SOUTHWEST NEW BRUNSWICK REGIONAL SERVICE COMMISSION SOUTHWEST NEW BRUNSWICK RECREATION MASTER PLAN FINAL REPORT April 9, 2018 Stantec Consulting Ltd. Trace Planning and Design Southwest New Brunswick 102-40 Highfield Park Drive 653 St. George Street, Regional Service Commission Dartmouth NS B3A 0A3 Suite 400 5749 Route 3, Lawrence Moncton, NB, E1E 2C2 Station, NB E5A 2B9 SOUTHWEST NEW BRUNSWICK RECREATION MASTER PLAN DRAFT FINAL REPORT Final project report summarizing research and analysis completed to develop a full understanding of the trends and issues to be addressed by the Recreation Master Plan for the Southwest New Brunswick Regional Service Commission with recommendations for future action. Prepared for: Southwest New Brunswick Regional Service Commission Prepared by: Stantec Consulting Ltd. with Trace Planning and Design April 9, 2018 SOUTHWEST NEW BRUNSWICK RECREATION MASTER PLAN DRAFT FINAL REPORT This document entitled Southwest New Brunswick Recreation Master Plan Draft Final Report was prepared by Stantec Consulting Ltd. (“Stantec”) for the account of the Southwest New Brunswick Regional Service Commission (the “Client”). Any reliance on this document by any third party is strictly prohibited. The material in it reflects Stantec’s professional judgment in light of the scope, schedule, and other limitations stated in the document and in the contract between Stantec and the Client. The opinions in the document are based on conditions and information existing at the time the document was published and do not take into account any subsequent changes. In preparing the document, Stantec did not verify information supplied to it by others. Any use which a third party makes of this document is the responsibility of such third party. Such third party agrees that Stantec shall not be responsible for costs or damages of any kind, if any, suffered by it or any other third party as a result of decisions made or actions taken based on this document. Prepared by (signature) John Heseltine, LPP MCIP, Senior Planner Reviewed by (signature) Elaine Mitchell, M.Pl., Senior Planner SOUTHWEST NEW BRUNSWICK RECREATION MASTER PLAN DRAFT FINAL REPORT Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................................. 1.1 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1.1 1.1 RECREATION DEFINED ...................................................................................................... 1.1 1.2 PROJECT BACKGROUND ................................................................................................. 1.1 1.3 PROJECT ORGANIZATION ............................................................................................... 1.3 1.4 REPORT STRUCTURE ........................................................................................................... 1.3 2.0 DEMOGRAPHY AND RECREATION IN SOUTHWEST NEW BRUNSWICK ....................... 2.1 2.1 RECREATION TRENDS ........................................................................................................ 2.1 2.2 DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS .............................................................................................. 2.6 2.2.1 Geographic Framework ............................................................................... 2.6 2.2.2 Projection Methodology ............................................................................... 2.8 2.2.3 Population Projection .................................................................................. 2.10 2.3 RECREATION PARTICIPATION ........................................................................................ 2.14 2.3.1 Age and Participation ................................................................................ 2.15 2.3.2 Future Participation ..................................................................................... 2.18 2.4 OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................ 2.23 3.0 RECREATION FACILITIES IN SOUTHWEST NEW BRUNSWICK ........................................ 3.1 3.1 RECREATION STAFFING .................................................................................................... 3.1 3.2 RECREATION FACILITIES .................................................................................................... 3.1 3.3 GARCELON CENTRE ......................................................................................................... 3.4 3.4 OVERVIEW .......................................................................................................................... 3.7 4.0 CONSULTATION IN SOUTHWEST NEW BRUNSWICK ..................................................... 4.1 4.1 STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS .............................................................................................. 4.1 4.1.1 Interview Outline ............................................................................................ 4.1 4.1.2 Key Issues ......................................................................................................... 4.1 4.1.3 Detailed Responses ....................................................................................... 4.2 4.2 PUBLIC MEETINGS .............................................................................................................. 4.4 4.2.1 Lawrence Station Meeting ........................................................................... 4.4 4.2.2 St. George Meeting ....................................................................................... 4.5 4.2.3 Pennfield Meeting ......................................................................................... 4.6 4.2.4 St. Andrews Meeting ..................................................................................... 4.6 4.2.5 Idea Wall ......................................................................................................... 4.7 4.3 ONLINE SURVEY ................................................................................................................. 4.7 4.3.1 Survey Response ............................................................................................ 4.7 4.3.2 Preferred Recreation Activities .................................................................... 4.9 4.3.3 Non-participation ........................................................................................ 4.10 4.3.4 Transportation ............................................................................................... 4.11 4.3.5 Facilities ......................................................................................................... 4.12 4.3.6 User Satisfaction ........................................................................................... 4.13 i SOUTHWEST NEW BRUNSWICK RECREATION MASTER PLAN DRAFT FINAL REPORT Table of Contents April 9, 2018 4.3.7 Supplementary Comments ........................................................................ 4.13 4.4 OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................ 4.15 5.0 ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................... 5.1 5.1 RECREATION ISSUES .......................................................................................................... 5.1 5.2 RECREATION SERVICE DELIVERY ..................................................................................... 5.3 5.2.1 Provincial Framework .................................................................................... 5.3 5.2.2 Regional Service Commission ...................................................................... 5.5 5.2.3 Recreation Development Assistance ......................................................... 5.8 5.3 POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................ 5.8 5.3.1 Regional Demography ................................................................................. 5.9 5.3.2 Facilities Development ............................................................................... 5.10 5.3.3 Parks and Trails Development ................................................................... 5.11 5.3.4 Regionalization ............................................................................................. 5.12 5.3.5 Recreation Programming ........................................................................... 5.15 5.3.6 Recreation Staffing ...................................................................................... 5.16 5.4 IMPLEMENTATION............................................................................................................ 5.17 5.4.1 Governance Framework ............................................................................ 5.17 5.4.2 Five-year Plan ............................................................................................... 5.20 LIST OF TABLES Table 2-1 Selected Indicators of Health, Population 12 years and over, Canada, New Brunswick, and Zones 2 (Saint John) and 3 (Fredericton), 2014 .................................. 2.16 Table 2-2 Physical Activity During Leisure Time, Moderately Active or Active by Age Group, Canada, New Brunswick, and Zones 2 (Saint John) and 3 (Fredericton), 2014 ........ 2.17 Table 2-3 Physical Activity During Leisure Time, Moderately Active