Minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society Board of Directors Meeting - January 16, 2020

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society Board of Directors Meeting Thursday, January 16th, 2020 in the WSPR Boardroom

PRESENT: Directors Joe Martignago (Chair), Kim Anema, Loranne Hilton, Darren Kiedyk, Robert Earl

ABSENT: N/A

STAFF PRESENT: Sandy Clarke, Administrator Geoff Welham, Manager of Recreation Wade Davies, Manager of Operations Grant Brown, Manager of Finance Chantelle Bremner, Recorder Rob Wilson, Arena and Events Coordinator

PUBLIC PRESENT: N/A

CALL TO ORDER

1. The Chair called the meeting to order at 2:58pm.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

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

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

3. MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS HILTON AND EARL THAT THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING HELD DECEMBER 12TH, 2019 BE ADOPTED. NO ERRORS, NO OMMISIONS CARRIED

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

4. N/A

CHAIR’S REMARKS

5. Chair, Joe Martignago thanked Administrator, Sandy Clarke for her work during the two roles she held while at WSPR.

STANDING COMMITTEES

a) Strategic Plan Update

Acting Administrator, Sandy Clarke highlighted the following:

• The Strategic Plan has been updated to January 2020, with future action items noted in BOLD. This will be ready for the next CAO. Each year, a Staff Day is facilitated and an overview is presented of what has been accomplished from the Strategic Plan. In the fall of 2020, the board of directors and staff will review the priorities for the upcoming year and the information in the Strategic Plan. The updated Strategic Plan includes a document outlining key trends facing communities as discovered through a recent survey conducted by BCRPA.

b) Finance – Fees and Charges Report

Rob Wilson, Arena and Events Coordinator highlighted the following:

• The fees and charges are assessed each year based on other recreation centres in the region, usage levels, budgetary demands and other factors. Staff recommend a 2% average increase in most fee categories to match increases included in the 2020 budget.

There was a board discussion around what policies and guidelines are in place around setting the fees and charges each year.

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS ANEMA AND HILTON THAT THE PRESENTED 2020-2021 FEES AND CHARGES BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED. CARRIED

OLD BUSINESS

7. N/A

NEW BUSINESS

8. N/A

FOR INFORMATION

9. a) Administrator’s Report

Acting Administrator, Sandy Clarke highlighted the following:

Administration/Human Resources Since the exit of our CAO in June of 2017 a number of staff have been working in an acting capacity as the resulting shuffle of staff impacted 6 positions. Now that the CAO position is posted on a permanent basis we have been able to work with the Union and secure all staff into permanent positions. This decreases any uncertainty for staff and was welcome news for all that have been in the acting roles.

Pass sales were very strong in the month of December as patrons were holding off on renewing their pass due to the longer pool shutdown. Overall pass sales were up 11.8% at the end of December over 2018. The largest increases in pass sales were the annual pass (up 10.28%), family pass (up 6.90%) and regional pass (up 25.94%). We are seeing a trend towards purchasing longer term passes by our patrons.

Year-end preparation is under way. Finance staff began meeting with department heads and supervisors in early December to go over tasks, expectations and deadlines. Year-end timelines were sent out and reminders are emailed often. It is a very busy time of year for the finance team and the support of the other departments is greatly appreciated.

Operations Annual maintenance on the pool for 2019 was completed in late December, with the pool re-opening on December 27th after a 6 week closure. This year’s maintenance was longer than usual as the liner on the main pool tank was replaced. A new feature called SoftWalk was installed along with the new liner, which provides additional cushioning and joint support for rehabilitation, aquafit, and other pool fitness. In addition, signage in all pool and change room areas was replaced and repairs were done in the sauna, hot tub, equipment and staff areas. Also completed over the Christmas break was the replacement of the roof over the picnic shelter.

The Indoor Sports Complex is the next major project which is being installed by Cascadia Sports Systems during January 2-17, 2020. The grand opening of the space is tentatively scheduled for Monday, January 20th at 10 am. The arena staff team have spent the past few weeks preparing for the opening of the Indoor Sport Complex. There have been a number of stages involved with this process including setting rental fees, receiving requests from user groups, allocating the space fairly and efficiently, building the necessary components in PerfectMind, and preparing rental contracts. The turf portion of the ISC currently has 9 unique user groups booked into the space for approximately 41 hours of baseball, softball, and soccer use. The sport floor portion of the ISC is more program based and has 82.5 hours of weekly usage. The programs utilizing the space include Pickleball, Floor Hockey, Jazzercise, Wheelchair Sports, After School Care, Aikido, and Toddler Social. User groups such as Boccia, Softball, and Figure Skating have also booked time.

Programs Staff met with members of the newly formed Westshore Pickleball Association to discuss the groups desire to have more indoor and outdoor pickleball courts on the West Shore. Staff shared information about the drop-in programs that will begin upon opening of the ISC as well as rental availability and fees. Staff also passed along contact information for the management team at the PFC Indoor Fieldhouse who are also looking at building indoor pickleball courts.

Winter break camps over the December holidays saw 262 children enjoy a variety of activities including skating, swimming, sports in the ISC, crafts and out trips to local parks and beaches.

In the Weight Room and Fitness Studio, new equipment was installed in December to replace equipment which had reached the end of its lifespan. New spin bikes, recumbent bikes, a new rowing machine, and an air assault bike are now in use and have received positive feedback from gym users and cycling class participants.

Winter 2020 pool and fitness registration is very strong with waitlists in a number of courses. Where possible, staff have worked over the holidays to create additional classes and accommodate as many waitlisted individuals as possible. New Aquatic and Fitness staff have also been hired in order to meet growing demand for programs in both areas.

As part of the Physical Literacy for Communities grant WSPR organized and hosted 5 Physical literacy based workshops over the last couple of months. These included:

• NCCP Fundamental Movement Skills Workshop – 14 people
• Physical Literacy Movement Preparation - 17 people
• PL501 – Physical Literacy Development for Participants with Disabilities – 27 people
• High 5 – Principle of Healthy Child Development – 23 people
• Quality Physical Literacy Experiences – 18 people

Attendees came from all over the CRD and represented organizations such as WSPR, PISE, UVIC, SEAPARC, Oaklands Community Centre, James Bay community Centre, Rogers Out of school care, OneAbility and Victoria Baseball. Many attendees took the whole workshop series which is a national, blended e-learning and in-person training experience that provides the opportunity to become a recognized physical literacy instructor. The purpose of the four training modules is to equip front-line physical activity workers with the ability to design and deliver quality programs that effectively enhance the development of physical literacy in their programs.

The Ministry of Children and Family Development gave WSPR an early Christmas present with the confidential announcement that WSPR was the recipient of $2,799,456.00 for the creation of 40 new licensed afterschool child care spaces. The funding, along with the 1 million already received through UBCM for 24 new licensed daycare spaces and 20 new licensed preschool spaces, will transform the upper JDF Rec Centre into the JDF Child Care Centre. Staff will begin the RFP process in January/February to hire a Project Manager.

WSPR staff and the Westshore Skatepark Coalition presented to Metchosin Mayor and Council on Monday, December 16, 2019. There was some good discussion and a number of community members spoke in support of the skatepark. Metchosin Mayor and council agreed to the project in principal and will have further discussions during budget conversations in February 2020. Mayor and council also put forward that letters be written (by Metchosin Council) to the MLAs and Ministry of Education to encourage financial support. The final two presentations will occur in January for the District Of Highlands and the Town of View Royal.

FOR INFORMATION ONLY

Administrator, Sandy Clarke showed the board of directors a video that was put together to showcase the desire by the community and the West Shore Skatepark Coalition for a skatepark in the West Shore.

Discussion was had among the board of directors regarding the ownership of the skatepark, timeline for generating funding and determining whether it is a WSPR-led or West Shore Skatepark Coalition led project. If it is a WSPR-led project, it makes sense to add it to the 5 Year Capital and Operating Plan.

The board of directors asked staff to generate a report including the total estimate amount for the completion of the project, the amount intending to be fundraised, and what is expected financially from councils.

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS ANEMA AND KIEDYK THAT A STAFF REPORT BE WRITTEN WHICH RECOMMENDS ADDING THE SKATEPARK TO THE CAPITAL AND OPERATING PLAN FOR 2021 FOR CONSIDERATION. CARRIED *Note – It was suggested that the options for funding the skatepark would still need to be reviewed.

IN CAMERA

10. N/A

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS KIEDYK AND EARL THAT THE MEETING MOVE IN CAMERA AND THAT THE STAFF STAY. 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 3.(2) of the Board Policy shall be excluded on the basis of section 1.(2)(b) negotiations between West Shore Parks & Recreation Society and a third party. CARRIED

Chair, Joe Martignago asked members of the public to leave for the duration of the in camera session.

ADJOURNMENT

11. MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS HILTON AND EARL THAT THE MEETING BE ADJOURNED AT 4:37PM. CARRIED