CITY OF HAMILTON COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT Recreation Division TO: Mayor and Members WARD(S) AFFECTED: CITY WIDE General Issues Committee COMMITTEE DATE: December 12, 2011 SUBJECT/REPORT NO: Outdoor Recreation Facilities & Sports Field Provision Plan (CS11064(a)) (City Wide) (Outstanding Business List Item) SUBMITTED BY: PREPARED BY: Joe-Anne Priel Mary Jo Harris 905-546-2424 Ext.4755 General Manager Community Services Department SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION: (a) That the Outdoor Recreation Facilities & Sports Field Provision Plan prepared by Monteith Brown Planning Consultants (Appendix A to Report CS11064(a)) be received; (b) That staff be directed to develop Division work plans to address the recommendations attached as Appendix B - Summary of Recommendations; and, (c) That the outstanding business item identified as “Sports Field Management Strategy” be removed from the outstanding business list. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In January 2009, the Recreation Division of Community Services retained the services of Monteith Brown Planning Consultants (Monteith) to undertake an Outdoor Recreation Vision: To be the best place in Canada to raise a child, promote innovation, engage citizens and provide diverse economic opportunities. Values: Honesty, Accountability, Innovation, Leadership, Respect, Excellence, Teamwork SUBJECT: Outdoor Recreation Facilities & Sports Field Provision Plan (CS11064(a)) (City Wide) - Page 2 of 8 Facilities and Sports Field Provision Plan (the Plan) examination of outdoor recreation issues and needs. The purpose of the Plan was to provide the City with a sustainable strategy for managing Hamilton’s portfolio of outdoor sports fields and other outdoor community-use recreation infrastructure. The study considered the following: • assessment of current usage • physical analysis of facilities including soil and turf conditions • assessment of future needs based on other considerations or evolving needs and demographics • facility design and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act compliance • comparable municipality analysis • recreation service delivery review • financial analysis based on standards, market values, current capital and operating costs The Plan proposes maintaining and expanding the sense of neighbourhood and community life, health, and identity through appropriate provision of recreational facilities and sports fields. By examining the current provision of outdoor park facilities and sports fields such as soccer pitches, baseball diamonds, multi-use fields, cricket pitches, playgrounds, tennis courts, basketball courts, spray pads, skate board parks and more, the Plan identifies strategies for incremental changes to infrastructure inventories with the goal to expand soccer field supplies, improved spray pad distribution, ball diamond conversions, and playground upgrades. In addition, the Plan makes many recommendations to improve administrative, design, development, and maintenance practices. The City has an inventory of over 1,100 sport fields and other recreation amenities located within its growing list of parks and open spaces. Hamilton and its many communities have a proud sports heritage. Sport fields accommodate a variety of activities, including league play, recreational programs, school physical education classes, tournaments and special events. In addition, there are many users of playgrounds, outdoor aquatic sites, basketball courts, walking trails and other casual- use amenities. The Study identifies that the capital projects for park maintenance and park development have been underfunded and this shortfall will continue and be compounded in the coming years unless additional funding is found. The impact of this shortfall is that the City’s outdoor recreation facilities will not be maintained to an appropriate standard and the ability to keep up with the expected growth will be hampered considerably. For example: • An 86 year replacement cycle for playground equipment despite playgrounds being supported by 72% of respondents in a public household survey; Vision: To be the best place in Canada to raise a child, promote innovation, engage citizens and provide diverse economic opportunities. Values: Honesty, Accountability, Innovation, Leadership, Respect, Excellence, Teamwork SUBJECT: Outdoor Recreation Facilities & Sports Field Provision Plan (CS11064(a)) (City Wide) - Page 3 of 8 • over 2,000 soccer and football players do not have access to sports fields in their area; • over 5,000 youth do not have access to basketball courts in their area; • nearly 8,000 children do not currently have access to spray pads; • approximately 30,000 teens do not have access to skate parks; • a shortage of lit slo-pitch diamonds; and, • a growing need to provide improved physical accessibility within parks. The Outdoor Recreation Facilities & Sports Field Provision Plan report summarizes major issues identified by the public, user groups, Council, and staff members with regard to the provision of outdoor recreation amenities. The Plan identifies the need for more sports fields, better maintenance of sports fields, better distribution of other recreation amenities like spray pads, and improved accessibility of parks. The Plan provides facility profiles, needs assessment, and recommendations for soccer, football, multi-use fields, ball diamonds, cricket pitches, hard surfaced courts, bocce courts, lawn bowling greens, skate parks, playgrounds, spray pads, wading pools, miscellaneous outdoor recreation amenities, support buildings, and, indoor sports facilities. A major component of the Plan was a review of the sport fields by the Turf Grass Institute from Guelph University. Their analysis revealed a number of concerns that need to be addressed in order to improve field quality. This comprehensive assessment provides recommendations for maintenance, operations, design, accessibility, scheduling, and hours of use practices. In the Plan’s Executive Summary found on page (i), is a table of 159 recommendations identifying the Department and Division who has lead responsibility for reviewing and/or moving the recommendations forward. This table is a compilation of the same recommendations found in Section 21 of the Plan, classified into three larger categories: Administration and Operations, City Wide Facilities, and Community Specific. Each of the recommendations will be assessed by the respective Department and Division, to identify next steps. FINANCIAL / STAFFING / LEGAL IMPLICATIONS Financial: To achieve the intended outcomes, an annual funding increase of $2.2 million would be required ($1.0 million for capital renewal and $1.2 million for new construction). Cost-savings may be realized by pursuing alternative funding approaches and partnerships, which will be considered as part of the Plan’s ongoing implementation. Vision: To be the best place in Canada to raise a child, promote innovation, engage citizens and provide diverse economic opportunities. Values: Honesty, Accountability, Innovation, Leadership, Respect, Excellence, Teamwork SUBJECT: Outdoor Recreation Facilities & Sports Field Provision Plan (CS11064(a)) (City Wide) - Page 4 of 8 The Plan’s 159 recommendations will guide the preparation of future annual Capital and Operation budget forecasts for Council approval. Any significant changes in funding requirements would be brought to Council on an annual basis. Staffing: There are no staffing implications associated with Report CS11064(a). Legal: There are no legal implications associated with Report CS11064(a). HISTORICAL BACKGROUND In 2002, following the amalgamation of the City of Hamilton, the Parks, Culture and Recreation Master Plan, completed by Professional Environmental Recreation Consultants Ltd. (PERC) identified a number of areas related to the provision of recreation services to the residents of the new City of Hamilton. Following one of the recommendations arising from the 2002 Plan, the Indoor Public Use, Renovation and Replacement Strategy was developed by Monteith and approved by Council in 2008. This is a long term capital plan to strategically replace, reuse and construct new indoor recreation facilities. It was then identified that a similar plan and strategy was needed for the outdoor recreation facilities, addressing not only new facilities but also older facilities with their associated maintenance requirements. In January 2009, Monteith was contracted to undertake the Outdoor Recreation Facilities & Sports Field Provision Plan (Appendix A to Report CS11064(a)), to examine outdoor recreation issues and needs. The purpose of the Plan was to provide the City with a sustainable strategy for managing Hamilton’s portfolio of outdoor sports fields and other outdoor community-use recreation infrastructure. Consultation and research phases of the study were completed with Phase 1 being reported to the Emergency and Community Services Committee in June 2009. In the autumn of 2009, Monteith presented a preliminary report to the senior managers of Public Works and Community Services identifying the need for a parkland acquisition strategy, as a second component to the Outdoor Recreation Facilities & Sports Field Provision Plan, to address the growth of sports and the associated need for more parkland. Monteith was contracted to undertake the work. This strategy will be presented in early 2012. During the summer of 2010, staff from the Recreation Division of Community Services, Parks Operations and Landscape Architectural Services sections of Public Works met Vision: To