently closed due to declining enrollment. A few municipalities have moved to buy some of these sites, such as in Burlington for the Brock Secondary School to preserve local neighbourhood parkland; The school boards have changing curriculum, such as baseball being removed from physical education, resulting in a lack of maintenance for baseball fields or their removal from school yards with a dependence on neighbouring parks for baseball activities at recess, etc.; School boards, due to fiscal constraints and other issues, have substantively reduced the maintenance of their school yards, particularly over the summer period and related to the quality of their playing fields, which has resulted in the loss of baseball, soccer and other fields for community use, or their repositioning to smaller children or as practice fields due to the limited turf maintenance and/or safety issues. There have been initiatives between municipalities and school boards in regards to indoor facilitates. One of the more evident indoor facility initiatives has been indoor pools that have been attached to secondary schools, such as Cameron Heights in Kitchener, three pools in Burlington, numerous indoor - operating cost efficiencies, the school curriculum would support daytime use for physical education and swim teams, and the facility would be available through the other times for community users. There could be savings on parking, operations, etc. and the creation of stronger destination points. Budget pressures on school boards have resulted in some municipalities having to take on these indoor pools, KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P7-2 AGE 3 - 246 when school board owned, such as in Burlington, Toronto and other locations. Many of these pools are now extensively aged and require major renewal and were built to different standards in terms of the size of the swim tank and supporting facilities. School boards no longer have funding to support renewal or operations and, therefore some municipalities have to make decisions on these facilities which residents have become dependent on. Cameron Heights is an example where access and facility challenges exist and use preferences are moving away from using that particular pool. Another area of integration has been the use of gymnasiums and other rooms within schools, often through reciprocal agreements between a parks and recreation/community services department and a school board. However in the mid-1990s, when the provincial government introduced changes to support fee/income generation from community use of schools, there was a retraction of such activity, with some cities ceasing their facilitation and scheduling of school facilities on behalf of community groups. Burlington, Kitchener, London and others decided to withdraw from this role due to the challenges of cost and access. In more recent years, municipalities have become more involved in the development of gymnasiums. One of the core arguments in many municipalities for these investments have been the limited accessibility to and/or cost to utilize school gymnasiums. Also involved is the Recently we have seen the building of a significant gymnasium complex in Burlington with three secondary school gyms and five city gyms, the development of g community centres, the RIM Park gymnasiums, and at the Northeast London Recreation Complex and in other municipalities that are moving away from a reliance on school gymnasium due to uncertainty, accessibility and other challenges. perspective, and the fact that many school recreation oriented facilities are available extensively in the evenings, on weekends, at break periods and through the summer. The newer school facilities are also air conditioned and have significant year round capacity. Another related perspective that is emerging is that many new or renewed secondary schools are moving to a standard of artificial outdoor tracks with artificial turf infields. The Waterloo Catholic as a long term goal for its other secondary schools. Similarly, the Waterloo Region District School Board has developed such a facility at Jacob Hespeler Secondary School. The question emerges as to whether municipalities can work with school boards in developing these facilities and not have to duplicate them with additional artificia replacement was to consider co-location. The relationship with school boards has been one that has oscillated significantly over time from full embracement in the 1960s and 1970s to significant withdrawal in the 1990s, to a more hit and miss perspective in the 2000s. This is a very challenging area as there are significant interests by the various KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P7-3 AGE 3 - 247 parties at play, but there is one taxpayer and these facilities can be very costly to develop and operate if duplicated. In 2006, the provincial government put aside $20 million a year for school boards to enhance community use accessibility. This funding has been renewed several times and many school boards now have a community facilitator staff person to support community group access. This appears to have had mixed results in terms of how it has been undertaken and what community group experiences have been. Also, as the province now moves to the neighbourhood hub model evolving around schools, this may be another consideration in terms of integrating leisure capacities into school facilities in a more partnered environment and allowing for an enhanced avoidance of facilities duplication. Many people in leisure services leadership, education and policies spheres have recognized that there may need to be a significant effort made by school boards and municipalities to get together and resolve facilities in order to enhance the quality of the facilities and their accessibility, to reduce duplication and to significantly reduce capital and operating costs. 7.3Third Party Facility Services Delivery One of the more emergent service delivery and capital funding strategies has involved partnerships with community non-profit organizations. The most prolific of these have been with YMCAs. In recent years, the YMCA has worked with the City of London to build the Northeast London Recreation Complex and to operate it in its entirety. Waterloo has undertaken a similar initiative with the Kitchener-Waterloo YMCA in regards to the Westmount facility that also has outdoor sports fields and a branch library. In Goderich, the town decommissioned its Parks and Recreation Department and retained the YMCA to build and operate the new recreation complex, and to operate the arenas, deliver recreation programs, undertake outdoor and indoor facilities scheduling and other service planning and operating roles. This is a more dramatic initiative in transferring a municipality responsibility and probably works within a small urban setting better than it might in larger ones. In other communities, such as Sarnia, Chatham, Cambridge, Guelph and possibly Stratford in the future, YMCAs have or will build new indoor pools and own them. In most of these cases, the municipalities have not built a public indoor pool but put capital funding into a YMCA owned and operated facility which is different than what has transpired in H million city capital contribution was made, of which $1.0 million was an endowment to support public accessibility. This reflects one of the ongoing challenges of this model which is the reality and/or perception by some people that YMCAs are too expensive and unaffordable. What is really meant is that the YMCA works within a fixed income/fixed cost business model utilizing membership fees. Most nge with the latter model is that there is less revenue generated due to seasonal variations in use, weather conditions and other factors that result in less of a KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P7-4 AGE 3 - 248 use commitment and reduced revenues to the municipality resulting in potentially high operating deficits, especially for indoor pools which are high fixed cost operations. The YMCA nationally has a report that identifies approximately 150 municipal agreements across the country involving indoor pools, fitness services, employment services, arenas and a host of other leisure and social services that are delivered within various municipal-YMCA models. In a number of the municipally-owned and YMCA operated models, the YMCA, have made significant capital contributions by taking on a community capital campaigns in the $5.0 to $7.0 million range. The YMCA typically has strengths in fund development and also it is difficult for municipalities to undertake capital campaigns as the perception is that they have taxes and people tend not to donate through a municipality but rather through a partner. Also, particularly in regards to indoor pools and fitness activities, the YMCA is a national leader, is recognized as one of the three acceptable aquatic certification and teaching programs within the Ontario Public Health Act and is also recognized for its fitness instructor and delivery programs. A YMCA partnership with the municipality is not necessarily an easy approach. There are differences in culture, business modeling and other perspectives. It takes negotiation to work out some of the differences. In many cases, it requires a different way of thinking by municipalities to move in this direction as there will be less control and influence as historically may be in place which some municipalities find challenging. The YMCA is not the only organization that municipalities have partnered with. In London, partnerships exist with Memorial Boys and Girls Club in terms of a major capital contribution for a large downtown leisure complex and specific services delivery. In Calgary, over the years, some arenas and some of the larger integrated leisure facilities are operated by the municipality and others are built and owned by the municipality but operated by dedicated non-profit community organizations. This model has been used in Alberta more than in other areas of the country. Also, some community colleges have been developing major recreation and fitness facilities with community support. Fanshawe College in London received capital funds from the City of London for a third gymnasium in its new triple gym complex. Similarly, the City of Kitchener supported the original Conestoga College arena via community groups. The cities of Kitchener and Waterloo funded some of the renewal cost for improvements to the Wilfrid Laurier University indoor pool complex. Other local initiatives have also been undertaken, such as for the K-W Boxing Club and the K-W Gymnastic Club. However, the most integrated and complex partnerships have typically been in southern Ontario with the YMCAs. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P7-5 AGE 3 - 249 7.4Private Facilities There has been a long history of private recreation and leisure facilities. Bowling alleys, curling rinks and outdoor parks have a long history in certain areas, as have banquet and conference facilities, driving ranges, golf courses and a host of other venues. In recent years, some curling clubs have had challenges and needed municipal support. The Doon Valley Golf Course owned by the City of Kitchener is an example of a private sector facility that was acquired due to financial constraint similar to the North London Recreation Centre which was a former multi-use/squash facility that went bankrupt and the city needed to intervene to sustain a range of multi-use activities in that area of the city. One of the more dramatic areas of recent private sector involvement has been in regards to arenas. In the late 1990s, a London group bought a large curling club in London and converted it into a twin pad arena. They subsequently developed twin pad arenas in Cambridge, Windsor and other communities, plus single pad arenas at the Gretzky Centre in Brantford and at Brock University. They operated for approximately 10 years and subsequently went into receivership and have relinquished all the facilities. A Florida group has taken over some of these facilities. In Oakville, the old Dominion Twin Pad Arena operated as a private venture. After three years, it ran into financial difficulties and was purchased by the Town of Oakville because of the ice commitments made and the immediate ice demand impacts of closure. This is the same scenario that occurred with the Sports World Twin Pad in Kitchener with its 2,000 hours of minor hockey ice commitment after only approximately nine months of operation. There is a twin pad facility in Burlington that has continued to operate for five years with a very extensive programming mix that has been expanding. However, the owners have approached the city on several occasions to purchase the facility as they wish to get out of ownership. The operation continues to be viable and is leased out to a third party private sector operator by the owners. In Hamilton, the quad arena facility is owned by the municipality but operated by Nustadia which is a private sector operator. They also operate the Ti the twin pad arena at Durham College and another ten plus facilities across Canada. In these cases, they are retained as a management company to operate the facility and do not have a capital investment. Any operating deficits are usually covered by the municipality though bonus/loss performance clauses could be involved. They are retained because of their sector knowledge, large arena operations expertise and efficiencies, and other perspectives. Canlan Sports Centres Inc. is another private operator in the arenas industry. They operate multi-pad facilities at Etobicoke, Oakville, Oshawa, Scarborough, Mississauga, North York and the six pad complex at York University. They have facilities across the country, are a public stock offered company and have had some challenges over the years financially. They tend to operate in large urban areas like the GTA, Vancouver and other areas, and have not ventured significantly outside of the larger metropolitan areas. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P7-6 AGE 3 - 250 A lot of the private sector operators tend to be in the arena market, sometimes owned by construction companies who want to build the building but do not necessarily wish to operate it. The history of these facilities has been erratic outside of the GTA, with many facilities going bankrupt and being sold off or are being offered for sale. Canlan, as one of the largest operators, has offered for sale some of its facilities from time to time, such as in Oshawa. We see limited private sector involvement in indoor pools, unless they are associated with larger fitness centres. They are not at the 25 meter, six or eight lane dimensions. There also has been some experience with the private sector developing slo-pitch facilities. Two were developed in the 1990s in London in the south and north areas. Each of the facilities had nine to 12 fields plus support facilities. Both closed after approximately three years of operation due to financial issues. One has not found a reuse and the other was taken over with municipal assistance by the Southwest Optimist Club who now operates that facility for their youth and adult baseball leagues. In the soccer domain, indoor soccer facilities have a significant private sector history. Multi-field facilities have been built in Hamilton, (Stoney Creek), Vaughan, Toronto, Mississauga and many other communities. A partnership between London Minor Soccer Club and the Western Fair Association resulted in the BMO Centre in London in 2010 and it is about to be expanded. The former racquet ball club in the New Dundee area that was purchased by the Kitchener Minor Soccer Club and ran into financial troubles has now been taken over by a private sector operator, expanded and delivers soccer- based and field sport training and game opportunities. As soccer has grown, many minor soccer programs who often also have adult leagues, have been able to raise funds and/or develop directly indoor and outdoor facilities. In other situations, municipalities have developed the indoor soccer facilities, such as at RIM Park. Reuse of aged arena facilities is also being considered for indoor soccer use, such as in Chatham-Kent, Burlington and other locations. Direct private sector involvement in terms of capital investment and operations is primarily limited to arenas, fitness centres, golf courses and soccer. Private sector involvement in indoor pools, baseball complexes, community centres and other areas are nominal or nonexistent. The private arena experience has been spotty, except in the GTA due to its population volume and growth. 7.5Rental Capital Surcharges A number of municipalities have moved towards assessing a capital surcharge on every rental hour for selected facilities. One of the leaders in this initiative is the City of Burlington which has a $54.00 an hour capital surcharge for adult ice activities and a $16.00 hour per hour surcharge on youth ice activities. The intent of these capital surcharges originally was to pay for the capital cost of a new twin pad arena. Now the funds are used to pay for the operating deficits and capital expansion and renewal of arena facilities. This was introduced in the City of Burlington approximately 10 years ago with the kly rather than waiting for KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P7-7 AGE 3 - 251 development charges or other capital financing. The program has been expanded to additional arenas to incorporate the latest twin pad facilities and has the capacity to repay any specialized debenture costs the city may incur beyond development charges. The program has gravitated to artificial turfed soccer fields. The Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc has used the same program on a smaller scale, with a $3 per hour capital surcharge. The City of Oshawa has an $8 per hour surcharge. So far the dominant use has been for ice facility development with some movement into the areas associated with artificial/higher level soccer field development. This is a newer strategy and has not been widely embraced by a lot of municipalities due to affordability and other challenges. There appears to be an increasing movement towards the use of the strategy based on smaller capital surcharges being initiated and then growing them possibly over time. One of the challenging perspectives that has arisen around this technique is that ice users already pay one of the highest proportionate rates of user fees against operating costs for municipal leisure facilities. They are the ones that are being impacted the most by capital surcharges to date. Other sports/facility users may also have to be treated similarly on the basis of fairness and equity. 7.6Public Private Partnerships This is an emerging model where the private sector designs, builds, finances, and in some cases, operates (facility maintenance and custodial services usually) a leisure facility on behalf of a municipality. This model is being used increasingly by the Ontario government for major infrastructure, such as the recently opened Woodstock, Ottawa and other hospitals. A variant of this model would be design, construct and finance the facility that is then turned over to the municipality or other owner to operate. The contractual period can range anywhere from ten to forty years and in some cases, longer. One of the rationales for the public sector utilizing this model is that it removes the debt financing from the balance sheet and provides access to more capital, as well as having a more integrated design, construction and operating process for a new facility. The model is typically used on large projects, like major hospitals, the new court house in Kitchener and some larger facilities at universities and other locations. For significant leisure facilities, this model typically has not been used, as the key perspectives of this model are really organized around scale and volume to create savings. One successful example of the 3Ps in the leisure services area, was the development of the John Labatt Centre in London which is a 9,100 seat arena and entertainment complex which is now called Budweiser Gardens, which also demonstrates changing naming rights trends. A partnership between the City of London at 85%, 5% by Global Spectrum which has the long term management contract and 10% by Ellis Don the contractor was developed. Subsequently Ellis Don was bought out. Global Spectrum has continued to operate the KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P7-8 AGE 3 - 252 arena as a private sector player one of fifteen facilities that it operates across North America and is a subsidiary of the company that owns the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL and the Philadelphia Arena. It also has a catering company for all its facilities and a production company to bring entertainment/events/shows which have used the London facility extensively. For the last five years, there has been an operating surplus plus funds for reinvestment. The City of Windsor looked at the same companies and model in regards to the Windsor Family Credit Union Centre (WFCU) but did not go in this direction and operates it as a city facility, with an adjoining senior centre and other services. The cities of Sarnia, Guelph and Oshawa also looked at a variant of this model but opted to own the facilities but have private sector managers operate the facilities separate from the municipal structure. Nustadia operated both these facilities but moved out of that particular market. The owners of the Sarnia Sting now operate the Sarnia arena facility with its 4,200 seats. There are often significant questions to be asked in regards to the pursuit/use of the 3P approach. However, there have been limited examples of its use in the municipal parks and recreation sector. Part of this could be because of the scale of facilities, as the larger proponents typically are looking at projects in the $50 million plus categories as their capital funding comes from pension plans and other sources looking for significant points of investment. 7.7Corporate Naming Rights This is a high growth income generating area that involves the naming of a total facility/venue, as well as individual, major facility or venue components. In some cases the naming rights are corporate and for a defined time period. In other cases, it could involve recognition of a key person, family or corporate donor in either perpetuity or for 20 plus years. Park and other cities clearly indicate the emerging importance of 10 year naming period for the new arena complex in the downtown area was $10 million for the John Labatt Centre. The same corporate entity opted to put another one of its brands to name the building and was successful in renewing a 10 year contract for $15 million to call the facility Budweiser Gardens. 7.8Summary of Financing and Service Delivery Models There are emerging models that have different applications in the development, financing and delivery of leisure facilities and services in municipal environments. Some have had success, such as pool and community centre/fitness complexes engaging the YMCA within municipal buildings or on behalf of municipalities, while others have had mixed results, such a private arena development with municipal ice contracts. Others have had limited scope and applications, such as the 3Ps. Arenas have typically been the most dominant facility of the traditional mainstream facility offerings. There has been a long KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P7-9 AGE 3 - 253 history of golf courses, curling clubs and other facilities being within the private, not-for-profit and private sectors. Indoor aquatic complexes have been less or not engaged at all in these types of alternate service delivery models, principally because of their high fixed costs of operation and the inherent operating deficits that have been experienced by municipalities. The one transition has been YMCA partnerships based on membership models with some pay as play access. Private sector arena involvement has typically occurred in larger settings like the GTA and high growth areas such as the Regions of York, Halton and Durham. Private sector arenas have been less evident and have had significant challenges outside of the high population volumes/high growth areas of the province. Other delivery models have involved the use of dedicated, non-profit corporations to run municipal facilities and private sector or not-for-profit organizational contracts to operate municipal facilities as third party managers. Based on observations and comments from different municipalities and not-for-profit and private sector operators, the challenges of implementing different financing and service delivery models appear to be focused on the following: The smallness of certain markets for private sector engagement; The subsidized user fees for the use of ice, pools and other facilities that do not create space for private sector or not-for-profit operators who have to incur the full costs of delivery and do not have subsidized funding support; Organizational cultural issues that sometimes restrain an openness to partnerships and the use of other models unless there is significant municipal control and influence; Different standards of facility development that are affordable to municipalities but not to other sectors which can differentiate quality perspectives and user preferences; Labour agreements; Willingness for municipalities to take risks outside of the dimensions they are comfortable or familiar with. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P7-10 AGE 3 - 254 8CONCLUSIONS AND FINDINGS The following section summarizes the findings that have emerged from across the consultation, trends, alternative financing and service delivery and other inputs in support of the Leisure Facilities Master Plan Update for the City of Kitchener. 8.1Strengths of the Current Leisure Services Delivery The unique neighbourhood association and community centre service delivery model within Kitchener that is highly valued, brings services to where people live, creates neighbourhood identities and provides local opportunities for residents to volunteer, socialize and access services; The array and quality of leisure facilities that exist in Kitchener, and which are distributed throughout the community; The supports systems and processes that city provides to non-profit community organizations, ranging from printing, to a leadership support, to training, to scheduling and other activities; The trails, parks and open spaces system which were identified as highly valued and used; The city is being well serviced for arenas and many good sports fields, particularly Woodside Park with its artificial turf; The distribution and effective operation of the indoor pools, as well as good ball fields, in terms of Lions Park, Jack Couch Baseball Park and others; The way some groups work together, such as the Aquatic Alliance; The engagement of volunteers; The investments the city has and continues to make in leisure services and facilities which are valued by the population and well utilized; The array of leisure programs and services that are available that touch all demographics and audience interests; Some effective partnerships exist between the city, service providers and other community organizations that enhance services delivery and accessibility; A strong staff team, with good skills, who facilitate service delivery directly and through partners effectively; Generally good relationships between the staff and the individual service providers; emphasis is on participation, affordability and access; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P8-1 AGE 3 - 255 The increasing use of technology to support registration, scheduling, etc.; The use of specific master plans to chart future courses of action and priorities, along with advisory committees to support decision-making; The quadrant-based major/district facilities planning framework. 8.2Concerns, Issues and Gaps The lack of an apparent plan on the future expansion and additions to existing community centres and for new centres to sustain and grow the current model; The perception of increased city control of community centre operations, the growing emphasis on rentals and the sense that there is increased competition between city and neighbourhood A need to identify the strengths and opportunities of each community centre to ensure its programs are aligned with the evolving needs of the communities as they change demographically; A gap in support services in terms grant writing, incorporating, volunteer recruitment and recognition and other support areas; Neighbourhood and district facilities can significantly lag behind residential development timelines, resulting in residents paying development charges when they purchase their home but not seeing services for five to ten years later in many cases, and after their children have grown to an age where the facilities are not of the same interest; Challenges in recruiting volunteers on a longitudinal basis and sustaining and retaining them; Need to place increasing importance on community gardens and other types of services that support the local food movement, food security and engage people more with their environment; A need to continue to invest in the trail system, including the closing of several key gaps as a priority; Some confusion and lack of understanding of the overly complex sport field rating system and fee schedule which seems challenging; along with a need for people who undertake the field allocations to have a better understanding of each of the fields and what their strengths and limitations are related to usage levels; potentially associated with Budd Park; Need to consider facility renewal and new facility investments in the downtown area to support residential intensification programs, downtown renewal and to align with the LRT and other major investments being made in that area of the city. Newer groups feel significant challenges in gaining reasonable access to sports fields and indoor facilities as the existing resources tend to be dominated by long standing groups; Many of the indoor facilities are beyond their useful life expectancy and/or need considerable renewal investment. There are limited funds for this activity, and the facilities continue to deteriorate, which could potentially impact participation; and also has a direct impact on sport tourism use; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P8-2 AGE 3 - 256 Lighting of fields and the use of artificial turf were identified as important investments in both expanding and enhancing field capacity for soccer, rugby, disc sports, football and other uses, due to the ability to open seasons earlier and close them later, and the reduced turnaround time after rainstorms; Widely identified that the southwest area of the city is significantly underserviced in terms of both indoor and outdoor facilities, and this should be a priority relative to an indoor pool, a community centre, sports fields for the local population at a recreational level, neighbourhood and district parks, and related facilities; The need to connect new park development initiatives with operating fund budgeting, as well as capital renewal investment funds. There is a sense that this is currently disconnected and there is a constant need to expand operations and maintenance of parks without appropriate increases in resources; others do not have access to indoor, concrete or hardwood floor space to support their current participation and participation growth; significant constraint as development charges have slowed or been reduced by OMB rulings, pressures for other capital investments intensify and property tax increases have significant challenges and competitive impacts; partnerships, new service delivery models, corporate naming sponsorships and other tools that could affect change and generate additional financing; Broad concerns that new financing models, increases in user fees and other tools will significantly impact affordability, and create a greater have and have not divide that will significantly influence participation, particularly those that have lower economic means; Specific concerns were expressed about some arenas, i.e., McLaren and Lions that have parking limitations, smaller dressing rooms, antiquated designs and other challenges that reduce their utility and effectiveness; A concern that Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex is seen as a community level arena facility. It is a fantastic facility but the Cardillo Bowl is principally for large use activities, and the twin pad has a late season opening after Oktoberfest which impacts programming; The escalating costs of service delivery due to new standards, regulations, user expectations, increased staffing and other factors brings into question the sustainability of both municipal involvement and participant affordability; A concern that some community centres may be underutilized. A review needs to be considered to maximize utilization of all facilities. Some community centres are closed on weekends and at other times. The review needs to look at broader utilization of these facilities rather than duplicate them through new facility development; Youth engagement in the community centres is seen as a significant area of need; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P8-3 AGE 3 - 257 A perspective that there is a gap in gymnasium space that is accessible and affordable. This brings forward a question about the accessing of school facilities, both indoor and outdoor, that could be resulting in unnecessary duplication if a strategy was achievable; The transitioning occurring in senior services and its sensitive considerations regarding Rockway and others seniors facilities, as well as aging facilities that may need to replaced, relocated or alternative delivery strategies considered which can be very challenging; A concern that there needs to be a more balanced perspective between the renewing/reuse of existing facilities versus always building new facilities; A concern there is low awareness within the general population about what is available relative to leisure services, and that fact the communication processes are too homogenous and not audience- based in terms of written, social media and other tools; A perspective that the current capital funding model is too reliant on development charges and a broader capital development strategy is necessary; The city has many master plans that have significant consultation and provide good direction, but there are no resources to implement them; Neighbourhood associations and other community groups that are organized have their voices heard but many smaller groups and individuals have no way of inputting or having voice on leisure services; Establishing priorities needs to be articulated and understood. When decisions are made to build a new facility that results in an intended closure of other facilities, those decisions need to be sustained rather than just keeping all the facilities, such as splash pads; Growing challenges in managing the expectations of users, citizens, taxpayers and others is creating conflicts and a diversity of opinions and perspectives that are increasingly difficult to balance; The leisure services market is becoming increasingly regional in nature and by-passing municipal boundaries. This is creating a need for more cooperation and collaboration between municipalities, user confusion and other operating challenges; Working with the school boards has been strained in terms of campus park settings, the removal of baseball fields and the low maintenance of their outdoor school facilities, as well as regularized access to indoor school facilities which is resulting in more municipal gymnasiums being requested and built and increased pressure for more municipal sport fields; There is increasing emphasis on eliminating legal, safety and legislation risks in the operating facilities which is increasing costs, reducing utilization and having other impacts that are not necessarily well received; others on leisure services providers to entertain, deal with, treat and engage children with no funding support; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P8-4 AGE 3 - 258 User fees are imbalanced which has raised questions of fairness and equity, such as why are fees proportionately higher for arena users yet significantly less for sports fields and possibly free for other types of activities; master plans, is piece-meal in that council responds to senior government grants for items that may not be on the priority list. One-off decisions tend to dominate, such as Rockway and Centennial Stadium and other situations; There is a need to think about doing things differently in terms of financing and service delivery, partnerships, collaborations and other initiatives that could enhance services delivery, but the organizational culture and other perspectives appear to be a constraint for fear of loss of control, impacts on affordability, etc.; Confusion youth, wellness, seniors, people who have limited affordability to participate, etc.? What is the focus/the priority, i.e. the core service function? Incrementally moving towards market-based user fees could have significant implications on affordability and participation levels for those with lower economic means. They could also affect people making other choices who are not affected as much by affordability; Are the standards for new construction too high, such as LEED for every building? May need a hierarchy of building standards that meet various levels of participation needs/skills; A lot of non-primetime space is available in arenas, pools, on sports fields and in community centres. Is there any way to better utilize these available resources? Are specialized/designated facilities viable in the future? Is there a need for more multiuse development? A sense that there is an underdevelopment and under-appreciation for the Grand River Corridor as a unique and significant recreation and environmental resource which has been identified in multiple master plans; There are a number of not-for-profit organizations that can provide services at high levels of service within significant capital facilities, e.g., Chicopee, YMCA, YWCA and others. However, they need capital financing support to sustain and growth those facilities in order to continue to offer those services. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P8-5 AGE 3 - 259 8.3Trends and Directions 8.3.1Activities and Facilities Significant and anticipated continuing growth in soccer, across male, female and youth and adult categories related to new Canadian population growth, increasing exposure of the sport through local and international events increasingly, effective organization, low cost of participation and other factors; Population-based and above-population-based growth for minor baseball and minor hockey, including girls hockey, as a result of increased female participation, as well as successful marketing programs locally and provincially to re-engage in sports that have had some previous declines; Population-based growth for football, lacrosse and most other sports; The need to give further consideration to emerging sports, such as disc sports, competitive roller skating, rugby, cricket and others due to demographic shifts, emergence of new sports and related activities, most often within multiuse field environments; Stability or population-based increases in aquatics, track and field and similar endeavours, primarily related to the lack of availability of higher quality competition and training facilities; A growing participation and interest in walking, use of trails for walking and cycling and alternative transportation systems that result in multiuse trail development requirements; Aging infrastructure and venues will migrate to become one of the most significant issues faced by government everywhere, including municipalities related to leisure facilities; May be a need to reduce the life expectancy design of facilities due to the rate of change in user preferences and, sports/activity standards. Instead of building facilities for fifty years, maybe twenty years is a more reasonable threshold. 8.3.2Services Development An increasing education and awareness of health and wellness lifestyle perspectives will motivate more interest in a range of activities, such as walking, warm water aquatics for seniors, fitness classes and other activities that respond to enhanced well-being, as well as response to youth and overall population obesity as part of health care transitional initiatives from acute to preventative; The increasing need to engage with and provide services that align with a diverse multicultural community perspective for the city and region, considering over 25% of the population was not born in Canada; A significantly aging population with proportionally fewer youth, as well as a more culturally diversified population. Many of the cultural groups will come from areas where ice, baseball and other sports and activities are not well known or participated in. However, soccer has a universal connection; Wellness, child obesity and other health related issues will become a more important driver in leisure services participation and delivery as health care moves from acute to prevention. Active KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P8-6 AGE 3 - 260 lifestyles will be an increasing part of the general populations interests and will have an impact on spontaneous and programmed activities; s and have-notaffordability which will then impact the ability to participate; Increasing emphasis to engage people fairly with any type of disability under the AODA and the general advancement of inclusion for all people, which will put increasing emphasis on accommodation services to facilitate participation; Younger seniors as they age will be looking for different types of activities than those traditionally provided in senior centres, potentially more integrated with mainstream activities and possibly an enhanced ability/intent to pay for services; Likely an increasing intensiveness in the of regionalization of leisure service delivery due to cost efficiencies, tapping into larger market volumes, etc. which could impact how services are delivered in the future; The growth in regulations from senior governments and regulatory bodies will have cost and participant impacts on leisure services; There will be continuing pressure to look at new, different and more risk-oriented partnerships and collaborative initiatives; New technology, particularly social media, will have an increasing impact on leisure services marketing, participation and operations; There will be an increasing requirement to have the capacity to analyze societal and community trends, changes and interest and other potentially impacting directions that will need to be identified and evaluated more quickly; There will be increasing connectivity between municipal investment decisions and economic development impacts which will influence what leisure facilities and services could go forward in the future; An increasing need for integrated planning between municipal departments, with neighbourhood municipalities and the region, with key non-profit service providers and others due to increasing pressure to maximize leisure services integration and efficiencies; people have available to participate in leisure services, the time of day they participate, their interests, affordability and other participant perspectives. The ability to sustain non-programmed spaces in parks and within indoor facilities will be important as not everything needs to be programmed and absolutely utilized to its maximum. Informal and spontaneous play and socialization needs to be supported; Potentially fewer volunteers in the future as boomers may be less likely to volunteer on a longitudinal basis. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P8-7 AGE 3 - 261 8.3.3Community Profile The provincial policy on neighbourhood intensification could result in core area neighbourhoods having more people and needing additional park and open spaces, as well as selected neighbourhood indoor leisure facilities; Climate change will have an impact in terms of the need to irrigate sports fields, provide more shade shelters, improve building designs to reduce energy and other impacts that will have a cost associated with them; The new LRT could create unique shifts in transportation patterns and accessibility that may create an emphasis on more downtown/LRT related facilities services; Southwest Kitchener is the high growth area of the city for several decades to come and this needs to be responded to effectively; Increased naturalization will evolve in parks and open space areas and around leisure facilities. 8.3.4Priorities Sustaining and growing neighbourhood identities and the community centre-based service delivery model; Increased efforts to better maintain existing facilities, and to renew them on a more scheduled and intentional basis; More thinking out of the box, such as putting a gymnasium in the transportation hub, better use of school facilities and other more aggressive partnership driven service delivery models; Enhanced technologically-based communications, and overall communication awareness development initiatives; Increased trail development in terms of both closing gaps, extending lengths and improved surfacing; Facilities for the southwest area, including a community centre, indoor pool and sports fields at a district level; The possible reuse of a decommissioned arena for floor sports, such as roller skating, lacrosse, roller blading, floor hockey, etc.; Several soccer complexes with focus on artificial surfaces, depending on the future of Budd Park, along with the minimum of one new indoor soccer facility of a contemporary design; Potentially development of multiuse fields that would support disc sports, football, outdoor lacrosse, rugby and additional soccer capacity; The possible development of a sports administrative hub, where sports groups would come together in one facility and have access to common services, such as photocopiers, boardrooms, registration, a resource library and a host of other services that would reduce costs and facilitate integration and communications; Possible need for new arena capacity as consideration possibly given to the closure of McLaren and Lions Arenas to be replaced by a future twin pad facility; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P8-8 AGE 3 - 262 The examination of opportunities for cricket, Nordic sports and other emerging activities that have less awareness and advocacy capacity but are of interest and are important to selected segments of the population; Strengthening and integrated planning processes that are not subject to significant one-off decisions that result in a loss of overall leisure services capacity; Ensuring opportunities for key population groups to be heard and to participate, such as children and youth, older adults, persons with a disability, new Canadians and others that possibly are less organized, have specialized needs and who reflect key future dimen Undertake a comprehensive review of all facilities to ensure that they are being used to their maximum capacity, their reuse opportunities are identified, that better integration is made between city and partner programming, with a special emphasis on examining opportunities to better integrate with school boards on a fair and accessible basis in order to reduce duplication and to enhance current facility utilization; Creating the culture and the urgency to explore new service delivery alternatives and financing approaches organization by getting beyond control and organizational cultural constraints; Focusing on enhancing what the city has in terms leisure services and facilities through renewal, reuse, intensified use, etc. in balance with new facilities rather than focusing solely new initiatives. 8.3.5Funding and Alternative Service Delivery Models Strong support for corporate naming rights and sponsorships; Broad-based concerns about significant increases in user fees above inflation rates due to the impact on affordability and overall participation, and which could result in net revenue losses/increased operating deficits if participation dropped too severely; Need to examine new service delivery models, such as partnerships with the YMCA, Chicopee and other service providers where the city may provide capital and the partner manages/operates the venue and provides some capital funding for a facility; Recognition that property taxes alone cannot be a funding vehicle for leisure services operations. Other income models need to be identified; Reduction in service levels was not well received in terms of being an alternative to cost reductions/alternate service extensions, particularly in regards to determining what services would be reduced can be very challenging as evidenced by the idea to sell golf courses, close outdoor pools and splash pads, re-develop senior centres and other initiatives over the years. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P8-9 AGE 3 - 263 8.4Key Findings The following key findings emerged from the consultation, trends assessments and other perspectives: Significantly changing population demographic related to aging, cultural diversity and related dimensions that will have an impact on participation interests, levels and scope; Aging facilities that will need significant decisions made in regards to renewal/reuse investments, replacement facility consolidations, multiuse perspectives and potential changes in design standards and life expectancies; Increased need for soccer fields, as well as multi-use sports fields, with more limited growth in diamonds and potential arena consolidations; Need to more comprehensively use current recreation facilities, school facilities and to better integrate with other large service providers that could enhance their service delivery quality and scope with additional city capital support; Need for a comprehensive review of the community centres in terms of use levels and operating timeframes; youth, seniors and new Canadians engagement; city-neighbourhood association relations and service delivery to the community; and the planning and building of additions and new centres; More emphasis on volunteer development and recognition as a key dimension of service development and provision, along with leadership development and training needs to be considered; Identifying the core leisure services and investing in them more significantly needs to drive choices related to health and wellness, children and youth, older adults, new Canadians, people with disabilities, etc.; as well as providing a balanced provision of programmed and non-programmed participation opportunities; Sustaining and growing investments needed in parks, open space and a diversity of community trails is a priority; Regionalization of the leisure services market and the implication this has on individual municipalities, including considering investments in major regional facilities such as aquatics, track and field, stadiums and other facilities are a potential strategic transition/change; Fiscal constraints and capital financing challenges will require a unique ability by municipalities to possibly change service delivery models, participate in less controlled partnership/collaborative models and embrace newer funding models, such as naming rights, corporate sponsorships, capital surcharges and other strategies; Ensuring an enhanced balance between emerging and established activities, and a determined focus on supporting participation at recreational levels in some balance with competitive and more elite sport development initiatives needs to be developed as a policy priority; Determining if the city needs to be stronger/more effective in facilitation, community development, coordination and support roles, to support and enhance neighbourhood association programming; KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P8-10 AGE 3 - 264 The need to sustain an integrated and planned approach to facility delivery and not become distracted by emergent issues that consumes valuable capital resources and community goodwill; A concerted effort to strategically restructure/reposition services delivery in order to gain efficiencies and position services to be delivered by those best capable of doing so by developing new types/models of relationships/partnerships with school boards, non-profit organizations, neighbouring municipalities and community organizations, as well as redefining levels of service from always being at the highest standard to being aligned with various levels of interest participation skill level; Broad concerns about raising user fees as the primary revenue source to pay for leisure services due to affordability, access and participation impacts unless there are significant mitigating strategies; Strong support for the use of corporate naming and sponsorships, along with community user group fundraising to support capital investment in leisure services. Property tax sources were less supported and services redirections not preferred by a large majority; The ability to effectively understand, embrace and manage change is a key organizational success factor in order to build more aligned, cost effective, integrated and partnered service delivery models. KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P8-11 AGE 3 - 265 9APPENDICIES 9.1 APPENDIX I, Leisure Facilities Master Plan Tracking 9-2 9.2 APPENDIX II, Population Density 9-5 9.3 APPENDIX III, Population Forecast Density 9-6 9.4 APPENDIX IV, Age Range Density 9-7 9.5 APPENDIX V, Age Range Density Youth 9-8 9.6 APPENDIX VI, Community Composition 9-9 9.7 APPENDIX VII, Update to Building Condition Study 9-10 9.8 APPENDIX VIII, Neighbourhood Associations 9-13 9.9 APPENDIX IX, Community Facilities 9-14 9.10 APPENDIX X, Arenas and Ice Rinks 9-15 9.11 APPENDIX XI, Aquatic Facilities 9-16 9.12 APPENDIX XII, Multi-Use Pathways 9-17 9.13 APPENDIX XIII, Cycling Routes 9-18 9.14 APPENDIX XIV, Parkland Amenities 9-19 9.15 APPENDIX XV, Sports Fields 9-20 9.16 APPENDIX XVI, Outdoor Courts 9-21 9.17 APPENDIX XVII, Survey Results 9-22 KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P9-1 AGE 3 - 266 9.1APPENDIX I, Leisure Facilities Master Plan Tracking Category Name Rec. # Action Status as at October 2012 Foundations 1 Vision Complete (approved CSD-05-037) 2 Mission Complete (approved CSD-05-037) 3 Principles and values Complete (approved CSD-05-037) 4 Plan goals Complete (approved CSD-05-037) 5 Leisure services policy Complete (approved CSD-05-037) 7 Supports to community organizations Complete (approved CSD-05-037) 8 Partnerships and joint ventures Complete (approved CSD-05-037) Policies 11 New policy development On track 16 Natural areas policy On track 17 Resource centres principles Complete 25 Sport tourism Complete 27 D Continue motorized vehicle ban on Complete trails 28 L Land acquisition & under-serviced Complete; implement as available areas 28 P Park service level review & policy Included in Parks Strategic Plan, September 2010 31 Youth services strategy Complete 32 A Sustain down town leisure facilities Complete 33 C Reserve policy-annual replacement On track costs Delivery Strategies 6 Data analysis/collection Complete Evaluation 33 D Park evaluation plan development Included in Parks Strategic Plan, Systems September 2010 34 Review/update LFMP Complete Delivery Strategies 10 Community investment strategy/ Complete Partnership community grant program review Development 12 Multi-municipal approaches Delayed; deemed a low priority; are not justified given rate of return 15 Community use of schools/accessibility On track 26 C Joint use/schools model development On track 28 J Resurrection HS/field hockey access Complete 30 B Volunteer Support Strategy Complete 30 C Monitoring programs/community Complete organizations KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P9-2 AGE 3 - 267 Category Name Rec. # Action Status as at October 2012 Delivery Strategies 9 Role of developers Complete Pre-Planning/ 13 Use of business case rationale strategy Complete Development 14 Multi-use facilities Complete 18 Resource centres development criteria Complete 26 A/B Joint initiatives/clubs Complete 27 E Grand River corridor development On track 28 M Park classification/provision level Included in Parks Strategic Plan, Official Plan/1991 Master plan September 2010 28 N Tennis court assess/possible basket Complete ball/road hockey 28 O 3/3 basket ball courts in schools Complete 29 E Parks service provisioning plan On track 32 B Land acquisition downtown for parks & Complete; implement as available open space 32 C Leisure services part of inner city Complete development strategy Delivery Strategies 21 Outdoor rinks continue Complete Programs 23 A/B/C Seniors strategy development Complete 24 A/B/C Culture Plan II Complete Delivery Strategies 27A Trails system marketing plan Included in Multi-use Pathways and Marketing/ Trails Master Plan, March 2012 Communication 30 A Leisure services marketing plan Delayed; recent lack of capacity in Communications has delayed this initiative Facility Initiatives 19 A Victoria Hills expansion Complete Resource Centres 19 B Chandler Mowat CC Complete 19 C Mill Courtland Delayed due to budget 19 D Kingsdale Community Centre Complete 19 E South Kitchener recreation complex Delayed due to budget availability (resource centre) 19 F Bridgeport resource centre Complete Facility Initiatives 20 A Queensmount decommissioning Delayed; reprioritized per other Arenas projects in division 20 B Twin Pad West Kitchener Complete 20 C/E Decommission either Doherty or Complete McLaren 20 D Twin pad south Kitchener Included in Kitchener South District Park Master Plan pending process Facility Initiatives 22 A/B Indoor pool south Kitchener Included in Kitchener South District KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P9-3 AGE 3 - 268 Category Name Rec. # Action Status as at October 2012 Pools Park Master Plan pending process 22 C/D/F Cameron Heights pool future Complete 22 E Sustain 3 outdoor pools (no new) Complete 22 G Continue to consider splash pads Complete; embedded in process Facility Initiatives 23 D Woodworking Centre Complete Seniors Centres Facility Initiatives 27 B Develop unfinished trail linkages On track; continue to develop based Outdoor Linear on budget availability Resources 27 C Continue trail surface conversion On track Facility Initiatives 28 A Queensmount ball field replacement Delayed; pending future direction of Park-based Queensmount Arena Development 28 B Included in Kitchener South District Park Master Plan pending process 28 C Soccer fields, east Kitchener Complete 28 D Softball, south Kitchener On track; pending LFMP update 28 E Soccer, west Kitchener Complete 28 F Peter Hallman BY upgrade Complete 28 G Bridgeport lighting Delayed; pending needs analysis and funding 28 H Skateboard facilities (4 & district park) On track 28 I Rugby venue Complete 28 K Nordic facility partnership On hold; pending user group need Facility Initiatives 29 A Victoria Park master plan Complete; ongoing capital upkeep Park Master Plan funding required Implementation 29 B McLennan Park, Alt B Complete; ongoing capital upkeep funding required 29 C Kiwanis Park master plan Complete 29 D Huron Natural Area Park Plan Complete; ongoing capital upkeep funding required Facility Initiatives 33 A Implement Building Condition Study On track; majority complete Facilities Renewal 33 B Centennial Stadium short term On track bridging response KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P9-4 AGE 3 - 269 9.7APPENDIX VII, Update to Building Condition Study FacilityActionStatus Don McLarenArenaReplace flooringComplete Paint ceilingComplete Update public washroom fixtures/partitionsComplete Update change room washroom finishes/fixturesComplete Grand River ArenaReplace roofComplete Exterior finishes repairsComplete Replaceskate tileOn track Replace ceiling tileOn track Update change room washroom finishes/fixturesOn track Update public washroom finishes/fixturesComplete Lions ArenaReplace roofComplete Repair masonry jointsOn track Replace front entrance doorsOn track Repair/paint interior wallsComplete Replace flooringComplete Update change room washroom finishes/fixturesOn track Paint exposed metal deck/structureOn track Upgrade finishes in community hallOn track Patrick Doherty ArenaNowKingsdale Community CentreAdaptive reuse Queensmount ArenaCurrently minimal activityFeasibility study Breithaupt PoolReplace exterior doorsComplete Replace exterior windows where requiredOn track Replace interior arborite veneer doorsOn track Change room finishesComplete Replace main pool drainage systemComplete Cameron Heights PoolCurrently not city-ownedPartnership discussions Forest Heights PoolRepair leaks in skylightsComplete Resolve humidity issueComplete Repaint ceilingsOn track Replace light fixture suspension rodsComplete Refurbish main pool liningOn track Idlewood Park PoolReplace roofComplete Repair masonry joints/structural auditOn track Repair/paint exterior window framesComplete Repair/paint/replace interior doorsOn track Paint interior wallsComplete KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P9-10 AGE 3 - 275 FacilityActionStatus Repair/clean flooringComplete Update washroom finishes/fixturesComplete Relocate showers/level floorOn track Provide panic hardware/exit signs/emergency lightsComplete Replace millworkOn track Update finishes in change roomsOn track Lyle Hallman Pool/ Patch exterior wallsComplete Grand River PaintingComplete Community Centre Replace flooring where requiredComplete Replace interior wall finishComplete Wilson Park PoolReplace roofComplete Repair exterior masonry wallsComplete Replace exterior doors/framesComplete Replace exterior windowsComplete Repair floor finishesComplete Update washroom finishes/fixturesComplete Relocate showers/level floorComplete Provide panic hardware/exit signs/emergency lightsComplete Replace millworkComplete Update change room finishesComplete Woodside/Harry Class Replace roofComplete Pool Replace exterior windowsComplete Replace skylightComplete Replace interior windowsComplete Refinish walls/paintingComplete Update washroom finishes/fixturesComplete Replace millworkComplete Bridgeport Community Entire facility renovated in 2012Complete Centre Centreville-Chicopee Exterior door refurbish/replaceComplete Community Centre Roof/soffit repair/replaceComplete Fire stopping in electrical roomOn track Replace finishesComplete Chandler Mowat New facility built in 2004Complete Community Centre Country Hills Replace caulking around framesComplete Community Centre Paint interiorComplete Complete Doon Pioneer Park Repair masonry jointsOn track KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P9-11 AGE 3 - 276 FacilityActionStatus Community Centre Refurbish exterior HM doorsComplete Repair water damaged interior finishesComplete Paint interior finishesComplete Examine corroded column basesComplete Forest Heights Refurbish exterior HM doorsComplete Community Centre Repair water damaged interior finishesComplete Paint interior finishesComplete Kingsdale Community DecommissionedAdaptive reuse of CentrePatrick Doherty arena Mill Courtland Replace roofComplete Community Centre Replace flooring in high traffic areasComplete Paint interior finishesComplete Repair ceiling finishes in daycareComplete Rockway CentreFeasibility StudyComplete Victoria Hills Replace roofComplete Community Centre Refurbish exterior HM doorsComplete Paint bulkheads/ductworkOn track Victoria School Out of inventory-- Community Centre Centennial StadiumGrandstand removedComplete Jack Couch Baseball Replace windowsOn track Park Replace roofComplete Replace interior doors/frames/hardwareOn track Clean and seal concrete floorsOn track Victoria Park PavilionRepair masonry jointsComplete Replace wood frame single hung windowsOn track Replace/refurbish flooringComplete Investigate condition of fire separationsOn track KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P9-12 AGE 3 - 277 9.17APPENDIX XVII, Survey Results Table 4-1 Strengths/Assets of Leisure Facilities and Services in Kitchener (133 respondents, some with multiple responses) Strength/Asset # Variety and quality of leisure programs 18 Distribution, accessibility and quality of facilities generally 17 Quality, accessibility and distribution of arenas 16 Community centres and neighbourhood association model and services 15 Aquatic facilities and programming 11 Trails/pathways 9 Customer services/bookings/registration/staff 6 Community parks 5 McLennan Park 4 Soccer program and facilities 3 Seniors programs/Rockway 3 Summer camps/inclusion services 2 Community groups who provide services/volunteers 2 Budd Park 2 Options available for children 2 Huron Natural Area 2 Events/free festivals 2 Wilson Park 1 Woodside artificial turf 1 Breithaupt Centre 1 Victoria Park 1 Leisure Magazine 1 City Hall Plaza 1 YMCA 1 Breastfeed program 1 Program subsidies 1 Fees 1 KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P9-22 AGE 3 - 287 Table 4-2 Concerns, Issues and Gaps in Leisure Facilities and Services in Kitchener (135 respondents, some with multiple responses) Concern/Issue/Gap # Southwest area of city needs services 11 Ice availability, flexibility and allocations/aging arenas 10 Need for cricket pitch/facility 9 8 Cost of programs/rentals 7 Soccer fields 5 More leisure programs for all ages 5 More flexible procedures, bookings and staff 5 Facilities are aged, need update and not walkable 5 Trails and pathways 5 Track and field facility 5 Programs for 12 to 18 year olds/youth leadership 4 Services scheduling not tailored to working parents 4 Better handicapped accessibility needed/services for new Canadians 4 Hours of pool operations 4 Improved marketing, communications and social media usage 4 Multiuse sports/recreation complex/artificial turf 4 3 Facilities open in daytime with little programming 2 Better alignment of community centre programming with neighbourhood 2 demographics/character Chlorine too strong in pools 2 Need for more off leash parks 2 Shortage of family arts programs 1 Need for parks in new areas 2 Some Neighbourhood Associations not open to new ideas/lack of input 2 KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P9-23 AGE 3 - 288 Concern/Issue/Gap # More active sportsfields 1 Improved leisure program subsidies 1 Parks not evenly distributed across city 1 Shortage of basketball/beach volleyball courts 1 MacLennan Park needs more trees 1 Programs for younger boys 1 Need to better save parkland and green spaces from development 1 Need for more co-ed programs 1 Table 4-3 How do you think the city, its people and neighbourhoods will change in 5 to 10 years and how do you believe it will impact recreation and leisure services provided by the city? (130 respondents, some with multiple responses) Change/Impact # Aging population/need for senior services that are more dynamic/varied 20 City will continue to grow and need more services/growth in services 18 More multicultural population/need for new types of services, communications, etc. e.g.: 16 cricket, soccer Increased emphasis on wellness and physical activity walking/trails, cycling, older adult 15 fitness, etc. Growth in downtown and need for services 8 More young families in the suburbs 6 Southwest Kitchener will/already needs services 6 Increased interest in aquatics/another pool 6 Increased focus on natural areas/environmental education 4 Densities will increase, putting pressure on existing services in established areas 3 Allocate more time for partners in community centres/adapt community centres to 3 changing service needs of area Growth in need for accessibility/AODA 2 Community centres are the key to not having service gaps 2 KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P9-24 AGE 3 - 289 Change/Impact # Growing interest in arts and music 2 People healthier/living longer and want to participate 2 More private sector leisure programs/services will be available 1 Loss of good paying manufacturing jobs will impact affordability to participate 1 Increased emphasis on local identity of neighbourhoods 1 More intergenerational activities 1 Increased focus on children and youth services 1 Expectations of the city to do more will grow 1 Increasing need for leisure services to support economic development 1 Need to focus on working families more 1 Children increasingly focused on video games 1 LRT will increase accessibility and maybe participation 1 Increasing need for multiuse fields 1 Some community centers to small for growth in their areas and will need to be expanded 1 Likely little change/some growth in services 1 Injuries from participation will increase for all ages 1 Table 4 Specific prioritieℓ across four levels of priority Priority #1 (136) #2 (131) #3 (117) #4 (68) Soccer (fields, dome, turf) 12 5 7 1 Cricket pitch/indoor 11 7 5 5 Southwest Kitchener facilities (pool, community centre 10 8 4 2 with fields) Trails and lanes 9 8 9 6 Seniors services 8 6 9 3 Youth services/engagement 8 7 4 2 Facilities maintenance/updating and accessibility 7 5 4 2 Affordable/lower fees 6 9 6 5 KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P9-25 AGE 3 - 290 Priority #1 (136) #2 (131) #3 (117) #4 (68) Multiuse fields 6 1 1 1 Supports for disabled 6 2 2 1 Track facility 6 6 3 0 Aquatics facility 5 6 2 3 Community centre expansion/updating/gathering places 5 5 3 3 Support growing and more multicultural population 5 2 3 2 Arena facilities new and replacements 3 5 5 2 Active living services 3 1 2 1 Downtown facilities 2 0 0 1 Table tennis/badminton 2 0 0 0 Tennis courts 2 2 2 0 Fair allocations of spaces 1 3 1 0 Baseball field 1 1 2 0 Use existing spaces first 1 0 1 0 Off leash dog park 1 0 1 0 Festivals 1 0 1 1 Longer hours of operation/better times 1 3 0 1 Garden plots 1 2 1 1 More parks and green spaces 1 4 3 0 Strengthen neighbourhoods/engagement 0 2 1 1 Better communications/information 0 2 3 2 Partnerships/innovation 0 1 1 2 New Mothers 0 1 0 0 Chess program 0 1 0 0 Broader sources of funding/corporate naming 0 1 2 1 Outdoor pools/splash pads 0 1 1 0 Female only activities 0 1 0 1 Grand River Corridor 0 0 1 1 KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P9-26 AGE 3 - 291 Priority #1 (136) #2 (131) #3 (117) #4 (68) Saltwater pool 0 0 1 0 Indoor walking tracks 0 1 1 1 Aquarium 0 0 1 0 Enhanced customer service 0 2 2 1 Buy land ahead of need 0 0 1 0 More gymnasiums 0 0 1 0 Skateboard venue 0 0 1 0 Beach Volleyball 0 0 1 0 Arcade 0 0 0 1 Table 4-5 If priorities cannot be delivered on in the next 15 to 20 years would your priorities change? # % Yes 10 8 No 112 92 TOTAL 122 100 Table 4-6 Are you supportive of increased user fees as the primary approach to pay for leisure facilities and services? # % Yes 55 44 No 69 56 TOTAL 124 100 KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P9-27 AGE 3 - 292 Table 4-7 Are you supportive of corporate sponsorships/community fundraising as a primary approach to pay for leisure facilities and services? # % Yes 109 85 No 19 15 TOTAL 128 100 Table 4-8 Are you supportive of tax increases as the primary approach to pay for leisure facilities and services? # % Yes 55 44 No 70 56 TOTAL 125 100 Table 4-9 Are you supportive of the city offering debt as the primary approach to pay for leisure facilities and services? # % Yes 33 27 No 89 73 TOTAL 122 100 Table 4-10 Are you supportive of reductions in service levels as the primary approach to pay for leisure facilities and services? # % Yes 18 14 No 108 88 TOTAL 126 100 KLFMP ITCHENER EISURE ACILITIES ASTER LAN DRR RAFT ESEARCH EPORT P9-28 AGE 3 - 293