MINUTES OF THE WEST SHORE PARKS AND RECREATION SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
Minutes of the WSPRS meeting discussing pickleball fundraisers, maintenance presentations, and strategic planning.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, March 19th, 2026, in the JDF Summit
PRESENT: Directors Kimberley Guiry, Leslie Anderson, Shelly Donaldson, Dean Jantzen, Ron Mattson (alternate)
ABSENT: Director Alison MacKenzie
STAFF PRESENT: Grant Brown, CAO April Luchinski, manager of human resources Ron Dietrich, manager of operations Wei Wu, manager of finance and administration Tiffany Moore, recorder
STAFF ABSENT: Geoff Welham, manager of recreation
PUBLIC PRESENT: Mike Manhas, ReWired Recovery Foundation (arrived late) Asaan Maherali, Court Crushers (arrived late) Fabian Parque, Court Crushers (arrived late)
CALL TO ORDER
- The chair called the meeting to order and gave the territorial acknowledgement at 5:30PM.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
- MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS ANDERSON AND DONALDSON THAT THE AGENDA BE APPROVED. CARRIED
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
- MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS ANDERSON AND DONALDSON THAT THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING ON FEBRUARY 19TH, 2026, BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED. CARRIED
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
- N/A
CHAIR’S REMARKS
- The chair commented on the notable achievement of Damian Kowalewich, former board chair.
DELEGATIONS
- Rewired Recovery – Westshore Pickleball Charity Fundraiser The delegation from ReWired Recovery Foundation was not present when the item was called, and the Chair directed that the delegation be heard upon their arrival or deferred to the April board meeting.
DEPARTMENTAL PRESENTATION
- Maintenance Staff Presentation Aaron Denninger presented a PowerPoint presentation that highlighted the following:
- Introduction and department structure
- 2025 accomplishments
- 2026 upcoming projects including
The board welcomed Aaron to the team and inquired about what projects he is most looking forward to. It was noted that all items were identified as necessary and the challenge is prioritizing within available budget and determining what can be deferred. The board also inquired about cost savings due to efficiencies, and it was noted that energy savings are being realized and must also be demonstrated to maintain grant funding.
Following the departmental presentation, the board returned to agenda item 6.
Rewired Recovery – Westshore Pickleball Charity Fundraiser Mike Manhas gave a verbal presentation that highlighted the following:
- Overview and impact of the organization
- Overview of previous fundraising events
- Planned pickleball tournament fundraising event
- Requested in-kind support of 6 outdoor pickleball courts and advertising screen
The board thanked Mike for his presentation and inquired about dates for the event, briefly noted connections to the cause, and discussed additional facilities and promotional channels for the event.
MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS JANTZEN AND DONALDSON THAT THE BOARD DIRECT STAFF TO EXPLORE POTENTIAL DATES FOR THE EVENT AND ENSURE THAT THE PROPOSED CONTRIBUTION ALIGNS WITH WSPRS POLICIES. CARRIED
STANDING COMMITTEES
- N/A
NEW BUSINESS
- a) 2027-2031 strategic planning process Grant Brown gave a verbal update that highlighted the following:
- The upcoming strategic plan will be developed by Expedition Consulting.
- A draft workplan has been received with a delivery date of October.
The board considered a four-year term for this strategic plan to align with the municipal election cycle, and it was decided they will continue with the previously proposed five-year plan.
OLD BUSINESS
- N/A
CORRESPONDENCE
- N/A
FOR INFORMATION
- a) CAO’s Report The CAO highlighted the following:
- A new electric Zamboni was received and staff training is underway.
- The manager of finance and administration is retiring and a new hire has been secured.
The board inquired whether the youth who was invited to the Olympics was able to go, and it was noted that staff would follow up. The board also inquired about the status of the tot slide, and it was noted that a repair is underway.
Administration/Human Resources Staff are finalizing information handouts and signage to inform the public of the upcoming schedule changes to the $3 shower admission. Due to the upcoming pool shutdown, the changes will take effect on April 20th with handouts provided to those requesting $3 shower admission between now and April 20th.
Written notice has been provided to the Glentana Village Recreation Centre regarding the decision to not pursue WSPR offering programs at their site. Staff have begun drafting procedures that will guide the newly supported Parks Amenity Sponsorship & Memorial Program. Marketing material will be developed to make the public aware of the program.
The finance team continued progressing through year-end preparations throughout February. Financial statements and the trial balance have been uploaded to the KPMG SharePoint site, and the goal remains to finalize all working papers and financial reports prior to the auditors’ arrival on March 9th.
Following a month of intensive work, staff successfully recreated and re-entered all transactions affected during the ten-day period of database corruption, including registrations, bookings, membership sales, pass scans, inventory movements, cancellations, refunds, manual invoices, and other operational entries. All accounts have now been fully reconciled, and revenues and proceeds have been accurately recorded. A write-off of $285.33 was processed and pre-dated to January 28th; identifying this amount was challenging due to the system transition cutoff occurring mid business day.
As of the end of February, year-end has wrapped up for the human resources department. Staff now turn their focus to setting 2026 goals and hiring for the upcoming busy seasons, auditing current processes and identifying areas to improve through communication or efficiencies. Human resources is also coordinating the yearly health and safety training for the committee and determining the feasibility of doing organization-wide inspection training for leadership staff. //
The manager of finance and administration announced her retirement, effective April 17th, 2026. The recruitment process is underway to find her replacement.
Operations
Maintenance Maintenance staff completed several mechanical and facility projects over the past month. The fan motor for air handling unit 2 at the reception area was replaced to maintain proper ventilation and air circulation within the facility. Planning continues for several upcoming infrastructure upgrades, including the pool hot tub repair scheduled to begin March 30th. Replacement of the indoor sports complex bay door has also been approved, with work commencing during the facility shutdown beginning May 4th. Work is moving forward on the men’s pool changeroom renovation, with a contractor proposal approved. The team also received two quotes for replacement of the clubhouse fire alarm panel.
The fieldhouse shutdown was successfully completed and included the grease trap replacement. Ongoing carpentry work includes replacement of the fieldhouse deck posts and preparation of materials for the sauna rebuild during pool shut down. Staff also determined that the tot slide cannot be replaced through standard procurement and will instead be removed to assess whether it can be repaired and reinstalled at a later date.
Operationally, maintenance teams have made significant progress addressing a backlog of preventative maintenance tasks, and many previously outstanding work orders are now complete. Training for new staff working night shifts is underway to ensure consistent service levels across all operating hours.
From a staffing perspective, four new auxiliary cleaners have been hired to help address service gaps. Additional recruitment is ongoing, with postings currently open for a cleaner and a mechanical lead hand position.
Parks Parks staff continue to manage seasonal field conditions and routine facility upkeep across outdoor spaces. Several sports fields have been temporarily closed to reduce wear and protect turf conditions during the winter months.
At the ball diamonds, crews have been working on diamond 3, pressure washing the bleacher pads and dugouts and cleaning sod from the infield area to prepare the surface for the upcoming season.
General park maintenance work has also included tree work along trail areas to address safety and ongoing landscape management. At the lower washroom facility, the septic tank system was out of service, resulting in the temporary closure of those washrooms until repairs were completed.
Weather conditions in February were relatively mild and stable for this time of year. Rainfall was approximately half of the seasonal average, while temperatures remained close to typical seasonal levels.
Programs
Community Recreation Sports program numbers were strong through February. Pickleball lessons ran at 87% capacity during the month, Soccertron saw an increase in registration with 32 participants and Pacific Archery Academy’s parent & child classes are full with 8 families.
Drop-in sports saw attendance of 93 in basketball, 122 in youth Volleyball, and 436 in pickleball. 16 pickleball court reservations were made in the month. On Family Day, sports offered a free family basketball and a free family volleyball drop-in. Both saw good attendance, with 16 families participating at each session. Pickleball court reservations for families were also offered for those who wanted to try the game of pickleball. All 4 reservation blocks were used by families.
Youth saw 8 school-agers make a pita pocket dish at Cooking for Fun, 13 elementary school students took their Home Alone class, and 8 youth have taken the Red Cross babysitting course, and 458 youth drop-ins were counted on Friday youth nights – February 6th alone saw 177 youth participating in swimming, sport, and/or social offerings.
Daycare started a 6-week swimming lesson series held every Friday morning. 16 children are currently participating, with the remaining 8 children scheduled to rotate in after spring break. French music continues every Tuesday afternoon, and the children enjoy singing and playing in French. A new staff member has joined the morning team and is a great addition. Registration for the 10-month preschool program for the 2026/2027 year opened to returning families and siblings from February 11th through 23rd. Registration for new families began on February 26th. With many children transitioning to kindergarten, the program anticipates welcoming several new families.
Aquatics The WSPR daycare lessons resumed in February, offering a 30-minute group lesson and 30 minutes of supervised recreational swim time for 16 WSPR daycare children. This initiative represents an excellent collaboration between the community recreation and aquatics departments, enhancing programming and providing valuable services for local families. On February 14th, during the Family Day weekend, the pool hosted its annual Peninsula Co-op–sponsored free fun swim in which over 275 participants attended over the duration of the swim. The facility also welcomed two school groups for fun swims during the month. In addition, Shoreline Middle School brought several groups of Grade 8 students to the pool throughout February to participate in fitness activities, including an aquafit class, as part of their physical education curriculum. Approximately 75 students attended the pool through this program. A new National Lifeguard course also commenced in February, with eight candidates enrolled in the training program.
Fitness and Weights The launch of the new small group weightroom based program, Fitness Reset, has started successfully with 2 full classes running. The program introduces participants to the weightroom and provides pre/post fitness testing along with small group personal training and exercise programs to follow. Four school group weightroom orientations for Brookes and Shoreline Secondary students were completed with 60 youth aged 13-16 attending.
The launch of a witty weightroom etiquette campaign aims to promote respect, safety, and shared responsibility in the gym through humour and creativity rather than strict enforcement. By incorporating clever slogans and eye-catching visuals—such as playful reminders to “sweat on it, wipe it, yes that means you too”—the campaign addresses common issues like failing to re-rack weights, not wiping down equipment, and lingering on machines. Its light-hearted tone makes the guidelines feel approachable and memorable, increasing the likelihood that members will adopt positive behaviours. Shared through posters at the weightroom door, the campaign fosters a supportive gym culture where courtesy becomes part of everyone’s workout routine. For family day, the fitness department offered a dance fit cardio style class with a throwback to the 80’s to highlight the Rewind, Refresh, Recreate look through the decades of recreation at WSPR.
Arena, Events, and Golf Activity at Juan de Fuca Arena and the indoor sports complex continues to be strong across both sporting events and community programming. The Victoria Grizzlies have been active following the British Columbia Hockey League trade deadline, completing several roster moves including the acquisition of island resident and Peninsula Minor Hockey alumnus Carson Lesiuk from Duncan. The team posted a strong start to February with a 4–1 record, moving within one point of third place in their division while holding one game in hand. The regular season will conclude with a home game on March 29th against the Nanaimo Clippers.
The Grizzlies’ annual Family Day game on February 16th drew one of the largest crowds in recent years, with nearly 2,200 fans in attendance. The event featured a guaranteed $25,000 50/50 draw, which ultimately exceeded $50,000 in total sales, with one fan taking home more than $25,000. The game itself provided an exciting finish with a 5–4 overtime victory for the Grizzlies. Food and beverage sales during the event reached a record high for the Grizzlies.
Junior hockey activity also continues with the Westshore Wolves approaching the end of their regular season. The team remains in contention for second place in their division but is likely to finish third, potentially setting up a first-round playoff matchup with the Victoria Cougars. The rivalry is expected to be strong, with many players on both teams having competed against one another throughout their minor hockey careers. The Wolves completed their regular season on February 27th against Saanich.
Staff are preparing for a busy spring event season. April will include several large events such as a Judo competition, the British Columbia Indoor Archery Championships, the Outdoor Show, and the Slegg Pro Show. A boxing event is also scheduled to take place at the Q Centre in June.
Recreation programming at Juan de Fuca Arena continues to see strong participation. One of the youth participants in the sledge hockey program, was recently awarded Paralympic Ambassador status following a community nomination. Air Canada has generously provided him with a flight to Italy to attend the Paralympic Games. The announcement unfortunately had to be celebrated from the hospital, as he is currently unwell. Staff and program partners at Sportability wish him a full and speedy recovery and hope he will be able to attend the Games.
Arena programming also continues to perform well operationally. Birthday party bookings for upcoming months are fully reserved, and demand remains strong enough that no additional marketing is required. Spring Break skating lesson camps, which provide 50 minutes of ice time per day for five consecutive days, are also approaching capacity across both scheduled weeks.
Facility booking applications for the spring and summer season have now closed. Staff are currently working through the allocation process and preparing contracts for sport organizations. Early indications suggest another busy spring and summer season across the facilities.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion The entire JDF Seniors Association executive was re-elected by acclamation. This is good news and helps sustain continuity. The Regional Two-Spirit, Trans, and Non-Binary (2STNB) & Allies Social Program met with Saanich, the backbone organization of the project and continued to develop REACH’s 3 Deliverables: Work, Sustainability and Evaluation Plans. Staff connected with Miranda Metge, Community Wellness Navigator, Band Designate with the SC’IȺNEW Nation (Beecher Bay) to discuss program and partnership opportunities. Conversations are ongoing.
Grant Brown, CAO
b) Regional Parks & Recreation Facilities Master Plan Update The CAO noted the following:
- The next draft is expected from consultants next week, with final adoption anticipated in June.
c) Annual User Group Analysis The CAO noted the following:
- The annual user group usage statistics were updated with 2025’s values.
The board discussed how WSPR rates and hours of operation compare with other centres.
IN CAMERA
- MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS JANTZEN AND MATTSON 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)(k) negotiations and related discussions respecting the proposed provision of a service.
ADJOURNMENT
- MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS MATTSON AND JANTZEN THAT THE MEETING BE ADJOURNED AT 6:35PM. CARRIED