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, June 15th, 2023, in the Fieldhouse

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

ABSENT: Director Damian Kowalewich

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 chair called the meeting to order at 8:02PM.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

2. MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS DONALDSON AND ANDERSON THAT THE AGENDA BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED. CARRIED

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

3. MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS ANDERSON AND GUIRY THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING MAY 11TH, 2023, BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED. NO ERRORS, NO OMMISIONS. CARRIED

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

4. N/A

CHAIR’S REMARKS

5. N/A

STANDING COMMITTEES

6. N/A

OLD BUSINESS

7. N/A

NEW BUSINESS

8. a) BC Transit Update

Ron Dietrich, manager of operations, commented on the following:

• BC Transit is proposing changes to the transit loop on WSPRS property and is seeking our input.
• The proposal includes removing the merge lane to the right and removing the bus lane that used to go back to the main road, resulting in a larger bus stop on Island Highway.
• The proposal would remove a small piece of land from WSPRS property valued at $60,000.
• WSPRS has asked for gates to be installed at the Ocean Boulevard entrance/exit, and at the Island Highway entrance/exit. BC Transit has agreed to this request.
  • The purpose of the gates is to prevent vehicles from attempting to circumvent traffic by cutting through WSPRS property during rush hour.
  • WSPRS has experienced issues with vehicles speeding through the 55+ Activity Centre and loading zone, and children’s play park. One such incident resulted in a staff member being dragged by a speeding vehicle causing brain injury and long-term disability.
  • Police have been onsite for enforcement and ticketing people which has been ineffective.
  • Gate control was suggested by police and engineers as a solution.
  • The gates could also be locked at night and on statutory holidays to eliminate issues of overnight parking.
• 2 parking spaces would be affected during construction.
• The final decision will lie with each owner council for approval as the land is owned by all municipalities.

There was board discussion about the specific locations of the areas affected and the operational considerations of gates and alternatives, as well as crosswalks and improved bicycle access at that corner.

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS GUIRY AND ANDERSON THAT the board of directors support in principle the proposed BC Transit project at the corner of Ocean Boulevard and Island Highway with the understanding that BC Transit will be responsible for all license requirements, including associated costs, and approach each member municipality seeking Licenses to Construct and Road Dedication Agreements at no cost, provided that BC Transit design, purchase and install manual gates at the WSPRS site entrances off Ocean Boulevard and Island Highway. As well, that BC Transit explores improved bike access to WSPRS at the corner of Ocean Boulevard and Island Highway and presents options to the WSPRS staff.

AND THAT the board of directors direct staff to forward its decision to the West Shore Parks & Recreation Society Members for consideration. CARRIED

8. b) 2023 Capital Project Update

Ron Dietrich, manager of operations, commented on the following:

• Pool roof build was budgeted during a time of inflated construction costs. By waiting an extra year, construction costs have since dropped and quotes received are less than originally budgeted.
• Parker Johnson will be completing the work for less than budget, resulting in a unused funds.
• Work will commence in September and be completed in about a month and a half.
• The unused funds will be used for cooling in The Q Centre Arena using our existing refrigeration system (a cheaper method than a new air handling unit), as well as augmenting the tennis court resurfacing project to smooth the surface and mitigate complaints.
• There is no budget effect as all funds are included in the approved 2023 budget.

8. c) CRD Goose Management Plan

Ron Dietrich, manager of operations, commented on the following:

• We have an issue with goose excrement on the golf course and playing fields. Staff have been raking and shovelling it off of greens but cannot keep up with the volume on the rest of the grounds.
• Previous attempts to reduce geese on the property include flashing lights, plastic coyotes, and kites, but it seems the geese get comfortable and used to it.
• The CRD has a plan and outlined what is working or not; addling eggs has also not proven effective. We are working with regional areas and are looking for more measures. Director Jantzen added that all communities are pressed by the goose population, including Esquimalt Lagoon and sometimes the issue calls for increased measures to control populations.

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS ANDERSON AND DONALDSON THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS DIRECT STAFF TO PROCEED WITH THE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CRD AND BRING FORWARD STRATEGIES TO HELP DEAL WITH THE CANADA GOOSE POPULATION. CARRIED

FOR INFORMATION

9. a) Administrator’s report

Grant Brown, administrator, commented on the following:

Administration/Human Resources

The skatepark project is now complete and culminated with the grand opening event on May 13th. The event was very well attended with strong representation from each of the member municipalities, society staff, park sponsors and community skateboard enthusiasts. The skatepark saw heavy use during the event and continues to do so daily. What a great new amenity for the Westshore community.

The submissions for the Q Centre Arena Concession Operations RFEI, Craft Beer RFP and Cardio Fitness Equipment Replacement RFP have all been evaluated. All proponents have been notified of the results and debriefing sessions offered to those who were unsuccessful. Concession operations will remain under the society’s umbrella, however the potential for change has been discussed with CUPE Local 1978 if staff continue to struggle securing personnel. Hoyne Brewing and Driftwood Brewing were selected for the provision of alcoholic beverages in the Q Centre Arena.

In finance, the team continues to focus on clearing up the annual backlog created by the end of year and external audit process. As well, continue to identify potential bottlenecks in workflow and areas for improvement. Final touches are being made to financial reports for the AGM, to provide the member municipalities with a clear summary of the society’s performance for 2022. The 2024 budget preparations are underway, and meetings are being scheduled with department heads and service providers over the summer months.

Supervisors attended training on emotional intelligence and strategies for providing feedback to their staff. At their request, 3 parks’ staff are taking part in a temporary trial of the current ‘self-directed work hours’ program that currently exists for specified positions within the collective agreement. The 3-month trial for the summer will enable these staff to alter their hours of work to meet the needs of their roles and will be reviewed at its conclusion to determine if the arrangement is viable. The triannual labour management meeting was held recently with no concerns raised and both representatives from the union and management agreed to schedule the upcoming contract negotiations for the late fall. Human resources is exploring an online mental health tool for staff through the Canadian Mental Health Association, “Not Myself Today”.

Operations

Maintenance

The removal of both ice sheets signals the arrival of spring, and during this process, the Q Centre Arena refrigeration plant underwent one of its quarterly inspections by the contractor. The pot lights in the Q Centre Arena were upgraded to LED in a large area on the concourse, significantly brightening the hallway behind the private boxes and improving the space immediately.

Maintenance work never ceases, and various tasks were completed. The JDF fire alarm panel had multiple faults caused by incorrect sequencing of the field devices, which were repaired by Troy Fire. Annual maintenance was conducted on several systems, including unit heaters, fan coils, air handling units, dehumidifiers, and exhaust fans in the Q Centre Arena, Centennial Centre, weightroom, fitness studio, administration, reception, pool office, changeroom, and Fieldhouse. The damper control in the JDF generator room was repaired, broken receptacles were replaced throughout the facility, and various tasks were completed during the Indoor Sports Complex shutdown, such as paint touch-ups, cleaning the sport court, turf maintenance, repairs to the Alumasorb ceiling, securing lighting hangers, bulb replacements, door repairs, and replacement of the hanging string in the divider netting. The clubhouse also received an extra layer of pest treatment to address carpenter ants.

For the first time in a long time, all regular fulltime positions in maintenance are filled. The department is now considering filling regular parttime positions for some of the auxiliary staff.

Parks

May’s heat has created ideal conditions for growth, so the parks crew has carried out the spring aeration smoothly. Instead of pulling cores, the decision was made to solid tine and verti-cut the greens to avoid burning them due to the hot weather. The greens will also be top-dressed and overseeded with a newer variety of Bentgrass. Three out of the four lawn bowl greens have already been aerated, top-dressed, and overseeded, while the fourth green will undergo the same process in the upcoming weeks. Fields 2 and 3 are recovering from the winter season, and the inter-seeded grass is starting to germinate and grow. The wildflowers around the property are mostly finishing.

With better weather, there is increased activity, and the ball fields are being used regularly and receiving proper maintenance. The summer students have returned, taking care of line trimming and curb edging.

In terms of equipment maintenance, Bus 4053 is currently undergoing repairs after a mix-up in the shop resulted in the parts not being ordered. The new MultiPro 1750 Sprayer is performing well and making fertilizer applications on the lawn bowls much easier. Two out of the three triplex mowers have had their front roller bearings replaced, with the third one scheduled for next week. Bus 4073 failed its biyearly inspection due to a missing mud flap, which was replaced, and the bus had to be reinspected. Three more buses are scheduled for inspection this month.

Other ongoing projects this spring include the completion of the seventh tee, which will be sodded to allow for quicker play. The painting of parking lot lines will commence in the coming months, as the older style of line paint, which lasted longer, has been banned due to government regulations. The new environmentally friendly paint will be used. Additionally, painting projects involving light poles and other areas will also begin.

Programs

Community Recreation

Liam Reid has been hired as the new recreation programmer – sport & youth. Liam started with WSPR as a camp leader in 2014 and has worked in multiple other roles including skate instructor, youth leader, afterschool care leader, summer supervisor and most recently as the afterschool care and summer camp team leader. Liam is also a teacher and a high-level hockey and lacrosse official and instructor, bringing with him lots of patience and skills to oversee the sports and youth drop-in areas.

May has been a busy month for preschool & daycare partnering with the Kids on Wheels learn to ride bike program – a partnership with PISE and the last month of music and French through the Society Francophone de Victoria. Daycare spaces continue to fill with lots of family tours, emails, and phone calls to go over our policies and parent handbook. So far, there are 7 confirmed new families ready to start (2 in July and 5 for September) and staff continue going down the waitlist to fill the remaining 5 spots.

10-month preschool registration for September 2023 is still coming in but most programs are full, and some have waitlists.

The after-school care program welcomed 2 new bus drivers to the team; these drivers will be responsible for 2 of the 5 driving routes. Summer camp registration for licenced camps was very strong. All camps are full, with many children on the waitlists (some with 25 plus children waiting for a spot to open).

On May 13th, 2023, just in time for Mother’s Day, Centennial Centre held a pottery sale that showcased 10 members of the pottery studio. The sale was open to the community and sold $2,119 of unique pieces. The pottery studio currently has 77 members registered in Open Studio Time and Drop in Pottery for May and June 2023, which is $10,500 in revenue.

WSPR has representation on the HARP Education Committee to plan the implementation, make decisions regarding training opportunities and roll out the Resiliency and Safety project. This project is funded by an Island Health grant and will be used to provide a diverse range of training and support to enable recreation providers to learn about and be empowered to handle situations where people are in crisis.

Fitness and Weights

Registered fitness programs were off to a slower start for May with the arrival of warmer weather and outdoor activities with 79% of registered programs running successfully.

The third round of the ‘Try It’ sample classes were offered with great success at the start of the spring/summer program session to encourage participants to try a registered class before they commit in efforts to boost registration numbers and interest in new fitness programs. Classes included Strength & Stretch, Core Yoga, Pilates, TRX Combo, Vinyasa Flow Yoga and POUND Unplugged.

The Request for Proposals for the replacement of cardio fitness equipment in the weightroom closed on May 3rd, 2023. The two successful proponents included Fitness Experience providing Matrix Cardio (treadmills, upright and recumbent bikes, ellipticals, stair climbers and rowers) and LIV North Fitness Equipment (providing Keiser M3i Indoor Bikes and Nustep recumbent steppers). Installation date is planned for July 25-26, 2023.

Youth weightroom usage has been increasing along with the demand for youth weightroom orientations. The regionally supported orientations are offered 5 times per month with full registration (4 per group) and 5 private youth weightroom orientations were scheduled for the month of May.

Aquatics

May was a busy month filled with school swim bookings/inquiries and the successful start of the Spring lesson season. The spring WSPR Swim Instructor program concluded with 9 successful candidates completing it. The two instructors and lesson supervisory staff did an excellent job leading this program. 5 candidates were promoted to full swim instructors from their junior roles, and the other 4 candidates were recently interviewed with the aim to begin working at JDF Pool in time for summer lessons.

Happy to report that staff were successful in a grant application focused on pool accessibility. Staff received $30,000 to use towards upgrading the accessibility equipment. Staff look forward to working with various groups and individuals to ensure that this funding is spent as best needed.

Arena, Events and Golf

In April, a total of 3,040 rounds of golf were played, making it the 11th highest number of rounds since 1999. The weather in Victoria was cool, with an average daily temperature of 10 degrees Celsius. The month saw 11 days of rain, 11 cloudy days, and only 8 days of sunshine. May saw better weather, but there have been a few hot days, which can be challenging for Victoria golfers.

Moving indoors, lacrosse officially started in April, with junior games and minor lacrosse taking place in the JDF Arena. The ice in the Q Centre Arena began to melt on April 30th, marking the transition to non-ice events, starting with the Slegg Pro Show, which attracted approximately 1,000 attendees, slightly fewer than the previous year's 1,200. The Swap and Shop event has also continued to grow, attracting nearly 60 vendors and welcoming around 1,000 people every week.

While constantly looking forward, it can be challenging to fully enjoy the current season. The booking staff have already sent out request letters for fall/winter sports and prepared the summer contracts.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

On May 13th, 2023, The Thrifty Foods Skatepark was officially opened. 7 years of advocating, consulting community and fundraising came to fruition. 700 people throughout the day attended the grand opening of the 13,000 square foot all wheels park. There was an incredibly diverse group of people that came out to celebrate. People of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. It was so exciting to see how the park was being used both on the concrete and in the green spaces. There was so much excitement and support. Each day staff see the park being used from the early hours of the morning to the evening hours as the youth ride until the sun goes down.

The Emergency Preparedness Fair & Display was held in the JDF Arena and Seniors parking lots on May 7th. Emergency Services from the region hosted this event for the public that included an impressive display of equipment, dog demonstrations, Emergency Kit scavenger hunt and demonstrations with a number of activities geared towards children. This was the first event since COVID. Attendance was estimated at 500.

Upcoming events with WSPR staff in attendance with activity support include: Change Makers Gathering Festival, June 10th – Starlight Stadium National Indigenous Peoples Day, June 21st - Royal Roads Canada Day, July 1st – Starlight Stadium Canada Day, July 1st – View Royal Pink Salmon Festival, July 23rd Neighbourhood Nights, Tuesday evenings in July & Aug StoryWalks, Wednesday evenings in July & Aug

Grant Brown, administrator, highlighted/added the following from/to the report:

• Shamrocks home opener had 2,224 fans in attendance and food and beverage sales were higher than any single game in the previous season.
• We are waiving the rental fee for the Shamrocks game on June 24th due to the closure of the highway to Port Alberni where the game was originally scheduled. We are now hosting the game and our waived rental fees contribute to fundraising efforts for the fire relief fund. We will still earn food and beverage revenue.
• Swap & Shop is doing very well, seeing 1,000+ visitors on Sundays. It causes a massive strain on WSPRS parking around 10:30/11:00AM when the facility gets busy, so the special events team developed a parking plan and signage to mitigate complaints from patrons.

There was board discussion around the use of the facility and success of the Swap & Shop, as well as alternative locations if needed.

IN CAMERA

10. N/A

ADJOURNMENT

11. MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS DONALDSON AND GUIRY THAT THE MEETING BE ADJOURNED AT 8:29PM. CARRIED