Minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society Board of Directors Meeting
Minutes from the WSPR Society board meeting covering elections of officers and operational reports for the park and recreation facilities.
Minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, January 11th, 2024, in the Westshore Room
PRESENT: Directors Damian Kowalewich, Dean Jantzen, Leslie Anderson, and Kimberley Guiry
ABSENT: Shelly Donaldson
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
- The chair called the meeting to order at 5:32PM.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
- MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS ANDERSON AND GUIRY THAT THE AGENDA BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED. CARRIED
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
- MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS GUIRY AND ANDERSON THAT THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING DECEMBER 14th, 2023, BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED. NO ERRORS, NO OMMISIONS. CARRIED
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
- N/A
CHAIR’S REMARKS
- Grant Brown, administrator, commented that WSPR had a very successful 2023. It was the first full year of operations since 2019 and surpassed expectations. WSPR staff is grateful to the board of directors for their support and dedication to the society.
STANDING COMMITTEES
- N/A
OLD BUSINESS
- N/A
NEW BUSINESS
8. a) Election of officers:
Grant Brown, administrator, started the election of officers.
Chair: Nominations were called for chair. Director Jantzen nominated Director Damian Kowalewich (seconded by Director Anderson). Director Damian Kowalewich accepted the nomination. The administrator called for additional nominations two more times and with no additional nominations, Director Damian Kowalewich was elected as chair. Director Damian Kowalewich assumed the chair at this time.
Vice-Chair: The chair called for nominations for vice-chair. Director Anderson nominated Director Dean Jantzen (seconded by Director Guiry). Director Dean Jantzen accepted the nomination. The chair called for additional nominations two more times and with no additional nominations, Director Dean Jantzen was elected as vice-chair.
Finance Chair: Nominations were called for finance chair. Director Jantzen nominated Director Leslie Anderson (seconded by Director Guiry). Director Leslie Anderson accepted the nomination. The chair called for additional nominations two more times and with no additional nominations, Director Leslie Anderson was elected as finance chair.
GVLRA Representative: Nominations were called for GVLRA representative. Director Jantzen nominated Director Kimberly Guiry (seconded by Director Anderson). Director Kimberly Guiry accepted the nomination. The chair called for additional nominations two more times and with no additional nominations, Director Kimberly Guiry was elected as finance chair.
b) Aquatics staff presentation
Carly Nurmsoo and Hamish Babin presented a PowerPoint presentation that highlighted the following:
- New roles for staff on the aquatics team.
- Swim lessons are the most significant aspect of pool programming.
- Staff doubled lesson capacity in 2023.
- The WSPR swim instructor program resulted in the hiring of every participant.
- An external instructor-trainer audited the WSPR instructor program and provided positive feedback and suggestions.
- Patron comments indicate that instructors are the most valued part of WSPR’s swim lessons.
- The staffing structure is complex, with 70 active staff compared to 54 this time last year.
- Operations require 15 staff per day, including 8-10 instructors and 2-4 lifeguards.
- Staff are young and most are available only for shorter shifts, evenings, and weekends.
- Advanced aquatics courses are scheduled with succession planning in mind.
- Significant hiring activity in May and November.
- Scheduling requires balancing the needs of the community, user groups, rental requests and lesson participants.
- Pool availability is reaching capacity and possibilities for expansion are limited.
- Staff is reviewing closing hours to align with other departments.
- Staff aims to keep lane swims and hot areas open as much as possible.
- Staff availability is the limitation to adding more lessons in the leisure pool.
- Clubs and regular rentals are in high demand, as well as swimming lessons for schools.
- New processes:
- Online booking form is available for rental requests.
- Swim lessons for WSPR daycare children.
- Registration dates are independent from general program registration dates.
- Successes:
- Accessibility: water wheelchair, lifts, shower beds, and replacement hand crank were funded by a grant.
- New equipment: lane ropes, dumbbells, speakers provide enhanced functionality and customer experience.
- Prioritization of patron experience.
- Staff training and support for dealing with challenging situations.
- Challenges:
- Limited daytime availability of staff.
- Limited pool time and space.
- Aging infrastructure.
- Safety and supervision regarding drug/alcohol use in changerooms/pool.
- Future considerations:
- Sensory sensitive swim.
- Programming with schools.
- Collaborative events with other departments.
- Adding flexibility for community needs, fun ideas, and niche group offerings.
- Value-driven:
- Focus on WSPR values and supporting the community.
The board thanked the aquatics team for their dedication and efforts to create a safe space for the community. There was discussion about future initiatives, programming options and equipment.
CARLY AND HAMISH LEFT THE MEETING AT 6:19PM.
FOR INFORMATION
9. a) Administrator’s report
Grant Brown, administrator, commented on the following:
Administration/Human Resources
The finance team supported KPMG while they were onsite December 14th and 15th to complete preliminary audit tasks. Upcoming year-end tasks include following up on account receivables, physical inventory counts and ensuring all departments met fiscal year end deadlines. The hardware for the new network-based phone system has arrived and programming is underway in coordination with Langford IT.
Winter registration took place over 3 days in December. General registration was on December 7th and saw an increase of 325 registrations (29.6%). Aquatics’ registration was held on December 18th & 19th and saw an increase of 68 registrations (5.8%). The additional electronic cash registers made a significant improvement to the payment processing experience on the high-demand aquatics registration days.
The renovation of the reception area was completed in early December and has received many positive comments from patrons and the reception team. The new acrylic wrap-around screen will be installed in January.
The human resources team managed the contract negotiation sessions throughout December. Significant progress was made with agreement on a number of items; however, an agreement was not reached and negotiations will resume on January 3rd. Year-end work is also underway within the human resources department in preparation for various regulatory requirements.
Operations
Maintenance The maintenance team addressed various mechanical issues across different facilities. Annual recalibration of ammonia sensors was conducted in both JDF arena and Q Centre arena ice plants. Coring work was performed at the Q Centre in preparation for the new air conditioning system which will be in place for the upcoming Shamrocks’ season. Heat pump 3 at the 55+ Activity Centre requires a compressor replacement which is scheduled to be completed in the next couple of weeks. Additionally, the library meeting room's air handling unit underwent a thorough cleaning, with pulleys adjusted and belts replaced. New breaker boxes for the JDF electrical room were received and are set for installation in early 2024.
The 55+ Activity Centre December shutdown was completed, encompassing the deep cleaning of washrooms and floors, and waxing of the lobby, and necessary repairs to chairs. New lane ropes for the pool were received and adjusted to fit its length properly, and new pool grates for skimmers are set to be installed soon.
New floor scrubbers were acquired through a grant and staff training has commenced to ensure proper usage, and a sign-out sheet has been implemented. The Winter Wonderland skate season concluded successfully, with the Parks and Maintenance teams collaborating to transform the ice back into a flat sheet after the skating events.
There have been changes in staffing, with Justin Fischer successfully becoming the Maintenance Supervisor. Justin has worked at WSPR for more than 12 years in various roles, most recently as the utility lead hand. The vacated position has been posted, along with a FMW3 afternoon position.
In partnership with Langford RCMP, Colwood Fire Department and the Victoria Hazmat Team, an ammonia release exercise was held at WSPR to help all parties familiarize themselves with their roles and responsibilities if an ammonia event occurred. The exercise was a huge success and everyone left with a greater understanding of the WSPR site and how all can work together during emergencies to keep everyone safe.
Parks The maintenance van underwent comprehensive improvements, including the replacement of brakes, fixing a malfunctioning back door, and addressing a broken seat issue. Additionally, the community recreation fleet required tire replacements to meet inspection standards, and staff are pleased to report that all fleet vehicles have successfully passed year-end inspections. Furthermore, the renewal of insurance for the entire fleet has been completed, with the corresponding paperwork installed in each vehicle.
The golf course is experiencing persistent growth due to favourable weather conditions which has resulted in increased disease pressure this fall and winter. In response, a second fungicide application has been applied to suppress the issue. Despite these challenges, golf rounds have experienced a noteworthy increase compared to the previous year.
Lawn bowl greens also faced challenges and required a fungicide application to maintain their quality. Wear on the fields has been notably lower than in previous years, attributed to the efficient allocation schedule of JDF soccer. Furthermore, Diamond 3's infield and surroundings underwent a stripping process, with plans to install a skinned infield, aiming to streamline maintenance efforts.
A parks team member successfully completed the Dangerous Tree Assessment course, enhancing staff’s capabilities in ensuring public safety. As for the weather, the month of December has seen above-average temperatures and below-average rainfall, impacting various aspects of operations.
Programs
Community Recreation Staff are in the midst of hiring a “Dungeon Master” for the Dungeons & Dragons program that is anticipated to launch at the end of January. The drop-in pickleball registration time has been changed from 12:00am to 6:00am to create equal opportunity between online and phone registrants. These drop-in sessions are consistently seeing 10-12 players at each timeslot.
Daycare had their annual Christmas concert on December 20th which was followed by a Winter Wonderland skate together with families and staff and had over 75 people in attendance.
A Winter Wonderland skate was also offered to 10-month preschool families with 85 in attendance.
Swimming lessons for the daycare children have been set up and the 24 children will start a 9-week lesson set in January; as well, French music lessons will resume in January. A booklet and online format of the songs has been offered so families can practice at home too. Daycare applications continue to come in and approximately 150 families are on the waitlist.
Centennial Centre is hosting a new (FREE) youth drop-in art night on Thursday afternoons and has been extremely successful. Over the last 5 weeks attendance has steadily increased from 8 to 14 youth. The feedback from the youth, parents and school community has been extremely positive and staff look forward to continuing this program in January 2024. An additional pottery studio technician has been hired to support the very busy pottery studio. Nissa will be mixing glazes, loading and unloading the kilns and maintaining the studio. There are now three newer kilns in the pottery studio which will help fire pieces quicker and allow the studio to accommodate more participants starting in January 2024.
The Building Safer Communities Grant program has welcomed three classes from Westshore Secondary School, where students completed weightroom orientations and are now able to use the weightroom for the P.E. and Take a Hike classes in the new year. Westshore Secondary also hosted a 3-on-3 basketball tournament in the indoor sports complex. Three schools, Westshore Secondary, W'Sanec Secondary and the Individual Learning Centre, attended and a great time was had. The school is hoping to run the tournament again and have more schools participate.
Discussions are underway with the Westshore RCMP to host a Gang Trends and Education seminar for parents, educators and administrators here on the Westshore. It is anticipated that members of the End Gang Life Unit on the mainland will present in March 2024.
The two shortlisted candidates for the youth outreach programmer position declined the role prior to scheduling interviews due to other job placements. Staff have changed focus and are working on recruiting a youth program team lead to oversee the growing youth programs here at WSPR and will then work with local youth-serving organizations to provide the outreach component of the project.
December was a busy month for events, when WSPR partnered with the City of Langford to support the Christmas Light Up on December 2nd. The WSPR community events team helped with the cookie decorating station where 500 cookies were given out. The team also attended the City of Colwood Christmas Light Up December 5th in partnership with the Citizens’ Environment Network in Colwood (CENiC) to provide a nature-based craft station. Brown paper gift bags were made with cedar and herbs, as well as wooden pendant necklaces.
Fitness and Weights An increase in personal training services purchased along with strong winter program registration at the start of December took place.
After reviewing the equipment layout and collecting patron feedback following the July 2023 equipment replacement shut down, a few pieces of equipment were moved in the weightroom to accommodate a newly purchased Power Body Glute Bridge/Hip Thrust machine. The Olympic lifting deadlift platform was moved beside the squat rack to be closer to the mirror and plates, which opened space along the back wall for stretching and active open space as requested by patrons. The cardio equipment was moved to accommodate the Landmine Olympic Bar station. The new Glute Bridge bench provides patrons with a designated space to perform hip thrust exercises which have been increasing in popularity and demand. So far, patrons have been happy with the changes and new equipment.
The fitness and weights team continues to collaborate with the community recreation youth department to offer another 3 sessions of group weightroom youth orientations. Students were provided an overview on safe cardio and strength equipment use along with etiquette and weightroom rules. The orientations were well received, and the students continue to utilize the gym during their physical education block.
Aquatics December saw the wrap-up of 2023’s swim lessons on an incredibly positive note, with a lot of great feedback from patrons and staff. Another round of hiring has taken place which will increase the department’s ability to offer more lessons in 2024, offering 14 new candidates various positions at the pool. Christmas came early with the arrival of new lane ropes and a new set of aquafit dumbbells.
The department partnered with the community recreation department to host a Santa Swim on December 23rd providing fun holiday themed games and activities in the water and on land, with a special appearance from Santa for photos and fun.
Despite a few technical kinks, another successful registration bringing in over $121,000 in revenue for swim lessons which is an increase of more than $14,000 from 2022. Staff are excited about the growth 2024 will bring for the aquatics department in not only staffing but also programming which will lead to more opportunities for aquatics fun for the community. 12 new speakers were purchased at the end of December to help improve the acoustics in the pool environment for announcements and playing music.
Arena, Events, and Golf The golf course experienced a very busy November with 2,601 rounds played, marking it the second-best November since 1999. This positive trend carried into December. Skating lessons during the fall season were well-attended and concluded before Christmas. A winter break skating camp in collaboration with PowerWest was offered. Winter Wonderland concluded on December 20th with all rental spots booked and both public and school skates drawing substantial attendance.
The Grizzlies faced challenges with injuries; however, they managed to secure the 3rd position in the coastal conference at the Christmas break. Meanwhile, the Wolves, despite dealing with numerous injuries and suspensions, have maintained their pace and currently hold the 2nd position in the south division.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion The 2023 Winter Wonderland skate season kicked off on December 15th, with a free skate sponsored by Peninsula Co-op. The LIFE program began early registration for 2024 on November 15th. In 2023 WSPR saw 1,152 participants in the program of all ages, from children to seniors.
Grant Brown, Administrator
The board discussed the direction of youth initiatives in the West Shore and requested more information from staff and opportunity for consultation prior to implementing select initiatives.
Staff informed the board there was damage during transport to the lock mechanisms that were ordered for the new changeroom lockers. Staff are confident that the damaged equipment will be replaced.
Staff informed the board that council discussions regarding the BC Transit project have concluded and BC Transit has not provided recent updates.
b) Beach volleyball user group notification
Grant Brown, administrator, commented on the following:
- The outdoor pickleball project was presented to the mayors at the fall 2023 ownership meeting, where it received support for its inclusion in the 2024 budget; however, the project is only to commence once funding is secured.
- Staff will pursue infrastructure grants as they come available and will return to the board when progress updates are available.
- Staff will inform current beach volleyball court users of the intended plans for the site, making use of the 2024 summer rental request process.
The board discussed funding and grant options for the proposed pickleball courts.
MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS JANTZEN AND ANDERSON THAT THE REPORTS BE RECEIVED AS PRESENTED. CARRIED
IN CAMERA
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 section 1.(2)(b) negotiations between West Shore Parks & Recreation and a third party.
MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS JANTZEN AND GUIRY THAT THE MEETING MOVE IN CAMERA. CARRIED
MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS ANDERSON AND JANTZEN THAT WSPRS STAFF ATTEND THE IN CAMERA MEETING. CARRIED
WEI WU LEFT THE MEETING AT 6:52PM.
ADJOURNMENT
- MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS GUIRY AND JANTZEN THAT THE MEETING BE ADJOURNED AT 7:27PM. CARRIED