Strategic Plan 2019 – 2024
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ASSOCIATION Trout Lake Vancouver Community Centre Association Strategic Plan 2019 – 2024 June 2019 Table of Contents Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................... 3 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................ 6 Overview of the Trout Lake Vancouver Community Centre Association ................................................. 7 The Community We Serve ..................................................................................................................... 9 Trout Lake Vancouver Community Centre Association’s Vision, Mission, Values ................................ 11 Committees ......................................................................................................................................... 12 Goals and Strategies for Trout Lake Community Centre Association ................................................... 14 Goal 1: Creating a solid foundation and a stronger community ......................................................................... 15 Goal 2: Improving our reach and impact ............................................................................................................ 18 Appendix 1: Strategic Planning Process ............................................................................................. 21 Appendix 2: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT) ................................................ 22 Appendix 3: Trout Lake Vancouver Community Centre Association — Sixty-three Years of Leadership, Engagement and Participation ............................................................................................................. 24 Executive Summary The Trout Lake Vancouver Community Centre Association (TLVCCA) is a charitable organization that operates the Trout Lake Community Centre (TLCC) in partnership with the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation. In the spring of 2019, the Association’s Strategic Planning Committee engaged Board members, committee volunteers and staff to set the direction of the Association for the next five years. Over six meetings the Association brought together a varied range of perspectives to: Evaluate and update its Vision, Mission and Values Statements Assess the progress made on the 2015–2018 Strategic Plan Identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that enable and constrain the direction of the Association Discuss data and the lived experiences of the community to inform the future direction for TLVCCA Identify and develop strategies for moving the Association and the Centre forward over the next five years The previous three years saw the Association sign a Joint Operating Agreement, revise the Association’s bylaws, update its charitable purposes, and accomplish a significant number of strategic goals related to building a solid organizational foundation. This phase of internal development work will continue. However, the underlying theme of the 2019 Strategic Plan is more impact focused. The aim is to create greater intentionality around the Association’s activities in light of current issues and needs experienced in the community. The participants of the strategic planning sessions iteratively reviewed and revised the Association’s Vision, Mission and Values. Participants reflected on the strides made with regards to transparent policy-making and financial management and indicated the importance of pulling these into a new plan. Participants also indicated the importance of reviewing knowledge on the diversity of the community to inform the plan. The process identified a number of foundation-building as well as impact-focused priorities. Two main goals with six enabling strategies and related objectives encapsulate these priorities. Summary of Goals and Strategies for Trout Lake Vancouver Community Centre Association Goal 1: Create a solid foundation for a strong community Strategies 1. Achieve best practices for good governance 2. Plan for long term financial vibrancy 3. Encourage volunteerism for a stronger community Goal 2: Improve our reach and impact Strategies 4. Ensure that programs are accessible and responsive to community need 5. Deepen the relationship with John Hendry Park 6. Strengthen environmental sustainability 4 Board Authorization of the TLVCCA Strategic Plan, 2019–2024 In April and May 2019, the Trout Lake Vancouver Community Centre Association Board of Directors came together to develop a Strategic Plan for the next five years. By signing, I confirm that the Trout Lake Vancouver Community Centre Association Board has reviewed, approved, and adopted the Strategic Plan for 2019–2024. ______________________________ __________________ Sarah Lusina Date Board President 5 Acknowledgements This plan could not have been accomplished without the dedicated effort of the many people who contributed their time, energy, insight, and expertise to this process. Board of Directors Executive Sarah Lusina Dan Kearns David Clarke Heather Armstrong Members at Large Kari-Jane Adams Lisa Kew Bree Cropper Ken Robb Ali Fluevog J Leslie Tenta Bill Hawke Dorothy Tong Yiman Jiang Molly Ewert Volunteers Beth Beeching Norine Pihowich Jim Morris Kara Misra Andrew Walker Jinny Yun Kate Perkins Association Staff Carol Smith, Board Administrator Sunny Abebe, Head Preschool Teacher Audrey Macaraeg, Assistant Preschool Teacher Nayomi Rajapakse, Assistant Preschool Teacher Amanda Lye, Park Board Staff Alison Cristall, Rec. Supervisor Bernie Dionne, Youth Worker Amanda Lye, Rec. Programmer Steven Tautscher, Fitness Programmer Sandy Lim, Rec. Facility Clerk Brittany Burant, Rink Programmer Lani de Jesus, Rental Coordinator Chico Carino, Maintenance Tech. II Matt Sung, Program Assistant III A special thanks to Carol Smith who kept the process flowing by attending to logistics, circulating preparation information, and preparing delicious food that sustained us through our planning sessions — including some of her very own culinary treats! 6 Overview of the Trout Lake Vancouver Community Centre Association The Trout Lake Vancouver Community Centre Association (TLVCCA) is a charitable organization that jointly operates the Trout Lake Community Centre with the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation (also referred to as ‘Park Board’). Trout Lake Community Centre is located in the 200-acre John Hendry Park at Victoria Drive and 19th Avenue in the Kensington-Cedar Cottage neighbourhood of Vancouver. The colloquial reference for John Hendry Park is “Trout Lake”. According to the Vancouver Heritage Foundation, Trout Lake was once a natural peat bog lake fed by many streams and home to abundant trout, salmon and beaver.1 In the pre-contact era, Aboriginal trails passed alongside. The park has historical and commercial ties to the original European settlement of the area. In the late 1800s, the Stamp (later Hastings) Mill on the south side of Burrard Inlet needed water and a flume was built to carry it from Trout Lake. It is said that the mill had to post a person at the lake full-time to stop beavers from building dams and blocking the flow, and to remove trout from the flume so it did not become choked with fish.2 Today, both the facility and its park are an identifying feature of the community. Community members think of Trout Lake Community Centre as the neighbourhood living room, a place to meet their neighbours and make new friends. The park is like the neighbourhood’s back yard, where locals relax and connect with nature. In existence since 1956, originally as the Grandview Community Centre Association (GCCA), the TLVCCA is comprised of elected unpaid community volunteers who work closely with Park Board staff to ensure that the community is reflected in, and benefits from the activities of Trout Lake Community Centre. The Association played a critical and catalyzing role in the construction of a new facility, which opened in 2012. In addition to unique programs across four programming seasons, TLVCCA hosts cultural activities and events that attract participation from locals as well as people from across Vancouver. Trout Lake Community Centre is a state-of-the-art LEED Gold Facility designed by Walter Francl Architecture Inc. Amenities of the Centre include: Ice rink Shared teen/seniors area Full-sized gymnasium Mat room 4,000 square foot fitness centre Music room Dance studio Licensed preschool Two large multipurpose rooms Several meeting rooms and offices Art studio On-site café Pottery studio Outdoor performance plaza The TLVCCA’s responsibilities include shaping programming and events, employing program instructors, overseeing program revenue, setting program budgets, raising funds, accessing grants, developing rental and programming policy, and providing community input to the Park Board on issues concerning the centre, park, and community. 1 Vancouver Heritage Foundation website, accessed June 11, 2019. 2 From The History of Metropolitan Vancouver by Chuck Davis, accessed June 11, 2019. 7 The Association has an annual budget of approximately $1.4 million that is generated through programming, events, and rental fees. Park Board contributes operational expenses and some programming costs. For specific programs, the Association secures targeted government grants and nominal donations. Program delivery and administration consume the majority of the budget. The revenue generated through