Recreation Facilities Allocation Process be approved.

2:30:17So there is no presentation on this one, but uh, miss Evans. Did you have any comments you wanted to make before we go into it?

2:30:28Uh chair dana. Yes. Thank you. Um, I would just take a moment

2:30:32To say good afternoon again, and uh, I guess for anybody just jumping in remind you that i'm still dana

2:30:38The general manager of culture and recreation. Um, we're here to um speak to the Sleeman centers operating model

2:30:44Sleeman center is positioned to be an anchor sports and entertainment facility of the downtown by offering events year round

2:30:51Working with promoters and presenting arts and entertainment season

2:30:55Our researchers showed opportunities for new programming and events to increase access exposure and entertainment usage to the Sleeman center

2:31:03We've heard great things about opportunities for music and country

2:31:07alternative rock sports tourism film and television and even virtual and gaming shows and competitions

2:31:15By booking our own events creating partnerships and building relationships with commercial and community partners

2:31:21Sleeman center can grow and decrease dependency on the tax base

2:31:25With experience in programming

2:31:28Shows and events across the department. We can book artists and choose events

2:31:32But also have the having the knowledge to understand the potential risks associated with increased size

2:31:38Scale and scope of the Sleeman center

2:31:41Timing for this change does align to the opening of the south end community center later this fall

2:31:47Creating more ice time across these two new ice pads

2:31:50Currently Sleeman center books season long contracts with community users from september to march

2:31:57Essentially locking us in to ice time over a six five or six month period

2:32:01We are not removing rental opportunities for sports groups. The proposed change looks to reduce how far in advance groups can book

2:32:09This would normally just limit the timing of seasonal long contracts

2:32:14Consistently weekly games and practices could be best fitted in other arenas with no risk of signal or sorry schedule changes

2:32:22For other events at the Sleeman center. There is greater flexibility for organization on other types of uses

2:32:28We want organizations to continue to book ice time for camps training and practices

2:32:34We hope groups will continue to book for larger events such as tournaments and championships and these can be booked farther in advance

2:32:41Regular changes are very disruptive to users, especially across the youth sports organizations

2:32:47We acknowledge the changes can be less disruptive to an all adult league play and we'll continue this programming as well

2:32:54We are aligned to the timing of the recreation facility allocation process update

2:32:58One of these items is to in the implement

2:33:02Implementation strategy of this report speaks to optimizing our scheduling

2:33:07Along with updates on how much time is changed or canceled and the standardization of blocks of times

2:33:13We can increase overall availability

2:33:15Small adjustments can utilize or eliminate unused blocks in the middle of an evening expanding our prime time ice usage

2:33:23Next we will engage with community groups to optimize these prime time hours and align

2:33:29Timing and fit for all facilities

2:33:32Both initiatives will increase available time across the whole system reducing the impact of changes at Sleeman center

2:33:39Though currently on average there is 30 hours a week of youth ice time booked at the Sleeman center when there isn't storm games or practices

2:33:46Or other events happening

2:33:48After the city schedule programming, we've identified there will be just over 130 additional prime time ice hours at the south end community center's double ice pad

2:33:58We have heard there is a greater need for more ice time and wealth

2:34:02The needs assessment accompanying the development of the south end community center calls for one more additional ice pad by

2:34:092033 so based on the current usage and predictive targets of per capita numbers

2:34:15This accounts for the current five recreation rinks and the two more rinks that will come along online this fall at the south end

2:34:22And then calls for an eighth ice pad

2:34:25These needs assessments did not take into account any ice at the Sleeman center nor the two pads at the university of wealth

2:34:33Once the south end community center opens and we settle in we will engage with community on

2:34:38Arenas usage reviewing availability standalone arenas and time at the university of wealth

2:34:44It is anticipated that upgrades or renovations to centennial and exhibition arenas may be

2:34:50Recommended and these optimizations along with ice time at the university could carry us beyond the 2033 target

2:34:58We do not have data at the moment or funding

2:35:01In the forecast we can't speak to the current participation numbers of the growth or projections of any one organization

2:35:08And we aren't involved in how they manage their current ice time

2:35:13This year we will do some further work at Sleeman center including creating an event plan

2:35:19Developing marketing strategy and designing allocation and booking timelines

2:35:24We also will be expanding the budget

2:35:26With expensive for artist fees production and marketing does come new costs

2:35:31But with this new programming and larger scale events does also come revenue an updated budget will be submitted

2:35:38With the 2027 confirmation budget later this year into early 27

2:35:43Sleeman center has relied on a tax supported funding of up to 1.6 million annually

2:35:50New changes and updates to the budget and event planning will not

2:35:53Exceed this tax support and in fact in the coming years. We are committed to reducing the tax need or the burden

2:36:01The motions before you are to request to allow staff to negotiate rates and fees or events at Sleeman center

2:36:07Where we can hope to recover a greater profit from a successful event

2:36:12We've proposed a strategy to increase the capital reserve fund to up to three dollars a ticket to support facility

2:36:19infrastructure enhance customer experiences and create revenue generating opportunities

2:36:25And the motion proposed is also to remove the youth facility discount on rentals at Sleeman center and only Sleeman center

2:36:33This reduction or a discount on rent currently at

2:36:3742 and a half percent will continue to be offered at other recreation and park facilities

2:36:43Youth groups that book tournaments or training at Sleeman center would then still be charged the full amount or the normal rental amount

2:36:51We will ensure that organizations have time to plan and budget for these special events

2:36:56I am joined and would ask

2:36:59Sleeman manager, uh, ryan giles, um to join me if there's any further questions and conversation

2:37:05Thank you

2:37:06Thank you. Ms. Evans. Can we go back first to the the recommendation from the

2:37:13For the recreation facilities allocation process update

2:37:18And and you've given one a presentation that sort of covers both of these but we hadn't voted on that one first

2:37:23So are there any questions on the first?

2:37:27report on that first report

2:37:30Council coran. Yeah for item 15.1. Yes. Yeah, okay. Um, thank you and thank you as

2:37:36Chair downer said the

2:37:39Presentation really encompass both of these correlated items. So I'm glad to have the whole context in answering my questions

2:37:47Regarding specifically 15.1

2:37:50So one of the things that we've been hearing from the community in the last couple of days is

2:37:55Just allocation of time

2:37:58And that many of them are going outside of the city to be able to get ice time

2:38:03That um, and I recognize that actually in your report, you said there's a perception of exclusion from certain sports and

2:38:12Preference for one sport over the other in the allocation

2:38:14So I do recognize that one of the purposes the goals behind this new policy is

2:38:21greater predictability

2:38:23greater equity

2:38:25And greater efficiency in how

2:38:27Facility allocation is done

2:38:30So my question has to do with with the engagement piece because

2:38:34This recommendation is just to go out and do that engagement. Is this can you just give an overview of?

2:38:41For those who are watching because I know there's a lot of interest in the community in how that engagement

2:38:45What is going to look like when it's going to happen? What are the timelines?

2:38:50and

2:38:51Everything that you said in your presentation is predicated on the opening of the south end

2:38:55community center

2:38:57How that engagement is going to align with the opening of that facility and and and the allocation of

2:39:03ice time specifically in those twin pads

2:39:07Through the chair to cancer crown. I feel like we're mushing these reports a little bit

2:39:12I will we can answer as the system as a whole for sure

2:39:16I would ask

2:39:18Miss pizziola to come down and join us. She may have a little bit more. We have done a robust

2:39:23Engagement with our community users as it relates to facility allocation. We worked

2:39:30We worked with a consultant a point of privilege

2:39:35We don't tolerate inappropriate behavior within the chambers

2:39:38So what I would ask that anybody here be respectful of staff

2:39:42And anybody speaking just as you would expect that if you were up at the podium speaking

2:39:50Thank you back through the chair counselor cron

2:39:53There has been engagement with community users not with the community as a whole

2:39:57around

2:39:59That piece around where they would like to see what they think might be fair

2:40:04And patty's learning sort of specific more questions that you could answer

2:40:11Who yeah, maybe a couple examples of who we engaged with on the facility allocation report would be helpful

2:40:17Thank you

2:40:20We did

2:40:21consult

2:40:22Through a survey link in the fall. We also conducted we had worked with our consultants and we conducted a number of interviews

2:40:32specifically with

2:40:33existing user groups as well as

2:40:36Potential user groups and we did some engagement through the have your say

2:40:44Okay, so moving forward then I know that we have we have user groups and we have

2:40:50Associations like the gulf youth sports

2:40:53Like a larger organization that represents all the different

2:40:57Associations from soccer to hockey the gymnastics all the different groups

2:41:00so

2:41:02When you say user groups

2:41:03It's every single facility every single user group was sent an invitation or was it through their through their representative association?

2:41:11Through the chair we worked with our main contacts and tried to address

2:41:17representatives of boards so of our current users

2:41:20And then a general survey so there was some one-on-one sort of more in-depth conversations with direct with a consultant

2:41:27So folks wouldn't feel like they needed to not say or do say something

2:41:31So we're looking for that open response

2:41:33And then some general surveys that then the organization who utilizes our program and so they were asked questions as well

2:41:40About how easy is it is it cumbersome? What's involved in returning time?

2:41:44And so we were really looking at the

2:41:47The administrative side

2:41:49From an allocation point of view not how folks are using our facilities

2:41:54Okay, thanks

2:41:56And as a council we're always looking for when we change a policy or a practice we're looking for a measurable outcome

2:42:04If our goals are predictability equity and efficiency, how will we measure that when we have the new facility?

2:42:13Allocation policy in place

2:42:15Uh through the council unless there's anything to add I'll start

2:42:19definitely looking

2:42:21At facility optimization and we'll be able to report about how much sort of new time that we found not just in the growth of

2:42:29The development of the south end community center, which we're looking at certainly from an ice prime time

2:42:34We know it's going to be over 130 more hours a week into the system

2:42:38But where is their optimization?

2:42:40So we have prime time hours now and is there adjustments that can be made into more consistent blocks of time?

2:42:47So we don't what we call burn or lose

2:42:50A half hour in the middle

2:42:52And can groups move to facilities that then next give them a better fit

2:42:57To open up fit otherwise there are some

2:43:00Organizations who now are spread thin on either coaches administration or even referees in the ice world

2:43:07Because they're working out of two facilities

2:43:08So can they come to a double ice pad and now find those efficiencies for themselves and thus giving more opportunity for their youth in this example?

2:43:17But there's definitely other sort of pieces related to that

2:43:20We haven't defined all of those pieces yet and we will certainly continue those conversations with our user groups as well

2:43:30One last question and it's kind of a future forward. There are always emerging

2:43:35Sports recreation

2:43:38organizations

2:43:39You know over the last 10 years we've seen higher increased

2:43:44Requests for everything from pickleball to cricket. Are there any other emerging?

2:43:49Sports not just youth but adult as well that

2:43:53Council should be aware of as we move forward in our

2:43:56change in facility allocation

2:44:00Uh through the chair, I would imagine that there is lots of amazing sports if we google new sport

2:44:07There's definitely

2:44:09mash-ups

2:44:10Happening between soccer and ping pong taking place on a larger court. I forgot the name at the moment

2:44:16And then certainly more locally. We're seeing some greater uptake

2:44:20In different accessibility sports some interest of wheelchair basketball in our community as well as sledge hockey

2:44:27the

2:44:28South End community center has some different features to support sledge hockey with some plexi

2:44:35Boards so that you can still stay in your sledge and be able to see when you're in your team bench for instance

2:44:41Thanks

2:44:44Thank you

2:44:47Thank you. I just wanted to kind of add to what councillor Caron has talked about around the community engagement

2:44:54um, I volunteer with the poverty group and I I

2:44:58participated in the survey on behalf of that west end ward 4 kind of community group and just

2:45:04Really want to thank the staff because it's a one-time booking for a free skate with santa that has a huge

2:45:11Impact for the kids that don't get to see santa. Don't know how to skate

2:45:15We've got donated skates and so on and just want to thank the staff for extending the survey and really working with the

2:45:22group

2:45:23The group to make an impact for these kids

2:45:26And so one is for the engagement. Thank you for that

2:45:29But also to stress from my perspective more of an arts music kind of cultural that this is more than sports

2:45:36And and I appreciate this report because it creates that space for other not skating on ice

2:45:43You know ice capades in my old days kind of thing but but that opportunity for that to happen

2:45:49So I really want to just say thank you for that and I really appreciate all this work

2:45:55Thank you. Are there any other questions on 15.1?

2:45:59Good to put somebody put the motion on the floor councillor lucid tails sector by councillor Goller

2:46:05Is there anyone opposed to that motion?

2:46:08And that's the recreational

2:46:10recreation facilities allocation process be approved

2:46:14Okay, that passes. Thank you

2:46:16Okay, we're going to go on to the next that next item that we've had the presentation that covered both of these now

2:46:23And it was the Sleeman center operating model