PARKS FOUNDATION, CALGARY 2016 ANNUAL REPORT Contents 1 About Us & Our Mission 2 Letter from the Chair & Executive Director 4 Board of Governors & PFC Committees 5 Staff 6 Rotary/Mattamy Greenway 12 Bench Dedication Program 13 Conceptual Drawing Grant 14 Project Gift Administration 16 Building Communities Program 17 Amateur Sport Grant Program 18 The John Currie Amateur Sport Legacy Fund 19 Art Smith Amateur Sport Legacy Fund 20 Jack Leslie Youth Environment Award 21 Donors 28 Donations 29 Letter from the Finance Committee 30 2016 Financials Parks Foundation Calgary 2016 Annual Report Parks Foundation Calgary 2016 Annual Report Our Mission We make Calgary a great city for its residents and guests by enhancing healthy lifestyle enjoyment through providing easily accessible, unique, recreational, sport and green spaces in our community. About Us Parks Foundation Calgary (PFC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all Calgarians. Since its establishment in 1985, as an agent for The City of Calgary, PFC has been supporting our communities by assisting individuals, organizations and groups that wish to create the City’s public spaces. We bring together all levels of government, corporate partners, individual donors and charitable organizations to ensure that new parks and public spaces are developed and amateur sport is encouraged. In its three-decade history it has envisioned, funded and made happen more than $200 million worth of legacy projects - this includes the largest project in its three-decade history, the Rotary-Mattamy Greenway. When complete, the Greenway will link to more than 1,000km of existing pathways, making it the longest urban pathway and park system in the world. The Greenway is open to every citizen, but directly links 55 different neighbourhoods and more than 400,000 residents. PFC also led development of Shaw Millennium Park, North America’s largest free outdoor skatepark located in downtown Calgary and Calgary Rotary Challenger Park, a barrier-free meeting and recreational facility accessible to all people regardless of age or ability. Parks Foundation Calgary has also built more than 130 new playgrounds in every sector of the city, focusing on neighbourhoods that don’t have the finances to build them and has disbursed more than $12 million for amateur sport through a two-decade-old partnership with the Calgary Flames and Saddledome Foundation. Parks Foundation Calgary 2016 Annual Report 1 From the Chair & Executive Director We are pleased to report that 2016 was another very successful year at Parks Foundation Calgary. Our initiatives continued to enhance the lifestyles of thousands of resident Calgarians and visitors to our great city by providing easily accessible recreational, sport and green spaces in our various communities. As was previously announced, our CEO Myrna Dubé- friends by sponsoring benches located in Calgary’s Thompson retired at the end of 2016. Myrna’s hard parks and pathways through the Parks Foundation’s work and inspiration over the past nine years have Bench Dedication Program. In all, 88 benches were resulted in many accomplishments. We sincerely sponsored, making 2016 one of our top years for thank Myrna for her past contributions and the program. successes while at the Parks Foundation, and wish During 2016, the 138 kilometre Rotary/Mattamy her well in her retirement. Greenway continued its eight year journey towards At the beginning of 2017, we were excited to completion. Pathway and amenity construction announce the arrival of Parks Foundation’s new progressed in several areas, most recently with the Executive Director, Sheila Taylor. Sheila has a passion for the city of Calgary and promoting a healthy lifestyle. This passion has already begun to “Our continued success benefit both the Parks Foundation and those who interact with our organization. is a direct result of Parks Foundation Calgary also saw a change at the relationships with board table. After providing exceptional leadership and guidance at PFC over the past five years as communities, individuals, Board Chair, John (JR) Houghton stepped down in March 2017 and turned over the reins to Don Baird. organizations and all levels Don is an experienced Parks Foundation Board of Governors member and a past member of the Parks of government” Foundation Finance Committee who is passionate about what the foundation has to offer the city Tourmaline Fitness Park in Point McKay opening at of Calgary. the end of 2016. The largest project in the Parks With the assistance of the Building Communities Foundation’s history, the Rotary/Mattamy Greenway Program, 19 playgrounds were constructed in 2016, was made possible by our partners, notably title bringing the joy of play to children throughout sponsors Rotary Clubs of Calgary and Mattamy Calgary. In the eight years since its inception, Homes. Calgary area home developers were also this program has contributed to 130 successful key donors, providing in-kind building support community projects. The Parks Foundation’s for a significant portion of this project. Only ten Amateur Sport Grant Program was again popular kilometres of the Rotary/Mattamy Greenway remain with 19 grants being approved. Many Calgarians to be finished, with the final $2 million in required chose to leave a legacy for their families and funding subject to outstanding funding applications. Parks Foundation Calgary 2 2016 Annual Report On September 2nd, 2017 Parks Foundation is hosting and enthusiastic event champions who have all an event celebrating the Rotary/Mattamy Greenway generously given their time, Parks Foundation and Canada’s 150th birthday. We hope you can join offers its sincere thanks. We also want to recognize us in celebrating this iconic Calgary project. and thank the staff at Parks Foundation for their dedication and hard work, without which all the We will soon break ground on the David Richardson exceptional things we do at Parks Foundation Memorial Disc Golf Park, located in the community would not be possible. Together we have, and will of Royal Vista. This eighteen tee tournament level continue to, achieve great things for the city course will be one of the best in Western Canada. of Calgary. Parks Foundation is also currently fundraising for the Manmeet Singh Bhullar Park located in Taradale, With over thirty years of service to Calgarians, Parks a manicured park connected to the Rotary/Mattamy Foundation is proud to play a role in making our city Greenway in Northeast Calgary. one of the best places in the world to live and visit. We hope to see you in 2017 taking part in one of our Our continued success is a direct result of events or celebrating another key milestone. relationships with communities, individuals, organizations and all levels of government. Parks Sincerely, Foundation wishes to thank the City of Calgary, the Government of Alberta, the Government of Don Baird, Chair of the Board of Governors Canada, our Fundraising Chairman Jim Davidson, our Sheila Taylor, Executive Director Patrons Council, and the many other organizations, corporations and individuals who supported us during the year. To our volunteers, Board of Governors, Finance Committee, Amateur Sport Grant Committee, Advisory Council, playground construction teams Parks Foundation Calgary 2016 Annual Report 3 Board of Governors Back Row (left to right): Emma May, Anne Charlton, Kim Koss Front Row (left to right): Kristin Yarish, Jim Davidson, Don Baird, Frederick Nicholson, Mark Terrill, Ian Playfair 2016 Dave Ardell Sherry Austin Don Baird Anne Charlton Jim Davidson Committees Mary Federau Gregory Forrest Finance Committee: Frederick Nicholson, Chair John Houghton Ian Playfair (Past Chair), Don Baird, Mark W. Fletcher, Kim Koss Robert Harper, David Inhaber, Brian M. MacInnis, Keith MacLeod M. Blake Walker, John Zeller Gerry McHugh Bob Nasser Saddledome Amateur Sport Committee: Dave Ardell, Chair Frederick Nicholson Ryan Boyd, Perry Cavanagh, Greg Dycke, Greg Forrest, Ian Playfair Tanya Kahanoff, Julie McSweeny, Sue Scott Patricia Steele Advisory Council Mark Terrill Gordon Brown, Walter Chayka, Terry Hawitt, Jean Hendry, Kristin Yarish Al Schreiner, Bill Selby Joined in 2017 Patrons Council: Jim Davidson, Chair Emma May Scott Bratt, Vincent Chahley, Paul Colborne, John Dielwart, Dr. Chen Fong, John Langille, Ron Poelzer, Ruth Ramsden-Wood, Scott Saxberg Parks Foundation Calgary 4 2016 Annual Report Staff From left to right: Karla Gervais, Dolores Sakauye, Alyshia Auston, Sheila Taylor, Sheila Ferguson, Sara Stepa, Stephen Duncan Alyshia Auston, Communications & Amateur Sport Grant Manager Myrna Dubé-Thompson, Parks Foundation Calgary CEO (Retired in 2016) D. Stephen Duncan, Controller Sheila Ferguson, Executive Assistant & Bench Program Manager Karla Gervais, Greenway Project Manager Dolores Sakauye, Accounting Manager Sara Stepa, Grant Program Manager Sheila Taylor, Executive Director HISTORIC HAULTAIN Parks Foundation Calgary is located in the Beltline community of Calgary, Alberta in a historic school building constructed in 1907. Originally located next to the larger Haultain School (closed in 1962), this ten-room addition was built to accommodate the growing number of students living in the area. Parks Foundation Calgary 2016 Annual Report 5 Rotary/Mattamy Greenway Parks Foundation Calgary is fast approaching the completion of the 138km pathway loop of the Rotary/Mattamy Greenway. The 2016 season has generated another successful year of construction that has completed many missing connections of the pathway system. This year has advanced the project much further, not only to link pathways that will encircle the city, but we have also developed some extraordinary new amenities. Pathway Connections Phase 1: The long awaited pathway connection has been paved at the railway crossing beside the communities of Applewood and Abbeydale. The completion of the pedestrian railway crossing, kindly donated by CN Rail, has allowed for PFC to construct the missing one kilometre section of pathway. This important section connects 17th Avenue SE to the extensive pathways previously completed to the north. A small section of pathway adjacent to the railway will be finished in 2017.