Minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society Board of Directors Meeting

Minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society Board of Directors Meeting

Thursday, February 19th, 2026, in the Summit

PRESENT: Directors Kimberley Guiry, Leslie Anderson, Shelly Donaldson, Dean Jantzen, Alison MacKenzie

ABSENT: N/A

STAFF PRESENT:

• Grant Brown, CAO
• Geoff Welham, manager of recreation
• April Luchinski, manager of human resources
• Ron Dietrich, manager of operations
• Wei Wu, manager of finance and administration
• Tiffany Moore, recorder

STAFF ABSENT: N/A

PUBLIC PRESENT: N/A

CALL TO ORDER

1. The chair called the meeting to order and gave the territorial acknowledgement at 5:30PM.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

2. MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS MACKENZIE AND DONALDSON THAT THE AGENDA BE APPROVED. CARRIED

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

3. MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS ANDERSON AND MACKENZIE THAT THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING ON JANUARY 15TH, 2026, BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED. CARRIED

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

4. N/A

CHAIR’S REMARKS

5. The chair remarked on the new meeting location, City of Langford’s attendance at the Grizzlies hockey game, and the upcoming retirement of the manager of finance and administration.

DELEGATIONS

6. N/A

DEPARTMENTAL PRESENTATION

7. Parks Staff Presentation Bryan Wood presented a PowerPoint presentation that highlighted the following:

• 2025 recap
• Construction
• Capital repairs
• Capital construction
• Field procedure
• Artificial repairs
• Personnel
• Native area

The board inquired about unique situations and projects upcoming in 2026 and it was noted that a posting for a parks assistant is coming, as well as fencing at the ball diamonds and a tenant storage project. The board also inquired about plans to reduce water on the tennis courts and the reasons for water and plans for repair were noted.

STANDING COMMITTEES

8. N/A

NEW BUSINESS

9. a) Park Amenity Sponsorship & Memorial Program Bryan Wood gave a verbal update that highlighted the following:

• Staff are receiving public requests for memorial benches and similar park amenities.
• An overview of current memorial programs in other municipalities was drafted.
• A plan to determine opportunities, criteria, maintenance and management of a sponsorship and memorial program is being considered.

The board commented on the importance of this type of program, park amenity or improvement options, specifications and restrictions, materials, maintenance and administration requirements, terms and renewal considerations, policy details, location and accessibility, funding models, and unexpected situations.

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS ANDERSON AND MACKENZIE THAT THE BOARD APPROVE IN PRINCIPLE THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A PARK AMENITY SPONSORSHIP & MEMORIAL PROGRAM, BASED ON THE HYBRID MODEL OUTLINED IN THIS REPORT AND THE ATTACHED DRAFT POLICY; AND FURTHER, THAT THE BOARD DIRECT STAFF TO DEVELOP, FINALIZE, AND IMPLEMENT THE ASSOCIATED PROCEDURES REQUIRED TO OPERATIONALIZE AND ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM. CARRIED

b) Shower Admissions Availability Geoff Welham gave a verbal update that highlighted the following:

• Current availability of discounted shower admissions
• Background on use and challenges of discounted shower admissions
• Options for alternative hours of availability
• Alternative locations for discounted showers within the community
• Comparisons of shower admissions programs in other municipalities
• Financial implications
• Communication of changes to the community

The board inquired about the pricing of drop-in admissions and monitoring access to various parts of the facility. The board also discussed the Society’s role within the community; staff and patron safety; and services provided by other agencies.

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS MACKENZIE AND DONALDSON THAT THE BOARD DIRECT STAFF TO CHANGE THE AVAILABILITY OF $3.00 SHOWER ADMISSIONS TO THE TIMES OUTLINED IN THE DROP-IN SHOWER ACCESS REPORT.

The board continued to discuss a timeline for implementation; changing situations within municipalities and other local service providers; impacts of changing access to services; and current strategies for managing challenges.

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS ANDERSON AND JANTZEN THAT THE BOARD DIRECT STAFF TO CHANGE THE AVAILABILITY OF $3.00 SHOWER ADMISSIONS TO THE TIMES OUTLINED IN THE DROP-IN SHOWER ACCESS REPORT FOR A PERIOD OF SIX MONTHS, AND REPORT BACK TO THE BOARD WITH ADMISSIONS DATA AND STAFF-SUPPORT DATA.

The board further commented on funding in adjacent sectors; provincial program delays; contributions of others within the community; and barriers and access to other services. CARRIED

OLD BUSINESS

10. a) Glentana Village Recreation Centre (GVRC) DIRECTOR MACKENZIE RECUSED HERSELF FROM THIS AGENDA ITEM. Geoff Welham gave a verbal update that highlighted the following:

• Several limitations regarding the use of GVRC were identified.
• WSPR programming at GVRC is projected to be financially unviable.

The board noted that developing criteria for future opportunities would be beneficial.

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS JANTZEN AND ANDERSON THAT THE BOARD DIRECT STAFF TO PROVIDE WRITTEN NOTICE TO GLENTANA VILLAGE RECREATION CENTRE THAT WSPRS RESPECTFULLY DECLINES THE OPPORTUNITY TO UTILIZE THE GVRC AS A PROGRAMMABLE SPACE, AND TO OUTLINE THE KEY CONSIDERATIONS. CARRIED

CORRESPONDENCE

11. N/A

FOR INFORMATION

12. a) Staffing Report April Luchinski gave a visual presentation that highlighted the following:

• Overview of the HR department and their roles
• Staffing statistics
• Breakdown of WSPR departments
• Staff turnover
• Recruitment, trends, and onboarding
• 2025 review
• 2026 goals

The board inquired about depth of HR involvement in discussions; policies covered during onboarding; areas of challenges; resolving challenges; and comparable turnover rates.

b) CAO’s Report The CAO gave a verbal update that highlighted the following:

• The 2026 budget is officially passed.
• Interviews are upcoming for the manager of finance and administration posting.
• Update on City of Victoria facilities and impacts on regional programs.

Administration/Human Resources

The finance team continued year-end preparation throughout January, aiming to complete all working papers and financial reports before the auditors arrive on March 9th. On January 28th, the Intelligenz recreation software database was found to have corrupted files, potentially linked to recent VMware software server replacements. To resolve the issue, the database was restored using a clean January 17th backup, which resulted in the loss of production data from January 18th to 28th. All data and reports for this period were preserved in the REVIEW environment, and a copy has been saved for future reference. Staff have been working diligently to recreate and re-enter all affected transactions for the ten-day period, including registrations, bookings, membership sales, pass scans, inventory activity, cancellations, refunds, manual invoices, and other operational entries. Once the data recovery is fully completed, staff will perform daily reconciliations to ensure all revenues and proceeds have been captured accurately. Afterwards, a meeting will be scheduled to review the incident in detail, including how it originated, how it was detected, how the response was managed, and most importantly, what improvements can be made to prevent similar issues or reduce their impact in the future.

Labour relations were heavy in the month of January which required priorities to shift within the human resources department; however, staff are progressing through the year-end process. Recruitment continues to move forward with 4 new postings, 10 new hires and 20 seasonal layoffs. Summer camp staff recruitment is just around the corner, and planning has started on how HR will support the process.

Operations

Maintenance The human resources’ space renovation project is now substantially complete, with the only remaining component being the installation of the sidewall exterior windows, which are currently on order. Staff are focusing significant effort on preparing for the upcoming pool shutdown. This work will transition directly into ice removal in the JDF Arena, followed closely by the indoor sports complex shutdown this spring. Given the compressed timelines and overlapping facility conversions, the team is undertaking early planning and staging to ensure a smooth and efficient transition between projects.

Major maintenance work planned during the pool shutdown includes resurfacing the hot tub basin. A specialized contractor will remove the existing marcite finish and apply a new sprayed coating intended to seal the surface and address persistent leak issues. This treatment is expected to provide a long-term solution. In addition, the sauna will undergo a full rebuild, including replacement of walls, benches, and interior finishes.

Building envelope improvements remain ongoing. Crews are replacing deteriorated posts at the fieldhouse as part of a larger retrofit to address historical water damage. Minor roof leaks at several facilities are being sealed, and recent fan motor failures in two air handling units have been resolved in-house by maintenance staff. Staffing levels are close to full complement, with a night cleaner position yet to be filled. Eight new auxiliary staff have been hired to improve coverage during absences, which has positively impacted morale and operational flexibility.

Parks Field maintenance continues on a three-week aeration rotation to improve infiltration and reduce standing water. Field wear remains acceptable, though three upcoming doubleheaders at the end of January and early February will serve as a key durability test. Renovations have begun on diamond 2, taking advantage of favourable weather conditions. At the velodrome, artificial turf surrounds were treated with salt during cold periods to mitigate slippery surfaces.

At the golf course, clear and cold mornings resulted in several frost delays. A number of aging irrigation controllers are being replaced to improve reliability. At the lawn bowls, twenty boards are prepared for replacement and will be installed once weather permits. Landscape staff have placed orders for seasonal perennials, completed tree work at the lower field and transit parking lot, and have begun annual backflow testing on potable water lines. Rainfall has been above average, with more than 200mm recorded as of January 16th, contributing to saturated ground conditions across several sites.

Programs

Marketing January was the kick-off for the 2026 Retro Campaign with the commercial starring enthusiastic staff showcasing the 80’s. Supported by the activity guide, this portion of the campaign will run through the winter and will be reflected in any upcoming events and promotions through posters and other media. This includes the Family Day promo with lots of free family sports, swim fitness and golf. The next guide will look at the 90’s at WSPR.

Afterschool care programs received a push to fill available space from certain schools for the current year, as well as media coverage for the upcoming year. The revamped Biggest Loser Winner, now Fitness Reset, had a refresh and rollout.

Media contra agreements have been renewed with CHEK Media for $42,000 in on-air 30-second advertising spots. The agreement with Bell Media for $78,000 has shifted the focus to Virgin Radio this year as local tv news coverage is no longer their focus, and the limited 15-second spots meant editing commercial content. The Rogers agreement was renewed in conversation; however, Rogers National is undergoing an audit so any new agreements are paused until that’s completed in February/March. Additionally, naming rights for the Q Centre Arena provides the RecReport on the Q plus additional content on the Zone radio station.

Community Recreation The afterschool care team ran a training session for the staff which was a great success, covering program planning, behaviour management, and how to create memorable moments for the children. The staff have started to implement their learnings in the program.

Sports had a strong start to the year. Pickleball lessons ran at 90% capacity, with both introduction courses having waitlists. The newest teen basketball course through Rex Sports has grown in its second session, with 13 participants across 2 classes which is strong for a new program.

January saw 56 basketball drop-ins, 94 youth volleyball drop-ins, and 508 pickleball drop-ins, as well as 22 pickleball court reservations. Youth programming included 8 school-agers making a fried rice dish at Cooking for Fun. With the popularity of Dungeons & Dragons growing, staff started offering both “beginner” and “advanced” programs. The “beginner” program has 5 players in its party, and the “advanced” program has a full 10 in its party, with everyone in this group returning from previous campaigns. Both groups are now half-way through a 9-week campaign. Youth has moved away from the Monday and Wednesday youth room drop-in, in favour of more youth sports drop-ins and more Dungeons & Dragons offerings. However, youth did see 629 Friday youth night drop-ins, with January 19th having 197 youth alone, participating in swimming, sport, and/or social offerings.

Youth Art & Movement drop-in started back after the winter break with 20 youth regularly attending. Staff hosted the first movie night on January 29th and was well received by those in attendance. A new pottery class was added on Thursday evenings with a focus on hand building. This course is taught by the new pottery technician, Jennifer Morin, and has been a huge success. Winter 2026 has brought an increase in registration for adult painting classes. The watercolours class that began in early January was full with a waitlist.

The 10-month childcare program currently has one space available, with 79 children registered overall. With warmer weather, children enjoyed spending increased time outdoors. Two new staff members were hired to support inclusion children and to substitute across programs; these positions are funded through Island Health. An additional substitute was also hired who can work in both programs, further strengthening staffing coverage.

Aquatics The pool continued to advance its aquatics programming and staff development initiatives. Swim lessons began for the winter session, supporting skill development and water safety across multiple age groups. In addition, staff participated in National Lifeguard recertification to ensure continued compliance with safety standards and best practices. The pool also expanded its community partnerships by beginning swim lessons with Victoria Kids Daycare, providing early exposure to aquatic skills and drowning prevention. A Bronze Cross course was offered, contributing to the development of future lifeguards and strengthening the overall safety culture within the facility.

Fitness and Weights The weightroom is brimming with activity as the community settles back into routines following the holidays and New Years Resolutions. Statistics show an average of 840 participants coming through the weightroom per day. The fitness department is working with surrounding school groups including Brookes and Shoreline to provide groups of students with youth weightroom orientations. These orientations provide the students with knowledge on how to use the weightroom equipment safely, proper etiquette as well as form and technique. 8 groups totalling over 120 students will complete their orientations throughout January.

Fitness classes have been full with waitlists, especially drop-in fitness programs such as Indoor Cycling and Total Body classes. Programs at offsite locations such as Metchosin School have also been filling, providing additional options for participants looking for programs. New programs such as Dance Fit, a cardio dance-based program, launched in January with great success with over 32 participants in attendance.

Arena, Events, and Golf Golf activity remained strong in January, with 1,595 rounds played. Weather conditions were generally favourable, with only one full-day course closure due to frost on January 22nd. The mild conditions also supported some outdoor pickleball court rentals.

The Grizzlies addressed earlier goaltending challenges through roster adjustments and now carry three strong goaltenders. January included seven roster changes, highlighted by a trade involving team captain Landon Mackie in exchange for Salmon Arm’s local captain. While the team currently sits fourth in the division, management anticipates that greater lineup stability will support improved performance. The Wolves also made several personnel changes but have slipped to third place and are focused on improving results as they approach the playoffs.

The Pacific Cup tournament returned to Victoria in January and was very well attended. The event ran smoothly, and maintenance staff reported positive cooperation from participating teams. Staff are also exploring the addition of extra televisions in the lower lobby, integrated with Visual Images, to enhance dressing room allocation displays and support facility communications.

January skating lessons began a new session and experienced strong participation, with only a brief break during the Pacific Cup. Birthday parties remain popular, and a larger bouncy castle has been added to enhance programming options. The $2 Youth Skate program continues to see high interest. While 417 visits were formally recorded, actual attendance is believed to be higher due to pass holders, group bookings, and visiting school groups such as Pearson College, whose students are often supported on the ice by JDF Minor Hockey volunteers. Adults continue to participate at regular drop-in rates.

The application window for April through August sport facility bookings will close on February 6th. All regular user groups have submitted applications, along with several new requests, indicating continued strong demand for facility space.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion The Regional Two-Spirit, Trans, and Non-Binary (2STNB) & Allies Social Program focus for December and January was on strengthening relationships with key service providers supporting older adult trans and 2SLGBTQ+ and Allies programming across Greater Victoria. Discussions centred on future programming opportunities and funding planning for the year.

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Grant Brown, CAO

c) Regional Parks & Recreation Facilities Master Plan Update The CAO gave a verbal update that highlighted the following:

• Further consultation with member leadership teams has occurred.
• Changes to the plan will be discussed with the board at an upcoming meeting.
• Finalization of the plan is set for June.

The board noted that a special meeting can be held to expedite the process.

d) Strategic Priorities Update The CAO gave a verbal update that highlighted the following:

• An RFP for a consultant will be published in May completion expected by year-end.

The board inquired about the partnership and funding structure of the 2STNB project.

IN CAMERA

13. MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS JANTZEN AND DONALDSON THAT THE MEETING MOVE IN CAMERA. CARRIED THAT there is a need to have a meeting closed to the public and persons other than the West Shore Parks & Recreation Board of Directors and staff, and those identified under Part III, Section B of the Board policy manual shall be excluded on the basis of section 1.(1)(a) personal information about an identifiable individual.

ADJOURNMENT

14. MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS MACKENZIE AND DONALDSON THAT THE MEETING BE ADJOURNED AT 7:22PM. CARRIED