Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-003-11c~ REPORT COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION GPA-044-~/ Date: FEBRUARY 7, 2011 Resolution#: By-law#: N/A Report: CSD-003-11 File#: Subject• COMMUNITY SERVICES - 2010 YEAR END REVIEW RECOMMENDATIONS: It is respectfully-recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: THAT Report CSD-003-11 be received for information. ~ ~ cam. Submitted by: P. Caruana Community Reviewed by: Franklin Wu, Chief Administrative Officer J PC/SM/TL/SC/SM/E M/GA/Iw CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON 40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L1C 3A6 T (905)623-3379 F (905)623-0830 REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 PAGE 2 1.0 BACKGROUND 1.1 The Community Services Department is responsible for planning, implementing and evaluating municipal recreation, leisure programs and facilities. This report is intended to provide Council with an overview of the activities associated with the Department's Recreation Services and Facilities Divisions during 2010. 2.0 RECREATION SERVICES DIVISION 2.1 Over the course of 2010, the Recreation Services Division offered residents of Clarington registered programs in aquatics and fitness, as well as youth and adult recreation programs. In addition to our structured programming, the Division is also responsible for the Department's drop-in programs, special events, memberships, public swims and recreational skating. 2.2 .This Division also plays an integral role in liaising and working with Clarington's many recreation based community organizations. The Community Development portfolio continues to evolve and reach out to new organizations while providing on-going support and information to the many organizations that provide a range of recreation opportunities for the residents of Clarington. 3.0 AQUATIC SECTION 3.1 Staffing The Community Services Department employs 60 part time aquatic staff annually. Prospective candidates must possess five to seven certifications/qualifications to be eligible for hire, and recertify each qualification annually or every two years to remain on the deck, as per Ministry of Health regulations. ii) Upon hire, all levels of Aquatic staff receive approximately 24 hours of intensive staff training and orientation. This training includes areas such as facility and pool orientation, WHMI$, health and safety, young worker awareness, Automated External Defibrillator, emergency response, rescues and spinals, as well as instructional training. iii) Throughout the year, aquatic staff attend mandatory training, every six- eight weeks. These trainings and workshops include learning new techniques, skill development and instructional emergency response to better improve the service they provide to our customers and residents, as well as to prepare and practice their skills in the event of a major emergency. REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 3.2 Orono Park Pool PAGE 3 Orono Park houses the only municipal outdoor pool in Clarington. It is a 20+ metre pool, and is operated seven days a week, from the last weekend in June to Labour Day weekend. ii) While attendance at the pool has been increasing steadily since 2008, this past summer was no exception as we experienced favourable weather conditions for most of the summer. iii) Feedback from the residents of Clarington about the pool was very positive. Many who were visiting the pool for the first time stated how much they enjoyed their experience, and would return in the future. 3.3 Heat Relief Policy During the summer of 2002, in direct response to severe heat conditions, the Municipality of Clarington implemented a Heat Relief policy. The policy related to the opening of various municipal aquatic facilities to the public between July 15t and Labour Day, in the event of severe summer heat conditions. ii) Summer heat conditions include any weather condition such as extreme heat where the temperature exceeds 30 degrees Celsius and/or the Humidex reaches 40 degrees Celsius or higher. Temperature and humidex conditions are confirmed by The Weather Network. iii) Should weather conditions warrant, the decision to invoke the procedure is made by the Director of Community Services or designate. These conditions and the decision to implement must exist prior to 2:00 pm. iv) During all heat relief periods, admission to aquatic facilities is free of charge (recreational swimming only). All swims normally scheduled on that day are designated public swims, and the hours of operation are extended to 9:00 pm, where possible. v) This past summer, Heat Relief was invoked eight times. During that time, a total of 2,716 swimmers used the four aquatic facilities at no charge. REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 PAGE 4 vi) As the heat relief policy has been in place for nine years, in 2011 staff will undertake a review of the policy and recommend revisions as appropriate through a report to the General Purpose and Administration Committee. 2007 2008 2009 2010 3.4 Aquatic Statistics Community Services currently offers 60 hours of aquatic instructional programming each week between our three indoor pools. Over the past four years, aquatic programs have seen an overall increase of 13%. Preschool (ages 4 months - 5 years) and Youth (ages 6 -12 years) remain the most popular and on average account for 75% of the total registrations. Aquatic Program Participant Statistics 6200 .,,, ikf i.: ~~l ~ ~t fi000 ' 5800 { 5600 5400 ®Program Participants 5200 5000 4800 ii) The Department offers a wide variety of swims at its indoor facilities, including Adult, Lane, AdulULane, Public and Family. Combined at all three indoor facilities, the municipality offers an average of 98 hours of swims per week (total of 340 staff hours). iii) Recreational swimming remains a popular activity for all ages. In 2010, nearly 84,000 people used a pool. While usage fluctuates year to year, and pool to pool, over the past three years, usage of the four aquatic facilities combined has seen an overall increase of 17%. Pool 2007 2008 2009 2010 Clarington Fitness 19,466 19,395 15,204 12,421 Centre Courtice Community 45,455 37,476 30,396 28,953 Com lex Newcastle & District Not 11,890 37,322 38,869 Recreation-Com lex a licable 4 months Newcastle Lion's Pool 2,575 1,874 Closed Closed Orono Park Pool 2,171 1,361 1,882 3,430 Total # Users 69,667 71,996 84,804 83,673 REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 PAGE 5 iv) While overall the total number of individuals participating in swimming as a recreational activity has increased, the opening of the Newcastle & District Recreation Complex has had a direct impact on participation numbers (for instructional and recreational activities), primarily at the Clarington Fitness Centre and to a lesserdegree at the Courtice Community Complex. v) Staff are actively marketing and promoting swims (both public and instructional) in an dngoing effort to further increase participation levels. 3.5 School Board Swimming Lessons Since September 1997, the Community Services Department has offered a customized program for the Boards of Education within Clarington. Participation in the Municipality of Clarington School Board program continues to be a popular activity. At the present time, the Municipality reserves 15 one-hour time periods from mid-September to mid-June for school use. Response from parents and teachers continues to be positive. iii) Participating schools vary in both the grade and the number of students participating in the program. Some schools designate swimming for certain grades, usually grades 3, 4 or 5. Other more enthusiastic schools give each grade the opportunity to attend every school year. iv) Partnerships such as the School Board Swim Program targets members of the community who may not normally be reached through municipal swimming lessons, due to shift work, irregular schedules or financial limitations not allowing families to attend evening and weekend classes. The program also increases children's exposure to water safety education and lifesaving skills. v) The 2009-2010 school year saw 18 local schools participate in the school board swimming program, bringing a total of 47 classes and .1,070 children. 4.0 FITNESS SECTION 4.1 Grade 5 Action Pass i) The 2010 / 2011 school year marks the third school year that the Municipality of Clarington has offered the Grade 5 Action Pass to our local grade 5 students. This pass was introduced to address the growing concern over the number of sedentary, obese children in our society. ii) The Grade 5 Action Pass has been offered to all students during their grade 5 year. The pass provides free drop-in access to students for public swims and skates and runs October 1 of the year the student is in grade 5 until August 31 of the following year. REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 PAGE 6 iii) In 2010, we saw 9.5% of previous Grade 5 Action Pass. holders continue to participate in some form of registered recreation with the Community Services Department. iv) In 2009, the Durham Region Health Department assumed the promotion of the Grade 5 Action Pass with the intent of physically distributing the material to the schools by Public Health Nurses on their regular school visits. However, in fall 2010, there was an outbreak of H1 N1 (Swine Flu) and all Public Health Nurses were seconded to flu shot clinics. This contributed to the significant decrease of memberships in 2009/2010. Grade 5 Action Passes 115 I 177 (vear to 4.2 Team Training i) Community Services continued to offer Team Training in 2010. Staff at the Courtice Fitness Training Facility and Newcastle & District Recreation Complex provided a conditioning program geared primarily to youth sports teams. ii) The activities focused on speed, power, strength, balance and agility in a sport specific manner so the athletes can excel in their sport. Abetter conditioned athlete will have fewer chances for injury so it's important to continually modify the program to challenge and improve their performance. As well, the off-ice time is a wonderful opportunity for the team to bond outside of the game or sport. iii) In 2010, staff provided 64 hours of Team Training to eight different Clarington sporting teams for girls' and boys' hockey as well as soccer and ringette. 4.3 Group Fitness Programs The Courtice Fitness Training Facility and the Newcastle & District Recreation Complex offer a wide variety of group fitness classes which appeal to a wide variety of clientele. ii) Group Fitness Program registrations at the Courtice Fitness Training Facility have increased by 32% from 2009 to 2010. This increase is significant and can be attributed to the introduction of programs that are in high demand, such as Fitness Bootcamp, Kickbox, Women's Total Fitness and others. iii) Overall, the registration numbers for Group Fitness classes at the Newcastle & District Recreation Complex remained consistent with 2009. REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 PAGE 7 There was a 47% increase in Newcastle Group Fitness Membership sales from 2009 to 2010. Aerobic Registration Comparison 2007-2010 Courtice Community Complex I Newcastle & District Recreation Complex LVVO 2010 ^ Courtice Community Complex ~ Newcastle & District Recreation Complex 4.4 New Programming Introduced in 2010 Trends in the fitness industry are ever changing. In order to remain viable and competitive in this market we must stay current with the industry trends and continually adapt our programming to ensure we are offering a wide array of programs that are relevant, meeting the needs of our membership base as well as attracting new members to our facility. ii) This section will highlight programming that was introduced in 2010. iii) In Spring 2010, the Community Services Department introduced Fitness Bootcamp. This program was immediately successful and had a total of 92 people participate in a 16 class program over three sessions (spring, summer, fall). Fitness Bootcamp allows participants to achieve great results in a motivating environment, and have fun while working hard. iv) Zumba was another exciting new program added to the roster of classes. Zumba is a fusion of Latin and International music. It's a "feel-happy" workout that is great for the body, mind and soul. Zumba has taken off and has been very popular for our members as well as bringing some new participants into the facility. v) In Fall 2010, the Community Services Department added Kettlebells, an ancient Russian exercise tool, to our class lineup at both the Courtice REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 PAGE 8 Community Complex and the Newcastle & District Recreation Facility. This class offers a more advanced training technique for participants looking for something to change up their current routine. 4.5 Fitness Memberships In 2010, we have still seen the effects of a weakened economy on fitness membership sales. While membership sales have not dropped significantly, they have stabilized for the past two years. We remain confident that over the next few years, the membership base will grow. Fitness Membership Statistics 2007 to 2010 125 229 590 378 36 79 1,437 111 234 590 403 56 89 1,483 104 214 558 308 44 71 1,299 65 163 508 392 35 69 1,232 ii) Membership Retention In 2010, a strong effort was made to engage and keep the fitness members active to boost retention. Monthly challenges and tracking activities were introduced to encourage this participation. The activities were varied so as to appeal to our membership base. There was something for everyone to keep them going and motivated. Some activities that were offered were Survivor (a third annual challenge through the Courtice Fitness~Facility), 30- day challenge and Race Across Canada (in its fourth year at the Courtice Fitness Training Facility) and Club 100 (formal recognition for members who achieve 100 workouts iri the calendar year). iii) Membership Referral Typically, when one exercises with a friend or family member, they are more committed as there is a greater sense of responsibility than when working out alone. As well, when doing any routine there is no greater motivation than working out with a buddy who is pushing you to run longer, push harder and go faster. In Fall 2010, a Membership Referral program was introduced at the Courtice Fitness Facility. The purpose of this program is to bring in new members through referrals by their friends or family members. Incentives are offered to the current members, aside from the aforementioned benefits, to encourage referrals to the Courtice Fitness Facility. Incentives would include a one month membership extension, three month free locker rental or one hour Personal Training Session. REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 PAGE 9 This initiative has proven popular since its implementation. The Community Services Department anticipates this program will bring great success in 2011. iv) In 2011, further targeted marketing will continue to promote the Courtice Fitness Training Facility and to increase our membership base. Staff will also be focusing on free marketing venues such as the Internet. (blogs and social media) and through email. 4.6 Squash In 2009, the Community Services Department was approached by some avid squash members about the possibility of forming a club at the Clarington Fitness Centre. Staff met in consultation with the group and it was determined that a Squash Advisory Committee would be created in order to better focus on the issues surrounding the development of squash in Clarington. ii) The Squash Advisory Committee is comprised of Community Services Department staff and designated squash members at the Clarington Fitness Centre. iii) To encourage squash participation and increase exposure of the sport in the community, the Department in conjunction with the Squash Advisory Committee implemented the following: Increased exposure in the Department's Recreation and Leisure Guide Learn to Play programs for youth House Leagues for co-ed and women iv) 2010 marks the first full year of squash programming through the Community Services Department. The youth programs have been received well by the community and there is an interest in growing the youth programming in 2011: The adult leagues have also been popular, however, the introduction of an adult learn to play program in late 2010 was not as successful as anticipated. Currently all squash programs are instructed on a volunteer basis by members of the Squash Advisory Committee. v) The Squash Advisory Committee meets quarterly to discuss program initiatives, marketing ideas and program delivery. REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 5.0 RECREATION SECTION 5.1 Job Opportunity Fair PAGE 10 i) The Community Services Department hosted the fourth annual Job Opportunity Fair in Clarington. The Job Opportunity Fair was held on Saturday, May 15, 2010, at the Courfice Community Complex from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. In an attempt to promote the event to students, staff went to four local high schools during their lunch hours. -Once again, the event was well attended. Community Services Staff had the opportunity to interview close to 200 potential candidates. The objective of the day was to help create a larger pool of better qualified part time. candidates; by all accounts this was achieved. The Community Services Department is preparing now for our 2011 Job Opportunity Fair which will be held on Saturday May 14, 2011. 5.2 Financial Assistance Programs i) The Community Services Department is committed to increasing access and participation in recreation activities among Clarington residents. ii) The Canadian Tire JumpStart program was created by Canadian Tire Foundations for Families, and works in partnership with the Community Services Department. The program's goal is to provide financially disadvantaged children four to 18 years of age with the opportunity to participate in sports and recreation activities. In 2010, staff was able to assist 19 children and youth in accessing over $2,900 in Jumpstart funding to participate in sport and recreation activities within Clarington. iii) In addition, the Municipality of Clarington directly offers two financial assistance programs: a) Financial Assistance Program (FAP) -Individuals or families currently receiving Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program Income Support can apply for financial assistance of up to a maximum of 50% of the program /membership registration fee. The chart below identifies the number of families and individuals who received financial assistance with registration fees over the past three years. Financial Assistance Program Statistics REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 PAGE 11 b) Membership Access Program (MAP) -The Membership Access Program strives. to increase recreation opportunities for individuals with a permanent disability. Clarington residents who meet the age criteria for facility memberships and who have a permanent disability are eligible for the Membership Access Program which provides a reduced fee for facility memberships. As this,program relates to a permanent disability once an individual is confirmed eligible this program remains available to them indefinitely, there is no re-application process. Membership Access Program Statistics 5.3 Summer Camps ii) In the summer of 2010 Community Services employed a total of 24 students as camp supervisors and counsellors. They brought a wide range of knowledge, experience, leadership and enthusiasm to the team. All staff received 35 hours of pre-camp training in areas such as leadership development, team building, recognizing child abuse, customer service, program planning, behaviour management, conflict resolution and administrative responsibilities. They were also required to be certified in the High 5 Principles of Healthy Child Development, Standard First Aid and CPR "C" as well as providing acceptable criminal reference checks. REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 PAGE 12 iii) Once again Community Services partnered with the YMCA Early Years staff to continue in delivering a comprehensive Mobile Playground program to the community each week of the summer. YMCA Early Years and Community Services each committed one van and two staff. The drop-in style program offers a less structured option to our day camps for participants and caregivers. The two "Funmobiles" each visited a different location every day and delivered games, activities and crafts appropriate to the participants. No pre-registration was required and often parents/caregivers would come to the park and socialize as their children participated. The Mobile Playground rotated through eleven different parks weekly during the summer which included: Tyrone Park, Orono Park, Guildwood Park, Walbridge Park, West Side Park, Roswell Park, Kendal Park, Ina Brown Parkette, Avondale Park, Elliot Park, Memorial Park and Haydon Hall. Visits were extremely well received at all locations with over 2,000 people visiting the playground throughout the summer. iv) In the summer of 2010, we continued to offer our camper integration program. Parents of children with special needs were able to pre-register their child. for up to two weeks of integrated service at our summer camps. Wherever necessary and possible, one-on-one support was provided to the children. A total of nine children were registered to receive integration support in our camps this summer which is up just slightly from the seven participants in 2009. v) Camp programs continue to accommodate as many individuals in the Municipality of Clarington as possible.. The Department continues to revise and improve the camp program each year, achieving the underlying goal of providing quality programs at a reasonable fee. 5.4 Summer Job Subsidy Program i) The Summer Jobs Service is a student job subsidy program created by the Province of Ontario and is facilitated in Durham Region through the John Howard Society. This is the eighth year that the Community Services Department has facilitated the program on behalf of the Municipality. The program provides up to a $2.00 per hour wage subsidy to employers who employ students for the summer. The program also posts jobs which are subsidized by the program in the Summer Jobs Service job bank for student access. The Summer Jobs Service Program offers free training to students in areas such as job search and self-marketing skills. This program is designed to help eligible youth prepare for employment, gain employment experience and stay in school. The Summer Jobs Service program is targeted to students aged 15 - 24 years (up to 29 for a person with a disability) who are currently attending school and plan to return to school in the fall. It should be noted that eligibility does not guarantee the employer will receive $2,00 per hour per student as the total funds are distributed by formula to the participating employers. REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 PAGE 13 ii) The subsidy that the Municipality received was $30,376.00. Municipal Departments do not budget for this revenue as the program is not guaranteed from year to year. The funds are recognized in a miscellaneous revenue account specific to each department. 5.5 Birthday Parties The birthday parties continue to be an extremely popular programming option. In 2010 we hosted 123 birthday parties for children ages 4 - 12 years (Saturdays and Sundays, January to May and September to December). Birthday Party Comparison 2007-2010 South Courtice Arena /Newcastle 8 District Recreation Complex LVV~ 2010 ^ South Courttce Arena ®Newcastle & District Recreation Complex 2010 Summer Job Subsidy Funding by Department REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 PAGE 14 5.6 Public Skating In 2010 we had approximately 7,700 participants attend our public skating programs throughout the municipality. South Courtice Arena 4,390 4,126 Garnet B. Rickard Com lex 3,257 2,818 Darlin ton S orts Centre 879 770 6.0 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT i) Community Development is an ongoing process working with community organizations and volunteers to assist with their organizational growth and development which will enable them to identify and, respond to current and future community recreation and leisure needs and interests. To be successful Community Development requires developing a rapport and credibility within the community through an ongoing relationship: ii) The true strength of a community is measured by its volunteer leadership. Volunteers provide leadership in the provision of programs and services that enhance-the quality of life possible within the community; everything from leisure opportunities and social support, to activities and community events, for all residents regardless of age and background. To create an exciting, vibrant, and caring community there needs to be a strong base of volunteer leadership. iii) Staff developed a strategy which was geared towards enhancing the relationship with community partners by creating an environment of encouragement, facilitation and learning which would help to ensure that the volunteer experience was fulfilling and productive. iv) Based on feedback from our community partners, staff worked with local trainers to develop a series of community development events which would address some training needs and also provide a forum for networking and support among the volunteer community. The following workshops were offered to the volunteer sector in 2010 with varying degrees of success. • Developing the Leadership Potential in Your Community Group • Website Development #1 -Keys to an Effective Not-for-Profit Website • Website Development #2 -On and Offline Strategies for Volunteer Community Groups • HST -How It Will Affect Your Community Group 6.1 Sport and Leisure Fair Many of our community groups have expressed frustration with the promotion and marketing of their programs. Although there are numerous REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 PAGE 15 opportunities for residents to partake in a wide range of sport and leisure pursuits, often they are not aware of these opportunities. The Sport and Leisure Fair was developed as a vehicle for groups to promote their programs and services to the general public in an open house type setting. Community groups are offered display space to promote their programs and services and the general public is invited to drop in and learn about the wealth of recreation and leisure opportunities available to them and their families. This year's event included a family skate and pizza courtesy of Boston Pizza and displays by 40 community groups. Over 500 people attended the 2010 Sport and Leisure Fair. 6.2 Clarington Sports Hall of Fame The eighth annual Clarington Sports Hall of Fame continues to be a memorable event for the local sports community, thanks to the support of sponsors Ontario Power Generation and St. Mary's Cement. In 2010, sports enthusiasts were on hand to acknowledge this year's inductees, Joanna Braun, John James, Michael Patrick, Dave Wright and the St. Mary's Cement Redman Hockey Team and enjoyed the motivating words of TSN celebrity Jennifer Hedger. 6.3 Community Events i) Winter WonderLearn The annual Winter WonderLearn was hosted February 13th at Courtice Community Complex and the Community Services Department was once again actively involved. Over 1,500 residents enjoyed the informative displays and events, including hayrides through the neighbourhood. ii) Rib Fest The third Rotary Rib Fest, hosted at the Garnet B. Rickard Fields June 11- 13, was an overwhelming success. Over 35,000 patrons enjoyed great entertainment and fabulous food. With seven "ribbers" on site and more vendors involved, there were many more food options for the crowds to contemplate. The funds raised at this event provide the opportunity for the Rotary Club to continue their support for many community events and initiatives. iii) Courtice Kids Of Steel The 2010 Courtice Kids of Steel Triathlon continued its tradition of excellence. Derrick McKay and his dedicated team of volunteers proved that not even Mother Nature could hold them back from delivering a top notch event while battling inclement weather. The race was sold out two weeks in advance with 225 triathletes aged 3-19, from across southern Ontario competing in this well run, fun and friendly event. The Courtice Kids of Steel has quickly established itself as one of the leaders of the Kids of Steel circuit. REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 PAGE 16 iv) Breakfast with Santa Breakfast with Santa is hosted at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex in partnership with Ontario Early Years. Young children and their families enjoy a full pancake breakfast followed by Christmas games and activities. The highlight of the morning is the visit from Santa. This year 575 people enjoyed this event at two sittings (9:00-11:OOam and 12:00-2:OOpm). v) Rob Piontek Day August 14th was the date of Piontek Day, held at the Rob Piontek Skateboard Park in Courtice. This event was hosted by the local skateboard community as a memorial to Rob and also as an event to promote skateboarding as a positive community event.. vi) Ride for United Way In 2010, The Ride for United Way relocated from its previous location at Durham College/UOIT Campus to the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex. Over 400 riders from across the GTA cycled through one of four courses ranging from 20 km to160 km, enjoying the lovely scenery Clarington has to offer. The event generated $50,000 for the Durham United Way. 6.4 Community Grant Program i) The Community Grant Program was established many years ago with the intent to provide Council with a vehicle to acknowledge and support the efforts of our local volunteer community and. not for profit agencies that provide services, events or projects which benefit the community. Historically the allocation of funding for this program has been established at $1.00 per capita, providing a funding level of $80,000 annually. During the 2009 municipal budget process, grant requests normally received from the Newcastle Community Hall, Community Care Durham-Clarington and the Clarington Older Adult Association were re-directed from the Community Grant Program to the Municipal Budget Process. In addition, in an effort to maintain the integrity of the Community Grant Program while still supporting the Courtice Rotary Canada Day celebrations, $5,000 was transferred from the Grant Program to Corporate Services to be applied only to the funding of Canada Day Celebrations. Accordingly, a maximum amount of $60,000 was available for the 2010 Community Grant Program. ii) The Community Grant Program is an evolution, involving continual review and modification to ensure the program continues to provide Council with a ,means to support appropriate community initiatives which meet the defined criteria. Over the years the program has been successful in providing Council with a vehicle to acknowledge and support the efforts of our local volunteer community and not for profit agencies. In 2010 the application became available on-line to complete and print. For 2011 staff have enhanced the application process to include on-line filing of the application. REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 PAGE 17 iii) In late November 2009, staff hosted a community meeting to introduce the 2010 Community Grant Program. The meeting provided the opportunity for staff to update applicants on any changes or revisions to the process and also provided an opportunity for applicants to discuss their application and get clarification on the process and criteria. This meeting has been productive in educating the public on the objectives and merits of the Community Grant Program while sending the message that as the community continues to grow there will be increased demands on the program. Applicants are encouraged to review their requests and apply for support only when truly required. iv) While the number of requests and the amount of funds requested had been showing a steady decline over the last few years, 2010 saw a spike of nine supplementary requests being addressed by Council throughout the year, bringing the total number of grant requests to 42. "Supplemental Grants 6.b Clarington Older Adult Association (COAA) The COAA completed their Strategic Plan in 2010. This extensive 12 month review was conducted by ROCG Consulting and included a review of the administrative structure, staffing, use of volunteers and facilities, the range of programs and services currently offered and emerging trends. Stakeholders were identified and focus groups and interview techniques were used to glean appropriate information. ii) The Strategic Plan confirmed that members had a high level of satisfaction with the COAA staff and programs and with the opportunity to volunteer with the COAA. Members considered the Beech Centre as a friendly and welcoming environment although they did identify dissatisfaction with parking, overcrowding and the facility limitations. Some of these issues were alleviated with the relocation of Community Care and the Lions Day Care. REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 PAGE 18 iii) The Plan also reviewed the Mission Statement, Values and Beliefs and Vision while identifying five Strategic Priorities to focus the organization on the pursuit of their Vision. The Strategic Priorities were accompanied by Key Actions and Start Dates to guide the COAA in their quest. iv) Community Development is an ongoing process, based on the principles of respect, integrity and support. The benefits are a more engaged community and an enhanced quality of life. Staff will continue to develop the relationships and rapport with our community partners which will nurture an environment of encouragement, .facilitation and learning. 7.0 FACILITIES DIVISION 7.1 The Facilities Division is responsible for the operations and maintenance of recreation facilities managed by the Community Services Department. This includes permitting of arenas, swimming pools, indoor soccer and multi-purpose rooms. The Division is also responsible for concessions, pro shops and vending operations in our facilities. This overview is intended to provide Council with an update on the activities and highlights of the Facilities Division for 2010. 7.2 Supporting the Facilities Manager, the Division is staffed by four Facilities Supervisors and the Food Services Co-ordinator. The supervisors share the management of our seven indoor facilities and outdoor pool, while the co-ordinator is responsible for concession and vending functions in all facilities. Along with the 24 full time staff, the Division requires approximately 100 part time staff to help operate the facilities. 8.0 FACILITIES PERMITTING 8.1 Our facilities booking office, located at the South Courtice Arena is responsible for the majority of the facility permits issued by the Department on an annual basis. These permits include all rentals for our major sport users in the arena, pool and indoor field facilities, and the annual facility rental contracts for all major ice, indoor field and pool users. The majority of facility usage is permitted to Clarington based minor sport users. Staff has developed a close working relationship with the minor sport groups and remains in close contact throughout their respective seasons. 8.2 Ice and Floor Rentals Ice usage for 2010 is down although overall prime time ice during the regular season remains consistent. In addition, the renovation project at Darlington Sports Centre delayed the opening of fall ice season by three weeks. REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 8.3 Pool Rentals Dolphins Swim Club who are using our pools during renovations at Anne Ottenbrite Pool PAGE 19 The 2010 statistics include approximately 60 hours of pool use by the Whitby 2010 hourly swimming pool rental statistics are as follows: 8.4 Bowmanville Indoor Soccer/ Lacrosse Bowl The Bowmanville Indoor Soccer facility continues to perform very well. In 2010 drop-in hours have been removed from adult soccer hours and reported separately in section 8.5 of this report. 2010 hourly ice and floor rental statistics are as follows: REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 8.5 Pay as You Go and Complimentary Programming PAGE 20 In addition to private and community group rentals, the Department provides a variety of public programs to residents in our arena facilities. This includes pay as you go and complimentary programs. Staff have recently implemented a system for tracking statistics on complimentary programming, and will commence year to year comparisons in 2011. 2010 hourly indoor soccer/outdoor lacrosse rental statistics are as follows: 2010 hours and attendance statistics are as follows: REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 PAGE 21 9.0 PUBLIC ACCESS DEFIBRILLATOR PROGRAM 9.1 The Community Services Department continues the administration of this program far all seven of our indoor recreation facilities as well as the Orono Arena, Newcastle Arena and Newcastle Town Hall. The annual program support and certification is provided by Central East Prehospital Care Program and the costs associated with this support are provided in the Department's annual operating budget. 9.2 In July the Department, in partnership with the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario (HSFO) provided a CPR Skills & AED Awareness Event at the Garnet Rickard Complex. Almost 50 residents took advantage of this complimentary session to gain insight into these valuable life saving skills. Staff will continue to work with HSFO for similar events in the future. 9.3 In November the Department and Central East Prehospital Care Program hosted an AED Awareness Night at South Courtice Arena to provide an overview of the Public Access Defibrillator program. This complimentary session was provided for local sport organizations, community groups and the general public. Although attendance at these sessions was not as expected, staff will continue to evaluate the need and schedule future sessions. 10.0 FACILITY ACCESSIBILITY PROGRAM 10.1 Following the completion of an accessibility audit for the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex in 2009, staff had one completed for the Courtice Community Complex. These reports identify areas of deficiency in terms of current legislative requirements as well as "best practices". The goal of the Accessibility for Ontarians with bisabilities Act (AODA) is fully accessible buildings and facilities by 2025. The reports also provide recommended timeframes for completing the necessary corrective measures and estimated costs for the measures. 10.2 As part of the Department's annual capital budget program, funds have been identified to address some of the high priority corrective measures. In 2010 projects included accessible parking improvements and installation. of automatic door openers at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex. Staff will continue to utilize these reports as they develop a comprehensive strategy for future capital budgets. 10.3 Major renovations that have recently been completed must also conform to current legislation with regards to accessibility. Included in the Darlington Sports Centre project were significant improvements to accessibility including relocated parking spaces, automatic entrance doors, accessible ramps to upper lobby levels as well as a .new barrier free washroom in the renovated main lobby. Recent renovations at Garnet Rickard Complex include two new barrier free change rooms and improved barrier free spectator viewing in Pad A. REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 PAGE 22 11.0 FEDERAL/PROVINCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS 11.1 In 2010, staff were involved in a number of projects approved as part of the federal government's Economic Action Plan. The projects included funding from the Building Canada Fund -Communities Component Intake 2 for the energy retrofit at Garnet Rickard Complex and the Recreation Infrastructure Canada (RInC) Program for the arena floor replacement at Darlington Sports Centre, and a dressing room and seating upgrade for Pad A at the Garnet B. Rickard Complex. 11.2. To date the majority of the work approved under the RInC program has been completed. The remaining work will be completed prior to the deadline date of March 31, 2011. Recently Council approved a resolution in support of a deadline extension request for the energy retrofit project at Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex. Subject to approval of the extension, the project is scheduled to be complete for May 2011. 11.3 To date approximately 50% of the work at the Rickard Complex is completed including the replacement of the refrigeration plants compressors, cooling tower and computerized control system as well as the repair of the skylights over the Pad A ice surface. Currently the last phase of the work is underway which includes energy efficient lighting throughout the building; instantaneous water heaters for ice resurfacing operations; new domestic hot water boiler's and an automated building systems control program. 11.4 Following is a summary of the infrastructure projects: 12.0 ANNUAL CAPITAL PROJECT PROGRAM 12.1 In addition to the day to day operations of the Municipality's recreation facilities, the Facilities Division also administers the Department's Capital Maintenance Program. Significant in scope, this program ensures our facilities are structurally sound and physical plants are maintained to industry standards. REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 PAGE 23 12.2 Every five years, each facility undergoes a building audit, conducted by consulting engineers. This document provides information related to the structure and physical plant that enables staff to maintain our assets pro-actively, forming the basis for the current year's capital budget and four year forecast, which is approved each year through the budget process. 12.3 In 2010 the capital budget included projects that related to accessibility, energy conservation, mechanical equipment life cycle needs, fire safety measures and patron amenities. The project list includes a fire alarm system upgrade and pool sauna wood replacement at Clarington Fitness Centre; new ice resurfacer at South Courtice Arena and sprinkler head replacement and security system improvements at Courtice Community Complex. 13.0 COMMUNITY CARE DURHAM PROJECT 13.1 In 2009 following Council approval, our department staff worked with .representatives of Community Care Durham on the redesign of approximately 5,000 square feet of space at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex. This renovation would provide for the relocation of Community Care Durham's existing Bowmanville and Newcastle operations. 13.2 Staff managed the renovation project that started in December 2009 and was completed by March 2010. In April Community Care Durham was able to open the doors on their consolidated operation. Since that time they have been a welcome addition to the facility and continue to work closely with our staff. 14.0 ENERGY CONSERVATION 14.1 Facilities management staff continues to sit as members of the Energy Management Steering Committee. As the costs of heat, hydro and water in recreation facilities represents a significant portion of our annual operating costs it is important for staff to stay current in this area. 14.2 As part of the committee's energy audit program, audits will be completed on South Courtice Arena and the Clarington Fitness Centre in 2011. Staff will use the findings from these reports to develop a strategy for the implementation of the most effective energy efficiency measures identified. 14.3 The major renovation work that occurred in 2010 had a significant focus on energy conservation. Energy efficiency was realized through the upgrading of lighting fixtures, mechanical fixtures and energy control measures. 14.4 The most significant impact will be realized when the energy retrofit project at Garnet B. Rickard Complex is completed. The focus of this project was to reduce energy costs ir? all areas, hydro, heat and water. The scope of work included energy efficient lighting, mechanical equipment upgrades, building envelope REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 PAGE 24 improvements and automated building system controls. We will start to receive the full benefit of this work starting in the spring of 2011. 15.0 HEALTH AND SAFETY 15.1 Workplace health and safety continued to be a high priority in 2010. Supplementing our monthly workplace inspections completed by the Joint Health and Safety Committee, department staff performs monthly supervisory inspections at our recreation facilities. In addition, the divisional managers inspect the workplaces semi-annually with the Director performing annual inspections. 15.2 In 2010, the semi-annual training program for facilities-operations staff continued. In addition to the annual WHMIS training and review of health and safety policies and procedures, the 2010 program also included staff certification on upright lift operation, HVAC equipment safety and operations and fire extinguisher training by Clarington Emergency & Fire Services. 16.0 PARTNERSHIPS 16.1 The department has always been involved in various partnerships in our recreation facilities. For many years we have had leasing relationships with private day care and dance studio operators. We are always willing to work with the private sector to facilitate the provision of services to the residents in the most effective way. 16.2 Since January 2010, the concession operation at the Bowmanville Indoor Soccer facility has been operated by the Darlington Soccer Club. As the main user of the facility they are able to provide their participants with snack and beverage services effectively. 16.3 Also since January 2010, the arena pro shops at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex and the South Courtice Arena have been operated On The Edge, a private pro shop operator. The professional service that is being offered is being well received by our arena patrons. 17.0 EAT SMART RECREATION PROGRAM 17.1 The Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex is one of the first recreational facilities along with Beaverton - Thorah Community Centre in Durham Region to be awarded and recognized in the "Eat Smart Recreation Program" launched in 2010 by the Durham Region Health Department. 17.2 "Eat Smart" is a voluntary provincial health promotion program that includes environmental support and educational strategies to encourage healthier food choices, improved food safety and a smoke free Ontario. The goal of the "Eat REPORT NO.: CSD-003-11 25 Smart" program is to contribute to the reduction of chronic disease and food borne illness in Ontario. 17.3 This initiative is funded by the Ministry of Health Promotion and is co-ordinated by the Nutrition Resource Centre at the Ontario Public Health Association. One of the initiatives of the Action Plan for Healthy Eating and Active Living developed in 2006 was to extend the Eat Smart program to concessions, snack bars and vending operations in recreational settings. 18.0 COMMENTS 18.1 The Community Services Department is very proud of our accomplishments over the past year. Our state of the art recreation facilities offer a safe and attractive environment for all our residents to enjoy. 18.2 Our youth and adult recreation programming continues to provide Clarington residents with a variety of opportunities that encourage a healthy lifestyle. 18.3 In 2011, the Department will continue to identify areas of potential development and growth, ensuring quality recreational opportunities for our growing and diverse population.