DRAFT PARKS MASTER PLAN (STAFF REPORT)
Staff report recommending that the draft Parks Master Plan be referred to the Parks, Recreation and Environment Advisory Committee.
TO: Committee of the Whole DATE: September 8, 2016 FROM: Lindsay Chase, MCIP, RPP MEETING: September 13, 2016
DRAFT PARKS MASTER PLAN
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT Committee receive the 'Draft Parks Master Plan report from the Director of Development Services dated September 8, 2016' for information;
AND THAT the Draft Parks Master Plan be referred to the Parks, Recreation and Environment Advisory Committee.
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER'S COMMENTS:
I concur with the recommendation.
PURPOSE OF REPORT:
To present the Draft Parks Master Plan to Council. The Draft Parks Master Plan is attached to this report (Attachment 1).
TIME CRITICAL:
Moderate. Completion of the Parks Master Plan project is noted as a priority in the Strategic Plan. Conclusion of the Parks Master Plan in advance of the 2017 budget process would allow information/priorities within the plan to be considered as part of budget deliberations.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
On June 15, 2015 Council approved Terms of Reference to update the 2007 Draft Parks and Trails Master Plan (Attachment 2). At that time, Council agreed to work with the Masters of Community Planning program at Vancouver Island University and that student consultants (supervised by faculty and staff) would complete this planning project. In November 2015, Council received and approved a consultation strategy (Attachment 3) from the students and in January 2016 the project team started engaging residents.
Over the January-April school term, students and staff hosted 2 major open house events, interviewed a number of waterfront property owners about public access to the water, and had more than 150 responses to a survey about parks and desired park amenities. Students also researched the Town’s demographics, best practices in park planning and then applied that learning to the draft plan created for View Royal.
The draft plan updates the inventory and parks classification system from the 2007 draft plan, highlights the feedback received from the community, identifies goals and strategies for managing and improving our parks system, includes an action plan and identifies three different scenarios for implementing the plan.
The Parks, Recreation and Environment Advisory Committee has expressed an interest in reviewing the draft plan and staff recommend that the draft be forwarded to PREAC for their September meeting. Staff anticipate bringing a final draft back to Council for approval in October.
BUDGET IMPLICATIONS:
Three different implementation scenarios are identified and each includes a different budget requisition.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT Committee receive the 'Draft Parks Master Plan report from the Director of Development Services dated September 8, 2016' for information;
AND THAT the Draft Parks Master Plan be referred to the Parks, Recreation and Environment Advisory Committee.
SUBMITTED BY: L. Chase, Director of Development Services
REVIEWED BY: K. Anema, Chief Administrative Officer
Attachments
- Draft Parks Master Plan
- Project Terms of Reference
- Approved Consultation Strategy
Document Images
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