HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks & Leisure Services Annual Report 2011Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows
Parks & Leisure Services
ANNUAL REPORT2011
Commission 2011
The Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Parks & Leisure Services Commission consists of 15 voting
members with three representatives from each of Maple Ridge Council, Pitt Meadows Council
and the Board of Trustees of School District No. 42. In addition, there are four Citizen-at-Large
Members from Maple Ridge and two from Pitt Meadows.
The Commission serves the communities of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows and is guided by
the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Joint Leisure Services Agreement. The purpose of the Commission
is to function as an independent policy making body. The Commission has the responsibility
for the direct delivery of leisure services to residents and, for entering into agreements and
contractual obligations within the limitations of approved budgets to deliver services through
various groups, agencies and businesses.
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Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Parks & Leisure Services | ANNUAL REPORT 2011 3
Thank you to the following members for
their dedicated service in 2011:
2011 Commission Members
District of Maple Ridge
Ernie Daykin, Mayor
Michael Morden, Councillor
Craig Speirs, Councillor
Judy Dueck, Councillor (Alternate)
City of Pitt Meadows
Don MacLean, Mayor
Doug Bing, Councillor
Gwen O’Connell, Councillor
Deb Walters, Councillor(Alternate)
Board of Education
Ken Clarkson, Trustee (Chair)
Mike Huber, Trustee
Eleanor Palis, Trustee
Stepan Vdovine, Trustee (Alternate)
District of Maple Ridge Citizen-At-Large Members
Ian Brown
Tyler Shymkiw
Bonny Klovance
Mandeep Bhuller
City of Pitt Meadows Citizen-At-Large Members
Christine Smith
Terri Smith
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General Manager’s Report
Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Parks & Leisure Services is made up of four service
areas:
• Administration
• Community Services
• Parks, Facilities & Open Space
• Recreation
Community consultation during the development of the Parks, Recreation and Culture
Master Plan defined values as:
A Connected, Collaborative and
Energized Community
Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Parks & Leisure Services | ANNUAL REPORT 2011 5
General Manager’s Report
Connected Community
This relates to the interactions people have with each other.
• We encourage and support a sense of social well-being and a
sense of belonging.
• We thrive on diversity, and we support inclusiveness by making all
feel welcome and able to participate. Inclusiveness means: inter-
generational, multicultural, and those with a range of abilities and
financial means.
• We assist in building strong networks to encourage group and
agency collaboration.
• We support volunteerism and leadership development due to the
multiple individual and community benefits.
• We invite public input and strive to hear, understand, and act upon
the needs expressed in our community.
Collaborative Community
This relates to people working with each other towards a common goal.
• We believe in efficiency, accountability, and coordination.
• We are committed to cooperation, leading to integration for the greater good.
• We value our partnerships, sharing, and social entrepreneurship.
• We engage in capacity-building in order to nurture leadership.
• We model and encourage contributing, listening, respect, transparency, and openness.
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General Manager’s Report
Energized Community
This relates to people being active and engaged in their community.
• We encourage and support health and wellness, and active living.
• We ensure physical accessibility to minimize barriers to participation.
• We support our citizens in engagement and participation as tools towards skill
development and self-empowerment.
• We provide diverse opportunities, hoping to instill enthusiasm, passion, and enchantment.
• We model and encourage stewardship and community pride.
• We model and share the values of creativity, awareness, and forward-thinking.
The community has expressed a strong interest in fostering a sense of community, and
with this in mind, our goal is to promote and support a healthy, safe and sustainable
community where we are active participants in a wide range of recreation and cultural
activities, working together to build our individual strengths, create a sense of commu-
nity, respect and protect our valuable natural assets and achieve our environmental
responsibilities.
“...a vibrant community where young families would like to live and where
they and their children will find the facilities and the services that meet
their needs.” - Resident
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Proportions of Households that use:2002 2005 2008 2011
Parks 62%68%81%81%
Trails & Dykes 62%68%76%81%
The ACT 36%33%49%50%
Maple Ridge Planet Ice 41%46%46%45%
Pitt Meadows Arena 41%32%30%32%
Pitt Meadows Family Recreation Centre 20%24%26%26%
Maple Ridge Leisure Centre 59%63%67%68%
Ridge Meadows Seniors Activity Centre N/A 7%13%14%
Citizens that rate Parks and Leisure
Services as excellent or good for:
2002 2005 2008 2011
Quality 75%82%80%81%
Satisfaction 80%86%80%84%
General Manager’s Report
In 2011, Parks & Leisure Services conducted its Citizen Satisfaction
Survey. The survey is completed on a three year cycle; the core objec-
tives of this research are to measure residents’ usage of, and assess
satisfaction with, the parks and recreation programs and facilities
provided by the Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Parks & Leisure Ser-
vices Department.
Findings from the Citizen Satisfaction Survey speak to an increasing in-
terest in outdoor recreation including gardening. Two-thirds of resi-
dents use walking and/or hiking as their main form of exercise; be-
cause of this, access to paths and trails was determined as important
to 87% of residents. Another reason outdoor recreation opportunities
are important to residents is an increasing need for no-cost/low-cost
recreation choices.
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Administration
The Community Development Parks and Recreation Services Division’s role is to ensure planning
and coordination of resources in the management and development of parks, facility operations,
and delivery of recreation and cultural services in addition to providing opportunities that build
individual, neighbourhood and community capacity by connecting citizens and groups, sharing
information, developing resources and facilitating planning that supports community-driven
efforts to build community capacity and assets.
Identified community needs are addressed by a variety of approaches from the direct provision
of services to establishing partnerships that leverage expertise and funding from other sources.
In addition, we are responsible for carrying out corporate initiatives as directed by Councils and
Senior Managment Teams. We also attend to inquiries and requests for assistance from fellow
staff, Council members, and the general public.
The Division’s operating model is underpinned by a network of partnerships with local volunteer
and not for profit groups that provide a recreation service to the community, businesses that
provide a specialized recreation or park services and agencies that have a common interest in
providing parks, recreation and cultural services to the community.
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Administration
2011 at a Glance
2011 was a year of ceremonies and celebration. We celebrated the 10th
anniversary of the award winning Greg Moore Youth Centre, the 30th anniversary
of the Maple Ridge Leisure Centre and the opening of several facilities:
• South Bonson Community Centre
• Newly renovated Pitt Meadows Arena
• Pitt Meadows Youth Action Park (The Pitt)
• Vernon Trail Bridge
• North Alouette Regional Greenway Bridge
Several projects were completed that demonstrate our commitment to the
community and our effort to incorporate community values of connected,
collaborative and energized into quality services:
• Reported on the scope, benefits and efficiencies of the Master Agree-
ment with School District No. 42.
• Conducted Citizen Satisfaction Survey.
• Established a new operating agreement for the Pitt Meadows Arena.
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Administration
Looking Forward to 2012
The 2012 business plan reflects immediate priority focus areas drawn from the Parks, Recreation
and Culture Master Plan, which was constructed through an extensive community consultation
process and adopted by both Councils and Commission in 2010. The following focus areas will
guide a number of staff projects in the coming year:
• Increase residents access to and use of paths and trails by improving trail connections,
developing new trail promotion methods, and establishing an enhanced trail management
strategy.
• Establish a neighbourhood development framework that includes education, enhanced
communication systems with neighbourhoods, and support for emerging neighbourhood
groups.
• Continue to support festival development by hosting a Festival Forum in each community to
establish goals and actions that will continue to build the capacity, success and sustainability
of our volunteer festival community and their relationships with business and sponsors.
• Collaborate with community agencies to expand connections and services for families with
a low income to ensure that all residents have access to low-cost recreation opportunities.
Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Parks & Leisure Services | ANNUAL REPORT 2011 11
Community Services
Community Services recognizes the important role that neighbourhoods
play in overall community health and wellness. Neighbourhood Services
supports neighbourhood development by providing support to, and con-
tributing to, community wide initiatives.
Youth Services oversees the Greg Moore and Pitt Meadows Youth Centres
and provides recreational program services for preschool children (0-5
years), school age children (6-12 years), and youth (13-18 years) through-
out Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.
Programming utilizes a benefit-based approach with a focus on active living
and leadership development. As concerns grow regarding inactivity levels
and the effects of the growing number of children living in poverty, part-
nerships have been developed to offer programming within a collaborative
framework increasing the department’s ability to respond to the growing
needs of these age groups.
Grant Agency Amount
Active Kids Club SD 42 Community Links $20,417
Active Kids Club: Child Care
Operating Fund
Ministry of Children &
Family Development
$20,265
Active Kids Club - Before
School Funding
SD 42 $7,175
Active Kids Club: Support
Workers Funding
RM Association for Com-
munity Living
$31,543
Easter Event Pitt Meadows Lions Club $2,455
Noon Hour Recreation RM Hospital Foundation $4,480
Summer Camp Staff Wages Service Canada $55,141
Summer Staff Wages Greg Moore Foundation $11,622
Total $178,498
Facility User Hours
Greg Moore Youth Centre 44,834
Pitt Meadows Youth Centre 24,842
Whonnock Elementary 1,271
Thomas Haney Skate Park 5,262
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Community Services
2011 at a Glance
Neighbourhood Services
Our focus continues to support initiatives that promote a healthy and active community. Key
projects that demonstrate this commitment included:
• Over 30 neighbourhood grants awarded throughout both communities.
• Addition of five neighbourhood school gardens.
• Expanded Farmers Market, to include a second location at Pitt Meadows Spirit Square.
• A pilot presentation by Jim Diers to staff and the community focusing on the importance of
“Neighbourhood Power”. This has led to continued work in 2012 by energizing both community
and staff alike by providing the tools needed to participate in community development.
Youth Services
The provision of active and social recreational services is one of the building blocks in the foun-
dation of healthy child development and a key component to quality of life for a community.
Key projects that demonstrate our commitment to supporting this population in developing life
skills through active and social recreation programming included:
• Introduced a barrier-free noon hour program focusing on healthy living, in partnership with
School District No. 42.
• Introduced pre-teen Adventure Summer Camps.
• Introduced New Youth Drop-In program at South Bonson Community Centre.
• Completed consultation and design process of Pitt Meadows Youth Park.
Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Parks & Leisure Services | ANNUAL REPORT 2011 13
Community Services
Looking Forward to 2012
Neighbourhood Services
• Engage HIVE neighbourhood stakeholders and support leadership
development involvement in:
• Neighbourhood garden planning process
• After school and evening programming
• Work with neighbourhood champions to design and implement a new
communication strategy both within and between neighbourhoods and
municipalities.
• Liaise with Katzie Youth workers to explore a combined youth drop-in
program at South Bonson.
“Gardens foster healthier, more socially responsible communities .”
- Resident
Youth Services
• Work with Parks staff to identify neighbourhood park planning processes and support
youth participation for:
• Mountain Bike Skills Park
• Firefighters Park
• Expand Girls Only programming to additional elementary schools.
• Support RCMP Community Resource Officers in expanding joint recreation drop-in programs.
• Increase opportunities for recreation participation through community subsidy programs.
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Recreation
The Recreation Department operates public facilities and a broad range of recreation programs
and services in collaboration with community organizations and agencies such as the Maple
Ridge/Pitt Meadows Arts Council Society, the Ridge Meadows Seniors Centre Society, Museum and
Heritage Societies, School District No. 42, not for profit groups, and the business community.
Facilities include multi-use fitness and aquatic centres, seniors’ recreation centres, ice arenas,
library, the Arts Centre and Theatre, community halls and the curling club.
Programs include drop-in or pre-registered arts and culture, aquatic, fitness, skating and others.
Services include recreation access programs, volunteer development, festival development,
and community planning tables for healthy community initiatives, as well as administrative
duties such as facility rentals and ice scheduling.
Grants Agency Amount
Cultural Mapping Legacies Now $8,000
Equipment Funding Rick Hansen Wheels in Motion $2,544
Integrated Daycamp
Support
Ministry of Children & Family
Development
$43,137
Maple Ridge Canada Day Heritage Canada $1,200
Mental Health Coordinator Fraser Health Authority $42,808
Pitt Meadows Canada Day Heritage Canada $1,000
Summer Camp Staff
Funding
Service Canada $60,415
Total $159,104
Facility User Hours
Leisure Centre 498,256
Family Recreation Centre 113,911
Harris Road Pool 5,111
Hammond Pool 2,614
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Recreation
2011 at a Glance
The Recreation Department recognizes the positive impact that active
participation in recreation programs has on a person’s physical,
mental and emotional well-being. Our aim is to encourage all citizens
to lead a healthy, active lifestyle by ensuring that all activities are
fun, safe and accessible.
Key projects that demonstrate our focus of providing residents of all
ages with opportunities to get active and be connected within their
community included:
• Conducted a cultural mapping process identifying the community’s
strengths and resources by collecting, recording, analyzing and
synthesizing our cultural assets.
• Hosted the 1st Annual Sport and Recreation Expo at the Pitt
Meadows Family Recreation Centre.
• Completed Public Art policies for Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.
• Participated in a voluntary Aquatic Lifesaving audit to incorporate
best practicies into operations.
“Art is everywhere in our community; it has no boundaries, no social
status.” - Unknown
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RecreationLooking Forward to 2012
• Conduct a needs assessment of programs at Recreation facilities and satellite locations.
• Identify two neighbourhoods with low participation and develop and implement a
targeted marketing program designed to increase opportunities within the neighbourhood.
• Work with neighbourhoods to identify safe, walkable routes for no-cost fitness opportunities.
• Develop a public art inventory including maintenance programs for collections in
Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.
• Review both community websites; work with Communication departments to develop
strategies for improved Parks & Leisure Services website presence.
“The community development approach is about creating opportunities
for increasing individual and community capacities.” - Resident
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Parks, Facilities & Open Space
The Parks, Facilities & Open Space Department, (PFOS), is responsible
for operating the Municipal parks system, which includes actively used
parkland, sport fields, and a substantial number of green-belt areas and
trail networks.
In cooperation with the Recreation Department, PFOS provides operational
services to a number of facilities including the Leisure Centre, Greg Moore
Youth Centre, Pitt Meadows Family Recreation Centre, two outdoor pools
and several community halls. Other facilities, including the public library,
the Arts Centre Theatre, two museums, two arenas, a golf course, and
numerous historic sites are operated by partner organizations.
Services not cost-shared with Pitt Meadows include overseeing the maintenance
of all municipal facilities including Municipal Hall, Fire Halls and Public
Safety buildings. As well as the operation and maintenance of two Municipal
cemeteries including interment services, record keeping and public assistance.
Facility Inventory
Softball/Baseball Fields 44
Soccer Fields (full)29
Synthetic Fields 3
Trails 150km
Parks, Recreation &
Cultural Facilties
110
Proportions of households that use:2002 2005 2008 2011
Sports Fields N/A 39%43%42%
“We love the lifestyle we have found in this community.” - Resident
Parks, Facilities & Open Space
2011 at a Glance
Parks
As our communities grow, so do the needs of our residents for amenities within their
neighbourhood. Our goal is to ensure that citizens have access to clean, safe parks and
spaces to relax, play and enjoy.
Projects that demonstrate our commitment to this included:
• 224th & Memorial Peace Park development.
• Completion of Harris Road Master Plan.
• Webster’s Corners Park development.
• New washrooms installed at Maple Ridge Park.
Facilities
The management and maintenance of municipally owned infrastructure including Facility
Infrastructure Reserve Fund, Capital Asset replacement projects and Preventative
Maintenance Management programs are the focus of our facilities team.
• Water circulation and deck replacement at Harris Outdoor Pool.
• New elevator and pool changerooms at Leisure Centre.
• Pitt Meadows Arena upgrade.
“We love the lifestyle we have found in this community.” - Resident
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Parks, Facilities & Open Space
Looking Forward to 2012
Parks
• Engage residents through a community consultation process for
the following park developments:
• Firefighters Park
• Haney Nokai Park
• Deer Fern Park
• Cedar Park
• Install Outdoor Fitness Circuits at:
• Hoffman Park
• MacLean Park
• Webster’s Corners
Facilities
• Implement accessibility options at outdoor pools.
• Remove and replace exterior windows at Heritage Hall.
• Coordinate Haney House carpet and flooring.
“We nurture and grow ‘wonder’ by protecting our highly diverse
natural world.” - Resident
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Partnerships
The community development model practiced by Parks and Leisure Services is dependant
on the strong relationships we form. We would like to extend our thanks to our community
partners for our collective success:
Alouette River Management Society
Amateur Sports Organizations
Community Associations
Community Festival Organizations
Eagles Club
Fraser Health Authority
Grant Partners
Greg Moore Foundation
Haney Horsemen
Haney Rotary
Kanaka Education and Environmental
Partnership Society
Katzie First Nation
Kiwanis Club
Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Agriculture
Association
Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Arts Council
Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Foundations
Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Katzie
Community Network
Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Lions
Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Volunteer
Centre
Mapel Ridge & Pitt Meadows Youth
Centre Society
Maple Ridge Historical Society
Meadowridge Rotary
Metro Vancouver Parks
Neighbourhood Associations
Pitt Meadows Heritage & Museum
Society
Ridge Meadows Seniors Society
Royal Canadian Legion
School District No. 42
Silver Valley Parks
United Way