Sports Field Development Strategy December 2019 Sports Field Development Strategy December 2019 Town of Aurora Sports Field Development Strategy Table of Contents Section Page Executive Summary .............................................................................................................. iii 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Purpose ......................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Primary Drivers ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.3 Methodology ................................................................................................................................. 2 2. Planning Context ............................................................................................................ 3 2.1 Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update ................................................................................... 3 2.2 Population and Growth in Aurora ................................................................................................. 4 2.3 General Outdoor Sports Participation and Facility Design Trends ............................................... 6 3. Stakeholder Consultation................................................................................................ 8 3.1 Input from Rectangular Sports Field Users ................................................................................... 9 3.2 Input from Ball Diamond Users ................................................................................................... 10 3.3 Input from Schools and Agencies ................................................................................................ 11 4. Rectangular Sports Field Needs Assessment .................................................................. 12 4.1 Inventory ..................................................................................................................................... 12 4.2 Key Trends ................................................................................................................................... 15 4.3 Usage Profile ............................................................................................................................... 20 4.4 Needs Assessment ...................................................................................................................... 24 5. Ball Diamond Needs Assessment .................................................................................. 26 5.1 Inventory ..................................................................................................................................... 26 5.2 Key Trends ................................................................................................................................... 27 5.3 Usage Profile ............................................................................................................................... 30 5.4 Needs Assessment ...................................................................................................................... 33 6. Sports Field Development Strategies ............................................................................. 35 6.1 Implementation Framework ....................................................................................................... 35 6.2 Focusing on Alternatives to Land Acquisition ............................................................................. 36 6.3 Rectangular Sports Field Development Strategy ........................................................................ 37 6.4 Ball Diamond Development Strategy .......................................................................................... 68 6.5 Summary of Proposed Strategies and Phasing ........................................................................... 79 Appendix A: Stakeholder Survey Results ............................................................................. A-1 Appendix B: Input from Rectangular Sports Field Users ....................................................... B-1 Appendix C: Input from Ball Diamond Users ........................................................................ C-1 Appendix D: Field Dimensions ............................................................................................ D-1 December 2019 I ii Town of Aurora Sports Field Development Strategy Executive Summary Aurora is an active and growing community. Demand for sports fields is rising. Usage data and input from user groups indicate that the Town’s supply of sports fields – including ball diamonds and rectangular fields for sports such as soccer, football, rugby, lacrosse and field hockey – are at or approaching capacity. With the Town’s population projected to increase 22% by 2031, sport fields needs are also expected to increase, although at a slightly slower rate. As Aurora begins to grow inwards and upwards, there will be fewer opportunities for community park development, including sites that are large enough to accommodate sports fields. Increasingly, the Town must explore options for optimizing its field supply and work in partnership with other landowners – such as schools – to meet needs. We must plan ahead, make the most of our assets, and work with others. This Sports Field Development Strategy examines short and long-term needs through research and input from local stakeholders and user groups. Strategies for meeting community needs are proposed, often in partnership with others. It will take a variety of approaches and sustained investment to address community needs. This Strategy uses market-driven provision targets that consider standards in nearby communities, but that reflect Aurora’s specific usage and demand profiles. By linking the target to participation levels, we can monitor trends and estimate long-term needs associated with local growth factors. The Town has made strides, but strategic investment is needed to keep pace with evolving interests. To enhance capacity for soccer and other turf sports, the Town has recently invested in new and improved rectangular fields at locations such as Stewart Burnett Park, Sheppard’s Bush Conservation Area and through partnerships with schools. Efforts are also underway to address growing demand for ball diamonds, as two diamonds are planned for the Hallmark Lands (a site recently purchased by the Town for sport field development). Nearly half of the 60 rectangular fields permitted by the Town are owned by non-municipal entities, such as schools and The Stronach Group (“Magna Fields”). These fields are vital to meeting current and future needs. As the 19 Magna Fields could be removed from service as early as 2022/23, we need to start planning for their eventual replacement so as not to create a disruption in service. Participation in sport is also evolving, with a growing emphasis on competitive sport, year-round training, and high quality facilities. Participation in soccer grew tremendously in the early 2000s, and baseball has been on the rise more recently. Other field sports also capture the interest of many residents, and Aurora’s location in the Greater Toronto Area make it a convenient destination for organizations serving the entire York Region. December 2019 I iii Town of Aurora Sports Field Development Strategy Sports groups are seeking more and higher quality fields. Consultation for this Strategy included stakeholder focus groups, surveys, interviews and written submissions. All local sport field users were provided multiple opportunities to contribute. Several organizations voiced a desire to improve and expand the sports field inventory to address their waiting lists and/or enhance their programs. Groups identified that some Town parks contain multiple types of sports fields (e.g., soccer and baseball), often with overlapping templates that do not allow for simultaneous play. They also suggested that parks or school sites may have the potential for greater use, particularly through the expansion of fields or installation of lighting and/or artificial turf. Among the items most often sought by user groups are artificial and lighted fields, indoor fields for winter use, locations with multiple fields, and barrier-free accessibility. Not only do these features facilitate local needs, they also help groups to attract and retain athletes and support sport tourism. Fields are being used to capacity. Despite declining registration in youth soccer, the demand for rectangular fields remains strong due to increased interest in skill development, adult play, and growth in sports such as football and lacrosse. Different age groups also require different field sizes, adding to the challenges of creating a supply that adequately fits Aurora’s needs. In 2019, the Town’s rectangular sports fields were booked 80% of the time (90% on weekdays and 57% on weekends), while ball diamonds were booked 73% of the time (61% on weekdays and 22% on weekends). These levels are indicative of a system that is being used to capacity, recognizing that some smaller and lower quality fields are not fully utilized. It is important to note that no field can be booked 100% of the time due to rainouts, time limits and scheduling practices, field rest, etc. Usage is greatest on senior/large