WOOD BUFFALO Regional Indoor Recreation and Community Facilities Master Plan JULY, 2015 i Wood Buffalo Regional Indoor Recreation and Community Facilities Master Plan Contents Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 1 Introduction to the Plan ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.1. What is a Regional Indoor Recreation and Community Facilities Master Plan? ......................................................................................... 3 1.2. Aligning the Master Plan to Council’s Strategic Priorities .......................................................................................................................... 3 1.3. Process Guiding Plan Development and Implementation .......................................................................................................................... 4 2 Strategic Directions ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 6 3 Community Context ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 3.1. Urban Service Area – Fort McMurray ......................................................................................................................................................... 8 3.1.1. Historic and Projected Growth ................................................................................................................................................................... 8 3.1.2. Current Community Characteristics: Fort McMurray ............................................................................................................................... 10 3.2. Rural Service Area ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 13 3.2.1. Projected Growth ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 13 3.2.2. Current Rural Community Characteristics ................................................................................................................................................ 15 3.2.3. Rural Communities and Proximate First Nation Communities ................................................................................................................. 19 3.3. Project Accommodations .......................................................................................................................................................................... 20 3.4. Trends and Implications ............................................................................................................................................................................ 22 4 Current Inventory and Community Views ....................................................................................................................................................... 23 4.1. Regional-Scale Indoor Recreation and Community Assets ....................................................................................................................... 23 4.2. Community-Scale Indoor Recreation and Community Facilities .............................................................................................................. 30 4.2.1. Resident Satisfaction with Community-Scale Indoor Recreation and Community Facilities.................................................................... 31 4.3. Community Aspirations and Planned Projects.......................................................................................................................................... 37 5 The Master Plan................................................................................................................................................................................................ 40 5.1. Development Principles ............................................................................................................................................................................ 40 5.2. Master Plan Goals ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 42 5.3. Objectives.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 43 6 Recommendations ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 45 6.1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 45 6.2. Facility-Based Recommendations ............................................................................................................................................................. 45 6.2.1. Ice .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 46 6.2.2. Aquatics ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 53 Sierra Planning and Management and Planning Sierra July, 2015 ii Wood Buffalo Regional Indoor Recreation and Community Facilities Master Plan 6.2.3. Seniors Space ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 55 6.2.4. Youth Space............................................................................................................................................................................................... 56 6.2.5. Gyms/Fieldhouses ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 58 6.2.6. Curling ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 60 6.2.7. Fitness ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 61 6.2.8. Community Halls ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 62 6.2.9. Libraries ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 65 6.2.10. Dance Studios............................................................................................................................................................................................ 66 6.2.11. Indoor Playgrounds ................................................................................................................................................................................... 66 6.2.12. Specialized Facilities .................................................................................................................................................................................. 66 6.3. Programming Recommendations ............................................................................................................................................................. 67 6.3.1. Focus ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 67 6.3.2. Recommendations .................................................................................................................................................................................... 67 6.4. Service Delivery Recommendations ......................................................................................................................................................... 71 6.4.1. Facility Development and Funding Process .............................................................................................................................................. 71 6.4.2. Operational Controls and Standards ........................................................................................................................................................