Minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society Board of Directors Meeting - February 13, 2025

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society Board of Directors Meeting Thursday, February 13th, 2025, in the Westshore Room

PRESENT: Kimberley Guiry (attendance via MS Teams), Leslie Anderson (vice chair), Shelly Donaldson, Dean Jantzen, Alison MacKenzie

ABSENT: N/A

STAFF PRESENT: Grant Brown, administrator Ron Dietrich, manager of operations Geoff Welham, manager of recreation Wei Wu, manager of finance and administration April Luchinski, manager of human resources Tiffany Moore, recorder

STAFF ABSENT: N/A

PUBLIC PRESENT: N/A

CALL TO ORDER

1. The vice chair called the meeting to order at 5:30pm.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

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

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

3. MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS MACKENZIE AND JANTZEN THAT THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING ON JANUARY 16TH, 2025, BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED. NO ERRORS, NO OMMISIONS. CARRIED

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

4. N/A

CHAIR’S REMARKS

5. N/A

DELEGATIONS

6. N/A

STANDING COMMITTEES

7. N/A

NEW BUSINESS

8. a) Maintenance Staff Presentation (visual presentation) Justin Fischer, Maintenance Supervisor, gave a PowerPoint presentation highlighting the following:

• Highlights of 2024 were the replacement of the Q Centre chiller; the addition of air conditioning in the Q Centre with the capacity to expand if needed; the upgrading of five air handling units from natural gas to electric resulting in lower emissions; and the hosting of several large events such as the Slegg Show, Judo Provincials and John Horgan’s Memorial.
• Major projects in 2025 include the conversion of the café to a human resources space; the addition of UV filtering to the main pool; conversion of the backlit advertising signs to LED in the Q Centre; replacement of the JDF Arena ice plant room panel; and the heat recovery project, which will enable excess heat from the JDF Arena ice plant to be used to preheat the pool water.

The board briefly enquired about a previous issue with the Q Centre air conditioning; security arrangements at the John Horgan memorial; evacuation plans for high-capacity events; and adjusting plans to accommodate projects and daily maintenance.

b) 2024 Staffing Presentation (visual presentation) April Luchinski, Manager of Human Resources, gave a PowerPoint presentation highlighting the following:

• Overview of the department and introduction of the human resources team.
• Staffing levels, recruitment trends and attrition rates.
• Successes of 2024 include enhancements to exit interviews; the long service award program; employee certification tracking; scheduling app; performance management form; and the staff training program.
• The Scout application was rolled out in 2024 and has enhanced the application process and streamlined the recruitment process for HR and supervisors.

The board discussed how recruitment is coordinated between supervisors, managers and HR; the criminal record check process; de-escalation training for reception staff; and the success of the previous employee recognition program.

OLD BUSINESS

9. a) Volleyball Assessment (included in agenda package) Ron Dietrich, Manager of Operations, reported on the following:

• The proposal for beach volleyball facilities was reviewed and staff recommended that the board encourage Urban Rec Society to attend one of the master plan engagement sessions.

The board briefly discussed alternative sites on the property for the proposed facility.

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS JANTZEN AND DONALDSON THAT WSPRS RESPONDS IN WRITING TO DECLINE THE URBAN REC SOCIETY PROPOSAL AND RECOMMENDS THEY PARTICIPATE IN THE MASTER PLAN ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS. CARRIED

CORRESPONDENCE

10. a) Email from Executive Assistant, City of Langford. Re: Request from Miles Mortensen re Showers for the unhoused. b) Email from Greater Victoria Velodrome Association. Re: Greater Victoria Velodrome Association wishes you a Happy New Year.

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS JANTZEN AND MACKENZIE THAT THE CORRESPONDENCE BE RECEIVED. CARRIED

FOR INFORMATION

11. a) Administrator’s Report The administrator commented on the following:

Administration/Human Resources

The 2025 financial plan has been approved by all five member municipalities. Staff are moving ahead with procurement for planned capital projects.

The finance team is focused on year-end, closing fiscal 2024 on January 30th. This high volume, complex process relies on all departments to come together in a team approach. The 2025 insurance renewal applications have been submitted. Indications are that the public insurance market is “softening” which should result in a lower annual rate increase than the last few years. The annual asset appraisal was completed by Suncorp Valuations in December and reporting was received last month. A significant increase in the valuation of the Society’s assets was seen due to large complex buildings on Vancouver Island outpacing average cost increases for the recreation industry.

The human resources (HR) team continues with the roll out of Scout Talent, the new recruitment, and onboarding software that went live on January 1st, which is resulting in a new streamlined onboarding process for staff. HR staff will be soliciting information from supervisors prior to finalizing the internal process. Updated performance management forms were rolled at the end of January, still utilizing the Society’s core competencies, while addressing barriers to difficulty or time. HR continues to work with departments in gathering and recording necessary certifications that staff are required to hold and utilize existing software to notify staff when their certifications are expiring, providing them with ample time to recertify. Work continues on better utilization of the payroll systems’ scheduling application, seeking how to best support supervisors in their scheduling and contacting needs for staff coverage.

The marketing team attended the Canadian Digital Marketing Summit in Victoria, the in person 1-day conference included keynote and panel discussions led by some of the top minds and brands in the digital local and international marketing world.

Operations

Maintenance The JDF facility has experienced ongoing issues with the Air Handling Units (AHUs), which are attributed to the cold weather. The Island Temperature and Controls team is working diligently to resolve these problems. In other mechanical updates, a pump in the pool basement, which diverts heat from the leisure pool to the main pool, was rebuilt and reinstalled. A glycol leak from the air conditioning unit at the Q Centre was repaired under warranty. Boiler 2 at the Q Centre encountered flame trouble, which was traced to a faulty LFL flame safeguard controller. The controller was replaced, and the boiler is now operational. Additionally, the heaters in the hallway between the admin office and reception were repaired after burnt-out thermostats were replaced. The hallway is now warm and functional.

The Centennial Centre shutdown was completed successfully. During this time, general maintenance tasks were carried out, including waxing floors, touch-up painting, and deep cleaning all bathrooms. An exterior lock was added to the pottery studio for security, and the pottery wedging table was re-canvased. Faulty pottery wheels were rewired, and additional plugs were installed and relocated to accommodate the growing needs of the studio.

With structural plans in hand, the café demolition for the HR renovation is ongoing. Building permits have been acquired and we are currently awaiting electrical and mechanical plans from the architect for contractor work to begin.

Multiple pieces of childcare equipment were built and relocated to their new homes. An issue with locker key pins being stolen has been addressed, with 300 additional pins ordered to ensure all keys can be re-pinned.

Energy efficiency improvements were made, with all exterior lights in the seniors’ area and the entire parks yard lighting converted to LED.

Mechanical lead hand and afternoon shift lead hand positions remain vacant, and candidates are being sought. The auxiliary staffing pool remains strong, with plans to add another cleaner to bolster the group. A posting for an 18-month maternity leave day shift position (Saturday to Wednesday) will be released before the end of January.

Parks Preventive maintenance is currently underway for the fleet to ensure all equipment remains in optimal condition and to minimize downtime during the busy season.

Disease pressure on the greens remains low, which is a positive indicator of the health of the course. The golf course has been busy, reflecting strong usage and interest from the community.

The lawn bowls facility is currently closed. Some of the boards have been replaced, and this work will continue as time allows to ensure the facility is in top condition for reopening.

Work has begun on the ball diamonds, focusing on edging base paths, repairing fences, and installing new backstop boards. These improvements are expected to enhance the experience for user groups. Additionally, all three sports fields have been deep-tined to promote healthy turf growth and improve drainage.

With frost conditions present, horticulture beds by the lawn bowls area have been refreshed and revitalized. A hedge at the transit area has been removed and will be replaced with a grass-clover mix to improve aesthetics and functionality. To support naturalization efforts, an area in the Garry Oak Meadow has been blocked off. The velodrome track has been treated with a moss and algae removal product to maintain its condition.

January 2025 has seen above-average temperatures, with no rainfall recorded (0mm). This dry and mild weather has provided favorable conditions for outdoor maintenance and improvement projects.

Programs

Community Recreation Through the Building Safer Communities grant, WSPR and the City of Colwood were able to support the Hockey 4 Youth Foundation to start their hockey program in the Westshore. Hockey 4 Youth fosters social inclusion for newcomer & high-priority teens and youth of all genders, through FREE ice hockey. The organization provides all the equipment, coaching, transportation, tournament fees and snacks, so that vulnerable youth have a chance to learn to play hockey and experience being part of a team. Through the grant, ice time once a week and transportation costs to get the youth to WSPR were covered. Over 30 youth have signed up for the program.

In January, Centennial Centre for Arts & Culture welcomed 15 new members to the pottery studio. This is the highest new member onboarding at one time since restarting post COVID-19. The private and semi-private pottery lessons on Sundays and Wednesdays are now sold out for January to April 2025. In addition, most adult pottery classes are sold out for the winter session.

Centennial Centre underwent its annual maintenance shutdown during the first two weeks of January. The maintenance team deep cleaned the washrooms, waxed the Oak Room floors, repaired wheels, the wedging table and electrical outlets in the Pottery Studio, and other yearly maintenance tasks. In addition, the pottery studio volunteers and staff deep cleaned and organized the pottery studio. The pottery community was thrilled to come back to a tidy and functional studio for 2025!

Aquatics January at the pool began with onboarding 10 new staff and offering in-service training for the entire aquatics team. The focus included lifeguard rescues and emergency responses. The winter swim lesson set began on January 6th adding additional classes which brought the total classes being offered to 267. A Bronze Medallion course with 8 youth working on achieving this certification began in January.

Many requests from larger groups for drop-in visits were received, including requests from schools, community groups, birthdays, day cares and swim clubs. There continues to be high demand for more pool space across the board and to accommodate this, the aquafit schedule was changed to begin 30 minutes later which has been a big hit with morning lane swimmers, providing extra time in the lanes and an easier commute for our Aquafitters to get to the rec centre. West Shore’s daycare swim lessons began in January through an internal partnership with the community recreation team.

Fitness and Weights January began with a large “New Year’s Resolution” rush in both the weightroom and fitness programs. 92% of registered fitness programs ran successfully above projected minimum numbers with 69% of those programs at close to full capacity.

A new drop-in bootcamp class was added to the fitness schedule on Sunday evenings to compliment the consistently full morning class and address the rising demand. Within two weeks of running, the newly added class is at full capacity.

January 2025 marked the launch of WSPR’s fitness program offerings at the Old Metchosin School. A total of three programs were introduced including two Essentrics (stretch and strength) classes and one Functional Fitness class. Free trial classes were offered the first week of January to provide participants with the opportunity to try the classes and see the new space. All the program’s ran successfully starting the following week, with two of the programs being full. The overwhelmingly positive response to the addition of programs in this space has been encouraging and staff look forward to adding more programs to the surrounding communities.

The WSPR fitness team has partnered with Brookes school to offer fitness classes for two groups of students twice per week as part of their physical education curriculum. The classes have been well received with eager students looking forward to the sessions.

Arena, Events, and Golf Golf course rounds saw a slight decline in December, with approximately 30 fewer rounds played compared to the previous month. In total, 38,694 rounds were played in 2024, reflecting a slight decline from 2023, when 41,671 rounds were recorded.

In terms of local sports, both the Wolves and the Grizzlies faced challenges in December due to injuries and illness, but both teams have remained competitive in their respective leagues.

Concession sales data for 2024 highlight key trends in customer preferences. The top-selling non-alcoholic item was bottled pop, with 9,732 units sold. Popcorn led food sales with 6,218 bags purchased, while fries were the most popular hot food item, with 5,872 trays sold. Alcohol sales breakdown indicates that canned beer was the most popular choice, accounting for 57% of all alcohol sales with 12,232 units sold. Draft craft beer represented 9.8% of sales, with 2,102 pints served. Ciders, coolers, and spritzers made up 28.4% of sales with 6,125 units sold, while wine contributed 3.2% of total alcohol sales, with 703 glasses poured (323 red and 380 white). Additionally, 42 non-alcoholic beers were sold throughout the year.

The par-3 pro shop saw strong sales in various product categories. Golf balls were the top-selling non-food item, with 12,752 units sold. Among food and beverage sales, pop was the most purchased item at 1,636 units, followed by chocolate bars (1,523) and Drumstick ice cream (103). Alcohol sales in the pro shop also showed interesting trends. The best-selling beer was Lucky Lager, with 1,249 units sold. Among craft beers, Hoyne Pilsner (547) and Fat Tug (456) outsold all domestic options. Nudes was the most popular cider/spritzer, with 490 units sold. A total of 126 non-alcoholic beers were purchased. Overall alcohol sales for 2024 saw the Q Centre generating $145,778.83 in revenue compared to $25,882.15 from the pro shop.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Key updates, events and learnings in January included:

• Family Literacy Tour: January 25th at the Greater Victoria Public Library’s Juan de Fuca branch.
• 2024’s regional LIFE program statistics are currently being gathered and expected to be finalized by February 7th.
• Inclusion committee members took part in an Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) awareness training session through BCRPA to enhance committee efforts.
• Staff engaged with the Greater Victoria Local Immigration Partnership which includes the Equity Table, Access Westshore and HARP’s older adult subcommittee.

Grant Brown, Administrator

• The grand slam curling event will occur during the 2026-27 season and will be brought back to the board for discussion next year.
• Intercollegiate hockey playoffs will be held onsite in March 2025. UVic may seek home ice from WSPRS in the future.
• A leaking hot water tank that was located under the stage in 55+ Activity Centre auditorium caused significant damage and the flooring will be replaced. The manager of operations is in discussions with insurance providers.

The board briefly discussed the softening of insurance premiums and increased valuation. Locker key pins have been going missing and are being replaced.

b) Regional Parks & Recreation Facilities Master Plan: The administrator commented on the following:

• The project’s engagement phase started February 11th with the release of two surveys. Communication has gone out to user group, council and media contacts which direct the public to the project website where they can find information on the project as well as links to the surveys and engagement session

The board briefly inquired whether the school district has been contacted to participate. The administrator will request its engagement.

c) Pickleball Court Project Update: The manager of operations commented on the following:

• The construction contract has been signed, and the first site visit will take place later this month.
• Staff met with two representatives of the Victoria Pickleball Association who left excited about the project.
• Considerations for lighting and signage were brought forward.

d) Strategic Plan Update: The administrator commented on the following:

• An updated strategic plan tracking document was provided and the administrator mentioned that work will begin shortly on procurement documents for the upcoming development process for the next 5-year plan.

IN CAMERA

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS JANTZEN AND MACKENZIE THAT THE MEETING MOVE IN CAMERA. CARRIED

12. 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) proposed provision of a service, AND 1. (1)(m) a matter that, under another enactment, is such that the public may be excluded from the meeting.

WSPRS STAFF (GEOFF WELHAM, RON DIETRICH, WEI WU AND APRIL LUNCHINSKI) LEFT THE MEETING AT 6:36PM.

ADJOURNMENT

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