Minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Board Meeting - March 9, 2023

Call to Order

1. The chair called the meeting to order at 5:33pm.

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 GUIRY AND DONALDSON THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING HELD FEBRUARY 9TH, 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) Parks department presentation
   Bryan Wood presented a PowerPoint presentation that highlighted the following:

• Team composition:

  • parks supervisor
  • assistant greenskeeper
  • mechanic
  • irrigation tech
  • horticulturist
  • F/T parks worker
  • two P/T parks workers
  • two summer attendants

• Facilities include:

  • Grass fields

  • Baseball diamonds

  • Lawn bowls *four bowls – one of the only ones in Canada like it

  • Velodrome/turf

  • Lacrosse box

  • Tennis courts/pickleball courts

  • Beach Volleyball Courts

  • Basketball Courts

  • Play parks

  • Cenotaph

  • Jogging trail *converted from chip trail to gravel 10 years ago – usage increased since then

  • 9-hole golf course

  • Lights available for most outdoor spaces

  • All spaces can be multipurposed i.e. child soccer on lawn bowls

• Assets – 120 pieces of equipment - $3.2 million dollars in value

  • Sprayer – new equipment cuts the spraying time of the fields to 6 hours
  • Mower
  • Backhoe
  • Asphalt cutter and rough cutter
  • Snow removal equipment – 1.5 km of sidewalks to blow
  • Lights controlled by manual controls or electrical panels
  • Generators
  • Irrigation pipe
  • Satellite controls the sprinkler heads
  • Blow irrigation out in winter
  • Maintain water pipes
  • Drain lines
  • Sewer system
  • Flora and Fauna
    • Bat boxes
    • Bluebird boxes
    • Mason bee boxes

• Capital 2023

  • Looking at resurfacing the tennis courts
  • Replacing a variable speed motor

The board discussed showcasing the flora and fauna to the public through social media and commended parks on their manicured gardens.

PARKS STAFF LEFT THE MEETING AT 6:01PM.

8. b) Major User Group Statistics
   Grant Brown commented on the following:

• Usage stats provided by both hours and revenue
  • The highest user groups based on hours:
    • Drop-in users
    • JDF Soccer
• Improving and customizing our reports to provide better reporting

8. c) Tennis Club of Canada Proposal
   Grant Brown, administrator, commented on the following:

WSPR approached by the Tennis Club of Canada to consider the addition of a bubble during winter months. The following items were noted:

• Operate air structured tents in the East – looking to expand to the West and considered WSPR due to its growing community and that the current courts are outside.
• Would turn the courts from a 7–8-month facility into a 12-month facility.
• The Tennis Club of Canada would be responsible for all costs associated while the bubble was up including setup and tear down, storage onsite or offsite, programming, and operations. WSPR would be responsible for ensuring that electricity hook-ups would be made available.
• Program revenue split potential and possible remediation of courts by the club.
• The bubble can be made longer should the outline of the current courts change or other facilities needing coverage be added.
• The life of the courts will be extended by covering them during the winter months.
• Great reviews of the club and the bubble given by a current user in Ontario.

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS JANTZEN AND GUIRY THAT THE WSPRS STAFF PURSUE THE OPPORTUNITY WITH THE TENNIS CLUB OF CANADA FURTHER.
CARRIED

8. d) BC Growing Communities Fund
   Grant Brown, administrator, commented on the following:

WSPR wanted to provide options within the recreation industry that could benefit from a portion of the funding being received by each municipality.

• The addition of outdoor pickleball courts
• Upgrades to the pool
• Twinning the arena

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS GUIRY AND ANDERSON THAT WSPRS STAFF PROVIDE THEIR TOP PICK, GIVING ALL 5 MUNICIPALITIES A UNIFIED ASK WHEN APPROACHING COUNCILS.
CARRIED

For Information

9. a) Skatepark update
   Geoff Welham, manager of recreation, commented on the following:

• The project is behind by two weeks due to the loss of two concrete shapers, but the construction team is working hard to complete the project by March 31st.
• The grand opening is scheduled for late May.
• All finances for the project will be completed by March 31st which is the timeline provided by the federal government.
• A washroom in the bottom of the Fieldhouse will be made public for the skaters.
• An RFP for programming for the skatepark has been posted.

The board and staff discussed when the skatepark would be made available to the public and it was concluded that after curing of the concrete has been completed giving a tentative timing of the end of April.

9. b) Administrator’s report
   Grant Brown, administrator, commented on the following:

Administration/Human Resources

• The skatepark project is now moving into the installation of the forms and first concrete pours. The three sections of the park are becoming recognizable. Three teams from NewLine Skateparks are onsite to assist with keeping the project on track.
• Currently 5 procurement competitions are in progress. A Request for Expressions of Interest was held to short list vendors for the offering of sport programs. Four potential vendors were selected and have been invited to a closed Request for Proposal (RFP) process which closes March 8th. Three additional RFPs have been posted to BCBid:
  • one seeking a consultant to review and cost potential pickleball court sites on Society property,
  • a second seeking a vendor to operate out of the old Café space,
  • an invitation seeking a vendor to provide catering services for onsite rentals, making use of the Fieldhouse kitchen.
• An Invitation to Quote has been posted for the pool and fitness area roof replacement work.
• The finance team has continued working on the 2022 year-end. KPMG will be onsite the week of March 6th to conduct the annual audit and working with staff to finalize the 2022 financial statements by March 31st. KPMG staff will present the audit finding report and financial statements at the April board meeting.
• The human resources manager conducted a training session with twelve supervisors on the Society’s Recover at Work program. Key points of the program as well as the steps to take from the time a staff member is injured to fully recovered were addressed. Job descriptions are being developed for a few new roles in human resources and reception to increase operational support. Furthermore, all open labour relation items have been addressed and are awaiting union response.

Operations

Maintenance

• February saw safety work addressed as the annual fire safety equipment inspection was completed and the wind flags at both arenas were replaced as the old ones were ripped.
• Exterior receptacles have been inventoried and are being disconnected or covered to discourage campers from using our power onsite.
• The pool alarm panel had a new antenna installed to repair an ongoing communication issue.
• Yearly maintenance continues as staff moved into the Fieldhouse for its annual shut down. To reduce costs on the skatepark project and to meet the funding responsibilities, the lower Fieldhouse washrooms were shut down for updates as the floor, walls and counters received upgrades, with the work done by staff.
• Prep work has started for the pool shut down. There are some large items that will be addressed during the 3 weeks, including the installation of a climbing wall, removal of the diving board and a filter change to the leisure pool.
• Compressor #1 in the JDF Arena compressor room was rebuilt and the JDF 55+ Centre deck now has a new roof with new flashing all around.
• A few pieces of equipment broke down and required immediate attention including:
  • heat pump 2 at the Library which had a frozen coil due to a small leak (this was repaired and recharged),
  • heat pump 6 and heat pump 4 at the library had their economizers calibrated for correct operation to provide adequate fresh air and cooling in the mechanical service area,
  • the thermometer for the JDF plant compressor cooling pump and the return brine were replaced with digital units,
  • the pool reception entrance pot lights were repaired as they had a dead short in the conductor,
  • the exterior lights around the pool failed due to a dead short underground; a tech cable was installed to bypass the short and get the lights working again,
  • the Upper Clubhouse had its wheelchair ramp rebuilt due to rot.
• The process of filling maintenance positions that started in 2021 is almost at an end. Two important positions, including a new refrigeration operator, have now been filled and only one vacant position remains.

Parks

• Parks is gearing up for spring as seasonal staff return and fertilizing greens, top dressing, and over seeding starts. Fields continue to be deep tined for the month and will be done again in the coming weeks, which helps with recovery and drainage. Our horticulturalist has started to plant trees along the JDF Arena and the library.
• The lawn bowl project has restarted as the crew completes the replacement of the retaining wood (plinth and back boards) that encompasses the pitches.
• Project work also started on the ball diamond fencing and infield to meet the needs of Triangle Little League.
• Our irrigation specialist has installed the new main line irrigation to the skate park in preparation for landscaping around the skate park. Staff will be doing this work to reduce project costs and enhance the design.
• One of the three pump motors for the irrigation system has been removed and is being rebuilt, work is also being done on the Variable Fan Drive computers that control the speed of the motors.
• The Parks mechanic is fixing a couple of issues that have come up on fleet vehicles including the replacement of the cylinder head on the Zamboni, suspension on a golf cart and some body damage on one of the buses.
• The Parks Supervisor attended the Western Turfgrass Association conference. Presentations included:
  • Dr. John Sorchan (University of Tennessee) – NFLPA director of player safety, consulting on FIFA World Cup stadiums for World Cup 2026.
  • Dr. Clint Mattox (USDA) – discussed the use evolution of herbicides and industry trends.
  • New technology showcased companies using lasers guided by AI to kill weeds.

Programs

Community Recreation

• Afterschool Care program:
  • In January, welcomed 9 new children from John Stubbs, Ruth King, David Cameron and Savory schools.
  • In February, welcomed 5 new children from John Stubbs, Eagle View and Wishart Schools.
  • Registration for the Afterschool Care Program for September 2023-June 2024 begins on Wednesday March 1st running until Sunday, March 12th for current families, siblings, and current day-care or preschool families. New family’s registration will start on April 19th.
  • Program can accommodate up to 140 children and services 8 different schools in the Westshore community.
• Youth nights average 93 youth attending Friday night activities.
• New youth registered programs such as fitness, pickleball and dodgeball are running; dodgeball is at full capacity.
• Youth programmer attended the regional Middle Years Youth Strategy Planning session with the Village Initiative.
• In February, hosted 35 kindergarten students for an Aspiring Artists pottery field trip.
• Art-focused birthday parties at Centennial Centre:
  • 5 scheduled in January and February and another 5 booked in March.
• Pottery studio currently has 75 members registered in drop-in pottery and Open Studio time; the studio is full and will not be welcoming any new members until May 2023.
• French programming restarted in the day-care and preschool programs with Madame Estelle from the Société Francophone de Victoria visiting each program for 30 minutes, every other week — supported by a $7,500 grant from the Province of BC, Francophone Affairs Program.
• Preschool registration for the 2023/24 school year was available online for the first time. Registration took place on February 21st for current 2022/23 families; new families can register commencing March 6th. One third of the sports available were filled on day one of registration.

Fitness and Weights

• Large, sustained surge in attendance in both the weightroom and group fitness classes. Average weightroom attendance during peak times has reached 87 participants at a time.
• Aquafit classes continue to grow with record high attendance peaking at 67 participants in the regular Shallow Fit class.
• Increased demand for youth weightroom orientations (Regional Youth Weightroom Orientation for ages 13-15).
• Fitness & Weights department hosted a staff in-service on February 16th including a session on the new Olympic Lifting platform with presenter Chris Hinton, Performance Coordinator at the Pacific Institute for Sport Education.

Aquatics

• On Family Day (February 20th), WSPR hosted a free swim with participation around 200 swimmers.
• Staff welcomed 3 new aquatic staff; more hires expected by end of February.
• Swimming lessons are about half-way through the current lesson set; staff focusing on communicating results with parents and creating end of season evaluation material.
• Spring break schedules being finalized, focusing on Swim Club rentals and public swims.
• Preparing for the 3-week pool maintenance closure running April 3rd to 23rd.

Arena, Events and Golf

• Golf course: 1,502 rounds in January (7th best January since 1999). February started with 757 rounds in the first 15 days.
• Grizzlies game on February 4th vs Penticton Vees drew over 800 people; Grizzlies won in a shootout.
• Wolves and Grizzlies planned spring Identification camps for April.
• Minor hockey playoffs underway; Juan de Fuca U15 Tier 1 and U18 Tier 1 advanced to Island finals.
• Skating staff halfway through lesson set and preparing spring break programs.
• Birthday party rental options introduced in January (space rental or rental with a host) and have been popular.
• Spring and summer rental request deadline has closed with a high number of requests.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

• The JDF Seniors Association has reached a membership of 1,044 members.
• A grant funding request through the CPRA for a maximum of $14,000 has been submitted to support a youth employment experience program. WSPR has been successful twice with this funding in 2021 and 2022.
• The youth employment experience will include interactions with:
  • sport and community user groups
  • arts and culture events and programming
  • community partners such as School District 62, Island Health, Indigenous communities, ethnocultural and equity seeking groups and youth service providers
  • interactions with specialists in skateboarding, sport and fitness
  • opportunities to collaborate with their peers
  • onsite partners such as the JDF 55+ Centre, WildPlay and the Greater Victoria Library
• WSPR staff participated in a BCRPA Strategic Snapshot session on EDI. The session can be viewed via:
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFTksvN6BUc&list=PLlpCcbxOKD6nDuzdBxyg8ZwWI0lNx8a8j&index=2

Grant Brown, administrator, verbally added to the report:

• Grant for $27,000 received from Fortis for energy study which will enable reheat claim opportunities for the pool.
• An AEW Wrestling event may occur during late summer/early fall.
• Next round of registration is on April 5th for general courses, April 12th for preschool aquatics and April 13th for school age and adult aquatics.
• Heavy usage within the fitness gym continues.
• RFPs currently posted for café operation and preferred catering services and an ITQ for the replacement of the pool roof.

In Camera

10. MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS GUIRY AND ANDERSON THAT THE MEETING MOVE IN CAMERA.
    CARRIED

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.

WSPRS STAFF (GEOFF WELHAM, RON DIETRICH, WEI WU AND APRIL LUNCHINSKI) LEFT THE MEETING AT 6:39PM.

Adjournment

11. MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS ANDERSON AND GUIRY THAT THE MEETING BE ADJOURNED AT 7:17PM.
    CARRIED