PARKS AND TRAILS MASTER PLAN – DRAFT TERMS OF REFERENCE (Detailed)

Project Objectives

To ensure the Town meets the current and future needs of the community, the proposed project objectives are as follows:

• Review the 2017 Parks Master Plan and identify strengths, challenges, opportunities and risks.
• Review existing Town parks and trails (authorized and non-authorized) inventory and undertake a needs/gap assessment, including condition, accessibility and usage patterns.
• Identify existing and new amenities and facilities, and opportunities for upgrades, accessibility and improvements.
• Establish a framework to prioritize infrastructure maintenance and replacement.
• Review current environmental practices, including invasive species removal and environmental restoration, green infrastructure and stormwater management.
• Identify future locations of parks and trails, and create decision-making framework for assessing land use, acquisition and dedication of parks and trails.
• Develop trail standards for the Town.
• Create an asset management gap analysis to understand what changes in levels of service are required to sustainably support new amenities and facilities in a socio-economic manner, and develop a high-level asset management and infrastructure replacement framework to be used during future budgeting and operation planning.
• Provide recommendations where there is a need for additional park amenities as well as upgrades to existing amenities.
• Determine Level of Service Standards for the following:
  • Identify and establish desired minimum park area to population ratios.
  • Develop park programming standards.
  • Identify locations for new parkland acquisition, based on projected residential densities and connectivity opportunities.
  • Maximize the proportion of residents within a 5-minute walk (400 metres of real travel distance) to a park or other open space.
  • Review and update a parks and trails classification system.
  • Establish key performance indicators to be used to measure alignment with the service levels.
• Identify best practices for the creation of successful well-used spaces and evaluate emerging trends in park and trail use as well as address dog management and other user conflicts.
• Ensure that the Town provides inclusive parks that serve all demographics.
• Undertake analysis of off-leash dog areas in parks and determine if there is a need for additional dog parks paying special attention to level of service, safety, social connection, and responsible pet recreation., while balancing priorities with other user groups.
• Ensure that the Plan has climate adaptation, mitigation and resiliency focus to support a sustainable parks and trails network.
• Increase First Nations cultural presence in Parks through engagement with the lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees) and Xwsepsum (Kosapsum) First Nations.
• Establish clear vision, goals, strategies, recommendations and actions for the Town’s parks and trails system.
• Establish an Implementation Strategy that will help guide future planning, programming, operation, maintenance and development of Town’s parks, trails, shoreline access and open spaces in a fiscally-responsible manner.
• Prepare content and graphics for engagement materials
• Align Parks and Trails Master Plan with other master plans and the Official Community Plan.

Scope

The project scope will focus on Town-owned parks, trails, open space, and shoreline access inclusive of their associated infrastructure and amenities. However, the Town also welcomes the Proponent to suggest value added options that could be included in the scope of work and are within the budget. A final scope of work will be developed by the Town and the successful Proponent.

The Parks and Trails Master Plan include the following phases:

1.4.1 Background Research and Review

a) Engage with staff regarding the history of View Royal’s parks planning, operations and maintenance; b) Identify strengths, opportunities and needs for improvement to the 2017 Parks Master Plan; c) Review relevant Town documents including the Strategic Plan, Community Climate Action Strategy, Official Community Plan, Urban Forest Strategy, View Royal Park Master Plan, Active Transportation Plan, Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan and FireSmart Initiatives, Asset Management Strategy, Asset Management Level of Service Framework Report for Parks Assets, a Coastal Hazard Mapping and Risk Assessment Report, and Transportation Master Plan; d) Review relevant CRD’s Regional Parks Plans & Reports; and e) Review current park and census data. f) Tour Town parks and trails

1.4.2 Inventorying, Data Collection, Conditions Analysis and Mapping (the “Now”)

a) Review existing parks, shoreline access and trails inventory and conduct a conditions assessment; b) Conduct a parks, shoreline access and trail needs/gaps assessment; c) Collect and analyze park usage data; d) Review parks related upgrades that have been conducted since the completion of the last Parks Master Plan; e) Assess the accessibility of parks and trails to identify and remove barriers to the full and equal participation in society of persons with disabilities, f) Assess existing amenities and facilities and identify opportunities for upgrades, accessibility improvements and lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees) and Xwsepsum (Kosapsum) cultural presence; g) Identify the locations of important community destinations, such as schools, commercial areas, community halls and recreation facilities. h) Identify riparian areas as they pertain to existing parks and trails. i) Create a digital inventory and assessment of the existing parks, trails and shoreline access. j) Review and update the current parks classification system. Add trail assets. k) Examine if the available inventory of parks and trails within the town are aligned with nationally recognized standards for park acreage, playground availability, etc. l) Analyze the operation and management of existing parks and trails, including strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement. m) Identify gaps in the current provision of parks, trails, shoreline access and open space, with specific attention to: I. Classification of parks and trails, II. Amount, location, size and variety of parks and trails for each classification appropriate for the community over the next 10 years. III. Quality of parks and trails infrastructure and level of service (customer versus operational/technical) that is appropriate. IV. Levels of accessibility of all ages and abilities. V. Levels of parks and trails connectivity to key community destinations, VI. Other feature(s) that may be relevant. VII. Address climate change and sea level rise and natural hazard risks as some of the Town’s parks are located along the shoreline and are subject to flooding. n) Update the Town’s GIS mapping for parks and trails.

1.4.3 The Future of View Royal’s Parks and Trails (the “Wow”)

a) Establish baseline data and set appropriate targets for the amount, types and distribution of parks within the Town to serve current and future residents. b) Identify accessible infrastructure (e.g. boat launch equipment, lift equipment, accessible playgrounds) opportunities in parks. c) Identify opportunities to improve waterfront access. d) Provide a prioritized list of parks and trail acquisition and improvement opportunities as well as the associated infrastructure, amenities and necessary guidance for capital improvement plans and future DCC programs. Use graphics and photos to illustrate park improvements and best practices. e) Identify opportunities to close gaps in tree canopy coverage to align with the Town’s canopy cover growth targets. f) Establish high level Town and neighbourhood targets for non-programmable recreation opportunities (e.g. basketball courts) and amenity buildings (e.g. public washrooms) in parks. g) Develop Class D cost estimates for the prioritized improvements in parks and construction of trails.

1.4.4 Development of a Parks and Trails Master Plan (the “How”)

a) Develop a community vision, goals, objectives, strategies, actions and performance targets to aid in future budget decision-making and track progress in protecting and enhancing parks and trails. b) Update the current parks and trails inventory map and a future parks and trails master map. GIS deliverables include layers that classify the City’s parks, natural/forested areas, open spaces, park and trail infrastructure, pedestrian and cycling facilities and infrastructure. c) Develop a high-level asset management and infrastructure replacement framework to be used during future budgeting and operation planning. d) Create a decision-making framework for assessing land use, acquisition and dedication, as well as regulatory decisions. e) Recommend amendments to the Town’s Official Community Plan to ensure alignment with the Parks and Trails Master Plan; f) Provide specific recommendations for parks and trails identification signs and interpretative signs. g) Based on a review of the Town’s current environmental practices and policies, including those related to invasive species removal/management, environmental restoration, tree canopy coverage, water use in parks, and the incorporation of green infrastructure, the master plan must provide strategies for improving environmental practices, where possible. h) Incorporate design, maintenance and management principles that mitigate negative ecological impacts and wildlife-human conflicts while promoting opportunities that support biodiversity. i) Identify best practices for allowing commercial uses within the parks system (e.g., food trucks, fitness classes, dog walkers). j) Establish an Evaluation, Monitoring and Implementation Plan. The action plan should consider the following: i. Reflect priorities established through public and stakeholder engagement. ii. Identify the park and tail priorities based on short, medium and long-term. iii. Include Class D cost estimates for funding the proposed park and trail upgrades, acquisition and operations over the next 10 years. iv. Include leading performance indicators to measure progress on implementation. k) Prepare visual illustrations, graphics and photos for the plan and use the Town’s branding. l) The intent is to create a user-friendly OCP document that has: i. a logical and organized structure ii. clear and understandable graphics, images and illustrations iii. clear language and well-defined terms iv. clear table of contents and index digitally linked to relevant sections of the document v. a design that facilitates easy online use. m) Create a community document that is concise, user-friendly, specific to Town of View Royal context, visionary and innovative, making the document a useful tool in parks and trails planning.

Community, Council and Staff Engagement

Town of View Royal has prepared a draft Communication and Engagement Strategy (refer to Attachment 1) for the Parks and Trails Master Plan. This Strategy paves the way for a robust engagement process for the Parks and Trails Master Plan and will be updated with input from the consultant for consistency with the workplan that will be approved by Council. Town staff will lead the public engagement process. The consultant will assist with activities, including but not limited to:

• organize a project kick-off meeting.
• prepare materials, content and graphics for project website, open houses, focus groups, workshops, walk-shops, neighbourhood pop-ups, on-line surveys, and other engagement events, as needed to complete specific project deliverables.
• provide regular progress reports and presentation materials for Committee of the Whole and Council meetings. Staff will give presentations to Committee of the Whole and Council with support from the consultant.
• attend in-person Council workshops led by staff with support from the consultant.

Project Management and Town Project Responsibilities

The Project Manager for the Town will be the Director of Development Services. The Senior Planner may oversee and manage the day-to-day coordination of this project and work closely with the consultant. The primary staff liaison will be the Director of Development Services, who will be available for meetings, discussion and review of draft documents. Town project responsibilities include the following:

• lead the engagement activities with support from the consultant
• provide available GIS data, maps, plans, reports and copies of relevant bylaws.
• bring forward and present on technical updates, summaries and draft documents to Committee of the Whole and Council at key intervals in the project with information provided by the consultant. There may be times that the consultant may be required in person to support staff at the COW and Council meetings.

Project Schedule

The project schedule is summarized in the following table:

Table 1. Project Schedule

Reference Material

The following View Royal documents should be considered in the preparation of responses to this RFP:

• View Royal Strategic Plan 2023-2026
• Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 1180, 2026
• Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 2014
• Coastal Hazard Mapping and Risk Assessment Report, 2026
• Communications and Engagement Strategy 2025 (refer to Appendix 1)
• Committee of the Whole Report on draft RFP Terms of Reference dated July 14, 2026
• Housing Needs Assessment Report & Interim Housing Needs Report (updated in 2024)
• Active Transportation Network Plan 2023
• Community Climate Action Strategy 2022
• Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan 2024
• Sanitary Master Plan 2019
• Community Satisfaction and Engagement Survey 2026
• Parks Master Plan 2017
• Drainage Master Plan 2017
• Transportation Master Plan (Updated 2016)
• Draft Transportation Master Plan (TBD)
• Community Amenity Contributions Policy
• Urban Forest Strategy (2026)
• Asset Management Level of Service for Parks Assets (Fall / Winter 2026)

The following external documents may be helpful to review in the preparation of responses to this RFP:

• BC Climate Action Charter
• BC Archaeology Branch - Archaeological Overview Assessments
• OCPs of neighbouring municipalities that share a border with View Royal, including District of Saanich, Township of Esquimalt, City of Colwood and City of Langford.