PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL SERVICES DIVISION

1.

FEEDBACK ON THE 2005 – 2015 PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL SERVICES MASTER PLAN

 (Report:  April 19, 2006, File No.:  01-0340-20-CSERI) (REDMS No. 1892899, 1899115, 1682019, 1715667, 1693014, 1780564, 1732161, 1737555)

Cathy Volkering Carlile, General Manager, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services addressed the Committee and reviewed the guiding principles that support the Master Plan.  She drew attention to the Current Facility Summary that comprises 31 facilities, and she reviewed five maps of Richmond featuring: existing PRCS places and spaces; proposed capital projects; and existing and required park open space (attached to these minutes as Schedule 1).

Ms. Volkering Carlile then referred to the Minoru Park Vision, which includes signature entry/gateways, special features and focal points, neighbourhood green links, greenway connects and promenades with special features. This is a long-term vision and its implementation will be phased in over time (attached to these minutes as Schedule 2).

In reference to a shortage of acres of parkland by the year 2021, and excluding the Garden City Lands, Ms. Volkering Carlile reported that the City would be 485 acres short.

Discussion then took place with the following comments being made:

§            

the estimated capital cost to complete the Britannia shipyard facility is $616,000 in 2004 dollars;

§            

a new Performing and Visual Arts Centre for Richmond would provide a performance hall for specialized uses such as recitals, musical concerts, choral concerts, as well as specialized studios; a facility of this kind would supplement the performance facilities already in the City;

§            

new facilities have to be adaptable, accessible and affordable and have to meet community needs; they can be gathering places, and can be combined with a retail facility or a residential development; they can include flexible programming space useable by youth and senior groups; all possibilities can be explored;

§            

staff is working on a City Centre Amenities plan, taking into account the City’s population increase;

§            

an assessment of all City facilities was done  and some are in very good shape while others need ongoing maintenance; Council’s High Performance Building Policy, adopted in February of 2005, lays the groundwork for achieving sustainability and looking at buildings that are cost efficient; there are energy efficient refits that can be done;

§            

continued dialogue with the Richmond School Board will be helpful when exploring if schools are going to close and how to deal with community needs in the neighbourhood; the City and the school board can work cooperatively;

§            

more work has to be done to identify priorities; the Seniors Centre is obsolete and would be at, or near the top, of a priority list; more assessment has to be done to achieve a list of priorities;

§            

City staff is developing three year service plans for all service areas, and as part of this process it is working closely with youth;

§            

the City Solicitor is looking at service agreement templates and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services will bring them forward later this year;

§            

Riverport is zoned a sports and entertainment area not parkland, with the City owning 20 acres adjacent to the Riverport site.

The Chair invited members of the public to speak.

Rosemary Nickerson, a member of Richmond Aquatic Service Board and Chair, Richmond Aquatic Users Association, stated that she did not want the aquatic centre at Minoru removed with no replacement in place. Staff advised that a replacement aquatic facility would be built before the current one is removed.

Ms. Sreedevi Kuttamkulangara, a member of the Richmond Museum Society spoke briefly, stating that a Museum’s role was to help members of the community visualize not only the community’s past, but to help residents visualize their community in the future.

Peter Mitchell, Chair of the City Centre Community Association spoke to the benefits of determining how City facilities could be used by more than one group. Various groups, such as youth groups and seniors groups, can use spaces in a cooperative manner.

Julie Halfnights, Board Member, Thompson Community Association, advised that a partnership with the Richmond School Board was worthy of discussion, but that if the development of a partnership takes too long, the City should move ahead independently. She further advised that schools such as Burnett have performance spaces that are underutilized and that these alternate spaces could fill the gap for performance groups before a Performing Arts Centre is built.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the 2005 – 2015 Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Master Plan be adopted with the following amendments and recommendations:

(a)

Incorporate an Analysis of Current Facilities into the Places and Spaces (Section 7.4) of the Master Plan.

(b)

Develop a Facility Evaluation Framework for future facility development to assess how the City will make decisions regarding infrastructure investment and that this be added to Section 7.6 (Facilities and Amenities Recommendations).

(c)

Reprioritize 2007-2011 Capital Priorities to include the Minoru Place Activity Centre (Section 7.4).

(d)

Include a reference in the Facilities and Amenities Section (Section 7.4) that there are no plans to replace or eliminate Minoru Arenas in the next decade.

(e)

When the Garden City Lands Master Planning process begins, bring forward the PRCS Master Plan facility and park priorities for consideration within that process.

(f)

Incorporate the public feedback and consultation comments into Book 2 of the Master Plan (As outlined in Attachments 3, 4, and 5).

(g)

Delete any reference to a field house on the Garden City Lands (Section 7.5.)

(h)

Incorporate the results of the Museum Study into the Master Plan report.

(2)

That staff look at the Places and Spaces chapter of the Master Plan and undertake analysis of priorities and partnerships in relation to facilities and amenities (Section 7.4), and report back to Committee by December 1, 2006; and

(3)

That subject to the decisions on priorities and amenities in relation to facilities, and secondly the City Centre Amenity Study, that staff proceed with implementation of the Master Plan recommendations and report on the progress to Council once per year.

CARRIED

OPPOSED:  Cllr. Steves opposed to part 1(e).

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (8:19 p.m.).

CARRIED

Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Committee of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Monday, June 5, 2006.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Councillor Bill McNulty
Chair

Sheila Johnston

Committee Clerk