MINUTES

1.

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Committee held on Tuesday, October 17, 2006, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING DATE

2.

The next meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Committee will be held on Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 4:00 p.m. in the Anderson Room.

PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT

3.

BELL MOBILITY INCORPORATED TELECOMMUNICATIONS APPARATUS PROPOSAL FOR HUGH BOYD PITCH & PUTT AND KING GEORGE PARK

(Report:  November 14, 2006, File No.: 03-1000-14-131, 03-1000-14-132) (REDMS No. 2030964)

In response to a query staff suggested that revenue realized through the proposed Bell Mobility agreement should be directed to General Revenue and not to special reserve revenue, thus providing greater flexibility for future use of the collected revenue.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That Staff be directed to authorize Bell Mobility Incorporated to initiate a public consultation process for the potential installation of a telecommunications apparatus at the Hugh Boyd Pitch & Putt Park and at King George Park;

(2)

That staff be directed to report back to the Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Committee with the results of the public consultation process undertaken by Bell Mobility along with recommendations for potential next steps; and

(3)

That the revenue realized through the Bell Mobility agreement be directed to General Revenue.

The question on the motion was not called as the following amendment was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

(3)

That Part (3) of the motion be amended to read: “That the revenue realized through the Bell Mobility agreement be directed to the special sports reserve sub-fund for sports field development”.

The question on the motion, as amended, was then called, and it was CARRIED.

4.

COMPOSITION OF RICHMOND TEAMS AND ASSOCIATIONS RELATIVE TO RICHMOND RESIDENTS PARTICIPATING IN PROGRAMMES

A brief discussion ensued regarding Richmond’s Parks and Leisure Services - Community Policy 8701, and the Chair’s idea to investigate if the 60/40 ratio (Richmond residents/residents of other communities) should be changed.

It was moved and seconded

That staff, in conjunction with the Richmond Sports Council (RSC) and sports groups not affiliated with the RSC, review the 60/40 ratio of Richmond residents/others involved in sports programs in the City of Richmond, as outlined in the City of Richmond’s Policy 8701.

CARRIED

5.

CITY OF PORT ALBERNI’S REQUEST TO HELP SAVE THE MARTIN MARS WATER BOMBERS.

A brief discussion ensued regarding a letter addressed to UBCM Members, dated November 21, 2006 from Mayor Ken McRae of Port Alberni, and his City’s request that other municipalities support the effort to save BC’s premier forest fire fighting equipment, the Martin Mars Water bombers.

As a result of the discussion the following referral motion was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That staff prepare a letter to Premier Campbell asking that the Province step in and invest in these aircraft, their support infrastructure and the personnel that operate and maintain them; and

(2)

That staff investigate other ways to support Port Alberni’s desire to save the water bombers, including financial support.

CARRIED

6.

SEA ISLAND FORUM AND THE SPORTS COUNCIL AND THE PADDLING CENTRE PROPOSED FOR THE OVAL SITE

A brief discussion ensued regarding a letter addressed to Mayor Brodie and Council, dated November 21, 2006 from Jim Lamond, Chairman, Richmond Sports Council (RSC). The RSC stated that when the Sea Island Forum was demolished, some of RSC’s members were moved to other City facilities or facilities leased or rented by the City. The RSC requested a response to their inquiry regarding why the City was entering into an agreement to build a paddling tank at the site of the Olympic Oval when Richmond does not have a paddling sport group. As a result of the discussion, the following referral motion was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That staff update the Committee by preparing a status report which (i) identifies the Richmond Sports Council members that were re-located when the Sea Island Forum was demolished, (ii) details what arrangements the City has with these groups, and (iii) how the City assists these groups financially; and

(2)

That staff report to the Committee on any plan, if any, that the City has to re-locate these groups to the Richmond Olympic Oval.

CARRIED

7.

MANAGER’S REPORT

Gordon Barstow, Manager, Parks Operations reported that three or four major trees fell, as well as hundreds of branches, as a result of the recent snow fall. In addition, birch trees came down in the Richmond Nature Park and all trails in the park would be closed while city crews cleaned up. Mr. Barstow assured the Committee that clean up work would be finished, and the trails re-opened, in time for the Friday, December 1, 2006 Nature Comes to Light event. He further advised that the backstop at Brighouse Park was also damaged by the accumulation of snow, and that damage sustained by the Sunnymede hedge would result in the hedge being ripped out and replaced.

Jane Fernyhough, Manager of Heritage and Cultural Services, displayed the artist’s maquette of the horse sculpture “Minoru” and advised that the finished sculpture would be a size of a real horse. A private donor was funding the full cost of the sculpture and the installation. Installation of the completed sculpture in Minoru Park is scheduled for the spring of 2007.

DELEGATION

8.

Frank Claassen, Chairperson, accompanied by Mr. Crichy Clarke, Treasurer of the Richmond Arenas Community Association (RACA) reviewed a submission from RACA (Schedule 1). Mr. Claassen spoke on three subjects: Operations, Facilities and Oval Arena Programming.

With regard to Operations, he mentioned that RACA had implemented rate increases, had increased its utilization of non-prime time ice slots, and had seen its expenses grow.

Addressing the operating agreement RACA has with the City, Mr. Claassen remarked that the Association had been contributing an ever-greater amount to the City. He stated RACA’s goal was to make hockey more affordable for more people in Richmond, and he suggested that a way to achieve this would be to slow down the rate increases for ice use.

With regard to Facilities, he stated that another RACA goal would be to ensure that the City has a long-term plan for arena development. He noted that at present utilization of Richmond’s arenas is at 100% and therefore more arenas are needed to serve the City. He stated that the last arena expansion took place in 1996 and that for the next three-and-a-half years Richmond will be squeezed into the ice sheets it has now, before it gains one ice sheet at the Richmond Olympic Oval post-Olympics.

With regard to Oval Arena Programming Mr. Claassen remarked that programming control and responsibility for fees and charges for the ice portion of the post-Olympics activity should be given to RACA to manage.

He stated that if another organization was created and empowered to oversee the use of the post-Olympic ice sheet at the Oval, unnecessary competition would be created between that organization and RACA.

The Chair thanked the delegation for their thorough submission, and stated that a discussion regarding facilities and operations would ensue, but the work currently being done by the Richmond Olympic Business Office precludes any discussion of the Richmond Oval and its post-Olympic programming of an ice sheet.

Discussion ensued and in response to queries, Mr. Claassen advised that:

·         

it is the City and the landlord for the Richmond Ice Centre that are in a lease agreement, and that RACA is not part of that arrangement;

·         

in his opinion, due to the solid construction of the Richmond Ice Centre, the lifespan of the building could continue after the 2017 expiration of its lease, and further, when the Minoru Arena’s lease expires in 2016 that structure should still be useable due to the maintenance RACA provides to the building;

·         

the operating agreement RACA has with the City is the same type of operating agreement that the Richmond Aquatics Services Board has with the City;

·         

in regard to ice sports fees throughout the Lower Mainland, Richmond’s fees are staying competitive;

·         

besides its work with local hockey programs, RACA has introduced a speed skating club in Richmond;

In response to further questions, staff advised that the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department has not started a feasibility study on the Richmond Ice Centre or the Minoru Arena, but the department is currently reviewing all recreational facility priorities within the City.

As a result of the discussion the following referral motion was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That the Richmond Arenas Community Association submission be forwarded to staff for analysis and that they report to the Committee on:

a)

the lease charge for the Richmond Ice Centre in the City’s arenas budget, and the idea of charging it instead of the City’s capital budget;

b)

the feasibility of freezing the operating fee that RACA pays to the City;

c)

staff undertake a business case analysis regarding the idea of the City purchasing the Minoru Arenas and Richmond Ice Centre facilities.

The question on the motion was not called as staff was asked to predict when that information would be submitted to the Committee. Cathryn Volkering Carlile, General Manager, Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services advised that staff would look at all ramifications of the issue, create a comprehensive analysis of the situation and would inform the Committee in 2007.

The question on the motion was then called and it was CARRIED.

Councillor Barnes made reference to a referral made to staff regarding the proposed purchase of deliberators and their placement in city buildings, at locations frequented by the public.

Ms. Volkering Carlile advised that she would speak with the Phyllis Carlyle, General Manager, Law & Community Safety regarding the status of the referral.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (5:22 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 Tuesday, November 28, 2006.

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Councillor Bill McNulty
Chair

Sheila Johnston
Committee Clerk