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Report To: Planning and Development Committee
Date of Meeting: March 18, 2024 Report Number: PDS-011-24
Submitted By:
Reviewed By:
Authored by:
File Number:
Report Subject:
Carlos Salazar, Deputy CAO, Planning and Infrastructure Services
Mary-Anne Dempster, CAO Resolution #: PD-016-24
Sarah Allin, Principal Planner
PLN 16.1 By-law #:
Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan – Update Report
Recommendation:
1.That Report PDS-011-24, and any related delegations or communication items, be
received for information; and
2.That all interested parties listed in Report PDS-011-24 and any delegations be advised
of Council’s decision.
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Report PDS-011-24
Report Overview
On April 24, 2023, Council received Report PDS-26-23 and directed staff to initiate a Parks,
Recreation, and Culture Master Plan (PRCMP) to understand and identify the parks,
recreation and culture spaces and services that should be offered today and over the long -
term. Staff was also directed to engage a qualified consultant to assist with the development
of the Plan.
Monteith Brown Planning Consultants was retained in July 2023 . The PRCMP Steering
Committee was established, and the initiation meeting was held on July 17, 2023 to finalize
the work plan, schedule, and commence the project.
The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the PRCMP project and to present the
work completed to date. This report will be accompanied by a presentation by Monteith
Brown Planning Consultants to be delivered at the March 18th Planning and Development
Committee meeting.
1. Background
Budget for the Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan is approved
1.1 Council approved the resources to retain the necessary consulting services to develop
the Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan (PRCMP) as part of the Community
Services operating budget for 2023.
Report CAO-006-23
1.2 Council received Report CAO-006-23 on February 27, 2023, which directed that staff
expedite the development of a PRCMP to comprehensively assess our communities’
existing and future needs for parks, recreation, and culture spaces, programs, and
services in consideration of Clarington’s growing population and demographi c trends.
Report PDS-026-23 and Retention of Consulting Team
1.3 On April 24, 2023, Council directed staff to (i) initiate the PRCMP project based on the
project scope outlined in the report, and (ii) retain a qualified consulting team to assist
with the development of the PRCMP through single source process.
1.4 Monteith Brown Planning Consultants was retained in July 2023 as the lead consultant
on the project. Monteith Brown has extensive experience in municipal parks, recreation
and culture planning and in particular the development of master plans. In addition,
Monteith Brown was equipped with existing knowledge of and familiarity with Clarington
based on their completion of previous studies for the Municipality, including the Indoor
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Report PDS-011-24
Facilities Development Strategy (2017) and the Outdoor Recreation Needs Assessment
(2020). The project team also includes Watson and Associates and Tucker -Reid and
Associates as the Principal Financial Strategist and Service Delivery and Organizational
Specialist, respectively.
2. Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
Project Scope
2.1 PRCMP will include the following components of the Municipality’s Parks, Recreation
and Culture system and the connections and synergies between them:
Parks: provides the physical spaces (parkland) and natural areas that are the
foundation of the system;
Recreation (Facilities, Services, Programming): activates the system for
residents and visitors to use, engage in, and enjoy, and includes indoor and
outdoor facilities, play equipment and infrastructure;
Culture (Facilities, Services, Programming): illuminates our communities’
unique identity and heritage and includes library, heritage, visual and performing
arts; and
Trails: provides the links within and between our communities to connect people
to the system and encourage active transportation (the ongoing Active
Transportation Master Plan will inform this component).
Additional information about the scope of the project is available in PDS-026-23.
Project Management, Process, and Schedule
2.2 The PRCMP project is managed by Planning and Infrastructure Services staff , who
liaise with the consulting team.
2.3 A Steering Committee was established to review all products and provide input
throughout all project phases, support decision-making, and provide oversight as the
project progresses.
2.4 Councillor Rang was appointed as the head of the project Steering Committee. The
Steering Committee includes staff from Community Services, Library and Museums and
Archives, Financial Services, Communications, and Planning and Infrastructure
Services. The Committee last met on February 26, 2024.
2.5 The process to develop the PRCMP is organized into five phases, as shown in Figure 1
below. A summary of each phase is included as Attachment 1.
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Report PDS-011-24
Figure 1: Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan Process and Timeline
Phase 1: Background Research and Current Resources
2.6 Phase 1 took place throughout fall 2023 and involved the collection and analysis of
information and data from all relevant departments to establish baseline service levels
and undertake an inventory of assets, including land, facilities, programs, and services.
2.7 The work undertaken in Phase 1 has culminated in two Phase 1 deliverables, including:
The Phase 1 Background and Existing Conditions Report, dated February 2024
(Attachment 2). The Report establishes a community profile, identifies parks,
recreation, and culture industry trends, and provides an overview of existing
parkland, recreation, and culture facilities, assets and service delivery standards;
and
The Funding Discussion Paper, dated February 2024 (Attachment 3). The
Discussion Paper provides an overview of the funding tools available to
municipalities to assist in funding capital and operating needs related to parks,
recreation, and culture services. Funding tools discussed include parkland
conveyance, development charges, and community benefit charges.
2.8 Additional considerations relating to the parkland conveyance funding tool as it relates
to planning and providing for community park space are discussed in Section 3 of this
report.
2.9 These two Phase 1 deliverables will inform the assessments and recommendations to
be completed in Phase 3 that will form the basis for the draft PRCMP itself.
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Report PDS-011-24
Phase 2: Community Engagement and Consultation
2.10 The project team developed an extensive Community Engagement Strategy that was
carried out to ensure the PRMCP is well-informed by the community and that a broad
range of perspectives are heard. Engagement events took place between November
2023 and February 2024, and included:
Four in-person Public Information Centres (PICs) in each of Clarington’s urban
areas at varying times of day (over 200 attendees);
One evening Virtual PIC (15 attendees);
Ten Stakeholder Focus Group Sessions (10 sessions, 31 groups);
Eight meetings with Advisory Committees of Council and Library, Museum, and
Archives Board;
Two Staff Workshops (55 staff);
Council Interviews; and
One municipal-wide Community Survey that garnered over 3,200 responses.
2.11 The Community Engagement Strategy was supported by a robust social media
campaign to promote the project that included the development of a PRCMP project
webpage on Clarington Connected, radio commercials, media releases, posters, pop-up
banners, bookmark handouts, digital sign promotions, and print advertisements that
were mailed to all Clarington residents.
2.12 The insights received through the various engagement techniques is appreciated and
valuable to the project team’s understanding of interests to be considered in the
development of the PRCMP. The feedback from all stakeholders has been
consolidated in the Phase 2 Community Engagement Summary Report (Attachment 4).
2.13 It is important to note the information in the Community Engagement Summary Report
represents input as it was received and should not be interpreted as recommendations.
Input will be considered in the assessments of current and future needs that will be
undertaken in Phase 3 of the Project and will help to inform the establishment of specific
priorities in the PRCMP based on available resources and funding opportunities.
Next Steps: Directions, Recommendations, and Draft PRCMP
2.14 This report and accompanying presentation represent the completion of Phases 1 and 2
of the PRCMP project. Phase 3 is well underway and includes needs assessments for
parks, open space and trails, recreation and culture facilities, and service delivery.
2.15 Phase 3 will conclude this spring with the delivery of a Directions and
Recommendations Report that will provide the foundation for drafting the PRCMP
document in Phase 4. The draft PRCMP is expected to be presented to Council and
released for public consultation in June 2024 in accordance with the project schedule.
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Report PDS-011-24
2.16 Phase 5 will commence during summer 2024, at which time the draft PRCMP will be
revised as necessary in consideration of comments received. The final draft PRCMP is
scheduled to be brought forward to Council with a recommendation for adoption in fall
2024.
3. Financial Considerations
3.1 Funding for developing a PRCMP was approved as part of the 2023 Budget. Additional
funding may be required to complete the project components required to inform the
Official Plan Review and implement changing provincial legislation, such as Bill 23.
Understanding the Impacts of Bill 23 on Parkland
3.2 As the PRCMP project progresses, it is important to consider the short- and long-term
impacts of More Homes, Built Faster Act, 2023 (Bill 23) on the Municipality’s ability to
plan for and provide park space for existing and future residents.
3.3 Among the many changes, Bill 23 reduced alternative parkland dedication rates by half .
For conveyed parkland the rate was changed from one hectare per 300 dwelling units to
one hectare per 600 dwelling units. For cash-in-lieu (CIL) contributions, the dedication
rate was changed from one hectare per 500 dwelling units to one hectare per 1,000
dwelling units.
3.4 Bill 23 also introduced a maximum parkland/cash-in-lieu cap for residential development
which results in a parkland dedication reduction of more than 50 percent in some cases.
3.5 CIL received for parkland purposes is held in a special parkland reserve account. The
purpose of this special parkland account is to enable the Municipality to fund the
purchase of land (at market value) to provide park space to meet the needs of the
community.
3.6 The Municipality’s 2023 year-end balance in the Parkland Cash-In-Lieu reserve fund is
approximately $8 million. Recent appraisals suggest the per-hectare value of
residential land in Clarington is approximately $4,000,000.
3.7 The reduced alternative parkland dedication rates have now been in force for over a
year (since November 28, 2022). The impacts are becoming clearer as development
applications are processed under the new, reduced rates.
3.8 Table 1 below illustrates a few recent examples of the approximate difference in CIL of
Parkland revenue for developments subject to the new rates, relative to the alternative
parkland dedication rates in place prior to Bill 23:
Table 1: Examples of Parkland Dedication relative to Pre-Bill 23 Rates
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Report PDS-011-24
3.9 The above examples begin to illustrate the magnitude of the impact of the Bill 23
changes to alternative parkland dedication rates on CIL revenue, directly affecting the
Municipality’s ability to acquire land to provide community park space. It is noted that
the impacts of the reduced dedication rates tend to be most pronounced for high-density
developments, within which housing units are less likely to have ground-related private
outdoor amenity space, thereby making access to community parkland, especially
important.
3.10 A full overview of the Bill 23 changes to municipal funding tools is included in the
Funding Discussion Paper (Attachment 3).
4. Strategic Plan
4.1 The development of the PRCMP contributes and is directly related to the achievement
of the following Strategic Plan priorities:
Grow 2.3: Develop and begin implementation of the Parks, Recreation and
Culture Master Plan to ensure growth is proactively addressed; and
Connect 4.1 – 4.4: Promote and support local arts, culture, and heritage sectors,
begin the design and construction of recreation facilities, and explore the
potential for a performing arts venue to prioritize arts, culture and recreation.
Rate Prior to Bill
23
Current Rate (10
percent Cap)
Approximate
Difference in
Revenue (loss)
Example A: 3-storey
townhouse blocks (43
units)
$344,000; CIL
estimate for value of
lands for 0.086 ha
$192,000; CIL
estimate for value of
lands for 0.048 ha
($150,000)
Example B: 10-storey
mixed use, townhouses
(184 units)
$1,480,000; CIL
estimate for value of
lands for 0.37 ha
$440,000; CIL
estimate for value of
lands for 0.11 ha
($1,000,000)
Example C: 12-storey
apartment, 4-storey
stacked townhouses (551
units)
$5,740,000; CIL
estimate for value of
lands for 1.102 ha
$830,000; CIL
estimate for value of
lands for 0.159
($4,900,000)
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Report PDS-011-24
5. Concurrence
5.1 This report has been reviewed by the Deputy CAO, Finance and Technology/Treasurer,
Deputy CAO, Public Services, and the CEO of the Library, Museums, and Archives who
concur with the recommendations.
6. Conclusion
6.1 The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the PRCMP project and to present
the work completed to date. This report is presented in conjunction with a presentation
by Monteith Brown to be delivered at the same meeting.
6.2 The PRCMP project contributes to Connect and Grow priorities of the Strategic Plan
and continues to progress on schedule.
6.3 It is respectfully recommended that this report be received for information.
Staff Contact: Sarah Allin, Principal Planner, 905-623-3379 ext.2419 or sallin@clarington.net.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan Project Scope
Attachment 2 – Phase 1 Background Summary Report, prepared by Monteith Brown Planning
Consultants, dated February 2024
Attachment 3 – Funding Discussion Paper, prepared by Watson and Associates, dated
February 2024
Attachment 4 – Phase 2 Community Engagement Summary Report, prepared by Monteith
Brown Planning Consultants, dated February 2024
Interested Parties: List of Interested Parties available from Department.
Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan Project Scope
Phase Component
Phase One:
Baseline,
Inventory and
Asset Mapping
•Background Document, Policy and Planning Review
•Inventories and Evaluation of Existing Conditions
•Demographic Analysis
•Value (Usage) Assessment
•Financial Assessment
•Trends Review
•Mapping of Existing Assets (parks, facilities, trails)
Phase Two:
Consultation and
Public
Engagement
•Comprehensive
•Council and Advisory Committees
•Focus Groups (Staff and Library)
•Online Public Survey
•Public Information Centres (by community and demographic)
Phase Three:
Assessments,
Analysis, and
Recommendations
•Needs Assessment of current and future parks and trails, facilities, and programs and
services
•Analysis of gaps, opportunities for new spaces/facilities/program, changes or enhancements
•Identify priorities for investment: parks, trails, recreation and culture facilities, programs and
services
•Identify funding /subsidy opportunities, partnerships
•Recommend updated parks requirements and classification system
•Create road map for investment and development of lands, facilities, programs and services,
including actionable short, medium, and long-term goals
•Financial Strategy to manage capital and operating costs associated with implementing the
Master Plan
•Review of the organizational structure and staffing of the parks, recreation, and culture
function and recommendations to efficiently align with Master Plan implementation
•Policy framework to support implementation and inform the Official Plan Review
Phase Four: Draft
Plan
•Prepare Draft Plan based on outcome of Phase Three
•Detailed Mapping of existing and future networks, assets
Attachment 1 to
PDS-011-24
• Formal PIC/Council meeting to present the Draft Plan
Phase 5: Final
Master Plan and
Implementation
• Revise and Finalize Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
• Consultation on Draft Plan (steering committee, public, Council/Library Board)
• Matrix of Comments/Input Received and Explanation as to how each was addressed; and
• Presentation of final PRCMP
Municipality of Clarington
Phase 1: Background and Existing Conditions
Summary Report
Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
March 2024
Attachment 2 to
PDS-011-24
Municipality of Clarington Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
Phase 1 Background and Existing Conditions Summary Report
i
Table of Contents
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1
1.1 Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan ....................................................... 1
1.2 Planning Approach ............................................................................................. 1
1.3 Alignment with Strategic Documents .................................................................. 2
1.4 Recent Accomplishments ................................................................................... 3
2. Community Profile .................................................................................................. 5
2.1 Historical and Projected Populations .................................................................. 5
2.2 Population by Age Group ................................................................................... 6
2.3 Income & Education ........................................................................................... 7
2.4 Immigration and Diversity ................................................................................... 7
3. Parks, Recreation & Culture Trends ..................................................................... 9
3.1 General Participation Trends.............................................................................. 9
3.2 Parks and Recreation Facility Trends .............................................................. 10
3.3 Culture Trends ................................................................................................. 14
3.4 Library Trends .................................................................................................. 16
3.5 COVID-19 Impact Trends ................................................................................. 20
4. Parks, Trails, and Waterfront Overview .............................................................. 21
4.1 Parkland Classification and Targets ................................................................. 21
4.2 Parkland Dedication Policies ............................................................................ 23
4.3 Parkland Supply ............................................................................................... 24
4.4 Recreational Trails ........................................................................................... 29
4.5 Clarington Waterfront ....................................................................................... 30
5. Recreation Facility Overview ............................................................................... 31
5.1 Summary of Recreation Facilities ..................................................................... 31
5.2 Arenas .............................................................................................................. 35
5.3 Indoor Aquatic Centres .................................................................................... 39
5.4 Fitness Spaces and Indoor Walking Tracks ..................................................... 40
5.5 Gymnasiums .................................................................................................... 42
5.6 Multi-Purpose Spaces ...................................................................................... 44
5.7 Dedicated Youth Spaces .................................................................................. 45
5.8 Dedicated Older Adult Spaces ......................................................................... 46
5.9 Indoor Racquet Courts ..................................................................................... 47
5.10 Indoor Artificial Turf Fields................................................................................ 48
5.11 Rectangular Fields ........................................................................................... 50
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Phase 1 Background and Existing Conditions Summary Report
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5.12 Ball Diamonds .................................................................................................. 53
5.13 Cricket Fields ................................................................................................... 55
5.14 Tennis Courts ................................................................................................... 55
5.15 Outdoor Pickleball Courts ................................................................................ 58
5.16 Basketball Courts ............................................................................................. 60
5.17 Splash Pads ..................................................................................................... 62
5.18 Skate Parks and BMX Pump Tracks ................................................................ 64
5.19 Leash-Free Dog Parks ..................................................................................... 66
5.20 Community Gardens ........................................................................................ 67
5.21 Playgrounds ..................................................................................................... 69
5.22 Outdoor Fitness Equipment.............................................................................. 72
5.23 Outdoor Skating Rinks ..................................................................................... 73
5.24 Outdoor Lacrosse Boxes .................................................................................. 74
6. Cultural Facilities, Museums and Libraries Overview ....................................... 75
6.1 Clarington Library, Museum & Archives ........................................................... 75
6.2 Municipality of Clarington Cultural Spaces and Facilities ................................. 83
7. Service Delivery Overview ................................................................................... 85
7.1 Role of the Community Services Department and the Service Delivery Model 85
7.2 Key Program and Service Delivery Trends ...................................................... 87
7.3 Programs and Services .................................................................................... 89
7.4 Special Events ................................................................................................. 96
7.5 Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism .................................................... 98
7.6 Recreation Capacity ....................................................................................... 108
8. Key Findings ....................................................................................................... 125
Appendix A – Promising Practices in Recreation Service Delivery ...................... 127
Limitations
This Phase 1 Background and Existing Conditions Report was prepared by Monteith
Brown Planning Consultants Ltd. and Tucker-Reid & Associates (herein referred to as
“the Consulting Team”) for the account of the Municipality of Clarington. The material in
this report reflects the Consulting Team’s best judgment in light of the information
available to it at the time of preparation. Any use which a third party makes of this
report, or any reliance on or decisions to be made based on it, are the responsibility of
such third parties. The Consulting Team accepts no responsibility for damages, if any,
suffered by a third party as a result of decisions made or actions based on this report.
Municipality of Clarington Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
Phase 1 Background and Existing Conditions Summary Report
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1. Introduction
This section provides an overview of the Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
and the planning approach, as well as relevant background documents that have been
reviewed as part of this process and key accomplishments.
1.1 Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan
The Municipality of Clarington is located in Durham Region and offers a blended urban
and rural lifestyle that includes four settlement areas – Bowmanville, Courtice,
Newcastle and Orono – and 13 hamlets. Clarington is recognized for its abundance of
natural features, including picturesque views of the Oak Ridges Moraine and Lake
Ontario. These are complemented by a diverse and connected system of active
parkland and recreation and cultural facilities, programs and services that are provided
by the Municipality and various organizations.
Public parks, recreation and culture services is an important part of community success
and wellbeing. They contribute to community building, sense of place, and quality of life
through significant social, economic, and environmental benefits by providing spaces for
services and programs for residents and visitors to gather and participate in meaningful
activities. Universal access to parks, recreation and culture opportunities that address
diverse needs and offer affordable, high-quality opportunities is vital to individual and
community health and prosperity. The Municipality recognizes the importance of these
benefits and is taking a proactive approach that considers past studies and
achievements, and charters a course forward to guide priorities and future investment
towards 2036 for:
• Indoor recreation facilities such as arenas, pools and gymnasiums;
• Outdoor recreation facilities such as sports fields, playgrounds and splash pads;
• Parks and open spaces;
• Cultural facilities and libraries; and
• Program and service delivery.
1.2 Planning Approach
Guided by a Terms of Reference prepared by the Municipality, development of the
Master Plan is divided into a five-phase approach. Phase 1 consists of a background
review, data collection, and preliminary analysis, as well as an inventory of facilities,
programs and services. Phase 2 will focus on community engagement to collect input
from residents, stakeholders, staff, and Council through a variety of engagement tactics.
A needs assessment analysis will be undertaken in Phase 3 to identify gaps and
opportunities in parks, recreation, and culture facilities, and in service delivery, leading
to preliminary recommendations. A draft Master Plan will be created in Phase 4 that will
consolidate all work, to date, and the preliminary recommendations will be tested with
the public. Based on community feedback, the draft Master Plan will be finalized before
Municipality of Clarington Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
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being presented to Council by September 2024. Phase 5 will consist of the adoption
and implementation of the Master Plan.
1.3 Alignment with Strategic Documents
Clarington is guided by policies and studies that are designed to optimize quality of life
through parks, recreation and culture. Up to this point, previous studies have provided
successful direction through goals, objectives and recommendations. With strong
population growth and intensification anticipated, the Master Plan will pursue a
comprehensive planning approach that considers and aligns with other key strategic
documents, including those identified below.
Clarington’s 2024-27 Strategic Plan outlines specific goals and action for the current
term of Council. The new Strategic Plan’s vision is “to create a connected, dynamic
and welcoming community, focused on the future while respecting our past” and
its mission is to “enhance the quality of life in our community”. The new Strategic
Plan identifies three areas of focus: lead (exceptional municipal services and
governance), connect (safe, diverse, inclusive, and vibrant community), and grow
responsibly (resilient, sustainable and complete community). Each area of focus
identifies expected results, priorities, and actions. Developing this Master Plan was
identified as one of Council’s key action items to strategically plan and responsibly
manage the provision of parks, recreation, and culture services for residents. Other
priorities relevant to this Master Plan for each area of focus are highlighted below:
Area of Focus #1: Lead – Exceptional Municipal Services and Governance
• Maintain, protect and invest in Municipal infrastructure and assets.
Area of Focus #2: Connect – Safe, Diverse, Inclusive and Vibrant Community
• Proactively address traffic, management, walkability, livability and connectivity.
• Recognize and celebrate the growing diversity of the community.
• Reduce barriers to municipal programs, services and infrastructure.
• Promote and support local arts, culture, and heritage sectors.
• Begin construction on a new multi-use recreation facility.
• Design and construct outdoor ice-skating amenities.
• Explore a potential location for a performing arts venue.
Area of Focus #3: Grow Responsibility – Resilient, Sustainable and Complete
Community
• Determine the future of the historic Camp 30 cafeteria building.
• Consider the creation of a community park on the former Bowmanville Zoo lands.
• Enhance Clarington’s waterfront.
• Protect and enhance Clarington’s natural heritage.
Municipality of Clarington Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
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In addition to the Municipality’s Strategic Plan, several other key strategies, guiding
documents, staff reports, and other materials have been reviewed and relevant findings
have been embedded into this Master Plan, where appropriate. Documents that have
been reviewed include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Municipality of Clarington Official Plan (2018 Consolidation)
• Multi-year Accessibility Plan (2018 – 2023)
• Corporate Climate Action Plan (2021)
• Development Charges Background Study (2020)
• Economic Development Strategy (2023)
• Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment Study – Existing Conditions Report
(2020)
• 2023 Clarington Budget (2023)
• Outdoor Recreation Needs Assessment (2020)
• Indoor Recreation Facilities Development Strategy (2017)
• Bowmanville Zoo Park Plan (2023)
• Community Vision for Jury Lands (2019)
• Older Adult Strategy (2015)
• Library Service Review (2016)
• Various staff reports, utilization and inventory data, and other material.
The Municipality is also working on preparing other strategies to enhance the quality of
life for residents in Clarington, including the Active Transportation Master Plan and the
Waterfront Strategy. Ensuring that the outcomes of this Master Plan is in alignment with
these studies will be important to provide residents with high quality parks, recreation,
and cultural opportunities that raises the quality of life in Clarington.
1.4 Recent Accomplishments
Clarington takes pride in its parks, recreation, and culture system, which contributes to
its high quality of life. In recent years, the Municipality has been able to make significant
strides in strengthening its parks, recreation, and culture opportunities, which was made
possible through the work of key departments, including Community Services, Planning
and Infrastructure Services, and Public Works, as well as the Clarington Library,
Museums and Archives (CLMA). Some of the Municipality’s most recent
accomplishments include, but are not limited to, the following:
1.4.1 Recreation Accomplishments
• Moving forward with the planning and design of Phase 1 to the South
Bowmanville Recreation Centre.
• Installed environmentally friendly solar lighting in both the Courtice and
Bowmanville off-leash dog parks.
Municipality of Clarington Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
Phase 1 Background and Existing Conditions Summary Report
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• Steady increase in community services and programs following Public Health
and Provincial restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
1.4.2 Parks Accomplishments
• Implemented a new Parkland Dedication By-law.
• Completed construction of the Toyota Trail in Bowmanville and the Lion’s Trail in
Newcastle.
• Commenced planning of Bowmanville Zoo lands in partnership with Valleys 2000
for the redevelopment of that property.
• Planning for the development of Camp 30 in partnership with the Jury Lands
Foundation.
• Completed construction of several new parks such as Douglas Kemp Parkette,
Bruce Cameron Park, and Northglen Park (development of the Newcastle
Community Park adjacent to the Diane Hamre Recreation Complex is ongoing).
• Completed conversion of the tennis courts at Stuart Park to four pickleball courts,
one of which is an accessible court.
1.4.3 Cultural and Library Accomplishments
• Introduced an accessible reading collection, including decodable books for
readers with dyslexia and readers in the early stages of literacy.
• Launched Clarington’s first multilingual collection.
• Improved convenience of accessing literacy materials by removing fines for
overdue materials and offering automatic renewals.
• Expanded the Library of Things to include sports equipment, light therapy lamps,
and home theatre equipment.
• Undertook accessibility enhancements at the Bowmanville Library Branch
(accessibility enhancements at the Orono Library Branch are ongoing).
• Clarington’s first makerspace was opened at the Courtice Library Branch.
Municipality of Clarington Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
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2. Community Profile
Understanding who lives in Clarington now and who may be living in the Municipality
over the next 10-15 years is important to ensure that the parks, recreation, and culture
system responds to local needs. This section summarizes the Municipality’s community
profile based on available information, including the 2016 and 2021 Statistics Canada
Census, Region of Durham Official Plan (adopted by the Region but awaiting approval
from the Province of Ontario), and other resources such as Let’s PLAN Clarington, and
Clarington Growth Forecasts.
2.1 Historical and Projected Populations
Statistics Canada reported that between 2016 and 2021, Clarington’s population
increased by 10% to 101,425 residents (or 105,270 including Census undercount).1
Durham Region’s new Official Plan (Envision Durham) contains the most recent
population forecasts for its lower-tier municipalities to the year 2051. Envision Durham
identifies that between 2021 and 2026, the Municipality will grow from 105,270 to
123,730 residents, or 3,692 persons per year. For the purposes of this Master Plan, it is
assumed that the annual growth rate will generally be constant. Based on this
assumption, Clarington is estimated to have a 2024 population of 116,346, which
will be used as the base year for this Master Plan. Envision Durham anticipates that
Clarington will grow by approximately 40% to 162,640 residents by 2036 (Table 1),
which will be the planning horizon for this Master Plan.2
Table 1: Municipality of Clarington Projected Population, 2021 to 2036
2021 2026 2031 2036
Bowmanville 47,777 58,327 69,456 79,972
Courtice 27,924 31,984 36,421 40,286
Newcastle 10,360 13,074 16,813 20,417
Orono 2,105 2,235 2,416 2,556
Rural 17,104 18,109 18,873 19,399
Total 105,270 123,730 143,970 162,640
Source: Hemson Consulting, 2021. Growth forecasts modified by Municipality of Clarington to align with
the Region of Durham Envision Durham Adopted Official Plan.
The Municipality has not yet updated its population forecasts for each settlement area to
align with the Region of Durham’s new population estimates; however, past planning
exercises and growth forecasts identified that Bowmanville is anticipated to
accommodate a large portion of the Municipality’s population growth over the planning
period, followed by Courtice and Newcastle. It is expected that growth in these areas
will continue, particularly in Bowmanville and Courtice within designated Urban Centres
1 Statistics Canada 2016 and 2021 Census.
2 Durham Region. 2023. Envision Durham Adopted Official Plan, As Amended.
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and Major Transit Station Areas (MTSA), including Bowmanville GO and Courtice GO.
Planning for the Municipality’s MTSAs are ongoing and thus, population projections for
these growth areas have not been finalized; the MTSA boundaries have been adopted
by the Region of Durham but have not been approved by the Province of Ontario.
Population growth is also expected to be accommodated within other strategic areas,
including Regional Corridors and within Secondary Plan Areas.
In an effort to achieve the Province’s goal of building 1.5 million homes in Ontario by
2031, a target of 13,000 residential units has been allocated to Clarington. As identified
in staff report PDS-009-23 (Housing Pledge) the Municipality anticipates that this target
will be achievable based on existing development applications, although the timing of
development is dependent upon several factors such as market conditions, servicing,
availability of labour and material, and other external variables. The aforementioned
staff report identified that through known and anticipated development applications,
there are a total of 23,067 residential units (including current residential and site plan
applications, additional dwelling units, and projected units within Secondary Plan Areas)
that are expected to be built out by 2031, which far exceeds the housing target allocated
by the Province to Clarington.
2.2 Population by Age Group
Clarington is a greying community, a trend that is consistent across Durham Region and
Ontario, which is being driven by the aging baby boomer population. Between the 2016
and 2021 Census, Clarington’s median age increased marginally from 39.1 to 39.2
years, which is marginally lower compared to Durham Region (40.0 years) and Ontario
(41.6 years).
A review of population growth by age group provides further evidence of Clarington’s
aging population. Between 2016 and 2021, the population of seniors (ages 70+) and
older adults (ages 55 to 69) experienced the most growth, increasing by 30% and 18%
(or 2,445 and 2,855 persons), respectively. The population of children (ages 0 to 9)
grew by 14% (1,560 persons), while all other age groups increased between 3% and
6% (890 and 980 persons). While it is anticipated that Clarington’s population will
continue to age, the Municipality’s projected housing stock may drive an increase in
young adults and new families over the planning horizon, particularly as young
Canadians across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and newcomers are seeking more
affordable housing options compared to other GTA municipalities. Community area
population forecasts developed for the Municipality identifies that Bowmanville has a
younger age profile compared to Clarington as a whole, while Newcastle’s population is
older compared to other areas in the Municipality. As a result of these growth patterns, it
is anticipated that there will continue to be a need for parks, recreation and culture
opportunities that appeal to all age groups and abilities.
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Table 2: Municipality of Clarington Population Growth by Age Group, 2016 to 2021
Age Group 2016 2021 Change
Children (Ages 0 to 9) 11,380 12,940 1,560 14%
Youth (Ages 10 to 19) 11,980 12,665 685 6%
Adults (Ages 20 to 34) 17,530 18,510 980 6%
Mature Adults (Ages 35 to 54) 26,910 27,800 890 3%
Older Adults (Ages 55 to 69) 15,910 18,765 2,855 18%
Seniors (Ages 70+) 8,300 10,745 2,445 30%
TOTAL 92,010 101,425 9,415 10%
Source: Statistics Canada 2016 and 2021 Census.
2.3 Income & Education
Costs associated with recreation programs and user fees, transportation and equipment
can be barriers to participating in parks, recreation, and culture activities, particularly for
households experiencing financial barriers. Generally speaking, research has found that
income levels can influence (or at least be an indicator of) participation levels.
The 2021 Census reported that the median income of Clarington households in 2020
was $112,000, which is higher than both Durham Region ($107,000) and Ontario
($91,000). Clarington also has a slightly lower proportion of the population that are living
below the low-income measure after-tax (LIM-AT) (5% compared to 7% in Durham
Region and 10% in Ontario). These findings may suggest that based on income alone,
Clarington residents may participate more in recreation, parks and culture activities
compared to their counterparts. However, it is important to recognize that not all
households have the ability to pay to participate in activities. Removing financial barriers
to recreation, parks and culture activities is key to ensure that all residents can
participate, regardless of their income. The importance of having access to affordable
services is also heightened due to the recent increase in the cost of living in the Ontario.
Similarly, research has found that parks, recreation, and culture participation are
correlated to education attainment. The 2021 Census reported that 57% of Clarington’s
residents have a post-secondary certification, diploma or degree, which is on par with
Durham Region (57%) and the Province (57%). Based on education levels, Clarington
residents are just as likely to participate in recreation, parks, and culture activities
compared to the Region and Province.
2.4 Immigration and Diversity
Immigration levels are another factor potentially influencing recreation, parks and
culture interests and participation. Municipalities across the GTA are experiencing
cultural diversification and Clarington is no exception. The 2021 Census reported that
15% of residents are immigrants, which is an increase from 12% in the 2016 Census.
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Major countries of origin include Europe, Asia, and the Americas. While Clarington’s
population is not as diverse as Durham Region and Ontario, where 27% and 30% of
residents are immigrants, respectively, continued cultural diversification is expected in
the future that will drive in the demand for traditional and non-traditional parks,
recreation, and culture activities, which speaks to the need for the Municipality to
provide opportunities that appeal to broad interests.
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3. Parks, Recreation & Culture Trends
There are numerous parks, recreation, and cultural trends that may potentially affect
facility, program, and service needs in Clarington. This section summarizes some of the
key trends being experienced across the Province highlights how Clarington is
responding or it may influence future needs.
3.1 General Participation Trends
3.1.1 Demand for Drop-In and Unstructured Activities
A common barrier to recreational participation is the lack of free time. Activities such as
organized sports, particularly at competitive levels, often require considerable time
commitments for travel, training, practices, and other league activities. With lifestyles
becoming increasingly busy, multiple competing interests, and an inability for people to
commit to structured activities, interest is growing for casual drop-in and unstructured
activities that do not require advanced registration and that can be self-scheduled.
Municipalities are evolving their service delivery models to respond to this participation
trend by extending operating hours and expanding both the range and frequency of
drop-in programs. Clarington provides a range of drop-in and unstructured activities to
engage as many residents as possible at times that fit their schedule. Such activities
include, but are not limited to, skating, swimming, drop-in sports and activities, library
story time, arts and crafts, and outdoor park amenities such as sport courts,
playgrounds, open space, and trails.
3.1.2 Active Living and Wellbeing
The 2015 Framework for Recreation in Canada identifies active living as one of its five
key goals to engage everyone and foster individual wellbeing, wellbeing of natural and
built environments, and community wellbeing. The Framework identifies that there is a
positive relationship between physical activity and healthy aging and encourages
physically active recreation experiences, physical literacy through programming,
outdoor play, and the importance of reducing sedentary behaviours. Statistics Canada’s
Quality of Life Framework also identifies that community parks, recreation, and cultural
opportunities as key contributors to a high quality of life.
Clarington and other municipalities are focusing on strategies to improve activity levels,
health, and well-being of their residents by providing a broad range of activities and
interests. The aging population in Clarington is a large segment of the population
continuing to participate in active interests as they shift away from traditional seniors’
activities and towards recreation opportunities focused on wellness and active living,
cultural interests, and using the library. Clarington’s Older Adult Strategy recognizes the
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need to plan for future growth from a recreation perspective, focusing on reviewing
facilities, staffing, volunteer resources and programming.3
3.1.3 High Levels of Physical Inactivity
The 2022 ParticipACTION report cards on physical activity graded overall physical
activity levels a “D”4 for children and youth. The 2021 ParticipACTION report card on
physical activity graded moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels a “C”5 for adults.
These grades are based on physical activity components of Canadian 24-Hour
Movement Guidelines. The findings from these studies suggest that Canadians of all
ages are not meeting recommended physical activity levels. This trend is primarily
driven by a lack of free time as people are leading busier lifestyles with competing
interests. Low physical activity levels also negatively impact both the physical and
mental health of Canadians, placing pressure on local healthcare systems.
Research from the Durham Region Health Department indicate that in 2017, 27% of
students were either overweight or obese in comparison to Ontario at 28% of students.6
While Clarington has a limited ability to influence the daily schedules of individuals,
communities can make efforts to facilitate physical activity opportunities such as
providing drop-in activities, offering extended facility hours, and promoting the benefits
of staying active.
3.2 Parks and Recreation Facility Trends
3.2.1 Multi-Use Recreation Facilities & Community Hubs
Many municipalities are centralizing multiple recreational facilities for both user
convenience and cost recovery. Experience in communities across Canada supports
the finding that multi-use recreation facilities can provide a greater number of benefits,
including the creation of a destination where all household members can gather and
engage in various recreation activities, thus contributing to sport development, tourism,
and operational efficiency. In many cases library branches are also integrated into these
multi-use facility and community hubs.
The creation of “community hubs” has also been a recent focus in many communities as
it offers tremendous social benefits, strengthens community cohesion, and fosters
enhanced quality of life by providing a central location to deliver a range of services. A
3 Canadian Parks and Recreation Association. 2015. Framework for Recreation in Canada. Retrieved
from https://cpra.ca
4 The ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth (2022). Retrieved from
https://www.participaction.com
5 The ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Adults (2021). Retrieved from
https://www.participaction.com
6 Durham Region Health Department (2018) Trends in Overweight and Obesity. Retrieved from
https://www.durham.ca/en/health-and-
wellness/resources/Documents/HealthInformationServices/HealthStatisticsReports/Overweight-and-
Obesity-Trends-in-Students.pdf
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community hub is a central access point for a range of needed health and social
services, along with cultural, recreation, and green spaces to nourish community life.
The Courtice Community Complex is a local example of a community hub that
combines an indoor aquatic centre, fitness centre, multi-purpose space and a library
branch at a central destination. The Municipality is also currently planning and designing
the first phase of the South Bowmanville Recreation Centre, which will include an indoor
artificial turf field, double gymnasium, indoor walking track, and multi-purpose program
space.
3.2.2 Multi-Use Parks
There is a growing demand for parks that contain something for everybody, rather than
those designed for single uses. While single use parks still have merit in appropriate
locations (e.g., sports field complexes), parks that provide opportunities for a range of
ages, family/household types, and abilities are viewed as spaces for inclusive activity.
Furthermore, there has been a considerable trend province-wide towards participation
in non-programmed (spontaneous) outdoor activities such as pick-up sports, picnicking,
family gatherings, special events, community gardens, etc. In this sense, parks can be
viewed as “outdoor community centres” that combine a number of programmed and
non-programmed uses. Consideration is also being given to supplementary amenities
such as washroom facilities, covered shelters/shade structures, Wi-Fi, sport-friendly
features, etc. Incorporating natural areas and linkages to trail networks are also
becoming increasingly important in serving local community needs.
3.2.3 Multi-Seasonal Parks
While the majority of park usage occurs in the summer months, many communities are
creating formal and informal year-round opportunities within their parks system. Berms
and hills can be used for tobogganing while recreational infrastructure such as hard
surface courts (e.g., tennis, pickleball or basketball) can be flooded during the winter to
provide outdoor ice skating, although the warmer winter weather has made it more
challenging to maintain natural ice rinks. Some municipalities have constructed covered
refrigerated skating pads within parks, which are also used as sport courts during the
warmer seasons. While this does create efficiencies over providing and maintaining two
separate facilities, the supply of multi-season outdoor facilities may reduce the lifespan
of infrastructure due to increased wear and tear requiring higher levels of year-round
maintenance.
Positioning parks to be year-round destinations is a way to maximize physical activity
goals and encourage recreation in all weather conditions. Strategic tree planting and
landscaping can create wind buffers to offset the winter wind chill and blowing snow,
while ensuring that internal park walking circuits are free of snow and/or creating cross-
country ski paths can facilitate greater year-round use. Strategically locating supporting
amenities that are designed for year-round use such as winterized washrooms can also
draw park users during the colder season. The provision of washrooms that are
intended to be used year-round tend to be located at higher order parks that receive a
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greater level for use such as at Municipal Wide and Community Parks. While there are
inherent costs associated with winter maintenance (even if it is limited to plowing of
parking lots), the availability of no-to-low-cost activities throughout the year is a benefit
to the community and encourages equitable access to parks and trails.
3.2.4 Sports Competition & Development
Organized sport, in general, but particularly at high-performing levels, requires access
to specialized facilities whether they are aquatic centres, arenas, sports fields or others.
While some communities make full use of large competition facilities such as stadiums,
there are many ways for recreation facilities to support the needs of athletes and
competition. To address these needs, consideration needs to be given to facility design
and retrofitting to create opportunities for organizations to use facilities for training
and/or competition. Examples of how recreation facilities can be sport-friendly are
highlighted below:
• Aquatic centres: While most national/international sanctioned swimming
competitions require a 50-metre pool, modifications of traditional 25-metre pools
can support athletic development. For example, ensuring a water depth of 1.25
metres at the shallow end is required to accommodate flip turns. The addition of
bleacher seating can also create opportunities for local competitions.
• Arenas: Building arenas to NHL or Olympic regulation size ensures that athletes
are practicing and playing on an appropriate rink. The provision of bleacher
seating allows for spectators during practices and competition.
• Sports Fields: Co-locating regulation size sports fields at a park ensures that
sports teams are able to meet their practice and competition needs. This can be
further enhanced through the development of dedicated sports complexes to
relieve pressure from parks, particularly those that are located within residential
areas of Clarington where there may be conflicts between sports users and local
residents or park users. Supporting sports field amenities such as field lighting,
parking, seating, change facilities, and more, support games and competition,
augmenting the overall user and spectator experience.
3.2.5 Aging Infrastructure
The 2019 Canadian Infrastructure Report Card found that approximately one-third of
Canada’s sports and recreation facilities were considered to be in “Fair” condition or
worse. This suggests that municipal sports and recreation facilities require attention,
show signs of deterioration, or have deteriorating components.7 Provincially, many
municipal facilities were constructed in the 1950s and 1960s and since this period,
infrastructure province-wide has been underfunded. These pressures have been
somewhat alleviated through various provincial and federal stimulus plans. Initiatives
7 Canada Infrastructure. 2019. Canadian Infrastructure Report Card. Retrieved from
http://canadianinfrastructure.ca
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such as the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) will see up to $30 billion
in funding allocated to various community, culture, and recreation projects across the
country.
The Municipality of Clarington has benefited from federal grant programs in the past.
For example, Clarington received $455,000 through the Canada 150 Community
Infrastructure Program towards renovations to the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation
Complex, which was completed in 2017, and included improving accessibility and
functionality of the facility. Major renovations have been undertaken to other aging
facilities, including Alan Strike Aquatic and Squash Centre (constructed in 1982) in 2015
and Darlington Sports Centre (constructed in 1975) in 2010 to extend their useful life for
another 10 to 15 years, and decisions will need to be made regarding the long-term
future of these facilities.
3.2.6 Barrier Free Design
The 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability found that approximately 22% of Canadians
are living with some form of disability (e.g., physical, intellectual, sensory, and mental).
Applying the national rate to Clarington’s population suggest that there could be over
25,000 residents living with some form of disability. Clarington is committed to making
its public facilities barrier free, where possible, through its Multi-Year Accessibility Plan,
which is currently being updated to outline new strategic objectives, targets, and
actionable steps to enhance accessibility within its facilities, as well as service delivery
throughout the corporation. From a space perspective, the Municipality’s previous 2018-
2023 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan focused on the inclusion of mobility device charging
stations in new and redeveloped public spaces and enhancing the accessibility of new
and redeveloped playgrounds. The Municipality continues to engage the Clarington
Accessibility Advisory Committee, the public, and persons with disabilities prior to
developing or constructing new public spaces and meeting or exceed the requirements
of the Design of Public Spaces Standard to ensure that its spaces are barrier free for
residents regardless of ability (including parks and trails).
3.2.7 Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change
According to national polling conducted by Ipsos, climate change was identified as the
seventh most important issue facing Canadians in 2022. While this is a decrease in
importance compared to previous years, concerns continue to remain. Many
communities are placing a greater emphasis on the development of passive park space
(e.g., woodlots, prairie grasslands, flower gardens, civic gathering spaces, etc.), often
ensuring that a portion of new active parks remain in a natural state, which typically
involves reduced grass cutting, planting of native species, community gardens, and
public education to create awareness in the community. Interpretative signage and
public art in appropriate areas can help park patrons understand the significance of
indigenous or significant plants and habitats.
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Stewardship initiatives can also include shore-line restoration, enhancing wildlife
habitats, tree plantings, restoring local ecosystems with native plant species, installing
drinking fountains, and education to share ideas about the environment.
Linked to sustainability and environmental goals are efforts to promote urban design
features that integrate climate change mitigation and adaptation. Since Durham Region
declared a climate emergency in January 2020, Clarington and the Region’s other
municipalities have been involved in a variety of initiatives such as the LEAF Backyard
Tree Planting Program. This program offers subsidized tree planting that boosts efforts
to combat climate change while increasing the inventory of native trees and shrubs in
the region 8. Clarington has also supported a Trees for Rural Roads Program over the
years.
Other initiatives from the Municipality include the 2021 Corporate Climate Action Plan,
which outlines specific actions to respond to both adaptation and mitigation
components. Examples include converting outdoor lighting to energy efficient LEDs,
extending pool hours during extreme heat events, incorporating more shade structures,
and designing new splash pads that consume less water.
3.3 Culture Trends
3.3.1 Forces Shaping the Future of Ontario’s Culture Sector
The cultural sector can be heavily influenced by the increase in economic
interconnectivity and interdependencies associated with globalization. Increasing
connections between people, businesses, and countries are expanding, thus bringing
increased trade, investment, and international movement and migration of people.
Globalization provides the culture sector with additional opportunities for co-creation
and production, and the opportunity to promote and export internationally and attract
foreign investment and audiences. Additionally, the influx of international immigration
opens opportunities to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for the
celebration of global culture (e.g., Cultural Festivals celebrating Diwali, Eid, Chinese
New Year, or Nowruz).
Leveraging these skills, connections and cultural richness can differentiate one
community from another in efforts to attract residents, visitors, and business. However,
this may pose a risk in maintaining opportunities for Ontarians to create, discover, and
participate in local culture. Globalization may also, in turn, destroy the value or
awareness of one’s own cultural diversity due to homogenization or infiltration.
The Ontario economic growth forecast is currently very weak for the immediate future,
with the GDP projected to increase only modestly in 2023 in contrast to 3.7% last year
8 Durham Region (2022). Durham Region battles climate change by welcoming Brock and Clarington into
tree planting program. Retrieved from https://www.durham.ca/en/news/durham-region-battles-climate-
change-by-welcoming-brock-and-clarington-into-tree-planting-program.aspx
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in 2022. This is a result of slower employment growth and a weaker home resale
market.9
Changing demographics will also play a role as age and diversity are an important
driver of arts and culture. The Province of Ontario continues to be Canada’s most
populous and culturally diverse province consisting of the most new immigrants in 2022,
which fuels innovation and attracts creative individuals and companies to locate here.
The Province of Ontario is also home to many First Nation, Metis and Inuit people and is
home to the largest Francophone population in Canada outside of Quebec.
The culture sector must be able to adapt to the changes in the economy and community
demographics. Accommodating new forms of arts and culture to cater to the needs of
the population will be critical, and introducing innovative forms to the creative industry
will be imperative.
3.3.2 Arts and Culture as Catalysts for Revitalization
Over the last 30 years, the importance of arts and culture in cities has proliferated as
the essence for creating economically and socially prosperous communities is
recognized. Arts and culture can add to the quality of life of a downtown and a
municipality as a whole by attracting people to these places and providing activity and
vibrancy.
According to Richard Florida’s creative city theories, creativity follows creativity; that is,
creative people tend to follow and locate with other creative individuals to form creative
clusters. Florida argues that cities should expand and stimulate their economy by
competing for talented, creative individuals – this can be done through investing in
creative hubs that pool talent.
Establishing creative hubs can lead to an increase in economic growth and positive
exposure through an increase in domestic and international tourism, a new market for
local goods and services, and creating a friendly and exciting environment that retains a
talent pool of creative people. For social benefits, cultural/creative hubs can improve
community vibrancy and social cohesion, and overall promote neighbourhood
regeneration.
3.3.3 Digital Transformation of Culture
The cultural sector has been transformed by the growth of the digital space, which has
only been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital technology has allowed
creative individuals to no longer rely on traditional means of production, distribution, and
9 Government of Ontario. (2023) Economic Performance and Outlook. Retrieved from
https://budget.ontario.ca/2023/chapter-
2.html#:~:text=Ontario's%20real%20gross%20domestic%20product,2.4%20per%20cent%20in%202026
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marketing. It has allowed the creator to engage with their audiences directly and allows
for creators to reach mass markets across borders.
The culture sector must adapt to digital transformation to keep up with the interests of
Canadians. According to Statistics Canada, in 2020, 92% of Canadians used the
internet, with approximately 62% of seniors aged 75 and older reporting internet use.10
These trends provide significant opportunities for culture, allowing for and responding to
new forms of engagement. Municipalities are acknowledging this rise of the digital
revolution, incorporating the development and optimization of cultural spaces to utilize
digital technology and infrastructure to enhance the creative industry scene.
3.4 Library Trends
3.4.1 The Importance of Libraries
Public libraries remain a core institution for Canadians, consistently evolving and
innovating in line with rapid advances in technology world-wide. Canada’s increasing
shift towards a knowledge-based economy and the role of “creative industries” mean
that public libraries play a pivotal role within their communities. Libraries are places of
learning, creativity, socialization, and collaboration among all facets of the population.
Their position as critical focal points in the community remains though for somewhat
different reasons than the past; libraries are utilized to fulfill objectives surrounding
economic development and civic placemaking that contribute to the social, economic,
and cultural fabric of the community. This means that the very way in which libraries
operate in the modern age is different than in the past.
The transformative change experienced in modern libraries is driven by broad
technological and societal trends. The development of mobile and portable technologies
ranging from Wi-Fi to eBooks, tablets and smart phones is key to this. Equally important
are social trends emphasizing creativity, social justice, experience, collaboration,
sociability, community connection and lifelong learning. Such social and technological
changes are unfolding and interacting in ways that are affecting customer experience,
collections, community relationships and, in turn, physical space. The steady flow of in-
person visits to Clarington Library, Museum & Archives (CLMA) branches and the
growing use of digital resources is an example that illustrates the continued importance
of the library and its adaptiveness to current trends.
3.4.2 Libraries as Third Places
In The Great Good Place, sociologist Ray Oldenburg suggests that people need three
places in their lives, with home as the “first place”, work/school as the “second place”,
and an undefined “third place” that represents public life and community. Oldenburg
writes: “The third place is a generic designation for a great variety of public spaces that
10 Statistics Canada (2020) Canadian Internet Use Survey. Retrieved from
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/210622/dq210622b-eng.htm
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host the regular, voluntary, informal, and happily anticipated gatherings of individuals
beyond the realms of home and work.”
Fundamentally, third places are community spaces that are free or inexpensive,
accessible, welcoming, and comfortable. People choose to visit and spend time in third
places – they are not required to be there and can come and go as they please. Third
places are warm and welcoming, and foster belonging and community pride. And third
places are levelling spaces, where everyone is accepted, valued, and encouraged to
participate, regardless of their background, identity, or socio-economic status.
CLMA plays an important role as a third place in the community that offers a safe and
inclusive space that is welcoming of all residents, regardless of age, cultural
background, orientation, income, gender identity, etc. CLMA spaces and services
support civic engagement, social inclusion and equity, a culture of learning and multiple
literacies, and economic vitality in the Municipality. Furthermore, the pandemic has
resulted in more people working from home and, for some, this may become
permanent. These trends mean that new and renovated libraries need technology-
equipped spaces that can be reconfigured for different sized groups as well as areas
that act as community “living rooms” with comfortable, casual seating.
3.4.3 Library Design
People expect libraries to be well-designed with inspiring spaces in which they want to
spend time. Spaces must be accessible to everyone with convenient and appealing
amenities such as washrooms, comfortable seating, power outlets, Wi-Fi and more.
Modern libraries are being designed as flexible spaces that can be reconfigured
according to changing needs.
Some libraries have an increased focus on people and less on collections space and
may include modular fixtures and ergonomic furniture, wide and uncluttered aisles with
lower shelving to accommodate persons with physical disabilities, and a more “open”
interior to accommodate study and workspace with good sightlines. Some libraries are
also extending outside the facility (e.g., reading gardens or patio spaces), increasing
usable library space on a seasonal basis. As a result, the demand for library space is on
the rise. An emphasis on good building design is critical. Flexible, accessible, and
resilient spaces are required. Specific responses may include (but are not limited to):
• fewer desktops and more mobile devices;
• movable, cleanable and durable furniture;
• enhanced air exchange and connections to outdoors;
• less congested and more open public areas;
• reconfigured administration workspaces;
• larger, accessible washrooms with more touchless features;
• more expandable network infrastructure;
• large, multi-purpose rooms to accommodate study, meetings, learning and
programs;
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• aesthetically-pleasing environments;
• space-making with furniture choices and configurations;
• the use of sustainable materials and energy efficient equipment; and
• more outdoor reading areas, pop-ups in parks and public spaces, and other
outreach or program opportunities.
Looking ahead, complete communities that provide easy access to schools, jobs and
the services that are needed the most have excelled during the pandemic, emphasising
the need to continue to provide library services that are accessible to all residents.
3.4.4 Libraries Using Technology
Modern libraries are not only focused on literacy programs, but also support experiential
activities that provide library users with opportunities to embrace their creativity through
traditional means and modern technologies. A leading trend in the library sector is the
emergence of makerspaces, which are shared, community spaces that foster creativity
and innovation, support collaboration and interaction amongst peer and like-minded
individuals, and facilitates skill development and life-long learning. They provide access
to low- and high-tech tools and equipment for free, teach people how to use tools, and
introduce them to new techniques and skills through workshops, training and
educational programming. CLMA is playing a part in the Municipality’s drive towards
innovation and smart technology through the development of the new makerspace at
the Courtice Community Complex branch.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, CLMA pivoted to online programming to continue to
connect with and engage residents such as through virtual book clubs. While library
branches have reopened to the public, there continues to be an interest in online
programming for residents who may not be comfortable with using in-person services,
or they lack transportation. It is expected that the hybrid-approach to offering online and
in-person library services will continue over the foreseeable future to maximize
community engagement.
Public libraries help bridge the “digital divide” by offering digital and wireless
technologies to low-income residents and expand their access to knowledge and
resources. Provision of these services not only provides users with access to devices
that may otherwise be out of reach, but also empowers upward mobility through
connectivity. Libraries need to be well-equipped with technologies that facilitate
connected learning environments, as well as comfortable seating that is in close
proximity to outlets for charging devices.
3.4.5 Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums
Galleries, libraries, archives, and museums collectively form the “GLAM” sector. GLAMs
play an important role in protecting, preserving, and promoting Canadian history, as well
as providing resources for research, education, learning and artistic creation. GLAMs
offer similar opportunities to the community and as a result, it is common for them to
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work together to provide services efficiently and effectively. For example, as noted
below in Clarington, there are library systems that oversee archives and museums to
protect, preserve and promote local records, artifacts, and resources. To a certain
degree, some libraries also incorporate galleries to display works by notable artisans
and crafts persons.
In 2016, the Municipality of Clarington initiated a process to explore a merger between
Museum and Archives Board with the CLMA (among other operating approaches). A
report prepared by Clarington staff identified that libraries, museums, and archives are
natural partners as they offer universal access, support for life-long learning that
enhance community development, and act as a gathering place for social interaction
and engagement. There were also operational and governance benefits associated with
merging the two entities such as efficiencies with respect to program delivery and public
education to create an enhanced user experience, collection development and storage,
key performance indicators, staffing, policy development and more. This merger was
completed in January 2020; it did not result in an expansion of library space but the
responsibilities and management of two buildings were transferred to the Clarington
Library (now CLMA).
The transfer of archive services also took place in the Town of Whitby. Local archives
were previously the responsibility of the Whitby Historical Society and the Town of
Whitby, which were located in a heritage building. During the planning of the Whitby
Central Library, archive responsibilities were transferred to the Whitby Public Library as
there was synergies between these two services. The Whitby Public Library provided
similar community services such as genealogy and historical resources (e.g.,
photographs, newspapers, etc.) and thus, there were benefits and efficiencies
associated with programming, storing and cataloging material. Archive space was
incorporated into the design of the Whitby Central Library, which is located on the
second floor and includes two offices, display space, shelving, and a common
workspace to view material. Additionally, storage space is available in the basement of
the Whitby Central Library.
Similarly, the Ajax Public Library entered into a formal agreement with the Town of Ajax
in 2022 to transfer the Town’s Archive to the Library. Some of the primary mandates
include raising the profile of the Town’s archives, preserving the Town’s artifacts and
archives, and integrating the Town’s diverse community into its collection.
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3.5 COVID-19 Impact Trends
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the demand for, and delivery of, parks,
recreation and culture services. While Clarington has fully reopened to the public, the
ultimate impact on the scope and scale of the pandemic is still unknown. Long-term
planning and strategic investment are vital to support the significant role that the parks,
recreation and culture sector plays in personal, social, and economic recovery and
revitalization.
Over the short- to long-term, the Municipality will need to closely monitor demand,
participation, and usage levels of its facilities, programs and services and adjust
resource allocation, as necessary. Working with local community organizations as the
Municipality recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic will be critical to ensure that these
groups continue to be successful over the long-term. The following are some potential
impacts the pandemic may have on the sector in the short- to longer-term.
• Emphasis on health equity and access to parks and trails;
• Growing interest in unstructured, individual, and small group activities;
• Desire for outdoor spaces (including four seasons use), placing pressure on
trails, parks, libraries, waterfront, washrooms, etc.;
• A possible shift in prime-time demand as people work more flexible hours;
• Volatility in volunteers;
• Greater challenges in securing part-time facilities, culture and recreation staff;
• Changes to operations (e.g. demand for touchless services, cleaning, visitor
management, staff training, etc.), possibly requiring higher levels of subsidy;
• Impacts on building design (ventilation, spacing, access/egress, mid-door
spaces, etc.);
• Constant engagement and communication – need accurate and real-time
information;
• Rethinking of some third-party partnerships (schools, etc.); and
• Greater use of technology to help support changes (virtual programming, library
use, etc.).
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4. Parks, Trails, and Waterfront Overview
For the purposes of this Master Plan, parks or parkland refer to all lands that are
classified in Clarington’s Official Plan as Municipal Wide Parks, Community Parks,
Neighbourhood Parks, Parkettes, Public Squares, and Hamlet Parks. Parks consist of
tableland suitable for the development or installation of built recreational, civic, or
cultural amenities such as sports fields, playgrounds, hard surface courts, special event
spaces, and other space that may be used for organized and unorganized activities,
although these parks may also include natural features.
This section provides an overview of Clarington’s existing parkland classification system
and service targets, supply, parkland dedication policies, recreational trails, and the
waterfront. It should be noted that a Funding Discussion Paper has been developed as
a companion document to this background report that provides a detailed overview of
how parks, recreation, and culture services are funded, as well as the legislative
framework.
4.1 Parkland Classification and Targets
Local land use planning, including planning for municipal parks, is guided by the
Municipality of Clarington Official Plan. Clarington’s current Official Plan was adopted in
1996 and was last updated and consolidated in 2018. The Municipality recently initiated
an Official Plan Review to ensure that its land use policies are reflective of changing
local needs and to ensure that they are positioned to accommodate future population
growth that is expected to occur. The Official Plan Review will also conform with the
new Durham Region Official Plan and changes to provincial policy and legislation such
as Bill 23. For the purposes of this section, all references to the Official Plan relate to
the current version that is in force and in effect.
Section 18.3 of the Official Plan contains Clarington’s parkland classification system,
which is used to guide park development and identify different amenities that should be
considered within each type. The Municipality has six park types – Municipal Wide
Parks, Community Parks, Neighbourhood Parks, Parkettes, Public Squares, and Hamlet
Parks. The Official Plan defines each part type below:
• Municipal Wide Parks are specialized parks designed to serve the entire
Municipality. They may be developed to support recreation or cultural facilities
that are one of a kind and have specialized location requirements or take
advantage of specific attributes such as natural or cultural heritage features. The
size and shape of Municipal Wide Parks shall depend on the attributes of the
property and the specific program for the park.
• Community Parks are designed to serve the recreational needs of several
neighbourhoods, providing outdoor and indoor recreational facilities, non-
programmed open space, and linkages to the Regional and Municipal trail
system. Community Parks shall have a size of between six to 12 hectares.
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• Neighbourhood Parks are to serve the basic active and low intensity
recreational needs of the surrounding residents. Neighbourhood Parks shall be of
a size between 1.5 to three hectares depending on the area served and the
activities to be provided.
• Parkettes are intended to augment the recreation, leisure and amenity needs of
a neighbourhood but will not contain sports fields. They shall be between 0.5 and
one hectare in size. They are required whenever the Municipality deems it
necessary to augment or adjust the park requirements of any neighbourhood.
• Public Squares are intended to enhance the public realm by providing defined
spaces for social interaction and are generally incorporated within Priority
Intensification Areas or other high traffic areas. They shall be up to one hectare
in size and can be used for cultural events, public art, farmers’ markets, and
small-scale outdoor activities/games. They shall be highly visible from the
dominant street frontage and shall be designed to support activity year-round.
• Hamlet Parks shall provide active and low intensity recreation facilities for
hamlets and the surrounding rural community. Generally, Hamlet Parks shall
have a minimum size of four hectares.
Most municipalities use population-based targets to calculate and plan parkland supply.
A parkland target is particularly important as it is becoming more complex and costly to
secure quality parcels for parkland within new higher density forms of development.
Traditionally, residential intensification has generated less parkland per capita than
greenfield development – and certainly smaller park blocks – making it difficult to
accommodate the desired recreational activities that residents have come to expect
from the Municipality’s parks system.
On a Municipal-wide basis, the Official Plan identifies that parkland standard is 1.8
hectares per 1,000 persons where Municipal Wide Parks and Community Parks have a
combined target of 1.0 hectares per 1,000 persons and Neighbourhood Parks,
Parkettes, and Public Squares have a combined target of 0.8 hectares per 1,000
persons.
Park Type Target
Municipal Wide Park and Community Park 1.0 hectares per 1,000 persons
Neighbourhood Park, Parkette, Public Square 0.8 hectares per 1,000 persons
Total (sum of the park type targets) 1.8 hectares per 1,000 residents
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4.2 Parkland Dedication Policies
The Planning Act is the parkland conveyance authority and facilitated through the
Municipality’s Official Plan and Parkland and Open Space Dedication By-law. Under the
Planning Act, municipalities may levy a standard rate of 5% of developable residential
lands (or cash-in-lieu) or 2% for commercial and industrial lands. Notable changes were
recently made to the Planning Act as a result of Bill 23 (More Homes, Built Faster Act).
This Act results in a reduction of parkland dedication and cash-in-lieu requirements,
particularly in areas of higher density. A summary of recent changes is highlighted
below:
• The maximum alternative dedication rate has been reduced to one hectare per
600 units for parkland and one hectare per 1,000 units for cash-in-lieu. Further,
the legislation caps the maximum alternative dedication rates at 10% of the land
for sites under five hectares and 15% for sites larger than five hectares.
• Affordable residential units, attainable residential units, inclusionary zoning
residential units, non-profit housing and additional residential unit developments
are exempt from parkland dedication requirements.
• Parkland rates are frozen as of the date that a zoning by-law or site plan
application is filed. The freeze is effective for two years after approval.
• To take effect at a future date, developers will be able to identify the land they
intend to convey to the municipality for parkland. These lands may include
encumbered lands and privately-owned public space (POPs). If an agreement
cannot be reached, the municipality or the landowner can appeal to the Ontario
Land Tribunal. This may result in less suitable lands being accepted as parkland
dedication.
• There is a new requirement for the municipality to spend or allocate at least 60%
of the monies in their parkland reserve at the beginning of each year.
• A parks plan must be developed prior to passing a parkland by-law. Previously,
this requirement applied only to those municipalities that authorized use of the
Section 42 alternative rate, but now includes those that include the standard rate.
The Municipality’s parkland dedication policies are contained in Section 23.10 of the
Official Plan. Updating this section to reflect changes as a result of Bill 23 are being
undertaken as part of the Municipality’s Official Plan Review. The Funding Discussion
Paper, which is a companion document developed as part of the Master Plan, provides
additional information about the implications of Bill 23 and other details regarding
parkland conveyance, community benefits, and funding tools.
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4.3 Parkland Supply
According to the Municipality’s GIS parkland inventory, Clarington has approximately
243 hectares of parkland. This parkland typically consists of tableland suitable for
development or installation of built recreational or civic amenities (such as sports fields,
playgrounds, courts, etc.) that may be used for both organized and unorganized
activities, although these parks may also incorporate natural features. A summary of
parkland by park type is contained in Table 3. Excluded from this total supply includes
any future or undeveloped parks from secondary plan areas, as well as the Bowmanville
Zoo lands and Camp 30. Also excluded are open spaces and natural areas such as the
Samuel Wilmot Nature Area and non-municipal parks and open spaces, including
Darlington Provincial Park, schools, and lands owned by the Central Lake Ontario
Conservation Authority such as the Bowmanville Valley Conservation Area, Stephen’s
Gulch Conservation Area, Thurne Parks Conservation Area, Long Sault Conservation
Area, and Enniskillen Conservation Area.
Table 3: Municipality of Clarington Parkland Summary
Park Type Supply
(hectares)
Current Service
Level
Official Plan
Recommended Target
Municipal Wide Park 95.5 0.95 hectare 1.0 hectare
Community Park 15.2 per 1,000 persons per 1,000 persons
Neighbourhood Park 111.6 1.1 hectares 0.8 hectares
Parkette 20.1 per 1,000 persons per 1,000 persons
Public Square 0.4
Total 242.8 2.1 ha per 1,000
persons 1.8 ha per 1,000 persons
Excludes future/undeveloped parks from secondary plan areas, Bowmanville Zoo lands, Camp 30, open
spaces such as the Samuel Wilmot Natura Area and other open space and naturalized areas, as well as
non-municipal lands including the Orono Fairgrounds, Darlington Provincial Park and lands owned by the
Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority.
Clarington is currently in the process of planning, designing, or developing new parks in
Bowmanville, Newcastle and Newtonville that have been dedicated to the Municipality
through the development process. The Municipality has also been active in acquiring
properties for the purposes of future park development, including the Bowmanville Zoo
and Camp 30.
The former Bowmanville Zoo lands were transferred to the Municipality in 2018. A
Parks Master Plan for the zoo lands was completed in 2023 in partnership with Valleys
2000 and other stakeholders, to create a design concept and cost estimates for
recommended recreational facilities and amenities. The Municipality also retained a
consultant to refine the concept, develop a feasibility/implementation program, and
secure Conservation Authority support in the early stages. At 13.7 hectares (34 acres),
the concept reimagined the site as a public park that may include a range of features
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such as performing arts and event space, amphitheatre, playground areas (including a
natural playground), multi-use field, picnic area, commemorative forest, visitor centre,
outdoor classrooms, community garden, natural areas, trails, and interpretive signage.
In 2016, the Municipality made an agreement with developers to transfer the ownership
of approximately 6.3 hectares of land on the east side of Bowmanville for a Municipal
Wide Park. The property includes five heritage buildings and surrounding greenspace,
which was formerly known as Camp 30. To date, only one of the five buildings has been
transferred to the Municipality. Camp 30 was originally constructed in 1925 as a boys
training school and since its time, it has undergone a number of uses, including a POW
Camp for German soldiers during the Second World War. Following the War, it was
used as a private school, Catholic secondary school, then an Islamic University until it
closed in 2008. In 2013, Camp 30 was designated as a National Historic Site. The
Municipality designated the site under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act in 2018.
Development of the future Municipal Wide Park is guided by Section 16.7 of the Official
Plan that contains policies for Special Policy Area F that relate to Camp 30, as
amended by Official Plan Amendment No. 121 (OPA 121). OPA 121 identifies that the
Municipal Wide Park should encourage the preservation and enhancement of the views
and vistas of heritage buildings, central green and natural heritage features. The
existing buildings are also to be adaptively reused to accommodate a range of uses that
would positively contribute to the surrounding residential community, and replanting and
restoring the natural landscape.
In addition to these known future parks, Clarington has a number of Secondary Plan
Areas (SPAs) where the Municipality is expected to receive additional parkland. Based
on a review of these SPAs, there are approximately 46 hectares of active parkland in
these SPAs, which are primarily Neighbourhood Parks and Parkettes. It should be
noted, however, that the timing and development of these parks is not defined and may
not take place during this planning period. With recent changes to the Planning Act,
particularly regarding the amount of parkland municipalities can require as part of the
development process, it is not known if this parkland amount will change. Additionally,
some SPAs are in the planning process and thus the Municipality may receive
additional future parkland, which is currently being negotiated.
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Figure 1: Bowmanville Zoo Lands Design Concept
Source: Bowmanville Park Concept, 2023
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Figure 2: Excerpt of Special Policy Area F Block Master Plan from Official Plan Amendment No.
121
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Figure 3: Distribution of Parkland
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4.4 Recreational Trails
A system of off-road recreational trails is found across Clarington that enables active
movement within the Municipality. Clarington’s trails are primarily found within the
Municipality’s parks, open space and natural system and consist of pathways for
walking, cycling, and other non-motorized forms of transportation. These are
complemented by trails provided on lands owned by the Central Lake Ontario
Conservation Authority, Orono Crown Land Trust, and others, as well as major on road
routes such as the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail and the Greenbelt Route (Oak Ridges
Moraine Trail).
Recreational trails are often one of the most highly desirable amenities as they facilitate
low impact physical activity and active movement throughout the community, including
walking, cycling, jogging, in-line skating and roller blading, cross-country skiing, and
snowshoeing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many municipalities, including
Clarington, experienced a strong increase in trail usage, highlighting the importance of a
connected trail network.
The Municipality’s 2016 Clarington Transportation Master Plan (CTMP) provides a long-
term strategy for the development transportation infrastructure and policy for all modes
of transportation over a 20-year period, including active forms of movement on and off-
road. The CTMP recommended over 73 kilometres of multi-use pathways, cycling
lanes, and signed/shared lanes within Courtice, Bowmanville and Newcastle, as well as
connections between these urban areas.
The Municipality is currently in the process of planning, designing, or developing a
number of trail routes including, but not limited to, Courtice Dog Park Trail, Toyota Trail,
Farewell Creek Trail, and Soper Creek Trail, as well as pathways to facilitate internal
movement at Burketon Park, Harvey Jackson Park, Hayden Hall Parkette, and Ina
Brown Parkette.
Clarington is currently undertaking an Active Transportation Master Plan (ATMP) to
establish a network plan, inform policies and an implementation schedule to support the
Municipality’s vision for creating a safe, integrated, and cohesive transportation system
for walking, cycling and other forms of transportation. A Wayfinding System Strategy
(WSS) is also being completed alongside the ATMP. Any findings or outcomes that
emerge from this Master Plan will need to be in alignment with the ATMP/WSS.
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4.5 Clarington Waterfront
Clarington’s waterfront is a highly valued community asset and an important part of the
Municipality’s parks system. While there are 34 kilometres of shoreline along
Clarington’s southern boundary, the Municipality owns a small proportion of waterfront
properties, including Port Darlington Waterfront Park (East and West Beach), Bond
Head Parkette, and more. Other properties are privately held or are owned by other
public entities such as the Province of Ontario, Government of Canada, and Central
Lake Ontario Conservation Authority. The Municipality recognizes the importance of the
waterfront and has taken steps to invest in these key assets to create high quality
experiences for residents and tourists. Development of Clarington’s waterfront has
historically been guided by the 1992 Waterfront Strategy that established a vision for
increasing public access and ownership of the shoreline.
The Municipality is currently undertaking a comprehensive update of the Waterfront
Strategy to create a renewed waterfront vision that incorporates themes related to
sustainability and resilience, barrier free access, and high-quality built form and parks. A
key focus of the updated Waterfront Strategy is on key waterfront locations in
Bowmanville, Newcastle and Courtice. Any findings or outcomes that emerge from this
Master Plan will need to be in alignment with the updated Waterfront Strategy.
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5. Recreation Facility Overview
This section provides a summary of indoor and outdoor recreation facilities, relevant
facility trends, and usage data to establish the existing context.
5.1 Summary of Recreation Facilities
Clarington provides a broad range of indoor and outdoor recreation amenities, which is
summarized below. Some of the Municipality’s amenities are operated by third party
volunteers that provide direct programming or administer rentals. In addition to the
recreation facilities identified below, the Municipality is currently moving forward with
planning for a future South Bowmanville Recreation Centre, which will convert and
expand the Bowmanville Indoor Soccer Facility. The first phase will involve converting
the existing indoor soccer field to a double gymnasium and expanding the facility to
include a full size indoor artificial turf field, indoor walking track, and multi-purpose
space, as well as constructing an outdoor skating rink. Future indoor recreation facility
needs that could be co-located at this expanded facility will be assessed as part of the
next phases of this Master Plan. The Master Plan will also explore other future indoor
and outdoor facility needs to serve residents across Clarington, as well as evaluate the
merits of new recreation facilities that are not currently provided by the Municipality. The
Municipality’s recreation facilities are also complemented by other providers such as
schools.
Table 4: Summary of Existing Municipal Recreation Facilities
Facility Type Supply Locations
Arenas 7 ice pads
at 5 arenas
Darlington Sports Centre, Garnet B. Rickard Recreation
Complex (2), Newcastle Memorial Arena*, Orono Arena
and Community Centre*, South Courtice Arena (2)
* Operated by independent arena boards
Indoor Aquatics 3 Alan Strike Aquatic and Squash Centre, Courtice
Community Complex, Diane Hamre Recreation
Complex
Fitness Spaces and
Indoor Walking
Tracks
2 Fitness Space: Courtice Community Complex
Indoor Walking Track: Bowmanville Indoor Soccer
Facility
Gymnasiums
1.25
South Courtice Arena (0.25 gymnasiums), Diane Hamre
Recreation Complex (1)
Note: South Courtice Arena gymnasium is considered to
be 0.25 the size of a typical gymnasium due to its size.
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Facility Type Supply Locations
Multi-Purpose
Spaces (Includes
activity and meeting
rooms, community
centre halls, and
standalone halls)
17 (plus 11
standalone
halls)
Multi-Purpose Spaces: Alan Strike Aquatic and Squash
Complex (2), Beech Centre, Bowmanville Memorial
Park Clubhouse, Courtice Community Complex (6),
Diane Hamre Recreation Complex (3), Garnet B.
Rickard Recreation Complex, South Courtice Arena (3)
Standalone Halls: Bowmanville Memorial Park,
Brownsdale Community Centre, Hampton Community
Centre, Haydon Community Hall, Haydon Community
Hall, Kendal Community Centre, Newcastle Village
Community Hall, Newtonville Hall, Orono Town Hall,
Solina Community Hall, Tyrone Community Centre
Dedicated Youth
Space
3 Diane Hamre Recreation Complex, South Courtice
Arena, Firehouse Youth Centre Bowmanville
Dedicated Older
Adult 55+ Space
2 Beech Centre and Courtice Community Complex
Indoor Racquet
Courts
2 Alan Strike Aquatic and Squash Complex (2)
Indoor Artificial Turf
Fields
1 Bowmanville Indoor Soccer Facility
Rectangular Fields
Lit Football Field
Lit Artificial Turf
Field
Lit Natural Full Field
Unlit Natural Full
Field
Natural Mini Field
*ULE = Unlit
Equivalent
Note: the
Municipality also
permits 9 school
fields
43 (46
ULE*)
1
1
3
19
19
Lit Football Field: Clarington Fields
Lit Artificial Turf Field: South Courtice Arena
Lit Natural Full Field: Darlington Hydro Fields (2), South
Courtice Arena
Unlit Natural Full Field: Baxter Park, Burketon Park,
Clarington Fields (2), Darlington Sports Centre, Elliot
Memorial Park, Highland Park, Northglen
Neighbourhood Park, Optimist Park, Pearce Farm Park,
Rickard Neighbourhood Park, Scugog Street
Neighbourhood Park, South Courtice Arena, Tyrone
Park (3), Walbridge Park, West Side Drive Park, Zion
Park
Natural Mini Field: Baseline Park, Burketon Park,
Clarington Fields, Enniskillen Park, Guildwood Park,
Longworth Park, Mearns Avenue Park, Newcastle
Memorial Park, Optimist Park, Solina Park, Tyrone Park
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Facility Type Supply Locations
Ball Diamonds
Lit Hardball
Unlit Hardball
Lit Softball
Unlit Softball
*ULE = Unlit
Equivalent
Note: the
Municipality also
permits six school
diamonds
31 (36.5
ULE*)
6
2
5
18
Lit Hardball: Clarington Fields (2), Diane Hamre
Recreation Complex, Harvey Jackson Park, Orono
Park, Soper Creek Park
Unlit Hardball: Longworth Park, Penfound Park
Lit Softball: Bowmanville Memorial Park, Clarington
Fields (2), Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex (2)
Unlit Softball: Argent Park, Bowmanville Memorial Park,
Burketon Park, Courtice West Park, Edward Street
Park, Elephant Hill Park, Harvey Jackson Park,
Highland Park, Lord Elgin Park, Optimist Park, Rhonda
Park, Rosswell Park, Stuart Park, Solina Park, Tyrone
Park
Cricket Fields 1 Courtice Memorial Park
Tennis Courts
Lit
Unlit
13
4
9
Lit Courts: Beech Centre (2)*, Diane Hamre Recreation
Complex (2)
Unlit Courts: Avondale Park (2), Green Park (2),
Guildwood Park (2), Orono Park, Solina Park (2)
* exclusive use by Bowmanville Tennis Club
Outdoor Pickleball
Courts
Lit
Unlit
10
5
7
Lit: Clarington Fields (2) Diane Hamre Recreation
Complex (3)
Unlit: Stuart Park (4), Orono Park (3)
Basketball Courts
Full Courts
Half Courts
21
11
10
Full Court: Green Park, Guildwood Park, Lord Elgin
Park, Optimist Park, Pearce Farm Park, Rosswell Park,
Soper Creek Park, South Courtice Arena, Stuart Park,
Tyrone Park, Wallbridge Park
Half Court: Barlow Court Parkette, Bons Park,
Brookhouse Parkette, Douglas Kemp Parkette, Gate
House Parkette, Glenabbey Parkette, Harvey Jones
Park, Moyse Park, Northglen Neighbourhood Park,
Solina Park
Splash Pads 16 Avondale Park, Baxter Park, Bons Parkette,
Bowmanville Memorial Park, Guildwood Park, Harry
Gay Park, Harvey Jones Park, Longworth Park,
Northglen Neighbourhood Park, Orono Park, Pearce
Farm Park, Port Darlington East Beach Park, Rickard
Neighbourhood Park, Rosswell Park, Walbridge Park,
West Side Drive Park
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Facility Type Supply Locations
Skate Parks 5 Courtice Community Complex, Darlington Sports
Centre, Diane Hamre Recreation Complex, Garnet B.
Rickard Recreation Complex, Orono Park
Leash-Free Dog
Parks
3 Bowmanville Dog Park, Diane Hamre Recreation
Complex, South Courtice Arena
Community Gardens 3 Bowmanville Allotment Garden, Newcastle Community
Garden, Liberty Allotment Garden.
Playgrounds 63
Locations
See Figure 18 for locations
Outdoor Fitness
Equipment
1 Rickard Neighbourhood Park
Outdoor Skating
Rinks
4 Courtice Community Complex, Guildwood Park, Pearce
Farm Park, Rosswell Park
Outdoor Lacrosse
Boxes
1 Clarington Fields
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5.2 Arenas
Clarington provides five ice pads across three different locations. Twin ice pads are
located at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex (NHL size) and the South
Courtice Arena (one NHL size and one Olympic size), and a single ice pad is located at
the Darlington Sports Centre. In addition to the arena supply, the Municipality owns two
additional ice pads at the Orono Arena and Community Centre and Newcastle Memorial
Arena, which are both operated by independent arena boards; the Municipality currently
has no authority over ice allocation at these two locations. As a result, there are a total
of seven ice pads in Clarington, resulting in a service level of one per 16,621 residents,
which is higher compared to the benchmark average of one per 24,119 residents.
Clarington’s 2017 Indoor Recreation Facilities Development Strategy identified that
there may be a potential need for a new twin pad arena at the Bowmanville Indoor
Soccer Facility, which will be explored as part of this Master Plan process.
Table 5: Service Level Comparison, Arenas
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 8 1 : 15,833
Kitchener 256,885 11 1 : 23,353
Markham 338,500 10 1 : 33,850
Milton 132,979 6 1 : 22,163
Mississauga 717,691 24 1 : 29,904
Oakville 213,759 13 1 : 16,443
Oshawa 175,400 10 1 : 17,540
Pickering 100,000 5 1 : 20,000
Richmond Hill 202,000 7 1 : 28,857
Vaughan 323,100 8 1 : 40,388
Whitby 138,501 11 1 : 12,591
Average 247,771 10 1 : 24,119
Clarington (2024) 116,346 7 1 : 16,621
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Ice sports such as hockey and figure skating are widely viewed as Canada's most
popular activities; however, there are signs that the participation in these sports has
been waning. Hockey Canada indicates that registration in minor hockey has been
steadily declining since 2009. There was a slight uptick in the number of participants for
the 2018/2019 season. Participation in the sport was also impacted by the COVID-19
pandemic.
Prior to the pandemic, minor hockey registration was bolstered by an increase in
girls/womens hockey. Hockey Canada reported that during the 2018/2019 season,
girls/women made up 21% of registration among affiliated organizations in Ontario,
which is an increase from 16% reported in the 2014/2015 season.11 Anecdotally, the
increasing popularity of female hockey has negatively impacted ringette, which has
seen declining participation in some communities.
The growth in girls/womens hockey is driven by factors such as changing lifestyle and
personal commitments, efforts to break free from stereotypical gender roles and
promoting sport participation among girls/women. This has led to greater competition for
prime-time ice, placing renewed pressure on municipal arenas. However, this trend has
been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic as a study conducted by Canadian Women
& Sport found that nine in ten girls decreased or stopped participating in sports during
the pandemic and one in four girls are not expected to return to sport post-pandemic12.
Reasons for not returning include a lack of self-confidence and a lack of opportunities
(e.g., organizations no longer active). The study identified strategies to ensure that there
are opportunities available for females to remain in sport, including involving females in
the development of return to play plans and creating supportive environments that foster
healthy social connections among participants and leaders.
Participation in figure skating has also declined from historic levels. While the number of
figure skaters registered with Skate Canada and Skate Ontario are not at levels
experienced in past decades, Skate for Life registrations reported for 2020 (which
include CanSkate and PowerSkate) have grown by 2% nationally since 2014 and
provincial figures have rebounded to reach 2014 registrations.
Overall, the decline in ice activities over the past decade was driven by the escalating
cost of equipment and travel, the increasing cost of ice, time commitments, and
immigration trends since the country’s growth is being driven by newcomers arriving
from countries that do not have strong ice sport programs (e.g., Asian, Caribbean and
South American nations) or are not familiar with arena activities.13 Additionally a survey
commissioned by Hockey Canada and Bauer Hockey Inc. for non-hockey playing
11 Hockey Canada Annual General Meeting Reports.
12 Canadian Women & Sport. (2021). COVID alert. Pandemic impact on girls in sport. Retrieved from
https://womenandsport.ca/
13 Urciuoli, A. (2020). Fewer Canadians are playing hockey, but does it matter? Retrieved from
https://quickbitenews.com/
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families found that one of the top reasons for not playing the sport is due to safety
concerns (e.g., concussion risk).14
A review of prime time 15 arena utilization during the core ice season (October to
February) was undertaken to understand how Clarington’s ice pads are being used by
community organizations, which make up the majority of the Municipality’s ice use. It is
noted that Clarington also provides ice programming, although this typically occurs
outside of the prime-time period. Clarington’s arena floor pads are also used for rentals
when the ice is removed for activities such as indoor lacrosse.
Between the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 ice seasons, system-wide arena utilization
increased from 87% to 91% during the prime-time period (excluding board-operated
arenas). This increase may be partly due to the fact that the Municipality’s arena system
is continuing to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022/2023 data also does
not include programming data and as a result, the actual utilization level may be higher.
The Municipality has historically maintained arena utilization levels of over 90% as the
2017 Indoor Facilities Development Strategy found that arena utilization ranged
between 91% and 93%. Generally speaking, a utilization level of 90% or over is
indicative of an arena system that is operating at or near full capacity.
For the 2023/2024 arena season, other utilization trends include:
• The prime-time utilization rate during the weekday was 95%, which was an
increase from 90% from the 2022/2023 season.
• The prime-time utilization rate during the weekend was 88%, which was a growth
from 85% from the previous season.
• Ice Pad #1 at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex had the highest
utilization level at 96%. Conversely, Ice Pad #2 at the same facility had the
lowest utilization level at 88%.
A review of weekly ice schedules of board-operated arenas in Orono and Newcastle
revealed that they are also well used, primarily by minor user groups. The Newcastle
Memorial Arena is generally booked at capacity during the prime-time period and limited
time is available at the Orono Arena.
14 Hockey Canada. (2013). Bauer Hockey, Hockey Canada research shows that growing the game is
achievable. Retrieved from https://www.hockeycanada.ca/
15 Prime time period is defined as Monday to Friday from 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm and Saturday to Sunday
from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm.
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Figure 4: Historical System-Wide Arena Utilization Rates during Prime Time
Note: Data not available for 2016/2017 to 2021/2022 season. 2022/2023 season excludes programming
data. Utilization excludes board-operated arenas in Orono and Newcastle.
Figure 5: Prime Time Arena Utilization Rate, 2023/2024 Season
92%92%93%
91%
93%92%
87%
91%
2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2022/23 2023/24
90%90%
93%
96%
88%
91%
South Courtice
Arena #1
South Courtice
Arena #2
Darlington
Sports
Centre
Garnet B. Rickard
Recreation
Complex #1
Garnet B. Rickard
Recreation
Complex #2
Arena Utilization Rate System Wide Utilization Rate
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5.3 Indoor Aquatic Centres
There are three indoor aquatic centres in Clarington located at the Alan Strike Aquatic
and Squash Centre, Courtice Community Complex, and the Diane Hamre Recreation
Complex. Each of these pools features a 25-metre, 6-lane, rectangular tank with various
amenities, including a co-ed whirlpool and sauna. A tot pool and a waterslide are also
provided at both the Courtice Community Complex and the Diane Hamre Recreation
Complex. The 2017 Indoor Recreation Facilities Development Strategy recommended a
new indoor aquatics facility at the Bowmanville Indoor Soccer Facility, which has not yet
been implemented. The Municipality’s current supply of indoor aquatic centres results in
a service level of one per 38,782 residents, which is higher compared to the benchmark
average of one per 46,195 residents.
Table 6: Service Level Comparison, Indoor Aquatic Centres
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 3 1 : 42,222
Kitchener 256,885 5 1 : 51,377
Markham 338,500 7 1 : 48,357
Milton 132,979 3 1 : 44,326
Mississauga 717,691 12 1 : 59,808
Oakville 213,759 5 1 : 42,752
Oshawa 175,400 4 1 : 43,850
Pickering 100,000 2 1 : 50,000
Richmond Hill 202,000 6 1 : 33,667
Vaughan 323,100 9 1 : 35,900
Whitby 138,501 3 1 : 46,167
Average 247,771 5 1 : 46,195
Clarington (2024) 116,346 3 1 : 38,782
The use of indoor aquatic facilities is strong in many communities as swimming appeals
to people of all ages and abilities, either in a structured or drop-in program. As with most
municipalities, the Clarington places considerable focus on learn-to-swim and aquatic
fitness through its programming. While learn to swim is usually the highest demand use
for an indoor aquatic facility, there is a growing aquatic fitness market that is well suited
to adults and older adults as it is a low impact, social activity that promotes physical
health. Swim clubs are also major users that tend to prefer traditional rectangular pool
configurations with lanes and cooler water temperatures, while the aquafit and early
childhood learn-to-swim markets are increasingly shifting their preferences to warmer
water temperatures. Other modern amenities that are typically desired by the general
community include family or gender-neutral change rooms, spray features, updated
viewing galleries, and universal design elements.
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As identified in the programming section of this report, registered and recreational
swimming activities are some of Clarington’s most popular programs. While participation
has been in decline over the past number of years, this is due to factors including, but
not limited to, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the availability of staffing.
5.4 Fitness Spaces and Indoor Walking Tracks
5.4.1 Fitness Spaces
A full-service fitness centre is located at the Courtice Community Complex, which
includes fitness equipment and a group fitness studio for active programming. Group
fitness programs are also held in multi-purpose spaces at other Clarington community
complexes in the Municipality. In addition, there are a number of private fitness
providers operating in Clarington such as Planet Fitness and CrossFit Bowmanville.
Clarington’s supply of fitness centres results in a service level of one per 116,346
residents, which is the second lowest service level after Whitby.
Table 7: Service Level Comparison, Fitness Spaces and Indoor Walking Tracks
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 2 1 : 63,333
Kitchener 256,885 10 1 : 25,689
Markham 338,500 5 1 : 67,700
Milton 132,979 4 1 : 33,245
Mississauga 717,691 14 1 : 51,264
Oakville 213,759 6 1 : 35,627
Oshawa 175,400 3 1 : 58,467
Pickering 100,000 1 1 : 100,000
Richmond Hill 202,000 2 1 : 101,000
Vaughan 323,100 6 1 : 53,850
Whitby 138,501 1 1 : 138,501
Average 247,771 5 1 : 50,472
Clarington (2024) 116,346 1 1 : 116,346
Physical fitness and individual wellness are top priority issues among many Canadians,
resulting in a greater emphasis being placed on personal health. This has translated
into increasing use of both private and public sector fitness services, including active
living programming centred on general health and wellness, weight-training,
cardiovascular training and stretching activities such as yoga and Pilates.
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With greater emphasis being placed on health and wellness, group fitness programming
has become one of the fastest growing segments of the fitness sector, more so than
traditional weight-training, as these programs are designed to be fun and social
activities. Municipalities are also keeping pace with fitness trends such functional
training (e.g., TRX, Cross-Fit, and High Intensity Interval Training) based on scientific
evidence documenting its benefits but also in response to client demands.
5.4.2 Indoor Walking Tracks
A walking loop is located at the Bowmanville Indoor Soccer Facility. According to
recreation surveys across the province, walking is typically identified as the most
popular recreation pursuit given that it is a self-structured activity that residents can
engage in at one’s leisure. This is one reason, among many, that has resulted in the
growing popularity of indoor walking tracks as they offer several benefits such as year-
round training for sport organizations and providing a safe and controlled environment
for walking. Canada’s varied climate conditions provide further support for walking
tracks within community centres. Intangible benefits are also achieved as walking tracks
promote physical activity and encourage users to remain active during the winter
months. Clarington’s 2017 Indoor Recreation Facilities Development Strategy
recommended the development of an indoor walking track as part of a future facility.
The new South Bowmanville Recreation Centre, which is a conversion and expansion of
the Bowmanville Indoor Soccer Facility, will include a new indoor walking track.
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5.5 Gymnasiums
There are two gymnasiums in Clarington. A full-size gymnasium is at the Diane Hamre
Recreation Complex, which can be divided into two smaller spaces to support
simultaneous programs and rentals. A small gymnasium is also located at the South
Courtice Arena, which is approximately one quarter the size of a full-size gymnasium.
This results in a service level of one per 93,077 residents, which is the lowest level of
service compared to benchmark municipalities.
Table 8: Service Level Comparison, Gymnasiums
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 3 1 : 42,222
Kitchener 256,885 10 1 : 25,689
Markham 338,500 8 1 : 42,313
Milton 132,979 4 1 : 33,245
Mississauga 717,691 34 1 : 21,109
Oakville 213,759 6 1 : 35,627
Oshawa 175,400 3 1 : 58,467
Pickering 100,000 2 1 : 50,000
Richmond Hill 202,000 13 1 : 15,538
Vaughan 323,100 9 1 : 35,900
Whitby 138,501 13 1 : 10,654
Average 247,771 10 1 : 25,957
Clarington (2024) 116,346 1.25 1 : 93,077
It should be noted; however, that the provision of public gymnasiums varies
considerably in each municipality and is influenced by the level of access to school
gymnasiums. For example, Whitby provides two public gymnasia but partners with a
non-profit organization to provide programs at 10 local school gymnasiums. A new
double gymnasium is proposed to be located at the future South Bowmanville
Recreation Centre by converting the existing indoor artificial turf field. The Municipality’s
gymnasium is complemented by school gymnasiums that are available for public
rentals.
Gymnasiums facilitate a variety of indoor sports and recreation opportunities that
require a hard surface, large open space, and high ceilings. While the primary purpose
of gymnasiums is to support organized and drop-in recreation activities, other non-sport
activities may also take place such as special events and large social gatherings.
Although non-sport uses tend to be given lower priority to ensure that gymnasiums are
used for high demand recreation activities and to protect floor finishes from damage.
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As gymnasiums accommodate broad opportunities, they are designed with adaptability
and flexibility in mind. While there is no standard template, gymnasiums are typically
influenced by community needs, the minimum gymnasium size should be large enough
to accommodate a school-sized basketball court with high ceilings and supporting
amenities such as storage, change rooms, and seating areas.
Booking data provided by the Municipality found that Clarington’s gymnasiums were
booked for 7,839 hours in 2023, translating into a utilization rate of 47%. This is a
decline from 2019 where there were 8,693 hours booked and a usage rate of 51%.
However, utilization levels have been gradually increasing from historical levels.
Suggesting that the Municipality has been making efforts to increase the use of their
gymnasiums, particularly through increasing fitness programming.
The gymnasium at the Diane Hamre Recreation Complex has a higher utilization level
compared to the South Courtice Arena location as it can accommodate more programs
and rentals; Diane Hamre Recreation Complex can also be booked as two gymnasium
space to support simultaneous uses. In 2023, the Diane Hamre Recreation Complex
gymnasium had a utilization rate of 56%, which was on par with 2019. The South
Courtice Arena gymnasium had a utilization rate of 30% in 2023, which was a decline
from 2019 (43%) and likely impacted by its small size and usage limitations that result.
Figure 6: Historical System-Wide Gymnasium Utilization Rates
Note: Data not available for 2015 to 2018 and 2020 to 2021.
24%24%26%
31%
36%
51%
40%
47%
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2019 2022 2023
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Figure 7: Historical Gymnasium Utilization
Note: Data not available for 2015 to 2018 and 2020 to 2021.
5.6 Multi-Purpose Spaces
There are 17 multi-purpose spaces located within Clarington’s community facilities,
including activity rooms, meeting rooms and community halls. These spaces vary in
size, capacity, and range of amenities, which may include (but not be limited to), seating
and tables, washrooms, storage space, counter tops with sinks, and kitchens. In
addition to this supply, the Municipality also owns 11 standalone community halls in the
rural areas, which are operated by volunteer boards. A benchmark comparison with
other municipalities was not undertaken due to the wide variety of multi-purpose spaces
and the range of amenities and configurations available.
Multi-purpose spaces are core elements of community facilities – they are flexible
spaces that bring the community together and support a range of uses, including
municipal programming meetings. These types of multi-purpose spaces should be
considered when constructing or renovating community centres to support programming
opportunities. This approach is typically more efficient to construct and operate
compared to stand alone program spaces. The future South Bowmanville Recreation
Centre will include multi-purpose spaces for programs and rentals.
A review of booking data for the Municipality’s multi-purpose spaces revealed that there
were 18,264 hours booked in 2023, which was an increase of 20% (or 3,061 hours).
This translates to a system-wide utilization rate of 34% across all multi-purpose program
spaces in Clarington, suggesting that there is ample capacity to accommodate
additional bookings. This level of use is common for this facility type as they are not
ones that exhibit high levels of use, but rather they are provided to ensure that the
22%21%24%
33%
40%
55%
46%
56%
27%29%30%26%27%
43%
29%30%
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2019 2022 2023
Diane Hamre Recreation Complex South Courtice Arena Gymnasium
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Municipality has flexible programming spaces, and that the community has access to
affordable indoor gathering spaces. Among the Municipality’s multi-purpose spaces,
Program Room #2 and #3 at the Diane Hamre Recreation Complex had the high level
of use in 2023, with a combined utilization rate of 54%.
5.7 Dedicated Youth Spaces
The Municipality provides youth space in partnership with the John Howard Society of
Durham Region and the local community. Through this partnership, drop-in recreational
space is provided at the South Courtice Arena and at the Diane Hamre Recreation
Complex, which are known as The Loft and The NYC, respectively. A variety of
activities are available at each location including, but not limited to, sports, video games,
computers, WIFI, and board games, as well as structured recreational programming.
The Municipality also contributes funding towards the operation of a third location, which
is known as the Firehouse Youth Centre, which is third-party operated. This supply
results in a service level of one per 58,173 residents, which is higher compared to the
benchmark average of one per 90,849 residents. The Municipality’s youth spaces
complement the Municipality’s youth-oriented recreation programming that takes place
throughout Clarington and complements other youth spaces and services provided by
others such as the CLMA.
Table 9: Service Level Comparison, Dedicated Youth Space
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 0 n/a
Kitchener 256,885 12 1 : 21,407
Markham 338,500 4 1 : 84,625
Milton 132,979 7 1 : 18,997
Mississauga 717,691 0 n/a
Oakville 213,759 0 n/a
Oshawa 175,400 2 1 : 87,700
Pickering 100,000 0 n/a
Richmond Hill 202,000 2 1 : 101,000
Vaughan 323,100 0 n/a
Whitby 138,501 3 1 : 46,167
Average 247,771 3 1 : 90,849
Clarington (2024) 116,346 2 1 : 58,173
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Certain municipalities have responded with the provision of dedicated youth spaces that
are casual drop-in spaces to accommodate broad interests. As research suggests that
youth have a preference for unstructured activities, youth spaces can be flexibly
designed to allow youth to participate in their desired activities on their own schedule or
to participate in programming or events. Not only are youth spaces important to provide
a safe meeting space, but they can also facilitate positive reinforcement to combat
concerns surrounding mental and physical health among youth.
5.8 Dedicated Older Adult Spaces
There are two dedicated older adult spaces in Clarington. The Municipality offers
dedicated space for older adults ages 55+ at the Courtice Community Complex to
provide direct programming, including active living classes, general interest activities,
fitness, drop-in programs, and special events, which are provided with the support of
volunteers. The Municipality also offers its older adult programming within program
spaces at other locations in Clarington, including the Diane Hamre Recreation Complex,
Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex, and rural community halls.
Older adult opportunities are also provided by the Bowmanville Older Adult Association,
which provides its programs and services at the Beech Centre in Bowmanville, which
features a number of indoor program and gathering spaces.
Clarington’s two dedicated older adult spaces results in a service level of one per
58,173 residents, which is slightly lower compared to the benchmark average of one per
53,441 residents.
Table 10: Dedicated Older Adult Spaces
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 0 n/a
Kitchener 256,885 1 1 : 256,885
Markham 338,500 5 1 : 67,700
Milton 132,979 1 1 : 132,979
Mississauga 717,691 10 1 : 71,769
Oakville 213,759 5 1 : 42,752
Oshawa 175,400 5 1 : 35,080
Pickering 100,000 1 1 : 100,000
Richmond Hill 202,000 1 1 : 202,000
Vaughan 323,100 20 1 : 16,155
Whitby 138,501 2 1 : 69,251
Average 247,771 5 1 : 53,441
Clarington (2024) 116,346 2 1 : 58,173
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Dedicated older adult spaces have important physical and social benefits as they are
generally regarded as an important part of the health care and recreation sector.
Research has found that members of older adult centres tend to be healthier and have
strong activity patterns that help them remain physically well (55% of members
described their level of physical activity as fair/moderate, and 33% as good/excellent).16
In general, older adult centres province-wide have been most successful in attracting
individuals from lower or middle income brackets, including a very high portion of single
women. Thus, older adult spaces play a key role in engaging this segment of the
community, particularly those who may be at risk, to minimize isolation and achieve
lifelong engagement.
In 2015, the Municipality completed an Older Adult Strategy to create a plan to address
the needs of older adults in the community. Key recommendations related to space
needs included:
• Maintaining the Clarington Beech Centre as the primary hub for local older adult
services;
• Undertake an accessibility audit of the Clarington Beech Centre and establish a
plan to address deficiencies;
• Provide dedicated older adult space at satellite locations, including reallocating
approximately 3,000 square feet of space at the Courtice Community Complex
and Diane Hamre Recreation Complex;
• Optimize available space at existing community facilities for older adult activities;
and
• Explore opportunities for inclusive programming for older adults at future
community centres.
5.9 Indoor Racquet Courts
Two international squash courts are located at the Alan Strike Aquatic and Squash
Centre, which is operated by the Clarington Squash Club. This organization provides
recreational and competitive league play, programming, lessons, and tournaments, as
well as court rentals.
Squash has historically been a sport in decline, although Squash Ontario has been
making efforts to grow interest in the sport through initiatives such as greater community
engagement and promoting grassroots programming. Municipalities that provide squash
courts have generally found that use of these amenities has been declining as interest
waned and as a result, there are examples of communities (such as Niagara Falls) that
16 Older Adult Centres’ Association of Ontario. 2010. Building Bridges to Tomorrow: User Profile of Older
Adults Centres in Ontario. p.4, p.68.
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have repurposed squash courts to other uses such as fitness spaces. By contrast,
privately-operated squash courts also exist in many communities that have established
memberships and programs.
Utilization data for the Squash Centre is not available given that the facility is operated
by a third-party organization. However, participation at this facility is trending upwards
as the Clarington Squash Club reported a total of 213 members (192 adults and 21
juniors) for the 2021/2022 season, which was an increase of 65 (60 adults and 5
juniors) members from the 2017/2018 season.
5.10 Indoor Artificial Turf Fields
The Bowmanville Indoor Soccer Facility contains the Municipality’s year-round indoor
artificial turf field, which measures 180’ by 100’ in size. Supporting amenities at this
facility include a partition to create two smaller fields, four change rooms, meeting room,
referee room, and walking loop. This supply yields a service level of one per 116,346
residents, which is higher compared to benchmark average of one per 194,667
residents, although it should be noted that the size of indoor artificial turf fields in other
communities may vary. For example, the indoor artificial turf field at the Oshawa Civic
Fieldhouse is a full-size FIFA field that measures 328’ by 229 feet and can be used as
four smaller fields, resulting in greater programming capacity compared to Clarington.
The Municipality is currently moving forward with expansion of the South Bowmanville
Recreation Centre that will include a new full size indoor artificial turf field. The existing
field is proposed to be converted into a double gymnasium.
Table 11: Dedicated Indoor Artificial Turf Fields
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 0 n/a
Kitchener 256,885 0 n/a
Markham 338,500 3 1 : 112,833
Milton 132,979 1 1 : 132,979
Mississauga 717,691 3 1 : 239,230
Oakville 213,759 1 1 : 213,759
Oshawa 175,400 1 1 : 175,400
Pickering 100,000 1 1 : 100,000
Richmond Hill 202,000 1 1 : 202,000
Vaughan 323,100 1 1 : 323,100
Whitby 138,501 2 1 : 69,251
Average 247,771 1 1 : 194,667
Clarington (2024) 116,346 1 1 : 116,346
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Indoor artificial turf fields predominantly accommodate winter field activities such as
soccer, football, rugby, baseball training, fitness, and more – some of these activities
may also take place in gymnasiums. The usage profile tends to be heavily weighted
towards soccer and is typically balanced between children/youth and adult play. Field
dimensions may vary but generally, a FIFA regulation field (345’ by 220’) is the leading
practice for the standard template that can be booked as a full or quarter field –
Clarington’s existing indoor artificial turf field at the Bowmanville Indoor Soccer Facility
is undersized by this standard, although the new replacement indoor field will allow the
Municipality to increase programming capacity.
The indoor field in Bowmanville can be booked as a full field or two half fields to
accommodate simultaneous programming, although the large majority of bookings are
for the full field. In 2023, the indoor field had a combined total of 1,113 hours booked,
resulting in a prime-time utilization rate of 60%. While this is nearly double the utilization
rate from the previous year (33%), generally aligns with historical usage rates that
ranged between 51% and 73%. The utilization rates for 2022 and 2023 excludes
programming data and, as a result, actual usage levels may be higher.
Figure 8: Historical Bowmanville Indoor Soccer Facility Utilization Rates during Prime Time
Note: Data not available for 2015 to 2021. 2022 and 2023 season excludes programming data.
73%
65%62%59%
51%
33%
60%
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2022 2023
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5.11 Rectangular Fields
The Municipality has 43 rectangular fields for soccer and other field sports such as
football. Five of these fields have lights for extended play, one of which is artificial turf.
To account for extended playing capacity, each lit artificial field and natural grass field is
considered to be equivalent to 2.0 and 1.5 unlit fields, respectively. As a result, the
Municipality has an effective supply of 46 unlit equivalent fields. The Municipality also
permits nine school fields for a total of 54 unlit equivalent fields. It is noted that with the
future South Bowmanville Recreation Centre, it is expected that there will be a reduction
in the number of fields at the Clarington Fields location, although a replacement location
has not been identified. The Municipality’s current field supply yields a service level of
one per 2,237 residents, which is higher compared to the benchmark average of one
per 2,745 residents.
Table 12: Service Level Comparison, Rectangular Fields
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 63 1 : 2,011
Kitchener 256,885 63 1 : 4,078
Markham 338,500 125 1 : 2,708
Milton 132,979 52 1 : 2,557
Mississauga 717,691 247 1 : 2,906
Oakville 213,759 86 1 : 2,486
Oshawa 175,400 67 1 : 2,618
Pickering 100,000 37 1 : 2,703
Richmond Hill 202,000 58 1 : 3,483
Vaughan 323,100 141 1 : 2,291
Whitby 138,501 54 1 : 2,565
Average 247,771 90 1 : 2,745
Clarington (2024) 116,346 52 1 : 2,237
Registrations in Ontario Soccer’s affiliated organizations have been declining for well
over a decade. In 2019, Ontario Soccer reported approximately 272,000 players which
is 28% below registrations from 10 years prior.17 The Durham Region Soccer
Association, which is the regional affiliate that covers Clarington, reported a participation
decline of 37% during the same period.
17 Ontario Soccer Association. Annual General Meeting Reports.
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Ontario Soccer’s declining registration is driven by factors such as aging demographic
trends, growing competition from other sports and activities, and the emergence of elite
soccer clubs and academies that are not affiliated with provincial governing body.
Despite declining participation trends, soccer continues to be a popular sport due to its
worldwide appeal, high fitness quotient, and relatively low cost to participate. The
popularity of the sport drives the demand of soccer fields in most municipalities.
Since Ontario Soccer adopted its Long-Term Player Development (LTPD) model,
organizations have been evolving the delivery of their programs. With less emphasis on
scoring and winning, LTPD focuses on improved coaching, fewer games, more ball
time, and skill development. New standards specific to each age group were developed,
which included varying coaching styles, number of players per team, playing time, field
sizes, and other variables. Some of these new standards have a direct impact on the
provision of soccer fields, particularly with respect to standards for field sizes and the
number of players per team, which has influenced the demand for field time.
The Municipality also provides a football field at Clarington Fields and participation in
the sport is characterized by cyclical popularity. It is generally played by minor age
groups under the age of 20, although football is a popular spectator sport for NFL, CFL
and smaller leagues (including varsity). Greater concerns over head injuries have also
been a limiting growth factor, although some groups have introduced flag football
among younger age groups, which is a non-contact form of the sport.
Football organizations are often challenged in securing field access largely due to
certain soccer fields being “protected” from cleat damage that can occur in the fall,
although artificial turf fields can help to mitigate field damage by shifting use away from
grass fields. For this reason, football groups tend to appreciate the quality of synthetic
surfaces and value these fields’ resilience to inclement weather that can occur in the
spring and fall.
The Municipality’s booking data identified that the rectangular fields were used for 6,471
hours in 2023, which includes 867 hours permitted at school fields. This is an increase
of 55% (or an additional 2,315 hours) from 2019, where there were 4,156 hours booked.
This increase was due to an increase in the use of key sites, including the artificial turf
field at the South Courtice Arena and the natural grass fields at Longworth Park,
Scugog Neighbourhood Park, and Clarington Fields.
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Figure 9: Distribution of Rectangular Fields
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5.12 Ball Diamonds
Clarington has a total of 31 ball diamonds, which includes six hardball and 25 softball
diamonds. Each lit diamond is considered to be equivalent to 1.5 unlit diamonds due to
their extended playing capacity. With six lit hardball and five lit softball diamonds, the
Municipality has an effective supply of 36.5 unlit equivalent ball diamonds. The
Municipality also permits six school ball diamonds, yielding a total of 42.5 unlit
equivalent fields. The Municipality supply includes Clarington’s newest lit hardball
diamond at the Diane Hamre Recreation Complex, which was recommended through
the Municipality’s 2020 Outdoor Recreation Needs Assessment. Clarington’s current
ball diamond supply represents a service level of one per 3,144 residents, which is
higher compared to the benchmark average of one per 4,505 residents.
Table 13: Service Level Comparison, Ball Diamonds
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 33 1 : 3,838
Kitchener 256,885 72 1 : 3,568
Markham 338,500 60 1 : 5,642
Milton 132,979 29 1 : 4,585
Mississauga 717,691 129 1 : 5,563
Oakville 213,759 54 1 : 3,959
Oshawa 175,400 58 1 : 3,024
Pickering 100,000 29 1 : 3,448
Richmond Hill 202,000 40 1 : 5,050
Vaughan 323,100 64 1 : 5,048
Whitby 138,501 37 1 : 3,743
Average 247,771 55 1 : 4,505
Clarington (2024) 116,346 37 1 : 3,144
Participation in baseball has been experiencing a resurgence as Baseball Ontario
reported that there were nearly 16,000 competitive participants in 2019, which was a
growth of 36% compared to 2009, although these figures exclude recreational/house
leagues and non-affiliated ball groups. As a result, actual participation figures are
greater. The Eastern Baseball Association, which is the regional affiliate that includes
the Clarington Baseball Association, also grew at a higher rate, increasing by 48%
during the same period.
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The Municipality’s booking data identified that the diamonds were booked for 6,885
hours in 2023, which includes 381 hours permitted at school diamonds. The total
number of hours used is a decrease of 6% (or 511 hours) from 2018, which had 7,396
hours booked. The decline in ball diamond usage may be somewhat attributable to the
impact of Covid-19 as well as due to a sharp drop in the use of the ball diamond at
Longworth Park; it is known that there are some quality issues at this location, which
may make it not desirable for rentals. The Municipality also stopped permitting some
public school ball diamonds. The most used location in 2023 was one of the ball
diamonds at Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex, which had 1,141 hours booked.
Figure 10: Distribution of Ball Diamonds
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5.13 Cricket Fields
In 2023, the Municipality converted the soccer field at Courtice Memorial Park to a
cricket field. While it is not a full-size field, a cricket pitch is located in the centre of the
park that can be used for modified games and practices. This supply results in a service
level of one per 116,346 residents, which is higher compared to the benchmark average
of one per 126,274 residents.
Table 14: Service Level Comparison, Cricket Fields
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 1 1 : 126,666
Kitchener 256,885 1 1 : 256,885
Markham 338,500 3 1 : 112,833
Milton 132,979 2 1 : 66,490
Mississauga 717,691 9 1 : 79,743
Oakville 213,759 1 1 : 213,759
Oshawa 175,400 1 1 : 175,400
Pickering 100,000 1 1 : 100,000
Richmond Hill 202,000 0 n/a
Vaughan 323,100 0 n/a
Whitby 138,501 1 1 : 138,501
Average 247,771 2 1 : 136,274
Clarington (2024) 116,346 1 1 : 116,346
Cricket – which requires a large, flat, oval-shaped playing surface with a turf pitch in the
centre – is popular with many of Canada’s growing immigrant communities that come
from cricket-playing nations (e.g., South Asia and the Caribbean). Cricket Canada
estimates that there are approximately 130,000 players and around 820 clubs across
the country, with many based in the GTHA.
The Municipality recently converted the Courtice Memorial Park soccer field for cricket
so reliable utilization data is not available although according to the Municipality’s
booking data, the cricket field was booked for only four hours in 2023.
5.14 Tennis Courts
The Municipality provides 13 tennis courts that all feature a painted acrylic surface and
fencing, four courts have lighting for extended play in the evening. Included in this
supply are two lit tennis courts that are exclusively used by the Bowmanville Tennis
Club, which are located at the Clarington Beech Centre, which is home to the
Bowmanville Older Adult Association. The Bowmanville Tennis Club provides lessons,
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events and tournaments to its membership. The Municipality’s supply includes two new
lit tennis courts at the Diane Hamre Recreation Complex, which was recommended
through the 2020 Outdoor Recreation Needs Assessment. This supply yields a service
level of one per 8,950 residents, which is the lowest level of service compared to
benchmark municipalities. Two additional tennis courts are expected to be installed at
South Courtice Arena in spring 2024.
Table 15: Service Level Comparison, Tennis Courts
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 33 1: 3,838
Kitchener 256,885 36 1 : 7,136
Markham 338,500 61 1 : 5,549
Milton 132,979 17 1 : 7,822
Mississauga 717,691 159 1 : 4,514
Oakville 213,759 58 1 : 3,686
Oshawa 175,400 23 1 : 7,626
Pickering 100,000 20 1 : 5,000
Richmond Hill 202,000 93 1 : 2,172
Vaughan 323,100 130 1 : 2,485
Whitby 138,501 33 1 : 4,197
Average 247,771 60 1 : 4,111
Clarington (2024) 116,346 13 1 : 8,950
Tennis has been experiencing a resurgence over the past several years. Tennis
Canada reported that 6.6 million Canadians played tennis at least once in 2018, a
growth of more than 23% since 2014. Nearly 3 million Canadians are frequent players –
those who play at least once a week during the tennis season – which is twice as many
compared to 2014. 18, 19
The growing popularity in tennis can be attributed to the growing segment of baby
boomers that seek social, and, to some degree, lower impact activities. There is also a
focus on promoting the sport at the grassroots level. Tennis Canada reported that in
2018, more than 200,000 children under the age of 12 were considered frequent tennis
players, which was an increase of 40% compared to 2015.20 Part of this growth can also
be linked to the success of Canadian men and women currently competing on the
professional tours, including Bianca Andreescu’s US Open championship win in 2019.
18 Tennis Canada. 2018 Annual Report.
19 Charlton Strategic Research. 2014 Canadian Tennis Brand Health Study.
20 Ibid.
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Additionally, the tennis-playing community has been working diligently to generate
interest in the sport. In 2017, Tennis Canada hosted Tennis Day across the country,
which had activities such as clinics, lessons, exhibitions, and ‘bring a friend’ events. The
purpose of Tennis Day was to introduce the sport to people that have never played
before and to show them how easy it is to learn the game. Following the event, Tennis
Canada indicated that 80% of tennis clubs reported an increase in participation.
Figure 11: Distribution of Tennis Courts
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5.15 Outdoor Pickleball Courts
There are 12 outdoor pickleball courts in Clarington, including 10 dedicated courts and
two shared courts located on the lacrosse box at Clarington Fields (portable nets
required). The Municipality has recently been responding to a growing demand for
pickleball courts through the conversion of tennis courts at Stuart Park and Orono Park.
Similar to Clarington’s tennis courts, dedicated pickleball courts features a painted
acrylic surface and fencing. The Municipality’s supply includes the three new lit
pickleball courts at the Diane Hamre Recreation Complex, which was recommended
through the 2020 Outdoor Recreation Needs Assessment. The Municipality’s pickleball
court supply yields a service level of one per 9,696 residents, which is higher compared
to the benchmark average of one per 13,103 residents. In addition to the Municipality’s
outdoor supply, the Diane Hamre Recreation Complex has permanent line markings for
four indoor pickleball courts.
Table 16: Service Level Comparison, Pickleball Courts
Municipality 2021
Population
Dedicated
Supply
Shared
Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 0 7 1 : 18,095
Kitchener 256,885 4 3 1 : 36,698
Markham 338,500 8 8 1 : 21,156
Milton 132,979 3 14 1 : 7,822
Mississauga 717,691 6 40 1 : 15,602
Oakville 213,759 11 30 1 : 5,214
Oshawa 175,400 4 8 1 : 14,617
Pickering 100,000 1 7 1 : 12,500
Richmond Hill 202,000 2 1 1 : 67,333
Vaughan 323,100 0 30 1 : 10,770
Whitby 138,501 21 0 1 : 6,595
Average 247,771 5 13 1 : 13,103
Clarington (2024) 116,346 10 2 1 : 9,696
Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in North America and it continues to gain in
popularity. While it is commonly played among older adults, youth and adults are also
taking up the sport as interest grows and more opportunities and locations become
available to play. As the sport matures in Canada, participation will become broader and
more diverse. This will include more established community organizations, greater
demand for competitive leagues, and programming. A survey completed in January
2022 by Pickleball Canada found that 8% of Canadian households report at least one
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household member plays pickleball at least once a month,21 a near tripling of the
number of pickleball players in Canada over a two-year period.
To respond to the growing demand for pickleball, some municipalities are undertaking
specific studies to determine future provision strategies, including London, Vaughan,
and Barrie. Recognizing the social nature of the sport, noise concerns, and the desire
for high quality courts that can support league play and tournaments, other communities
are constructing (or recently completed) major pickleball court complexes with eight or
more courts, including Barrie, Richmond Hill, Markham, Hamilton, Whitby, and
Vaughan.
Figure 12: Distribution of Pickleball Courts
21 Pickleball Canada. 2022. January 2022 Survey. Retrieved from https://pickleballcanada.org
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5.16 Basketball Courts
There are 21 basketball courts in Clarington’s parks, consisting of 11 full courts and 10
half courts. Some of Clarington’s basketball courts feature a painted acrylic surface
such as at Stuart Park, Soper Creek Park and Tyrone Park, while others are asphalt
pads; the half court at Solina Park uses a Flex Court system with interlocking plastic
tiles over asphalt. This supply translates into a service level of one per 5,540 residents,
which is higher compared to the benchmark average of 7,667 residents. Several school
properties also contain outdoor hoops, although they are of varying sizes, quality, and
access. The court located adjacent to the South Courtice Arena is planned for
refurbishment in the 2024 capital budget.
Table 17: Service Level Comparison, Basketball Courts
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 27 1 : 4,691
Kitchener 256,885 29 1 : 8,858
Markham 338,500 24 1 : 14,104
Milton 132,979 18 1 : 7,388
Mississauga 717,691 56 1 : 12,816
Oakville 213,759 17.5 1 : 12,215
Oshawa 175,400 27 1 : 6,496
Pickering 100,000 14 1 : 7,143
Richmond Hill 202,000 32 1 : 6,313
Vaughan 323,100 75 1 : 4,308
Whitby 138,501 36 1 : 3,847
Average 247,771 32 1 : 7,667
Clarington (2024) 116,346 21 1 : 5,540
As an outdoor activity, the use of basketball courts was positively impacted by the
COVID-19 pandemic. Basketball is becoming increasingly popular with boys and girls
(including newcomer children and youth) due to its international appeal and the Toronto
Raptors championship in 2019. It is an affordable and open sport that can be played by
most ages and abilities, both individually and as a team.
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Figure 13: Distribution of Basketball Courts
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5.17 Splash Pads
There are 16 splash pads at parks throughout Clarington that feature a variety of user-
activated features during the warmer summer months. This supply results in a service
level of one per 7,272 residents, which is the highest level of service compared to
benchmark municipalities.
Table 18: Service Level Comparison, Splash Pads
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 6 1 : 21,111
Kitchener 256,885 17 1 : 15,111
Markham 338,500 26 1 : 13,019
Milton 132,979 14 1 : 9,499
Mississauga 717,691 32 1 : 22,428
Oakville 213,759 20 1 : 10,688
Oshawa 175,400 13 1 : 13,492
Pickering 100,000 3 1 : 33,333
Richmond Hill 202,000 15 1 : 13,467
Vaughan 323,100 17 1 : 19,006
Whitby 138,501 19 1 : 7,290
Average 247,771 17 1 : 14,975
Clarington (2024) 116,346 16 1 : 7,272
Splash pads are popular among families with young children as they provide affordable
and accessible amenities to cool down on a hot day. Splash pads also play a role in
responding to climate change as communities such as Clarington have been
experiencing warmer summers. The Municipality recognizes the importance of splash
pads and its cooling benefits in its Corporate Climate Action Plan, and identifies actions,
including monitoring water usage to better understand consumption trends. The Climate
Action Plan also recommends designing new splash pads with recirculating water
systems to consume less water as opposed to freshwater (or flow through) systems that
drain directly to municipal sewers, which is the current practice.
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Figure 14: Distribution of Splash Pads
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5.18 Skate Parks and BMX Pump Tracks
Clarington provides five skate parks at the Courtice Community Complex, Darlington
Sports Centre, Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex, Diane Hamre Recreation
Complex, and Orono Park. This yields a service level of one per 23,269 residents,
which is the highest level of service compared to benchmark municipalities.
Table 19: Service Level Comparison, Skate Parks
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 3 1 : 42,222
Kitchener 256,885 4 1 : 64,221
Markham 338,500 6 1 : 56,417
Milton 132,979 1 1 : 132,979
Mississauga 717,691 10 1 : 71,769
Oakville 213,759 5 1 : 42,752
Oshawa 175,400 3 1 : 58,467
Pickering 100,000 1 1 : 100,000
Richmond Hill 202,000 2 1 : 101,000
Vaughan 323,100 9 1 : 35,900
Whitby 138,501 4 1 : 34,625
Average 247,771 4 1 : 56,781
Clarington (2024) 116,346 5 1 : 23,269
Each location in Clarington features a range of skate components, including ramps,
edges, rails, stairs, elevation changes, bowls and more. The size and scale of skate
parks vary by location, as well as the construction type. For example, the skate parks at
the Courtice Community Complex, Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex and Diane
Hamre Recreation Complex were constructed from concrete, while the skate parks at
the Darlington Sports Centre and Orono Park have modular components on a concrete
pad.
Skate parks provide youth and younger adults with a positive place to participate in
skateboarding, rollerblading, scootering, biking, and other wheeled action sports. The
perception of skate parks have evolved as it was historically view as venues for
negative behaviour, skate parks have become popular locations for youth and young
adults to gather and socialize in a positive environment. Skate parks encourage greater
physical activity and skate activities are typically viewed as affordable activities that can
be pursued as part of ‘hanging out’ with friends.
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Figure 15: Distribution of Skate Parks
Recognizing that not all youth may have the ability to access skate parks due to the
distance they can travel, some communities have incorporated small-scale skate zones
within neighbourhood parks that features a limited range of skate components. For
example, Burlington provides a number of skate zones within neighbourhood parks that
are often co-located with basketball courts, which are geared towards the same target
market and complement the Municipality’s major skate parks.
The Municipality does not provide any BMX pump tracks, although they are becoming
more common in many municipalities to respond to demonstrated demand. In Durham
Region, BMX pump tracks are available in Oshawa and Uxbridge. They can also be
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found in Toronto, Mississauga, Milton, Orangeville, Saugeen Shores, Georgina, and
other communities. BMX pump tracks offer a variety of features for beginner to
advanced users and include dirt ramps and jumps along a designated course. It is
generally considered to be a growth sport as more people seek activities that can be
done individually or socially in an unstructured format. From a provision perspective,
they can also be accommodated within existing public spaces and parks adjacent to
trails and open spaces and as part of skate parks.
5.19 Leash-Free Dog Parks
Clarington provides three leash-free dog parks in Courtice (South Courtice Arena),
Bowmanville (adjacent to the Harbour Conservation Area) and Newcastle (Diane Hamre
Recreation Complex). All three locations feature two designated areas for large and
small dogs and amenities include on-site parking, seating, shade, water, signage, and
lighting. Clarington’s supply results in a service level of one per 38,782 residents, which
is higher than the benchmark average of one per 71,723. A fourth dog park is expected
to be completed by summer 2024, planned for North Bowmanville near Longworth
Avenue and Bowmanville Avenue.
Table 20: Service Level Comparison, Leash-Free Dog Parks
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 4 1 : 31,667
Kitchener 256,885 3 1 : 85,628
Markham 338,500 2 1 : 169,250
Milton 132,979 2 1 : 66,490
Mississauga 717,691 10 1 : 71,769
Oakville 213,759 7 1 : 30,537
Oshawa 175,400 2 1 : 87,700
Pickering 100,000 3 1 : 33,333
Richmond Hill 202,000 2 1 : 101,000
Vaughan 323,100 1 1 : 323,100
Whitby 138,501 2 1 : 69,251
Average 247,771 3 1 : 71,723
Clarington (2024) 116,346 3 1 : 38,782
Leash-free dog parks provide owners with a controlled open area to exercise and
socialize with their dogs. Leading practices have found that these amenities are not only
beneficial for dogs, but they also contribute to sense of place and encourage community
interaction among residents who share a common interest. Dog parks have proven to
be successful in urban areas as opportunities for dogs to run freely may be limited
within intensified residential areas, as well as in other areas experiencing population
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growth. Clarington’s 2020 Outdoor Recreation Needs Assessment Study recommended
an off-leash dog park in the north end of Bowmanville, which has not yet been
implemented.
Figure 16: Distribution of Leash-Free Dog Parks
5.20 Community Gardens
Clarington has three community garden locations with a total of 112 plots, including two
in Bowmanville at the Liberty Allotment Gardens and the Bowmanville Allotment
Gardens. The third location is at the Diane Hamre Recreation Complex in Newcastle.
Each location is operated and administered by a volunteer organization that allocates
plots to gardeners for personal use, as well as community plots where food is grown
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and distributed to those in need, including food banks. The Municipality’s supply of
community gardens yields a service level of one per 38,782 residents, which is higher
compared to the benchmark average of one per 54,510 residents. A new
community/demonstration garden is identified in the park concept for the former
Bowmanville Zoo lands.
Table 21: Service Level Comparison, Community Gardens
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 1 1 : 126,666
Kitchener 256,885 14 1 : 18,349
Markham 338,500 1 1 : 338,500
Milton 132,979 3 1 : 44,326
Mississauga 717,691 8 1 : 89,711
Oakville 213,759 4 1 : 53,440
Oshawa 175,400 5 1 : 35,080
Pickering 100,000 1 1 : 100,000
Richmond Hill 202,000 8 1 : 25,250
Vaughan 323,100 4 1 : 80,775
Whitby 138,501 1 1 : 138,501
Average 247,771 5 1 : 54,510
Clarington (2024) 116,346 3 1 : 38,782
Community gardens are increasingly becoming more popular in urban areas where
residents may not have access to personal gardening space, particularly among renters
or communities experiencing intensification. The increasing cost of living, including
rising food prices, being experienced across Ontario has also placed a greater
emphasis on food security and sustainable food sources. The focus being placed on
health and wellness and healthy eating also contributed to the increasing demand for
community gardening opportunities. Research conducted in diverse communities also
reveals that community gardens allow residents to cultivate, preserve and prepare
cultural produce. Moreover, community gardens foster social interaction and
horticultural education.
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Figure 17: Distribution of Community Gardens
5.21 Playgrounds
Clarington provides playgrounds at 63 parks across the Municipality that vary in design,
size and range of components. Depending on the location and the type of park, a
playground may feature distinct junior and senior play structures and swing sets
(including for adults). Some locations may also feature accessible components such as
ramps and braille, as well as interactive toys such as musical instruments and mobile
games. The Municipality’s supply yields a service level of one per 1,847 residents,
which is higher compared to the benchmark average of one per 2,348 residents. In
addition to the Municipality’s playgrounds, play structures are also found at schools. A
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playground in Northglen East Park is currently being design and is to be installed in
spring 2024.
Table 22: Service Level Comparison, Playgrounds
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 80 1 : 1,583
Kitchener 256,885 152 1 : 1,690
Markham 338,500 155 1 : 2,184
Milton 132,979 58 1 : 2,293
Mississauga 717,691 266 1 : 2,698
Oakville 213,759 138 1 : 1,549
Oshawa 175,400 113 1 : 1,552
Pickering 100,000 61 1 : 1,639
Richmond Hill 202,000 127 1 : 1,591
Vaughan 323,100 164 1 : 1,970
Whitby 138,501 95 1 : 1,458
Average 247,771 128 1 : 1,934
Clarington (2024) 116,346 63 1 : 1,847
Playgrounds are highly desirable park amenities that young families seek in their
neighbourhoods as they benefit early childhood development, foster cognitive
development and social skills, and encourage physical activity. Playground designs
have evolved overtime from traditional play equipment (e.g., swings, slides, etc.) to
creative structures that facilitate environments that encourage users to use their
imagination to create unique play experiences. This may include design elements such
as vibrant colours, interactive play features, thematic designs, and components that are
barrier free and stimulate the senses, as well as accessible surface treatments such as
engineered wood fibre and rubber. A range of thematic playground designs are found at
parks in Clarington, particularly at major destinations such as Port Darlington East
Beach.
Natural and adventure playgrounds are also becoming more popular as they encourage
play and interaction with landscape and incorporate materials such as wood, logs,
ropes, stones, and boulders to allow users to create more daring opportunities.
Natural/adventure playgrounds can still be designed to comply with Canadian
Standards Association requirements, while providing greater sensory stimulation and
imaginative play compared to traditional creative play structures. Research also shows
that children’s immune health can benefit from exposure to natural materials and aligns
with the concept of “risky play” to encourage children to take more risks through
climbing, exploring, moving vigorously, and creating their own activities using their
imagination.
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Figure 18: Distribution of Playgrounds
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5.22 Outdoor Fitness Equipment
Rickard Neighbourhood Park in Newcastle is the only park in Clarington that offers
outdoor fitness equipment, which consists of four stations that engage users in a variety
of strength and cardio-based exercises. This supply results in a service level of one per
116,346 residents, which is one of the lowest levels of service compared to benchmark
municipalities. Additional outdoor fitness equipment is planned to be installed at the
South Courtice Arena in 2024.
Table 23: Service Level Comparison, Outdoor Fitness Equipment
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 8 1 : 15,833
Kitchener 256,885 21 1 : 12,233
Markham 338,500 20 1 : 16,925
Milton 132,979 1 1 : 132,979
Mississauga 717,691 32 1 : 22,428
Oakville 213,759 3 1 : 71,253
Oshawa 175,400 1 1 : 175,400
Pickering 100,000 1 1 : 100,000
Richmond Hill 202,000 9 1 : 22,444
Vaughan 323,100 4 1 : 80,775
Whitby 138,501 4 1 : 34,625
Average 247,771 9 1 : 26,207
Clarington (2024) 116,346 1 1 : 116,346
Popular throughout the United States and Europe, many Canadian municipalities have
begun introducing outdoor fitness equipment that use resistance created by a person’s
own body weight. Locations typically contain multiple pieces of equipment for free public
use such as in Clarington’s existing location. They tend to be best suited along trails, at
community facilities, or other high traffic locations.
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5.23 Outdoor Skating Rinks
Access to outdoor skating rinks in Clarington vary from year to year and have most
recently been provided at Courtice Community Complex, Rosswell Park, Pearce Farm
Park, and Guildwood Park, resulting in a service level of one per 31,977 residents.
Clarington’s outdoor skating rinks are provided through a partnership with the
Municipality and volunteers, which is a common approach in other communities. The
Municipality is responsible for training volunteers, providing equipment, regular
inspections, compensating volunteers for water use, and providing other supports as
necessary. Volunteers are responsible for setup and regular ice maintenance. Council
has approved funding towards constructing three outdoor skating rinks (trail or pad) –
one at Courtice Community Complex, one at Diane Hamre Recreation Complex, and
one as part of the South Bowmanville Recreation Centre project.
Table 24: Service Level Comparison, Outdoor Skating Rinks
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 1 1 : 126,666
Kitchener 256,885 0 n/a
Markham 338,500 1 1 : 338,500
Milton 132,979 2 1 : 66,490
Mississauga 717,691 2 1 : 358,846
Oakville 213,759 1 1 : 213,759
Oshawa 175,400 0 n/a
Pickering 100,000 0 n/a
Richmond Hill 202,000 3 1 : 67,333
Vaughan 323,100 5 1 : 64,620
Whitby 138,501 0 n/a
Average 247,771 1 1 : 181,699
Clarington (2024) 116,346 4 1 : 31,977
Outdoor ice skating has been a Canadian tradition for generations, and they bring
people together outdoors during the winter season; however, the ability to maintain
natural ice rinks have become increasingly difficult. Consistently cold temperatures are
required to provide a safe and level skating surface, however; communities, including
Clarington have been experiencing warmer winter seasons that are not suitable for
outdoor skating as maintaining ice is cumbersome when temperatures are near or
above the freezing mark. As a result of milder winters, municipalities are forced to
shorten skating seasons and, in some cases, outdoor rinks are closed completely.
To adapt to warmer winter weather, municipalities have explored other options to
provide more stable outdoor skating opportunities such as refrigerated ice surfaces or
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constructing covered shelters, although these options are more costly to construct
compared to providing naturalized ice surfaces. Synthetic ice surfaces are also
available that are made from plastic that are designed to replicate the feel ice real ice.
While synthetic ice can be used for warm winter temperatures, they provide a different
skating experience due to its artificial properties as it does not have the same
smoothness or glide as real ice.
5.24 Outdoor Lacrosse Boxes
The Municipality offers an outdoor lacrosse box at Clarington Fields, adjacent to the
Bowmanville Indoor Soccer Facility. This location consists of a concrete playing surface
with rink boards, lighting, and multi-lining for lacrosse, ball hockey and pickleball. This
supply results in a service level of one per 116,346 residents, which is higher compared
to the benchmark average of one per 214,079 residents, although it is noted that
Mississauga and Whitby are the only other municipalities that provide this facility type.
Lacrosse is one of North America’s oldest sports and is primarily played by youth and
young adults. According to the Canadian Lacrosse Association, the most common types
of lacrosse are: box lacrosse (played indoors or outdoors on a hard surface), field
lacrosse, and inter-lacrosse (an introductory-level non-contact form of lacrosse that
uses modified equipment).
Municipality 2021 Population Supply Service Level
Ajax 126,666 0 n/a
Kitchener 256,885 0 n/a
Markham 338,500 0 n/a
Milton 132,979 0 n/a
Mississauga 717,691 2 1 : 358,846
Oakville 213,759 0 n/a
Oshawa 175,400 0 n/a
Pickering 100,000 0 n/a
Richmond Hill 202,000 0 n/a
Vaughan 323,100 0 n/a
Whitby 138,501 2 1 : 69,251
Average 247,771 1 1 : 214,078
Clarington (2024) 116,346 1 1:116,346
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6. Cultural Facilities, Museums and Libraries Overview
Clarington residents have a wide variety of interests that are beyond traditional sports
and recreation activities, such as meaningful arts and cultural experiences. This may
include, but not be limited to, art centres and galleries, performing arts theatres,
farmers’ markets, historical landmarks and cenotaphs, libraries, special events and
festivals, community-based artisans, and craftspeople, and more, many of which are
found within Clarington or are within driving distance of the Municipality. The following
section highlights some of the Municipality’s key cultural facilities, museums and
libraries, and the spaces, programs, and services available at each location.
6.1 Clarington Library, Museum & Archives
The Clarington Library and Clarington Museums & Archives were merged in 2020 to
become the Clarington Library, Museums & Archives (CLMA), which is dedicated to
promoting and supporting lifelong learning to enrich the lives of local residents. While
the Library and Museum were historically guided by separate strategic plans, a new
strategic plan for 2023-2027 has been prepared to recognize both library and museum
services under one structure. Its vision is for CLMA to “inspire curiosity and to be a
destination where the community can relax, connect, learn, and thrive.” The new
Strategic Plan’s mission is to be the cornerstone of the community which inspires
connections, empowers minds, and creates a vibrant tapestry of understanding. The
new strategic plan identifies several key actions that fall under one of four strategic
pillars, some of these actions are highlighted below (not a complete list):
1. Strategic Pillar #1: Knowledge-Rich Organization
• Offering an evolving treasure trove of books and materials that reflect the
diverse and changing needs of Clarington.
• Expanding programs and partnerships with newcomer organizations in all four
library locations.
• Growing our language collection each year to reflect the languages spoken in
Clarington.
2. Strategic Pillar #2: Community Destination of Choice
• Embracing our role as a community sanctuary that connects residents to the
resources and support they need through a Social Workers program.
• Creating engaging interpretive displays within our Libraries, Museums, and
community centres to connect residents to their local history and heritage.
3. Strategic Pillar #3: Organizational Excellence
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• Creating a destination of choice in Bowmanville through a renovation of the
Bowmanville Library, and centralizing our heritage buildings in Bowmanville to
fully program and promote our local history.
• Hitting the road by operating a bookmobile to reach underserved areas in
Clarington.
4. Strategic Pillar #4: Resource Utilization and Sustainability
• Establishing key performance indicators to track our progress toward
resource utilization and sustainability goals.
• Promoting our role in the circular economy. Borrowing instead of buying,
upcycling and donating withdrawn materials to community groups.
• Developing sound risk management action plans to mitigate risk, support staff
and plan resources effectively for responding to potential threats.
The CLMA oversees a number of spaces, programs and services that are relevant for
libraries, museums and archives. The CLMA currently has a 45 Full Time Equivalent
(FTE) staff, including two new staff that were added in 2023, consisting of the CEO,
directors, managers, librarians, service associates, pages, clerks, and other staff. Based
on a current population estimate of 116,346 residents, the CLMA is providing a ratio of
0.39 FTEs per 1,000 residents; the Ontario Public Library Planning Guidelines
recommends a ratio of 0.6 FTEs per 1,000 residents and as such, the CLMA is not
meeting this target.
The CLMA manages a number of facilities within its portfolio, including four library
branches, heritage centre, and a historical house and schoolhouse. Various programs
and services are offered at these locations such as physical print collections and
materials, electronic resources, borrowing library, programming, special events, study
rooms, tours and exhibitions, community resources, computers, and internet access,
and more. Online programs and activities are also offered. In addition to the CLMA’s
facilities, there are also a number of independent “Free Little Libraries” set up by
residents and found in parks throughout Clarington, such as at Haydon Hall Parkette.
In 2022, the CLMA was proud of the following key accomplishments:
• Introduced accessibility reading collection, including decodable books for readers
with dyslexia and readers in early stages of literacy.
• Improved convenience of accessing literacy materials by removing fines for
overdue materials and offering automatic renewals.
• Launched Clarington’s first multilingual collection and first Local Author
Showcase.
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• Expanded the “Library of Things” to include sports equipment, light therapy
lamps, and home theatre equipment.
• Completed the restoration of the Charles Bowman painting, the only known
image of Bowmanville’s namesake.
6.1.1 Library Branches
There are four library branches found throughout the Municipality in Courtice,
Bowmanville, Newcastle and Orono. The library branches in Courtice and Bowmanville
are co-located with another municipal facility (e.g., Courtice Community Complex and
Municipal Town Hall), while the Newcastle and Orono branches are standalone
facilities. The CLMA offers a total of 48,700 square feet of library space, which
translates into a ratio of 0.4 per person, which is less than the benchmark average and
lower than the industry target of 0.6+ square feet per person.
Table 25: Service Level Comparison, Library Square Feet Per Person
Municipality 2021
Population
Library
Branches
Total Area
(Sq. Ft.)
Service Level
(Sq. Ft. per Person)
Ajax 126,666 3 53,600 0.4
Kitchener 256,885 5 155,214 0.6
Markham 338,500 4 151,401 0.4
Milton 132,979 3 53,337 0.4
Mississauga 717,691 18 342,043 0.5
Oakville 213,759 7 108,301 0.5
Oshawa 175,400 4 95,085 0.5
Pickering 100,000 3 51,000 0.5
Richmond Hill 202,000 4 102,000 0.5
Vaughan 323,100 11 177,403 0.5
Whitby 138,501 3 76,800 0.6
Average 247,771 3 53,600 0.5
Clarington (2024) 116,346 4 155,214 0.4
Each branch features print material and a multi-media collection, dedicated age spaces,
computers and internet, designated age spaces, and meeting/study rooms (with the
exception of the Orono Library Branch). Unique to the Courtice Library Branch is the
Municipality’s first makerspace that provides a space for collaboration, learning
technology and more. Equipment available at the makerspace includes button makers,
3D printer, vinyl cutter, and sewing machine.
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In addition to the new makerspace at Courtice Library Branch, the CLMA has made
significant investments to enhance its physical library space. In 2020, renovations to the
Bowmanville Library Branch were completed to enhance accessibility, which included
an accessible entrance and main floor washroom, second floor universal washroom,
support spaces, and new service desks, lighting and flooring. This project was a
departure from original plans for a full renovation given that there may be a potential
need for a second library facility, which may be co-located at the South Bowmanville
Recreation Centre and will be explored further through this Master Plan.
The Orono Library Branch is also currently undergoing renovations to enhance
accessibility. This project is expected to be completed by the end of 2023 and will
provide an accessible entrance and universal washroom. Other building improvements
will be completed as part of this project, including enhancing other library spaces and
refreshing interior décor.
6.1.2 Library Programming and Services
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (2018 and 2019), the CLMA welcomed over 400,000
people into their library branches; the Bowmanville Library Branch had the greatest
number of visitors in 2019, which made up nearly half of all foot traffic. The number of
visitors was reduced by half in 2022 as libraries and programming re-opened to the
public, although the number of visitors has continued to trend upwards in 2023.
Table 26: Annual Foot Traffic by Library Branch
Library Branch 2018 2019 2022 2023 Change
(%)
Bowmanville Library 203,073 195,466 83,281 118,680 -42%
Courtice Library 139,737 141,616 72,909 120,406 -14%
Newcastle Library 68,534 71,139 38,845 54,933 -20%
Orono Library 6,044 6,324 3,740 1,555 -74%
Total 417,388 414,545 198,775 295,574 -29%
* Library services impacted due to ongoing renovations during the second half of 2023.
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Between 2018 and 2023, the size of CLMA’s physical materials increased by 24%.
Similarly, CLMA’s digital library increased by 79%. The use of CLMA’s online resources
has increased considerably, with use of the library website and mobile application
almost doubling to over 1.5 million sessions. While the number of public computer
access sessions declined by 57%, the number of wireless internet sessions increased
by 29%, suggesting that users may be more inclined to use their personal devices to
access the internet.
Table 27: Library Materials and Resources
2018 2019 2022 2023 Change (%)
Physical Circulation Size 569,067 590,550 551,497 707,934 24%
Digital Circulation Size 116,566 183,019 294,500 209,011 79%
Website + Library App
Sessions
847,964 975,141 1,745,741 1,566,242 85%
Public Computer Access
Sessions
58,097 52,520 23,497 24,932 -57%
Wireless Internet Sessions 191,859 156,311 200,545 248,125 29%
Inquiries 5,096 3,588 10,348 * 103%
Items Printed 25,505 48,223 118,670 * 365%
Event Attendance 23,056 24,460 13,059 28,701 24%
* Information not available at time of report, change (%) based on 2022 numbers
Programming offered by the CLMA was broad and included early literacy and early
learning, summer reading, teen and senior programming, newcomer programs,
technology literacy, and more. In 2023, nearly 30,000 people participated in CLMA
programming, which was an 8% increase from 2018. CLMA programming is open for
children, young adults, adults and seniors. Children make up the large majority of
program registrants, while young adults make up the largest increase in in program
participants, which increased by 600%; adults represent the largest base of
cardholders. Over the next ten years, the CLMA has planned for over $2 million in
acquiring new collection materials, as well as over $800,000 in technology upgrades
and replacements.
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Table 28: Annual Program Participation by Type
Program Type 2018 2019 2022 2023 Change (%)
Early Literacy and Early
learning
13,055 15,406 1,810 9,174 -30%
Other Children's Programming 3,572 2,605 3,765 4,908 37%
Summer Reading 2,853 3,358 1,881 4,064 42%
Class Instruction at a Library
or School
1,291 1,076 471 644 -50%
Teen Programming 27 141 196 542 1,907%
Newcomer Focus 202 248 - 11 -95%
Careers Services 376 155 10 24 -94%
Business Development - 11 - - n/a
Community Development 2,423 3,162 2,639 4,211 74%
Technology Literacy 893 599 204 99 -89%
Maker space, Digital Media
Lab, Self-publishing
19 186 67 37 95%
Genealogy, Local History,
Doors Open
68 43 - 421 519%
Adult Learning 802 983 179 326 -59%
Senior Programming 1,421 548 457 1,072 -25%
Culture Days, Poetry and
Story Readings, Art Shows
- - 250 193 n/a
Book Clubs 200 165 22 26 -87%
Other Programs 20 449 1,202 3,639 18,095%
Total 27,222 29,135 13,153 29,391 8%
Table 29: Annual Program Participation by Age Group
Age Group 2018 2019 2022 2023 Change (%)
Children 22,847 24,349 11,668 26,250 15%
Young Adults 85 141 335 594 599%
Adults 2,869 4,097 692 958 -67%
Seniors 1,421 548 458 1,183 -17%
Total 27,222 29,135 13,153 28,985 6%
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6.1.3 Sarah Jane Williams Heritage Centre and Waverley Place
The Sarah Jane Williams Heritage Centre is operated by CLMA and is located a short
distance from the Municipal Town Hall in Bowmanville. The Centre contains exhibitions
and collections that showcase the history of Clarington and is home to ClaringTown,
which is an interactive exhibit for children, as well as an archival collection to assist
those looking to conduct research on local events, families, and more.
Waverley Place is within the CLMA’s portfolio and is located at the same site as the
Heritage Centre. Waverley Place is a designated heritage building that is owned by the
Municipality. The home features nine rooms and showcases the lifestyle of an upper-
class family from the early 1900s. Originally constructed in 1847 as a one storey
cottage, it is recognized as one of the earliest brick build homes in Bowmanville. It was
later renovated and expanded in the 1860s and 1880s to a two storey Italianate style
building that exists today. Waverley Place was home to a wealthy merchant named
David Fisher, who also served on Bowmanville’s first municipal council. Waverley Place
was also home to J.H.H. Jury, who was a prominent local citizen and one of the
founders of a chain of drugstores.22 Tours of the home can be arranged through CLMA.
6.1.4 Kirby Schoolhouse / Clarke Museum
The Kirby Schoolhouse was constructed in 1863 and was originally a small log building,
which was replaced in 1857 and 1878 with a larger structure. The building was used as
a school until 1976 and the Clarke Museum and Archives assumed ownership in 1980.
Now known as the Kirby Schoolhouse, it is within the CLMA’s portfolio where it is used
for educational programs for local schools.
22 Ontario Heritage Trust. Retrieve from https://www.heritagetrust.on.ca
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Figure 19: Distribution of Libraries, Museum and Archives
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6.2 Municipality of Clarington Cultural Spaces and Facilities
Clarington residents have a wide variety of interests, including a heightened need for
meaningful cultural experiences. The Municipality plays a key role in celebrating local
history, culture and traditions and providing spaces to do so is important to connect with
past, present and future residents.
There are a number of publicly owned cultural spaces that are operated by the
Municipality or by third-party community organizations. Local cultural spaces include art
centres and galleries, theatres, farmers’ markets, historical landmarks, libraries, private
sector artisans and craftspeople, and more. These are complemented by cultural
groups and space providers across Durham Region, many of which are within driving
distance of Clarington. The following highlights some of the Municipality’s cultural
spaces and the activities available at each location. In addition to these spaces, it is
important to note that many of Clarington’s cultural programs and special events take
place within indoor and outdoor community and recreation spaces.
6.2.1 Clarington Cenotaphs and Memorials
There are a number of cenotaphs in Clarington that were erected to memorialize local
residents who bravely fought in historical battles. For example, the Bowmanville
Memorial Monument is located at the Municipal Town Hall. The monument was
constructed in 1922 in memory of those who lost their lives in the First and Second
World Wars, the Korean War, Gaza Strip and Afghanistan. Adjacent to the Bowmanville
Memorial Monument is a mural depicting local military history. Other historical
monuments are located at the Clarington Fields (Bowmanville), corner of Main Street
and Station Street in Orono, adjacent to the Newcastle Community Hall, and on the
corner of Newtonville Road and Hill Street in Newtonville. These cenotaphs are often
used as the location for the Municipality’s annual Remembrance Day services.
6.2.2 Camp 30
As mentioned in Section 4.3, the Municipality currently owns, or is expected to own, five
buildings that are designated heritage structures, including two dormitories, dining hall,
gymnasium, and hospital/infirmary. Its historical designation recognizes its aesthetic
and design as its structures are laid out in a campus-like plan with a ring road, grass
fields, landscaping, and mature trees. Camp 30 also boasts important historical
significance as a former boys training school, POW camp during the Second World
War, and other uses. The buildings at Camp 30 are currently not in use.
6.2.3 Public Art and Heritage Features
Incorporating public art and heritage features in parks and facilities is a growing trend to
recognize artists and crafts peoples, Indigenous Peoples, and organizations that are
dedicated to promoting and preserving local history. Examples of public art features are
found throughout Clarington, including murals along main streets depicting important
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historical locations and imagery. The Municipality’s public art installations were part of
the Municipality’s Public Art Project, an initiative that was made possible by funding
through the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
6.2.4 Visual Arts Centre
The Visual Arts Centre is located in Bowmanville at Soper Creek Park. The facility is
owned by the Municipality and is operated by a non-profit organization for art exhibitions
and studio space. A variety of spaces are available to display art and hold workshops
for adults and children that are geared to a range of artistic mediums, including
photography, painting, pottery, drawing, and more. The Municipality supports this
organization through annual financial contributions.
6.2.5 Other Non-Municipal Cultural Facility Providers
Clarington’s cultural spaces are complemented by non-municipal community service
providers. For example, A Gift of Art is a not-for-profit organization in Newcastle that
seeks to “enhance the enjoyment and growth of the arts in the Clarington area through
exhibits, events, a retail outlet, demonstrations of the performing arts and workshops in
various media.” A passionate group of instructors also provide art classes at their
location and room rentals are also available. In addition, there are a number of other
artisans and craftspeople found throughout the Municipality, as well as music instructors
and dance studios.
6.2.6 Heritage Properties
Protecting and preserving Clarington’s heritage properties are important to celebrate the
past and the Municipality’s unique identity, as well as to showcase the evolution of
architecture dating back to the early 19th century. There are nearly 100 properties that
are designated as a heritage property under the Ontario Heritage Act, some of which
are owned by the Municipality, including Waverley Place, Haydon Community Hall,
Newcastle Village Community Hall, Kirby Schoolhouse, and Bowmanville Town Hall.
The Clarington Heritage Committee provides support for the Municipality to identify,
review, discuss and make recommendations to Council on properties and issues of
cultural heritage, value, and interest.
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7. Service Delivery Overview
This service delivery review takes into consideration relevant trends, the impacts of the
COVID-19 pandemic, legislation and industry standards, participation and utilization
data, and input from the public, staff, and Council, as well as Municipal, Corporate and
Departmental initiatives impacting the delivery of service.
7.1 Role of the Community Services Department and the Service Delivery
Model
The role of the Clarington Community Services Department is to welcome as many
residents into public spaces as possible and provide/enable enjoyable experiences. The
research is clear about the benefits of participation.
The current service delivery model for the Department is designed to engage as many
community groups and organizations as possible in the delivery of service. The
advantage is that more residents can be engaged through multiple service providers.
The clear aim of contemporary departments in Canada is to increase participation year
over year so that residents can lead healthier lives.
The key is to provide the right infrastructure and program mix. Communities respond
well when there is a blend of safe and enjoyable opportunities including active, creative,
general interest, and STEM programming. Providing a full range of programs allows
residents and visitors to expand their knowledge, gain skill mastery, and have choice.
Engagement in these pursuits is the way to ensure that individuals, families, and the
community is achieving a positive state of health and wellness.
The evidence is strong – an active and engaged community is healthier overall, is
cohesive, and demonstrates community pride. Active individuals and families have
better life outcomes. All efforts of Council, the community, and staff must be directed at
providing and enabling quality parks, recreation, cultural, and wellness pursuits.
The goal is to provide and assist in delivering a range of choices for all ages and
abilities and to include all residents and visitors regardless of their background. The four
main methods of providing and enabling services include: (1) direct provision by the
municipality; (2) community development practices in supporting community-based
groups; (3) promoting other providers (e.g., not-for-profit, and for-profit services); and
(4) contracting third-party providers. This takes a holistic approach, and the key driver is
to provide services efficiently with high satisfaction levels. Consideration is given to
ensure all age groups are included, to engage and hear the citizens voices, and make
special efforts to include underrepresented residents.
Municipal staff in Clarington provide opportunities directly in aquatics, skating, active
programs, day camps, and in services where there are no other local providers.
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Support is offered to local community groups who provide sport, recreation, and cultural
experiences by providing spaces (often at reduced rental rates) as well as grants for
initiatives that meet the respective criteria. The Municipality meets with service clubs
and sport organizations to discuss upcoming initiatives, challenges, policy reviews and
to share information.
The Community Services Department follows best practices in the delivery of programs
and services. The following illustration depicts the process that staff follow in
providing/enabling programs and services. Staff first identify needs and the most likely
provider. If the program or service is already provided locally, discussions would centre
on what supports Clarington might provide. Partnerships are formed whereby the
Municipality may provide space or promotion and other supports. If there is not a
community-based provider, the Municipality will look to provide the program or service
directly. In all cases, staff will promote all opportunities, monitor participation, the quality
of the service, and address any improvements that are needed.
Service Delivery Process
1. Understand community needs.
2. Identify the range of community service providers.
3. Work with groups to provide space and other supports, where appropriate.
4. Provide programs/services directly if it is more efficient and effective.
5. Monitor participation rates and satisfaction levels.
6. Make improvements based on community feedback.
Observations
• The current service delivery model relies largely on community partners and not-
for-profit organizations to deliver services. This is an appropriate approach given
that it engages the community to a great extent in taking ownership and
addressing key community needs as a collective. Some factors that could impact
the delivery of a wide range of choices in the future may include a decrease in
volunteerism in Ontario overall. Population growth may place increased demands
while the capacity of the Department to provide more programs and services
directly may have to be studied.
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7.2 Key Program and Service Delivery Trends
It is important to look at current trends and their impact on service delivery in Clarington.
While the Municipality has been proactive in addressing ongoing partnerships,
identifying, and including diverse populations and other trends; there is still an emphasis
to be placed in garnering greater participation levels in each age grouping and family
participation.
7.2.1 Working with Others to Address Gaps through Partnerships
The Pandemic resulted in a stoppage of many program opportunities for the public
across Canada. Municipalities are recovering to pre-pandemic service levels to varying
degrees. The recovery has provided challenges in terms of rising costs to provide
programs and services and staff shortages. Aquatic staff are in shorter staff supply due
the lack of programming to supply the needed aquatic instructors and lifeguards over
2020 and 2021. Leadership in other areas of programs and services are at a deficit as
well – for example camp leaders. Greater efforts are being made within communities to
work collectively with other service providers to share resources and reduce duplication
of efforts. Municipalities are also capitalizing on the opportunity to form and strengthen
community partnerships to address common issues.
7.2.2 Engaging Underserved Populations
Many municipalities are experiencing population increases across Ontario as
governments work to attract more newcomers to serve Canada’s workforce
requirements. At the same time, community service staff have identified other
populations that are underserved and face barriers to participation. The inclusion,
diversity, equity, and anti-racism movement in Ontario has prompted community service
departments to identify the equity seeking groups within their municipality as job one.
Traditionally, staff have worked to better include persons with disabilities and persons
experiencing low income with good success. Other groups have been identified
considering the demographics of the community to include racialized populations, the
2SLGBTQIA+ community, Indigenous Peoples, girls/women, etc. This broader thinking
has resulted in more welcoming public spaces and services. The key to success has
been on going and meaningful discussions with equity seeking populations lending to
the adage “Nothing About Us Without Us” meaning staff should never assume what
barriers are experienced nor the program or service that is needed. The key goal is to
ensure that similar percentages of the diverse populations can participate in comparison
to the general population.
Many municipalities are offering learn-to-programs to ensure that newcomers can learn
and be proficient at skating and swimming as well to play hockey, ringette, etc. Further,
some municipalities are offering non-traditional sports and activities to reflect the needs
of a diverse population.
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7.2.3 Drop-In Opportunities and Welcoming Spaces
As previously noted, there is Canada-wide trend toward greater participation in drop-in
and casual opportunities. The ability to self-schedule is appealing and lends itself to
busy schedules with little free time. Many municipalities are scheduling drop-in
opportunities to a greater extent, including open gym time for varying ages, public swim
and skate, summer playground opportunities, and fitness classes, etc. Staff are
scheduling more time into facility and park program schedules to accommodate newer
participation patterns. Some facilities are undergoing retrofits to lobby areas to offer
welcoming and safe spaces for all age groups.
7.2.4 Outdoor Programming
The Pandemic resulted in residents exploring outdoor opportunities with their families to
get exercise. The use of walking trails and the use of sport courts (especially Pickleball)
increased significantly and continue to be popular family opportunities. Residents
continue to enjoy outdoor spaces and many communities look to either the municipality
or varying interest groups to provide events, learn-to clinics, public space interpretation,
and special events programming in outdoor spaces.
7.2.5 Emphasizing Civility in Public Spaces
Many municipalities in Ontario are reporting increasing and alarming acts of aggression
and misbehaviours within their facilities and public spaces. Turnover in customer
service staff has been a result, in part, to be the targets of abusive behaviours.
Preliminary studies have shown that the Pandemic limited our ability to be social and
thus limited touch, eye contact, and social etiquette. Municipalities have created zero
tolerance policies, good behaviour protocols which articulate public engagement
expectations and have posted signage to be kind and understanding.
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7.3 Programs and Services
7.3.1 Providing Something for Everyone
The goal of municipalities is to provide and enable equitable opportunities to meaningful
recreational opportunities to maximize participation in Clarington. The focus in
providing/enabling recreation services is to ensure that there is a variety of choices for
each age grouping. Providing a variety of choices allows residents to try and master
new things thus encouraging lifelong engagement in sport, recreation, and culture.
Whether the activity is provided by staff or through other community groups or
organization allows a greater wealth of community resources and more experiences for
residents. The following provides an overview of experience choices for residents and
identifies where there may be some gaps to be addressed.
One of the baseline evaluation methodologies for recreation programs and services is to
assess what opportunities exist for each age group. This is to ensure that each age
cohort has barrier free access to a wide range of programs and services (at a minimum:
aquatics, drop-in opportunities, active/sport, general interest, creative and STEM
programs). The value in this exercise is to look at any gaps in the delivery of service
and to ensure that programming addresses emerging demographic groups (such as the
growth of young people and families moving to the Durham Region). Further
assessments within this report will include compliance with legislative and industry
standards, quality assurance mechanisms, levels of satisfaction, and more.
Table 30: Community Services Department Programming
Age Grouping Active Creative General Interest STEM
Pre-School
Children
Youth
Adult/Older
Adult
Families
Observation
• Utilizing this evaluation on the range of choices; there may be gaps in STEM
programming for all ages and a lack of creative opportunities for pre-school,
youth, and families. The difficulty in identifying these gaps is that data has only
been used from directly provided programs and services through the
Municipality. Expanded data collection of participation of residents in programs
and services provided by service delivery partners will be an important
endeavour in the future.
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7.3.2 Preschool Programs
Table 31: Participation in Pre-School Programs
2019 2022
Activity Cap. Reg. Fill Cap. Reg. Fill
Sport, Active Play, General Interests 2,144 1,063 50% 952 714 75%
Aquatics 4,180 3,763 90% 1,943 1,798 93%
Total 6,324 4,826 76% 2,895 2,512 87%
Cap. = Capacity Reg.= Registered Fill = Fill Rate
Observations
• The 2021 Census reports that there are approximately 6,200 pre-school children
ages 0 to 4 in Clarington. If each participant engaged in a directly offered activity
1.5 times per year on average – it could be estimated that 27% of the pre-school
population participates if this assumption is correct based on the data in the
above table.
• Participation rates compare the number of participants registered in a certain
program compared to the previous year. Pre-school program participation is at
52% of the pre-COVID levels. Building capacity within the offerings and
continued promotion will hopefully see full recovery.
• 72% of pre-school participation in programs is a result of participating in
swimming lessons.
• A fill-rate compares the number of registrants compared to the program capacity.
Staff are offering programs known to be meaningful and maintaining an 87%
overall fill rate in classes in 2022.
• There is no participation data provided through programming partners which
would provide a more accurate picture of participation.
• An apparent lack of creative and STEM programming is evident within the scope
of what the Municipality is offering.
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7.3.3 Children Programs
Table 32: Participation in Children Programs
2019 2022
Activity Cap. Reg. Fill Cap. Reg. Fill
Camps 3,477 2,647 76% 2,317 1,617 70%
Sport, Active Play, Specialty 2,292 1,453 63% 1,232 639 52%
Aquatics 3,597 3,005 84% 2,168 1,900 88%
Total 9,366 7,105 76% 5,717 4,156 73%
Cap. = Capacity Reg. = Registered Fill = Fill Rate
Observations
• The 2021 Census reported that there are approximately 6,700 children ages 5-10
in Clarington.
• Registration levels for children have recovered to 58% of pre-COVID levels
(2019). Staff have reduced the number of program and service offerings due to
the availability of staff.
• Aquatic swim lessons are the most popular registered activity within the program
mix for children, followed closely by camps. In 2022, aquatic lessons made up
45% of children’s participation while camps made up 39% of children’s
participation.
• There may be a gap in well-rounded program opportunities, including creative
and STEM opportunities for children.
• Participation levels of partners and like service provider driven programs would
be helpful in determining the participation rate of children in sport, recreation, and
culture programs.
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7.3.4 Youth and Young Adults Programs
Table 33: Participation in Youth and Young Adult Programs
2019 2022
Activity Cap. Reg. Fill Cap. Reg. Fill
Leadership 617 490 79% 240 171 71%
Sport, Active Play, General Interest,
Specialty 277 191 69% 242 226 93%
Total 894 681 76% 482 397 82%
Cap. = Capacity Reg. = Registered Fill = Fill Rate
Observations
• There are 18,200 youth and young adults in the age range of 10 to 24 years in
Clarington according to the 2021 Census. There are few youth participants in
directly offered programs and services. Likely there is greater participation in
casually offered programs and services within this age group offered by other
organizations.
• Leadership courses for this age group are important to sustain the recreation and
culture delivery system in camps, programs and aquatics. Other current tactics to
increase participation in youth leadership courses is to offer these courses at a
reduced fee or no fee at all.
• Many of youth opportunities engage drop in and casual use and this data would
be helpful to isolate in the future for planning purposes with youth related
partners.
Continuing to Support Youth in Clarington
Efforts are currently taken to keep youth engaged within recreation and culture pursuits
to be a community that supports their voice and self-governing endeavours. Youth
engagement and empowerment requires continued attention to provide friendly and
safe environments where youth can decide what leisure opportunities interest them. The
Municipality must remain nimble and responsive to the needs of this age cohort and
focus on youth who are not typically engaged and cannot navigate the delivery of
services.
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The Playworks Partnership has Valuable Quality Assurance Criteria
Ontario’s Playworks Partnership for Active and Engaged Youth is comprised of a group
of youth-serving organizations. This organization researched, defined, and promoted a
well-recognized quality assurance framework that articulates what must exist in a
community to demonstrate support for youth. Youth Friendly Communities work to
increase the commitment and interest in increasing recreation services for youth. Youth
serving partners work together to address ten criteria within a municipality to establish
and validate a real commitment toward youth. Communities are awarded Youth Friendly
status at varying levels by demonstrating their provision of services and youth
engagement efforts. Implementing these criteria with other youth serving partners in
Clarington will ensure quality experiences for youth.
The ten criteria include:
1. Youth have options for play.
2. Youth are formally connected community wide.
3. It is easy for youth to find information about activities in the community.
4. The community recognizes and celebrates youth.
5. The community formally commits funding for youth play.
6. The community supports positive youth development.
7. Youth feel valued by their community.
8. Schools and school boards support the youth friendly application.
9. Play is accessible to youth.
10. Play is socially inclusive.
7.3.5 Adult Programs
Table 34: Participation in Adult Programs
2019 2022
Activity Cap. Reg. Fill Cap. Reg. Fill
Aquafit 986 968 98% 1,930 1,418 73%
Sport, Active Play 107 90 84% 264 132 50%
Swim Programs 90 79 88% 98 79 81%
Total 1,183 1,137 96% 2,292 1,629 71%
Cap. = Capacity Reg. = Registered Fill = Fill Rate
Observations
• The 2021 Census recorded 40,850 residents in Clarington between the ages of
25 and 54 years.
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• Participation in directly offered programs has increased since 2019 by
approximately 500 adult participants. The greatest increase has been in the
aquafit courses (which also includes older adult participation).
• Offering adult sport leagues directly has been a successful way of increasing
adult participation and has been a growing trend.
7.3.6 Older Adult Programs
Table 35: Participation in Older Adult Programs
2019 2022
Activity Cap. Reg. Fill Cap. Reg. Fill
General Interest 263 200
Special Events Data 1,330 Data 720
Specialty Programs Not 55 N/A Not 103 N/A
Group Fitness Available Available 418
Sport, Active Play 1,357
Total 1,648 2,798
Cap. = Capacity Reg. = Registered Fill = Fill Rate
Observations
• There are 29,400 residents over the age of 55 in Clarington based on the 2021
Census.
• The Municipality of Clarington has an agreement with the Bowmanville Older
Adult Board of Directors at the Clarington Beech Centre with respect to service
delivery to the older adult population. The Centre is responsible for offering
programs and services to older adults within the facility, while Municipal staff and
partners offer programs and services elsewhere within the Municipality.
• Participation in older adult activities offered by the Municipality has increased by
1,150 participants since pre-Covid. Increases are seen in group fitness
opportunities and sport and active play opportunities.
• It will be important to work with all like service providers to get a better sense of
participation amongst this age grouping – especially since Clarington will witness
an increase in this age cohort over the horizon of the Master Plan.
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7.3.7 Drop-in Programs
Table 36: Participation in Drop-in Programs
Activity 2019 2022
Drop – In Swimming 108,000 66,300
Drop-In Skating 29,000 12,700
Total 134,000 79,000
Observations
• Participation in drop-in opportunities has increased across Ontario as a
preference for managing one’s own time and not being bound to a schedule of
classes on specific days and times.
• Drop in opportunities in public swim and skate have recovered to 60% of pre-
Pandemic levels in Clarington.
• Monitoring capacity and fill rates will be important to measure the times and days
that are most popular and addressing any pent-up demands.
7.3.8 Aquatics Programs
Table 37: Participation in Aquatic Programs
2019 2022
Facility Cap. Reg. Fill Cap. Reg. Fill
Courtice Community Complex 4,400 3,900 89% 2,900 2,600 92%
Alan Strike Aquatic and Squash
Centre
1,000 900 90% 700 600 90%
Diane Hamre Recreation Complex 5,000 4,400 88% 2,500 2,200 88%
Total 10,400 9,200 88% 6,100 5,400 89%
Cap. = Capacity Reg. = Registered Fill = Fill Rate
Observations
• Staff have scaled down aquatic offerings due the availability of aquatic staff. The
staffing difficulty has been evident due to not being able to offer leadership
programs during the Pandemic shutdowns. Specific efforts are being made to
attract and retain trained staff.
• There is capacity to accommodate more lesson registrants in the existing
program and the expanded program of 2019. The challenge is to accommodate
lesson participants during a time that is convenient, with pent up demands
usually occurring in the levels of pre-school and children’s swim lessons.
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7.4 Special Events
7.4.1 Municipal Special Events
The Municipality of Clarington hosts and enables a wide variety of special events for
residents on an annual basis. The Municipality recognises that special events bring
residents and visitors together resulting in strengthened community pride and cohesion.
The events promote the attributes and uniqueness of the Clarington and often bring an
economic impact to local businesses. The Municipality, primarily through the
Community Services Department, is involved with 42 special events to varying degrees
annually. Each event requires differing resources and supports.
Table 38: Municipality of Clarington Special Events
Special Event
Type
Involvement Examples (not a complete list)
Corporate /
Departmental • Organizational
components
• Set-up and break down
of equipment,
• Maintenance and waste
management
• Legislative and By-Law
compliance.
• Coordination with other
agencies and
organization
• Mayors New Years Levy
• Black History Month
• Mayor’s Love of Art gala
• Celebrate Sport Hall of fame
• Celebrate Sport – Community
Day
• Volunteer Appreciation
• Indigenous Peoples Day
• Seniors Month BBQ
• Canada Day (Orono Library)
Community
Driven
• Delivery/set-up/take
down equipment.
• Waste management
• Legislative and By-law
compliance
• Big Brothers/Big Sisters Road
Hockey
• Applefest
• Newcastle Santa Claus Parade
• Butter Tart Festival
Rentals Other
Supports • Lease/rental
agreements
• Delivery and set/up,
breakdown of
equipment.
• Waste management
• Legislative and By-law
compliance
• Huntington’s Walk
• Bowmanville Farmers Market
• Clarington Farmers Market
• Baseball Day in Clarington
• Newcastle Canada Day
• Bethesda House Walk
• Powerlifting
• ComicCon
• Muskies Show
• Antique Show
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As the population grows and requests for special events increase, the Municipality
should be prepared to allocate staff and resources to the events with the highest
community benefit. A Special Events Policy is a valuable approach to categorize events
and provide an equitable level of support based on whether the event is sponsored by
Clarington, a community-based group, or a commercial venture. Measuring the return
on the investment can be done from a financial perspective, such as taking the total
municipal costs for the event and dividing it by the number of attendees to arrive at a
cost per participant. The impact on local businesses can also be achieved by identifying
spending patterns per attendee. Quantifying the success of an event would be
completed by asking participants for their satisfaction levels, monitoring social media
activity, and sponsor recognition. Both qualitative and quantitative measures should be
undertaken to ensure the best use of public funding.
7.4.2 Library Special Events
The CLMA also hosts and enables a wide variety of special events for residents on an
annual basis, including:
• Winter Wonderlearn
• Battle of the Books
• Doors Open Clarington
• Harvest Festival Book Sale
• Mayor’s Gala
• Drag Queen Storytime
• Clarington Celebrates events
• TD Summer Reading Club
The CLMA is involved with more than 30 other special events to varying degrees
annually; each event requires differing resources and supports.
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Table 39: CLMA Special Events
Special Event
Type
Involvement Examples (not a complete list)
In-Branch
Event • Plans, coordinates, and
hosts event.
• May involve other
community
organizations and
varying levels of
government.
• Winter Wonderlearn
• Doors Open Clarington
• Mayor’s Gala
• Drag Queen Storytime
• Black History Month
• Indigenous Peoples Day
• Clarington Community
Christmas Party
• Harvest Festival Book Sale
• Edwardian Teas and Spirit
Walks
• Class and group visits
CLMA
Outreach Event • Assists with the
planning and
coordination of event.
• Involves other
community
organizations and
varying levels of
government.
• Battle of the Books
• White Pine
• Indigenous Artists
Celebration
CLMA
Attended
Community
Event
• Attends community
event with outreach
booth or may include
other components, such
as program or service
delivery.
• Bowmanville and Clarington
Farmers Markets
• Applefest
• Maplefest
• Big Drum Social
• Santa Clause Parades
7.5 Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism
To take purposeful tactics to support equity seeking populations is the goal for achieving
participation rates comparable to the general population. Municipalities in Ontario are
setting policies and undertaking operational efforts to define who is underrepresented
and may face barriers to equitable service delivery. Defining who may face impediments
to service provision is job one with engagement efforts following. The following table
describes populations who may be underserved and quantifies the number of residents
within each respective segment of the population of 116,346. Staff should review these
statistics to determine who may be facing barriers to participation and what is being
done to include these populations’ voice in service delivery.
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Table 40: Estimated Population of Select Population Groups
Population Segment
Approximate
Clarington
Population
Proportion of
Municipality of
Clarington Residents
Indigenous Peoples 2,800 2.42%
Persons with Disabilities 25,600 22%
Persons Experiencing Low Income 5,800 5%
2SLGBTQ+ * 4,700 – 15,100 4 to 13%
Visible minorities 18,000 15.5%
Women, girls, and those who identify 59,300 51%
Source: Statistics Canada 2021
Population is based on a total population estimate of 116,346 residents.
*Statistics Canada data indicates that through self-reporting, 4% of the Canadian population offer that
they are part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. A subsequent study completed in 2019 by the Jasmin Roy
foundation entitled “LGBT Realities” found that 14% of the population identify as part of this community. A
range is used to calculate the potential number of residents from this community.
The CLMA provides and supports various IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-
racism) initiatives in a number of ways. Various special events are held each year to
celebrate equity seeking groups such as Drag Queen Storytime, National Indigenous
Peoples Day, Black History Month, and Youth Pride Durham. Featured displays are also
held in CLMA spaces to recognize Pride Month, Indigenous History Month, Asian
Heritage Month, Islamic History Month, Ramadan, Chanukkah, Black History Month,
and National Accessibility Week. A broad variety of library collections are also available
for residents from all backgrounds including, but not limited to, multilingual collections,
digital resources, vision and hearing enhancement collections, food pantry, various in-
branch services, and more.
7.5.1 Clarington’s Diversity Advisory Committee
Clarington has been proactive in reaching out to include the voice of its diverse
population in the delivery of programs and services. The Diversity Advisory Committee
is advisory in nature but provides an equity lens. The advisory committee is made up of
two youth, one Council appointee, and citizen members representing the diversity of the
community. Communications include open meetings, the availability of meeting minutes,
public surveys, and annual reporting to Council. The main deliverables of the Diversity
Advisory Committee include:
• Serve as liaison between community and the Municipality on matters pertaining
to diversity and inclusion:
• Serve as a resource to staff in the delivery of services;
• Create awareness, and a greater understanding of diversity issues in the
Municipality;
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• Educate and celebrate Days of Significance; and
• Involve community groups representing diverse communities.
Clarington has partnered with the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) to
educate staff and the public and to take proactive actions representative of the needs of
equity seeking populations. As well, Council has directed staff to join the Coalition of
Inclusive Municipalities and have dedicated a staff member to lead the Diversity and
Inclusion efforts.
7.5.2 Clarington’s Anti-Racism Task Force
The Municipality has ensured that anti-racism is top of mind in the provision of programs
and services through the enactment of the Anti-Racism Task Force which is a sub-
committee of the Diversity Advisory Committee.
7.5.3 Inclusive Spaces Policy
Clarington Council has approved the Inclusive Spaces Policy developed jointly by the
Diversity Advisory Committee and staff to ensure that all publicly owned and managed
spaces are welcoming, inclusive, and free from harassment, racism, and discrimination.
Corporate efforts to strengthen diversity and inclusion initiatives internally include the
formation of the Diversity and Inclusion Staff Team and the Truth and
Reconciliation Staff Team as well as the creation and hiring of a staff position – the
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism Officer. Staff teams address the
implementation of work to cement inclusion efforts within departments and as services
are delivered.
Departments are responsible for ensuring the corporate requirements are met, as it
relates to their service area. Many Departments have additional best practices or
industry standards related to their service area related to inclusion, equity, and diversity
as does Community Services.
7.5.4 Other Promising Practices
Some promising practices outlining the role of staff in ensuring programs and services
are available for all residents. A summary of these practices and where Clarington sits
along a continuum of implementation is offered as a starting point for further discussion.
The identification of the number of initiatives that have been implemented both
corporately and departmentally is impressive and demonstrate a true commitment to be
inclusive and welcoming to all populations within Clarington.
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Table 41: Promising Practices to Ensure Inclusion of All Residents
Promising Practice Not-In-
Place
Newly
Developed Implemented In a Mature
State
Ensure that there is
continuous engagement with
underserved support
organizations and the
respective Committees of
Council to understand the
needs of underrepresented
populations.
Support emerging ideas and
opportunities through the
provision of space, staff
resources or through the grant
program.
Understand the numbers of
residents who could be
considered part of an
underserved population group.
Identify what is being done
currently to include
underrepresented populations
Regularly observe public
spaces and facilities to identify
who is included and
participating in all activities and
events and most importantly –
who is not.
Include the participation data
of all partners delivering
programs and services in public
spaces
Work to ensure that staff and
volunteers are representative
of the diversity of the
Municipality of Clarington.
Ensure that staff and
volunteers receive training to
be diversity competent outline
what populations are
considered underserved, what
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Promising Practice Not-In-
Place
Newly
Developed Implemented In a Mature
State
barriers have been identified
and what interventions will be
implemented to be more
welcoming and to increase
participation.
Provide a training modules
and support materials to all
community stakeholder groups
providing sport, and recreation
services to ensure these
providers can also reflect the
community in their activities.
The development of a
summary of terms that are no
longer acceptable including
suggestions of more
appropriate terms. This has
proven useful in corporations
and organizations for use by
staff and volunteers.
Internal Staff Diversity Teams
have proven to be beneficial
within municipalities to look at
internal policies and practices
that require review and
revision.
Assist new and diverse
groups to form and navigate
the public systems.
Ensure that all pictures in all
publications and promotions
reflect the diversity of
Clarington.
Recognize Days of
Significance honouring history
and days of celebration for
underserved communities and
other populations within
Clarington
Ensure that the criteria for
receiving Community Grants
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Promising Practice Not-In-
Place
Newly
Developed Implemented In a Mature
State
includes funding for access and
inclusion for underserved
populations – for example,
providing grants for initiatives
that serve to increase
participation in recreation and
sport activities by the identified
underserved populations.
Utilize an “Equity Lens” in the
development and review of
programs and services – that
includes the voice of equity
seeking populations.
Provide translation services
for persons speaking non-
official languages and providing
sign language within public
meetings and gatherings.
Meeting the facility and
customer service requirements
of the OADA.
Review of various historical
installations/monuments and
names of public places and
spaces to ensure that they are
aligned with current social
norms.
Persons Experiencing Low Income
The Municipality utilizes various mechanisms to reduce the fiscal barrier to participation
in programs and camps for persons experiencing low income.
The Fee Assistance Program
The key policy that provides funding and greater access for persons experiencing low
income is the Fee Assistance Policy (FAP). The Policy is open to all Clarington
residents and each recipient receives up to $300 annually to register in programs and
services. Residents obtaining an income which is 25% higher than the Lower Income
Cut-Off (LICO) will receive a $200.00 credit annually. Recipients complete an annual
application to ensure their eligibility. Some programs or services are excluded, including
facility rentals, birthday parties semi-private or private lessons, personal training and
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programs delivered through contracted services. The Municipality also offers persons
with permanent or temporary disabilities access to a discount for membership services
and provided just under 700 discounted memberships in 2023. The following table
outlines the uptake of the comparing 2022 and 2023 to date.
Table 42: Clarington Inclusionary Efforts, 2022 to 2023
Access Program 2022 2023 to date
DRSS Program Card 1,602 3,075
DRSS Program Card - Camp 1 1,892 5,540
DRSS Program Card - Camp 2 1,133 2,746
Fee Assistance Program 12,099 17,046
Inclusion Membership Discount n/a 21
Inclusion Membership Discount - Adult n/a 634
Inclusion Membership Discount -
Senior
n/a 38
Jumpstart 459 164
MAP - Senior 128 79
MAP - Youth 14 26
MAP - Adult 1,559 853
Total 18,877 30,222
Observations
• The Municipality of Clarington’s Fee Assistance Policy demonstrates an excellent
practise in that allows participants an annual budget and participants can register
in the programs of their choosing.
• The process is seamless once a recipient is approved; registrants’ complete
online registrations with a personal identification Number (PIN) as all residents
would register.
• The Policy prompts staff to reach out to existing clients to remind them to
reapply, if eligible.
• The Policy should be reviewed every year in order not to reduce the number of
programs/services one can access due to fee increases.
• In addition to the programs offered through funding allotted to the recipient, a
range of free, and low-cost opportunities exist.
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The 2SLGBTQIA+ Community
The Two-Spirited, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, and Questioning (LGBTQ2S+)
community often experience exclusionary behaviours. With the recognition that 13% of
the Canadian population identifies as 2SLGBTQIA+, which could equate to
approximately 13,900 Clarington residents, more intentional efforts are needed to
provide welcoming environments to this community.
The introduction of “Safe Spaces’ is one way of welcoming the 2SLGBTQIA+
community to public places. Safe Spaces was developed by Safe Spaces Canada
whereby signage on the front entrance of a community space indicates that staff have
been trained in reducing homophobic and transphobic gestures and slurs and in
creating welcoming environments.
Community Living Month (May) is recognized by the Municipality to raise awareness
and educate residents on the discrimination that the 2SLGBTQ+ community faces.
Clarington leads and supports celebrations during PRIDE month. Clarington also
recognizes Transgender Day of Visibility.
Persons with Disabilities
Clarington includes person with disabilities in a few ways; participants with disabilities
can attend programs with a caregiver, can take part in a modified experience, and or
participate in programs designed for people experiencing some limitations. The
Municipality has also installed charging stations for mobility equipment in 15 locations
which provides safer and more welcoming public spaces.
Partnerships with the Grandview Children’s Centre and the Autism Home Base Durham
both provide programs to residents and ongoing advice to staff.
Girls and Women
Participation in sport and recreation by girls and women and those who identify is on a
downward trend in Canada. Canadian Women in Sport in concert with the Canadian
Tire Jumpstart Charities released a national report in June 2020 regarding sport
participation for girls aged six to 18. The findings noted that girls’ participation in sport is
much lower than boys the same age and that girls experience a significant drop-out rate
by late adolescence. One in three girls leave sport as compared to one in ten boys.
Among the barriers cited, girls stated low levels of confidence, low body image, lack of
skills, and feeling unwelcome in a sport environment.
In 1992, over half of females over 15 participated in sport. By 2019, 28% of females
participated in sport while 62% did not. Current studies are demonstrating that one in
four girls are not committed to returning to sport after the pandemic. This declining
participation rate is alarming, yet the Federal government has declared that we will
achieve gender equity in sport by 2035 in Canada. The Canadian Women in Sport
(CWS) supports and enables girls, women, and gender diverse people in pursuing sport
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and active lifestyles, keeping women actively engaged in building community capacity.
CWS’s priority and focus is to develop and support sustainable models where women
are trained to lead and promote active opportunities in concert with community partners
such as municipalities, universities, and not-for-profit organizations. They have many
resources that are readily available to audit policies and practices and build capacity
within the organization. Female participation in community-driven sport and recreation
has not been prioritized specifically, to date, in Clarington. This is a national priority and
Clarington could readily utilize tools provided by CSW and audit which interventions and
inclusionary efforts are required.
This report does not presume that there is greater participation in recreation and sport
by males - it does suggest an audit of participation by age grouping in all directly
provided and services providers utilizing Clarington public spaces, to determine if there
are any inequities.
Indigenous Peoples
The Truth and Reconciliation Report (2015) and the Parks for All Report (2017) speak
to the role that Canadians have in reconciling with Indigenous Peoples over past
history. The following excerpt from the Truth and Reconciliation Report articulates the
call to action through sport.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action (2015) – Sports
and Reconciliation (all levels of government):
87. We call upon all levels of government, in collaboration with Aboriginal
peoples, sports halls of fame, and other relevant organizations, to provide public
education that tells the national story of Aboriginal athletes in history.
88. We call upon all levels of government to take action to ensure long-term
Aboriginal athlete development and growth, and continued support for the North
American Indigenous Games, including funding to host the games and for
provincial and territorial team preparation and travel.
The Municipality of Clarington has shown significant leadership in recognizing
underserved populations, is currently engaging representative populations in
discussions, and begins each Committee and Council meeting with the Land
Acknowledgement.
As per the Municipal website - A land acknowledgment statement recognizes the
Traditional Territory of the Indigenous people(s). It is a sign of gratitude and respect.
“The Municipality of Clarington is situated within the traditional and treaty
territory of the Mississaugas and Chippewas of the Anishinabeg, known today as
the Williams Treaties First Nations. Our work on these lands acknowledges their
resilience and their longstanding contributions to the area now known as the
Municipality of Clarington.”
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The Clarington’s website also speaks to the Municipality’s commitment to Truth and
Reconciliation and provides resources in better understanding the history of Residential
Schools which separated children from their families and were educated to strip them of
their indigenous identity under harsh conditions. The website also provides educational
resources on Colonialism in Canada, Treaty Territories, Turtle Island, and Indigenous
Spiritual Practises and Ceremonies.
The Municipal website describes how residents can become an ally to Indigenous
Peoples through:
• Recognize yourself as a settler.
• Offer reciprocity in your relationship with Indigenous Peoples.
• Learn about the people who are Indigenous to the land where you live and
visit.
• Erase stereotypical language against Indigenous People from your
vocabulary.
• Actively support Indigenous freedom of practices.
• Diversify your sources of education and entertainment.
• The Municipality recognizes National Indigenous Peoples Day.
Supports to service delivery with respect to listening to and working collectively with
Indigenous Peoples in developing rounded opportunities include:
a) The Aboriginal Sport Circle
The Aboriginal Sport Circle is a not-for-profit organization that was founded in
1995. It is designated as Canada's governing body and voice for Aboriginal sport
throughout the country. Each Province and Territory is represented, and this is an
excellent resource for recreation providers. It advocates for the Aboriginal
community to engage in healthy and active lifestyles. The Regional Coordinators
in Ontario work to better engage the community and offer grants to fund programs
and activities through the Power to Play Program.
b) IndigenACTION
The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is a national organization representing First
Nations peoples in Canada. The AFN has developed an IndigenACTION Strategy
which serves to develop partnerships with community level sport and recreation
leaders to ensure that First Nations youth can live healthier lifestyles and overall
well-being through recreation and sport.
c) Indigenous Cultural Competency Training
The Indigenous Cultural Competency Training program is provided by Indigenous
organizations and businesses. The program provides organizations that work with
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Indigenous Peoples and groups to obtain the skills, knowledge, and respect for the
history, terminology, values, and behaviours of Indigenous Peoples. It is invaluable
as communities begin to develop strong relationships built on respect.
7.5.5 Diversity Equity and Inclusion Challenges
Continued dialogue with equity deserving groups is a clear requirement in providing and
enabling meaningful services. This cannot be addressed in an ad hoc manner but must
include fulsome and continued discussions on what exists, the identification of barriers,
the program mix, etc. Clarington has completed significant work to identify, consult and
modify programs and services to ensure that all equity seeking populations feel
welcomed and included. This work to demonstrate equity and inclusion requires
decades of continuous effort. For example, one of the first conferences to include the
voices of diverse populations in the Greater Toronto Area took place in Markham in
1989. A planned approach is being taken in Clarington through the development of a
fulsome Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism (IDEA) Plan to create a
mechanism to lay out the strengths in including equity seeking groups, identify gaps,
prioritize actions, and measure the effectiveness of the identified actions and
endeavours. This is especially important in the parks, recreation, and culture sector
where the vast majority of services are public facing. This will be a consideration as the
Master Plan is developed.
7.6 Recreation Capacity
A key goal in understanding recreation capacity is to address pertinent policies and
organizational effectiveness measures to continuously achieve service delivery
excellence. The willingness and ability of the Municipality, community groups,
organizations, and volunteers to work toward the same goal of increased participation in
leisure opportunities is imperative to the health and wellness of citizens within
Clarington. This alignment will continue to be important as Clarington grows in
population.
Internally within the Corporation and departments involved in providing parks,
recreation, and culture services, the adoption of leading practises in administration,
technology, legislative requirements, and compliance with industry standards ensures
that the department continually strengthens its work outcomes. It is in the Municipality’s
goal to ensure that departmental policies and processes exemplify best practices in
organizational effectiveness and reflect compliance with legislation and industry
standards.
Some promising practices in strengthening internal capacity for Clarington to consider
include:
• Ensure an approved mandate through comprehensive policies and standards.
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• Demonstrate compliance with legislative requirements and industry
standards.
• Apply quality assurance frameworks in the delivery of services.
• Strengthen community engagement and enhance services through
volunteerism.
• Promote opportunities through comprehensive marketing and
communications.
• Utilize technology to streamline operations, produce efficiencies, and form a
relationship with residents and visitors.
• Increase the number of meaningful community partnerships that serve to
engage more residents in leisure opportunities.
• Seek out alternate revenues through sponsorships and grants to reduce
reliance on the tax base funding.
• Understand the cost of providing services in the development of a fair-minded
fee structure and Pricing Policy.
• Provide continuous staff development and training opportunities.
• Set targets, measure, and report out on performance.
• Demonstrate a strong organizational culture and responsive structure.
7.6.1 Community Development and Partnerships
The Community Services Department, responsible for the provision of recreation
services, works collectively with community partners to provide a well-rounded menu of
recreation and sport services for all residents. The Community Development unit
captures and updates the listing of community partners and related organizations,
including indoor and outdoor facility users, non-affiliated groups, and related community
organizations. Various supports are provided to non-profit community groups, including
assistance with the rental of facilities, working collectively to address facility and
programmatic issues, community grants, and any guidance that can be provided on
good governance.
Partnerships are becoming more critical in sustaining a fulsome level of service to
reduce duplication, increase participation, share resources, and reduce costs. Efforts
are made to increase partnerships and broaden recreation and sport experiences to
Clarington residents. The question to be addressed through the Master Plan as to when
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services should be delivered directly and when services can be delivered through
partnerships.
Table 43: Examples of Existing Partnerships with the Municipality of Clarington
Partnership Target
Group
Service Description Partner Agreement in
Place
Pre-School Early ON Centres for
childhood development
Early ON Service Partner
Agreement
Children Afterschool
Programming
Boys and Girls
Club of Durham
Service Partner
Agreement
Youth Oversight of Youth
Centres
John Howard
Society
Service Partner
Agreement
Older Adult Full spectrum of
recreational programs
and services in
Bowmanville
Bowmanville Older
Adults Association
A framework for
Older Adults
activities and
services
All Residents Use of schools for
recreation and sports
Kawartha Pine
District School
Board,
Peterborough
Victoria
Northumberland,
and Clarington
catholic District
School Boards
Joint Use
Agreement
Inclusion Swim and Gym
program
Summer camp
partner/inclusion
services
Autism Home
Base Durham
Grandview
Children’s Centre
Service Partner
Agreement
Sport Sportball Sportball
Association
Service Partner
Agreement
The CLMA also works with more than 20 community partners to provide a well-rounded
offering of cultural, educational, and social services for all patrons, which involves
programming, outreach, and in-branch public services. The CLMA constantly seeks out
new opportunities for partnerships to enhance our services.
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Table 44: Examples of Existing Partnerships with the CLMA
Partnership
Target Group
Service Description Partner
Infants • Infant Hearing Clinics • Markham Stouffville Hospital
Pre-School • EarlyON programming • EarlyON
Children • Afterschool STEM
programming
• Ontario Tech University
Youth • Babysitting courses • React Right Safety Services
Older Adults • Senior Health &
Wellness classes
(Zumba, Chair Yoga,
Falls Prevention)
• Good Neighbours –
Delivering materials to
senior residents in the
community
• Community Care Durham
• Retirements Residences
All Ages • Learning Essentials
Workshops
• Drag Queen Storytime
• LEADR (Learning Essentials
for Adults in Durham Region)
• Durham CAS
• PFLAG Durham
Vulnerable
Populations
• Social Services
Community Supports –
Provides service with
Ontario Works support
worker onsite during
scheduled hours
• Service Canada
Community Outreach –
Provides information on
EI, CPP, Job Bank, and
more
• Legal Outreach Services
• Food pantries
• Region of Durham
• Service Canada
• Durham Community Legal
Clinic
• Feed the Need in Durham
• Clarington East Food Bank
Newcomers • English Conversation
Circle
• Community Development
Council Durham
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7.6.2 Partnership vs Direct Delivery Framework
Community services departments in Ontario have a focussed goal to provide
meaningful programs and services to all residents within their jurisdiction as is the case
in Clarington. These programs and services enhance resident’s experiences and create
a sense of accomplishment through skill development. There are often opportunities to
work with other service providers to broaden choices and the range of services.
Discussions are ongoing as to whether to provide services directly or to turn to a third-
party provider.
A general rule embraced by municipalities in Ontario is to provide core services
internally and specialized services through third party provision – where often expertise
and equipment is provided. One key consideration is whether the financial gain in either
cost avoidance or revenue enhancement can be realized without affecting quality
assurance, high levels of customer satisfaction and legislative compliance.
Municipalities believe that investing in community services is a sound investment in
building strong individuals, family, and community. Seeking out partners serves to share
resources and reduce duplication.
The following conditions were developed by the Consulting Team through guiding
partnership development in community service departments across Ontario. The
conditions outline when to consider partnerships and these will be considered through
the development of policy directions in the Master Plan.
Considerations for Third-party Program and Service Providers
Conditions Whereby the Municipality May Continue to Provide Programs and
Services Directly
a) The program or service is considered core to the Department such as learn to
swim lessons to prevent water incidents or older adult services where a
relationship is critical to the success of the program and service.
b) The program meets a sustainable resourcing need such as youth leadership
development to enable future skilled staffing in program and service delivery.
c) The program development and delivery meet strong priorities and requires
municipal-centric coordination such as better serving marginalized populations.
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Conditions Whereby the Municipality May Seek a Third-party Provider
a) The program is specific to a diverse and underrepresented population which
would be most appropriately provided by a community partner where the
expertise lies.
b) The program or service requires specialized knowledge and equipment that is
not considered part of the municipality’s introductory and developmental
approach to program provision.
c) The program or service meets a required need of the residents and cost-sharing
of space and instructions provides cost efficiency to both parties.
Conditions in Seeking Out and Implementing Strong Partnerships
a) There is an identified need for the service.
b) The terms and conditions are very clear as to what service needs to be provided
and when and how the service provider will intersect with the municipal staff
c) There are labour conditions that allow open procurement of the service.
d) A comparison is developed as to which provider will deliver the service most
effectively – the municipality or the other provider(s).
e) A thorough investigation of past performance in partnership with other
municipalities is undertaken.
f) The merits outweigh the current service delivery model – public engagement is
sought where appropriate.
g) A contract is developed with the successful third-party provider complete with
detailed performance expectations, legislative compliance, quality assurance,
levels of service, targets, and performance.
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h) A regularly scheduled evaluation of the third-party arrangement complete with
satisfaction levels of the patrons and participants and other performance metrics.
Observations
• The Community Services Department works with approximately 100 community
associations that have various arrangements to utilize community spaces and
provide related services. Relationships include the provision of spaces at a
reduced rate for affiliated and not-for-profit groups and ongoing relationships
toward community good.
• Various formal and informal agreements exist with respect to third party provision
of services joint use agreements with school boards, provision of youth services
through the John Howard Society, Sportball, Early ON centres for the provision of
services to toddler and pre-school programs, before and after school
programming through the Boys and Girls Club as well as the Bowmanville Older
Adult Association providing recreation services for older adults as examples.
• The department is maximizing the use of space to provide a variety of
opportunities and resources to all age groups and being cost efficient through
these partnership arrangements.
• There are program gaps in creative and STEM programs for some age groups,
and therefore external partnerships would assist in providing a broader range of
services while offering residents greater choices.
7.6.3 Confirming Levels of Service
In light of the current and future population growth in Clarington, it is not only important
to determine facility and service requirements from a planning perspective; it is
important to know the operational requirements (staffing, equipment, etc.) as well. The
initial step in this process includes determining the current level of service in each
discipline and projecting that standard to a greater population base.
Many factors will come into consideration, including volunteer capacity, and determining
the core services that the Municipality should deliver directly. For example, aquatics
may offer 6 lesson sets per year and require the capacity to deliver enough lessons to
accommodate 20% of the population each year. This allows staff to project aquatic
lesson sets for the future based on these assumptions. The next step is to quantify the
costs to deliver this level of service, including, but not limited to, the number of staff,
training and supervisory hours, volunteer recruitment training and supervision, as well
as developing and promoting lessons, registration, etc. Identifying and costing the
process prompts staff to look for greater efficiencies. The point of the exercise is to
encourage the administration to plan and identify operational costs of providing the
same level of service to a greater population. The consideration for setting levels of
service will be further addressed through the development of the Master Plan.
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Figure 20: Identifying Levels of Service
7.6.4 Costing of Services in Setting Fair Minded Fees
Clarington partially offsets the financial costs of providing recreation and cultural
services through several revenue streams, most notably user fees, entrance fees,
taxation and, to a lesser extent, sponsorships/grants/partnerships. The Municipality also
accepts that there are non-financial and intangible benefits that offset fiscal
expenditures by way of increased physical and social health among residents, and
contributions to community vibrancy and cohesion, etc. The level of cost recovery is
typically determined by the value the service brings to the community good. The first
step in setting fair minded fees and cost recovery levels is understanding the cost to
provide the service. This is a first step and an arduous task and involves guidance and
assistance from the Finance Department (to set corporate guidelines) and allocate costs
fairly.
Once costs are known (e.g., to produce an hour of ice, or a summer camp experience
etc.), the current cost recovery levels can be ascertained by understanding the
percentage of the costs that are recovered through the current fee structure. A
comparison to the market rate is usually undertaken to determine if fees can be
modified. Setting of fees can be developed by determining which age groups or types of
programs should receive greater subsidies (for example children’s programs are
typically set to recover a lower amount of the costs than adult programs). Costing of
Articulate what levels of service (LOS) exist for each program/ service and quantify the frequency per year they are completed
Identify the ideal conditions and efficiencies in which they are offered (new technologies, patnerships etc.)
Quantify the uptake and potential future uptake
Identify the current resources (staff and equipment) that are needed to produce the LOS
Identify the departmental and corproate supports that assist with offering the service.
Review LOS every other year to capture greater efficiencies and changes.
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services provides transparency in setting of fees and identifies the value of the
program/service in contributing to community good or toward individual good.
7.6.5 Setting Targets and Measuring Performance
Clarington staff collect data for analysis and prepare reports as part of the budget and
planning process to measure performance against the previous year’s attendance,
participation, utilization rates, etc. This is completed to demonstrate that there has been
movement in addressing key goals and initiatives and to demonstrate a good return on
the investment of tax dollars.
For planning purposes, seasonal and annual attendance and registration statistics are
captured and shared with staff, to allow for the next years’ projections and to
accommodate any pent-up demands. This is meaningful data and allows staff to
analyze trends and gaps in service and make plans for improved performance.
In a community service provision system such as Clarington, articulating specific targets
and measures provides clarity and focus on key deliverables for both staff and
community partners. Setting targets for outcomes would help in focusing efforts and
resources where they would garner the greatest benefit. As well, setting targets would
allow staff to share clear expectations with all full and part-time staff and volunteers so
that everyone is working toward the same goals. This approach will set a common
agenda, provide focus on the right things, and create greater accountability.
To measure against targets is to simplify expectations in a delivery system with many
services and programs as well as community relationships. Current priorities centre on
service recovery due to closures over 2020 and 2021. Once participation levels are
stabilized, targets should centre on program and service participation levels/age
cohorts. Once these targets are agreed to and operationalized, specific plans will
enable staff to achieve them. It should be noted that these targets and the number
performance measures should be kept to a minimum, reflect service priorities, and tell
the story of the work undertaken. Some municipalities post their quantified
achievements for users to better understand the focus of their work. This will be
assessed as part of the Master Plan process.
7.6.6 Examples of Performance Measures for Community Services
In a municipal setting there is a need to demonstrate to the public and other funders that
the investment in services is allocated toward worthwhile ends and that these
investments are utilized efficiently and effectively. Testing the level of satisfaction
speaks to the ongoing sustainability and the effectiveness of programming and will
indicate where gaps exist. This data can also ensure that decisions are evidenced-
based.
No one person is accountable for delivering a service, that responsibility is shared. A
sense of team should be created to ensure that everyone has the tools to play their part
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in service excellence. Measures and targets must reflect what is important to public and
should identify operational priorities for staff to undertake.
Current priorities within Community Services centre on recovering service levels to pre-
Pandemic levels and responding to staffing and volunteer shortages. Normalizing
services will take time and measuring performance to this degree will also take some
time to implement by agreeing to the targets/measures, setting up data collection
methodologies, discussing baseline data, setting regularized sharing of the data and
subsequent findings. Refining service delivery approaches based on the findings will
ensure that Community Services embraces continuous improvement.
As a best practice, performance measures and targets are considered, and baseline
data collected in year one. A review of the information ensures that appropriate targets
are set based on the results. A shared file would summarize the data to allow staff to
have viewing access and work to respond to expectations. Staff make appropriate and
timely modifications and interventions to program, scheduling, customer service, facility
cleanliness and community outreach based on the results and to continually improve
service satisfaction.
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Table 45: Suggested Performance Measures and Targets
Measure Suggested Performance
Measure
Suggested Target
Inputs a) Budget
b) FTEs
c) Square feet of facility space
d) Investment level per capita
These are baseline inputs and
will be compared year to year.
Increasing outputs, efficiencies
and effectiveness ratings with
similar resources becomes the
focus of staff.
Outputs a) Facility utilization against
capacity
b) Direct program utilization
against capacity
c) Drop-in and casual use
opportunities against capacity
d) Permit utilization
e) Volunteerism levels
a) 80-90% utilization of prime-
time hours and 50-70% of
non-prime hours
b) 80-90% of capacity based on
facility time available and
budget parameters
c) 75% of capacity pending on
the activity
d) 75% use of available hours
Efficiencies a) Efficiencies as a result of
better equipment, technology,
streamlined processes, grants,
partnerships, sponsorships
etc. lowering unit costs while
maintaining quality assurance
is the intended goal.
a) An indication of cost
avoidance, increased funding
through alternate sources,
reaching greater participation
through partnerships and unit
costs.
Effectiveness a) Facility cleanliness rating
b) Satisfaction levels with
programs and services
c) Satisfaction levels with
community development and
sport development services
d) Staff engagement levels
a) 80-90% rating
b) 80-90% rating
c) 80-90% rating
d) 50-75% rating
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7.6.7 Organizational Structure
The Master Plan provides an opportunity to review the effectiveness of the organization
and what changes may be required to create efficiencies and address any gaps in
internal capacity. Once service improvements are identified – a look to the structure of
the organization is appropriate. The review of the organizational structure undertakes to
articulate what structure exists, compares it to common organizational design standards
and, and provides an indication of some changes that require further review before
concrete changes are made.
Organizations have different structures depending on the need for formalization and
accountability. In a community service setting, there is a clear need to obtain the
functional expertise and be clear about accountabilities. There are over 50 legislative
acts, respective requirements as well as industry standards to provide safe, citizen-
centred, and quality-driven programs and services within the community services
purview.
The departments responsible for parks, recreation, and culture services embrace a
Functional Model organized to focus on specific service types and aligned customers.
Each director, manager, supervisor, and coordinator is responsible to provide
leadership within a specialized discipline(s). In serving the public, leaders must look at
the delivery of their specific discipline and importantly how each discipline intersects to
provide a wide range of coordinated community services to the public.
7.6.8 Common Municipal Organizational Design Principles
The organizational structure within the Community Services Department has been
developed around common functions such as recreation, facilities, and community
development. These outward facing service types are supported by administrative
services such as permitting of spaces, and customer service representatives. Corporate
support is provided to all departments such as financial guidance and controls,
legislative services, human resources and purchasing etc.
A set of organizational design principles commonly utilized in municipal government
operations are offered for consideration as these principles will be used in the
organization structural evaluation. It is assumed that the Human Resources Division
would refine these as changes in levels of service, technology, equipment, functions
increase or streamlined processes affect organizational design. Common organizational
design principles allow all departments and divisions to be structured in a fair and
equitable manner.
• There should be no more than 6 layers of staff between the Chief Administrative
Officer and the public;
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• Departments and/or divisions are centred around common customers and/or
common functions;
• Departments will focus on common strategic goals which are aligned with
corporate and community priorities;
• There will be an equitable distribution of workload where possible in terms of
span of control (functions, staff, outputs etc.);
• Each management position will have a range of four to six direct reports (unless
a strategic priority requires focus and the employment of a sole contributor); and
• One-on-one reporting relationships will be evaluated as to their efficiencies.
The organizational structural evaluation will be conducted more fully once all of the
inputs into the master planning process have been captured. This will ensure that the
structure is responsive to current staffing and resourcing needs, that form follows
function and further that any gaps, and/or duplication of efforts or efficiencies can be
identified. As information, the following pages summarize the organizational structures
for the Community Services Department, Public Works, Planning and Infrastructure, and
CLMA.
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Figure 21: Community Services Organizational Structure
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Figure 22: Planning Organizational Structure
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Figure 23: Public Works Organizational Structure
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Figure 24: Clarington Library, Museums, & Archives
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8. Key Findings
This Phase 1 Background and Existing Conditions Summary Report contains the
background research work completed to date, including review of demographics, trends,
inventory, and utilization. This work helps form the foundation for establishing the
existing context of parks, recreation, and culture services in Clarington and will be used
to inform the development of the Master Plan, along with the Funding Discussion Paper
and the Consultation Engagement Summary Report.
Key findings and observations that emerged from this background research work are
highlighted below:
• Clarington’s population is expected to increase by 40% during the planning
period to 162,640 residents by 2036. Bowmanville is expected to accommodate a
large portion of growth, followed by Courtice and Newcastle. Population growth is
expected to occur within MTSAs and other strategic growth areas such as
regional corridors and secondary plan areas. This level of growth will have
demand implications on the Municipality’s parks, recreation, and culture services.
• Clarington provides a parkland service level of 2.1 hectares per 1,000 residents,
which is currently higher compared to the recommended target in the Official
Plan of 1.8 hectares per 1,000 residents. The Municipality’s parkland
classification system is comparable to similar communities that categorize
parkland by Municipal Wide Park, Community Park, Neighbourhood Park,
Parkette and Public Square.
• Clarington offers a strong parkland system, including trails and the waterfront,
and the Municipality demonstrates its commitment to enhancing these assets
through ongoing planning and development, with consideration given to
environmental sustainability and strategies to become more resilient to climate
change. The development (and connection) of these assets will be important to
serve current and future residents, as well as regional visitors, particularly at key
sites, including Camp 30, Bowmanville Zoo, and the waterfront.
• Clarington boasts a diverse range of recreation and culture facilities, programs
and services that support traditional activities such as skating and swimming to
niche and emerging pursuits, including cricket and pickleball. The Municipality’s
ability to address the recreation and cultural facility needs of current and future
residents will be explored through the Master Plan process.
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• The Municipality has made strong efforts to be inclusive of all residents through
providing fee subsidies, implementing its accessibility plan, providing a range of
traditional and non-traditional recreation and cultural activities, facilities, and
events, and celebrating its 2SLGBTQ+ community.
• Consistent with trends and best practices, Clarington is developing multi-use
parks and facilities to create welcoming destinations that can be enjoyed by all
residents. These community hubs act as focal points in Clarington where
residents can gather and access a range of parks and recreation activities.
Examples include the future development of the South Bowmanville Recreation
Centre.
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Appendix A – Promising Practices in Recreation Service
Delivery
Increasing Physical Activity - Canada’s 24-Hour Movement Guidelines
Canadians continue to require greater levels of physical activity in order to achieve and
maintain optimum health and reduce incidents of chronic illness. The goal of
Municipalities is to work with a collective of invested parties to increase the duration,
frequency and intensity of physical activity.
Canada’s 24-Hour Movement Guidelines has replaced the Physical Activity Guidelines.
The new guidelines were introduced in 2020 and depict the amount of time various age
groups should “Sweat, Step, Sleep and Sit” in a 24-hour timeframe. For example, in
each day children between 5 and 17 years should achieve the following.
Table 46: Canada's 24-Hour Movement Guidelines
Activity Time / Day
Sweat 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity
Step Several hours of moderate physical activity
Sleep 9-11 hours for 5 – 13-year-olds
8-10 hours for 14 – 17-year-olds
Sit Limit sitting for extended periods
No more than 2 hours of recreational screen time per day
Source : https://csepguidelines.ca/guidelines/children-youth/
These new guidelines have been developed for all age cohorts and should be
communicated and promoted to the public within facilities, online, and in promotional
materials. Opportunities to co-develop and promote activities alongside community
partners should be pursued, including efforts to track community progress.
Physical Literacy
One approach to increasing physical activity is to ensure that community members have
the basic physical skills to participate in active opportunities. The Canadian Sport for
Life Movement has developed a Physical Literacy program for all age groups to ensure
that they can run, throw, catch, etc. Physical literacy can be taught in existing programs
and environments such as in libraries, daycares, seniors centres, schools, sport clubs,
etc. Once people are comfortable with the skills to be more active, it is hoped that some
barriers to their participation in physical activities will be alleviated.
Municipality of Clarington Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
Phase 1 Background and Existing Conditions Summary Report
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The Canadian Community Health Survey
Statistics Canada administers the Canadian Community Health Survey which is a
national survey that collects health data and distributes it by Health Region. The survey
is voluntary and is confidential for those who choose to participate. As well as
behaviours related to physical activity, the survey collects information on physical and
mental health status, chronic health conditions, smoking, alcohol consumption, and fruit
and vegetable consumption. Data is also collected on socio-economic backgrounds to
decipher behaviours by region, age, and socio-economic status. This is valuable
information that can be used to inform physical activity plans and strategies at the local
level. It is suggested that staff use this data to better inform plans to increase physical
activity levels through continued education and awareness campaigns as well as
monitoring participation in active programs by age group.
A Framework toward Greater Inclusion in a Recreation Setting
Municipalities are making intentional efforts to ensure that public spaces and places are
welcoming to all residents and further that programs and services reflect the fuller
needs of a diverse population. As noted above, Clarington employs an Inclusion,
Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism Officer to identify ways of ensuring that programs and
services are welcoming, that staff are trained, and that spaces and programs are
provided with modifications, if required.
Listen, Learn and Act Together
Each community is different with unique sports, recreation, and culture needs. Staff
cannot act alone developing inclusive approaches without listening and working closely
with the groups who have lived experiences. Formalized and informal approaches must
be taken to capture needs and nurture relationships with diverse communities. Often
diverse communities are independent and have developed programs and activities,
however needs may change over time and continued engagement will allow all parties
to understand trends and modify service provision. The Municipality of Clarington has
created Council appointed Committees to engage diverse voices to provide and
broaden timely input.
Embrace the Principle of Equity
The principle of equity has been embraced in service delivery to a considerable extent.
There is full realization that underserved populations require a greater focus to
understand the barriers to participation and to ensure that participation can be seamless
for all. Taking different approaches to ensure that varying underserved populations can
be included begins to define taking an equitable approach. For example, Community
Services has a fee Assistance Policy to provide funding for persons experiencing low
income. An annual funding allotment is offered to recipients, so that people can
participate in the same manner as other families. Adjusting the delivery system to
include underserved populations applies to the principle of equity.
Municipality of Clarington Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
Phase 1 Background and Existing Conditions Summary Report
129
First efforts centre around defining diverse and underrepresented populations (which
has been done corporately in Clarington) and reaching out to have conversations about
how diverse populations stay active, and if here are existing barriers to participation.
The development of an Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism Policy will
ensure that staff and volunteers understand who is underserved and if adaptations are
required.
The responsibility of the Municipality and its respective departments is to plan how they
reach out to underserved populations and better define the actions that will be taken in
welcoming all residents. There must be intentional efforts to ensure that there is
equitable representation within the staff team, the volunteers and importantly through
participation in programs and services.
Understanding Intersectionality
Intersectionality is a more recent concept being applied to ensure that there is an
understanding as to how residents define themselves. Residents do not typically define
themselves as a singular identity and staff and volunteers must understand that in order
to provide welcoming environments overall. One might define themselves as
Indigenous, Two-Spirited and with a physical disability or one might define themselves
as Female and experiencing low income. Needs will not often be met in a linear fashion,
and therefore, all programs and services must be welcoming and consider varying
potential barriers to participation.
Create a Sense of Belonging
With Clarington’s increasingly diverse population, staff have clear target markets to
engage and jointly create a greater sense of belonging. Initial discussions should centre
on what is in place to support the needs. What are the barriers to participation and how
the parties can work together to increase participation? There are options to discuss
with diverse groups as to whether they need assistance accessing and feeling
welcomed into the current program and service mix, if they need access to space to
offer preferred activities, if they would like to learn some skills to participate or if the
fulsome service mix should include some more diverse program offerings.
Initiate More Meaningful Conversations
The approach to being more inclusive was traditionally organic; meaning that staff
responded as barriers were identified. Municipal staff have now been more successful
in including persons experiencing low income and those residents with disabilities.
There is a clear aim to be more inclusive of the underserved with an intentional path
through Clarington’s Diversity Advisory Committee. Municipalities play a strong role in
facilitating community discussions and identifying and prioritizing policies to meet the
mandate of increasing participation.
Municipality of Clarington Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
Phase 1 Background and Existing Conditions Summary Report
130
Collective Impact – A Framework for Social Change
Working together promotes the sharing of knowledge, and resources toward a common
end. The model takes the responsibility for change from one organization to many. One
very effective change framework where there are multiple parties involved, all working
toward a shared vision is the Collective Impact Model. The model encourages multiple
participant groups all working with varying approaches toward one end. This model can
be applied to increasing representation by diverse and underserved populations in
Clarington. This approach has proven successful in other municipal applications to
increase diverse engagement in recreation services, to increase the number of women
in sport, develop community safety strategies, and to increase participation of residents
experiencing low income. The framework typically involves the engagement of a diverse
steering committee of users, support organizations, and providers.
Watson & Associates Economists Ltd.
905-272-3600
February 29, 2024 info@watsonecon.ca
Parks, Recreation and Culture Master
Plan
Municipality of Clarington
________________________
Funding Discussion Paper
Attachment 3 to
PDS-011-24
Watson & Associates Economists Ltd.
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Table of Contents
Page
1. Overview ............................................................................................................. 1
2. Parkland Conveyance ........................................................................................ 1
2.1 Legislative Framework ............................................................................... 1
2.1.1 Planning Act, Section 42 ............................................................... 1
2.1.2 More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 .............................................. 3
2.1.3 Affordable Homes and Good Jobs Act, 2023 ................................ 5
2.2 Municipality’s Current Official Plan Related to Parkland ............................ 6
2.3 Municipality’s Current Parkland Conveyance By-law ................................. 8
2.4 Municipality’s Capital Budget ..................................................................... 9
3. Development Charges ........................................................................................ 9
3.1 Legislative Framework ............................................................................. 10
3.1.1 Changes to the D.C.A. - Bill 108: More Homes, More
Choice Act ................................................................................... 11
3.1.2 Bill 138: Plan to Build Ontario Together Act, 2019 ..................... 12
3.1.3 Bill 197: COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020 .................... 12
3.1.4 Bill 23: More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 ................................ 13
3.1.5 Bill 134: Affordable Homes and Good Jobs Act, 2023 ............... 15
3.2 Municipality’s Current Development Charges By-law .............................. 15
3.3 Municipality’s Capital Budget ................................................................... 16
4. Community Benefits Charge ........................................................................... 17
4.1 Legislative Framework ............................................................................. 17
4.1.1 COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020 - Bill 197 .................... 18
4.1.2 More Homes for Everyone Act, 2022 - Bill 109 ........................... 20
4.1.3 More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 - Bill 23 ............................... 21
4.1.4 Affordable Homes and Good Jobs Act, 2023 - Bill 134 ............... 22
4.2 Municipality’s Current Official Plan .......................................................... 22
4.3 Municipality’s Current Community Benefits Provisions/By-law ................ 24
4.4 Municipality’s Capital Budget ................................................................... 24
Table of Contents (Cont’d)
Page
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5. Other Funding Tools ........................................................................................ 25
5.1 User Fees ................................................................................................ 25
5.2 Fundraising, Donations, and/or Benevolent Funds .................................. 26
5.3 Grants and Subsides ............................................................................... 27
5.4 Property Taxes ........................................................................................ 28
6. Considerations for Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan .................. 28
Appendix A Summary of Legislation ...................................................................... A-1
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List of Acronyms and Abbreviations
Acronym Full Description of Acronym
C.B.C. Community Benefits Charge
D.C.A. Development Charges Act
D.C. Development Charge
ha Hectare
OLT Ontario Land Tribunal
PIL Payment In Lieu
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Funding Discussion Paper -Feb 29, 2023
1. Overview
Municipalities have a number of funding tools to assist in funding capital and operating
needs related to parks, recreation, and culture services, including tools that are specific
to funding growth-related capital infrastructure. The Parks, Recreation, and Culture
Master Plan will provide the framework and standards to assist the Municipality of
Clarington (Municipality) in assessing the needs to service their existing and growing
community. As such, a review of specific funding tools available has been undertaken.
The following provides details related to the legislative framework available and current
tools being used by the Municipality in relation to these services.
2. Parkland Conveyance
The Planning Act provides municipalities with the authority to impose conditions on
development and redevelopment to receive parkland dedication or payment-in-lieu of
parkland. Recent legislation including the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020 (Bill
197), the More Homes for Everyone Act, 2022 (Bill 109), the More Homes Built Faster
Act, 2022 (Bill 23), have amended s.42 and/or s.51 related to parkland conveyance
and/or payment-in-lieu of conveyance. In addition, the Affordable Homes and Good
Jobs Act, 2023 (Bill 134) amended the Development Charges Act, 1997 (D.C.A.) related
to the definition of “Affordable Residential Units bulletin”, which the Planning Act refers
to in relation to the definition of Affordable Housing.
2.1 Legislative Framework
The following provides the legislative context for municipalities with respect to the
conveyance of land for parks or other public recreational purposes. The summary is
reflective of the legislative amendments under the More Homes Built Faster Act,
proclaimed on November 28, 2022.
2.1.1 Planning Act, Section 42
Section 42 of the Planning Act directs municipalities with respect to the conveyance of
land for parks or other public recreational purposes. Subsection 42(1) allows a
municipality, by by-law, to require as a condition of development or redevelopment the
conveyance of land not exceeding 2% of land to be developed for commercial and
industrial purposes, or 5% of the land to be developed for all other purposes. Under
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s.s.42(3) a municipality may elect to impose the alternative requirement to the 5% of
land conveyed for residential purposes, imposing a maximum rate of 1 hectare (ha.) per
600 dwelling units (1 ha. per 300 units prior to November 28, 2022).
To impose the alternative requirement the Planning Act requires that the municipality’s
Official Plan contains specific policies dealing with the provision of lands for parks or
other public recreational purposes, and the use of the alternative requirement. Before
adopting the Official Plan policies, the municipality must prepare a Parks Plan that
examines the need for parkland in the municipality and make it available to the public.
In preparing the Parks Plan, the municipality, shall consult with every school board that
has jurisdiction in the municipality; and may consult with any other persons or public
bodies that the municipality considers appropriate. In addition to the Official Plan
requirements, the Parks Plan must also be prepared and available as part of the
legislated consultation process in passing a parkland dedication by-law. Note that the
requirement for the “Parks Plan” may be included in a Master Plan, or can be a stand
along Plan.
The Planning Act further specifies that before passing a by-law containing the
alternative requirement, the municipality shall consult with such persons and public
bodies as the municipality considers appropriate. After passing a new by-law, or
amending an existing by-law, a municipality shall give notice of by-law passage, as
prescribed, within 20 days. The notice must indicate the last day for appealing the by-
law, which shall be the day that is 40 days after the day the by-law is passed.
Moreover, the parkland dedication by-law may be appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal
(OLT) by any person or public body.
Under s.s.42(6) council may require a payment in lieu of the value of land otherwise
conveyed at the standard rates. Similar to the standard dedication policies, under
s.s.42(6.0.1) council may require a PIL of parkland at a rate of 1 ha. per 1,000 dwelling
units (1 ha. per 500 dwelling units prior to November 28, 2022), or lesser rate as
specified in the by-law, if using the alternative requirement. These payments are
commonly referred to as Payment-in-Lieu (PIL) of parkland. These payments are
applicable law and as such no person is allowed to construct a building on the land
proposed for development unless payment or arrangements for the payment is made.
Also, the value of the land shall be determined as of the day before the building permit
is issued, or if more than one building permit is required the day before the first building
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permit is issued. The payments may be paid under protest by the applicant. The
applicant may also apply to the OLT to have the value of the land determined.
All PIL of parkland funds received by the municipality must be maintained in a special
account. The funds can only be spent on the acquisition of land to be used for park or
other public recreational purposes, as well as the erection, improvement or repair of
buildings, and the acquisition of machinery for park or other public recreational
purposes. PIL funds can provided funding of capital costs for new park development;
however, it is recommended to fund the cost of new park development from
Development Charges (D.C.) to the extent possible, to allow the parkland special
account to be focused on non-D.C. eligible costs such as parkland acquisition. The
Province may prescribe required information, dissemination, and timing for reporting on
a municipality’s parkland dedication by-law.
2.1.2 More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022
The More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 introduced further policies regarding a
municipality’s ability to require parkland conveyance and PIL. These include:
• A by-law that provides for the alternative requirement shall not require a
conveyance or PIL of parkland greater than 10% of the land where the land
proposed for development is 5 ha. or less; and 15% of the land where the land
proposed for development is greater than 5 ha. This limitation was previously
limited to transit-oriented communities but expanded to all development under
the recent amendments.
• Exempting affordable housing, attainable housing, non-profit housing, and
additional residential dwelling units from parkland conveyance and PIL.
Affordable residential dwellings include both ownership and rental units, as
defined under subsection 4.1 (2) of the Development Charges Act (D.C.A.),
where the purchase price or rent is no more than 80% of the average market rent
as defined by a new bulletin published by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and
Housing. Attainable units are defined under subsection 4.1 (4) of the D.C.A. and
excludes affordable units and rental housing units. Inclusionary zoning units and
non-profit housing are defined under subsections 4.3 (2) and 4.2 (1) of the D.C.A.
respectively. Additional residential units include a second unit in a detached,
semi-detached, or rowhouse if all buildings and ancillary structures cumulatively
contain no more than one residential unit, a third unit in a detached, semi-
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detached, or rowhouse if no buildings or ancillary structures contain any
residential units, and one residential unit in a building or structure ancillary to a
detached, semi-detached, or rowhouse on a parcel of urban land, if the
detached, semi-detached, or rowhouse contains no more than two residential
units and no other buildings or ancillary structures contain any residential units.
• The determination of parkland dedication for a building permit issued within two
years of a Site Plan and/or Zoning By-law Amendment approval would be subject
to the requirements in the by-law as at the date of planning application
submission.
• Landowners will be allowed to identify lands to meet parkland conveyance
requirements, within regulatory criteria. These lands may include encumbered
lands and privately owned public space (POPs). Municipalities may enter into
agreements with the owners of the land regarding POPs to enforce conditions,
and these agreements may be registered on title. The suitability of land for parks
and recreational purposes will be appealable to the OLT.
Where Section 42 of the Planning Act provides for the rules with respect to conveyance
of land for park purposes or other public recreational purposes (to be imposed by by-
law), Section 51.1 provides the rules for the conveyance of parkland imposed as a
condition of approval of a plan of subdivision.
It is note that, as of the date of writing, the statutory exemption related to affordable
residential units, attainable residential units, and affordable residential units included in
an inclusionary zoning by-law, are not in effect as royal assent has been received
however, proclamation has not been received as a Bulletin is required.
The Municipality’s current parkland by-law does not identify these affordable and
attainable residential units under the types of developments that are exempt from the
parkland by-law. However, once in force for the Planning Act, these exemptions will be
mandatory, and the provisions of the Planning Act will override the provisions of the
Municipality’s current by-law.
The More Homes Built Fast Act also added a new subsection, 42 (16.1), which requires
municipalities to spend or allocate 60% of the monies in the special account (i.e.,
parkland reserve fund) annually.
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2.1.3 Affordable Homes and Good Jobs Act, 2023
Most recently, the Province introduced the Affordable Homes and Good Jobs Act, 2023
(Bill 134) which amended the definition of affordable residential units. Currently, the
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is developing a Bulletin that will provide the
information for municipalities to measure against when determining if a residential unit
meets the affordable housing definition. The change in the affordable housing definition
is as follows;
Prior Definition of Affordable Residential Units as per Bill 23:
• Affordable Rental Units: Where rent is no more than 80% of the average market
rent, as defined by a new bulletin to be published by the Ministry of Municipal
Affairs and Housing, and the tenant is dealing at arm’s length with the landlord.
• Affordable Owned Units: Where the price of the unit is no more than 80% of the
average purchase price, as defined by a new bulletin to be published by the
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and the residential unit is sold to a
person who is dealing at arm’s length with the seller.
Amended Definition of Affordable Residential Units as per Bill 134:
• Affordable Rental Units: the rent is not greater than the lesser of:
o The income-based affordable rent for the residential unit set out in the
Affordable Residential Units bulletin, as identified by the Minister of
Municipal Affairs and Housing in accordance with subsection (5), and
o The average market rent identified for the residential unit set out in the
Affordable Residential Units bulletin.
• Affordable Owned Units: the price of the residential unit is no greater than the
lessor of:
o The income-based affordable purchase price for the residential unit set out
in the Affordable Residential Units bulletin, as identified by the Minister of
Municipal Affairs and Housing in accordance with subsection (6), and
o 90% of the average purchase price identified for the residential unit set out
in the Affordable Residential Units bulletin.
In summary the amendment to the definition of affordable housing has:
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• Introduced an income-based test along with the average rent/purchased price
test;
• Removed from the definition of residential rental units, the 80% average rent test
and provided for the average market rent to be as defined in the bulletin; and
• Refined the percentage related to the average purchase price (from 80% to
90%).
For a summary of the legislative requirements that are in effect, including future
anticipated requirements that are anticipated upon proclamation of legislation, see
Appendix A-1.
2.2 Municipality’s Current Official Plan Related to Parkland
The Municipality’s current 2018 Official Plan (O.P.), provides for a parkland standard of
1.8 hectares per 1,000 persons. Further, the per capita target also provides a standard
that varies by the park type, as follows:
• Municipal Wide and Community Parks shall have a combined target of 1.0
hectares per 1,000 persons; and
• Neighbourhood Parks, Parkettes, and Public Squares shall have a combined
target of 0.8 hectares per 1,000 persons.
In regard to parkland dedication, the O.P. currently provides:
• For residential development, redevelopment, or plans of subdivision providing for
low, medium and/or high density uses, conveyance or dedication shall be the
greater of 5% of the land proposed for development or redevelopment and the
alternative rate for residential development or redevelopment at 1 hectare per
300 dwelling units;
• For Industrial or commercial development, the O.P. provides for conveyance or
dedication based on 2% of the land;
• For Mixed Use development, conveyance or dedication requirements only apply
to the residential portion of the development proposal in the amount equal to 1
hectare per 300 dwelling units. However, in no instance shall the contribution be
less than 2% of the land area or the equivalent payment-in-lieu value;
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• For conversion of non-residential buildings to residential uses, dedication will be
in accordance with the provisions for residential development, with appropriate
credit to be made for any previous dedication; and
• For residential plans of subdivision, the standard of 1 hectare per 300 dwelling
units may be applied to blocks within the plan of subdivision, provided such
blocks are excluded from the calculation for the 5% of the land proposed for
subdivision
In regard to payment-in-lieu of parkland conveyance, the O.P. allows that Council may
waive the land conveyance requirement in favour of payment-in-lieu or require a
combination of cash and land where:
• The use of the alternative parkland dedication policy consumes more than 10%
of the site area thereby rendering the site undevelopable; or
• The amount of land for parkland dedication does not result in a sufficient area for
park development; or
• The dedication of land is not deemed necessary.
The value of the land shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the
Planning Act.
The O.P. also provides the following related to parkland dedication:
• Valleylands, lands require for drainage purposes, and lands susceptible to
flooding or otherwise unsuitable for development will not be accepted as
statutory parkland dedication;
• Lands to be dedicated for park purposes shall be in a condition acceptable to the
Municipality. The timing of such conveyance shall be determined by the
Municipality; and
• Where a development or redevelopment proposal includes non-developable land
or land designated as Environmental Protection Area, the Municipality may
require that such land be dedicated to the Municipality.
The O.P. also provides policies related to urban design elements, location, street
frontage, accessibility, noise, visual, & lighting impacts to residential areas, and
consideration related to sites adjacent to schools. Further the O.P. provides guidance
on the functions and facilities that shall be included in various classifications of parks.
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As noted above, the changes to the Planning Act in regard to the alternative parkland
requirements was amended by the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act (Bill 197) and the
More Homes Built Faster Act, (Bill 23). The changes resulted in the alternative rate for
conveyance being amended from a maximum of 1 hectare per 300 persons to 1 hectare
per 600 persons. The maximum alternative requirement for payment-in-lieu parkland
conveyance was amended to 1 hectare per 1,000 persons vs. 1 hectare per 500
persons.
2.3 Municipality’s Current Parkland Conveyance By-law
In 2022, the Municipality undertook a Parkland Dedication Policy Review which
provided background that assisted in the preparation of the current Parkland and Open
Space Dedication By-law 2023-042. The by-law provides for the legislative conveyance
at 2% of land, for commercial or industrial developments and 5% of land in all other
cases. The by-law also provides that, for residential developments, land shall be
conveyed to the Municipality based on the greater of the standard or alternative rate.
Section 4 of the by-law provides that, for mixed use buildings, only the residential rate is
applicable to the development proposal.
Section 5 of the by-law provides that:
“At the discretion of the Director of Planning and Infrastructure Services,
the Municipality may, in substitution for the conveyance of land, require
payment in lieu, or a combination of payment in lieu and conveyance of
land under the following circumstances:
(a) The use the alternative parkland conveyance or dedication consumes more
than 10% of the stie area thereby rendering the site undevelopable;
(b) The amount of land for parkland dedication does not result in a sufficient area
for park development; or
(c) The dedication of land is not deemed necessary.”
The current by-law also provides for exemptions from the requirement of parkland
dedication related to:
(a) An Additional Dwelling Unit as defined by the Zoning By-law for the
Municipality;
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(b) Residential uses proposed for non-profit housing development defined in the
subsection 4.2(1) of the D.C.A.;
(c) All private structures developed by registered charitable and hospital
organizations; and
(d) All public facilities and buildings developed by a government agency.
As noted, the amendments to the Planning Act changed the alternative rate. This
change reduced the amount of parkland conveyance or payment-in-lieu by half of what
was previously provided. Since the current by-law does not speak specifically to the
amount of the alternative rate, the municipality can impose the amended maximum rate
as per the Planning Act. However, due to the reduction in the allowable alternative rate,
the municipality should assess if imposing the 5% land dedication or payment-in-lieu
would provide for more parkland than the alternative rate for the various residential
housing types (e.g., low density, medium density, etc.). It is noted that the Master Plan
will undertake this assessment.
2.4 Municipality’s Capital Budget
The Municipality’s 2023 projected year-end balance in the Parkland Cash In Lieu
reserve fund is approximately $8 million. The 2024 capital budget does not identify any
capital expenditures to be funded from this reserve fund. As previously noted, the
More Homes Built Fast Act amendments to the Planning Act require that a minimum of
60% of the 2023 year-end parkland reserve fund balance is required to be spent or
allocated each year, therefore, the Municipality should identify capital projects each year
to allocate 60% of the reserve fund towards. It is also noted that Schedule 60 of the
2023 Financial Information Return (FIR), required annually by the Ministry of Municipal
Affairs and Housing, includes a new section which requires municipalities to indicate the
amount and percentage applied against the parkland special account’s opening balance
for the year. The Master Plan will assist the Municipality in developing a long-term
capital forecast which will identify future allocations of the Parkland reserve fund
balances.
3. Development Charges
The D.C.A., as amended, provides municipalities with the authority to recover growth-
related capital costs associated with development and redevelopment. The D.C.A. has
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been subject to a number of changes since 2016 which have provided additional
restrictions to municipalities to recover the costs associated with growth. These
changes are discussed further in section 3.1 herein. Parks and Recreation Services are
eligible for recovery through D.C.s, as is Library Services. The Municipality has a D.C.
by-law in place that is recovering costs associated with these services. The current
D.C. by-law was passed in January, 2021. Further discussion related to the specifics
within the by-law for the Municipality is contained in section 3.2.
3.1 Legislative Framework
As noted, the D.C.A. has undergone a number of refinements over the past few years.
The following diagram (Figure 3-1) provides a summary of the changes to the D.C.A.
that have taken place since 2016:
Figure 3-1
Summary of Changes to the Development Charges Act, 1997
The following provides changes to the D.C.A., that apply to specifically to Parks,
Recreation, and Library Services.
D.C.A.
1997
•September
1999 to
present
Amendments to D.C.A., 1997
1 Bill 73: January 1, 2016
2 Bill 108: June 6, 2019
3 Bill 138: December 10, 2019
4 Bill 197: July 21, 2020
5 Bill 213: December 8, 2020
6 Bill 109: March 29, 2022
7
Bill 97: June 8, 20238
Bill 23: November 28, 2022
9 Bill 134: December 4, 2023
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3.1.1 Changes to the D.C.A. - Bill 108: More Homes, More Choice Act
On May 2, 2019, the Province introduced Bill 108, which proposed changes to the
D.C.A. The Bill was introduced as part of the Province's “More Homes, More Choice:
Ontario's Housing Supply Action Plan.” The Bill received Royal Assent on June 6,
2019.
While having received Royal Assent, many of the amendments to the D.C.A. will not
come into effect until they are proclaimed by the Lieutenant Governor (many of these
changes were revised through Bill 197). At the time of writing, the following provisions
have been proclaimed:
• Effective January 1, 2020, rental housing and institutional developments will pay
D.C.s in six equal annual payments commencing at occupancy. Interest may be
charged on the instalments, and any unpaid amounts may be added to the
property and collected as taxes. As per Bill 23, non-profit housing developments
are now exempt from paying D.C.s; however, prior to Bill 23, and as a result of
Bill 108, non-profit housing developments paid D.C.s in 21 equal annual
payments.
• Effective January 1, 2020, the D.C. amount for all developments occurring within
two years of a Site Plan or Zoning By-law Amendment planning approval (for
applications submitted after this section is proclaimed), shall be determined
based on the D.C. in effect on the day of Site Plan or Zoning By-law Amendment
application, subject to applicable interest. If the development is not proceeding
via these planning approvals, then the amount is determined as of the date of
issuance of a building permit.
On February 28, 2020, the Province released updated draft regulations related to the
D.C.A. and the Planning Act. A summary of the changes that were to take effect upon
proclamation by the Lieutenant Governor is provided below.
Changes to Eligible Services – Prior to Bill 108, the D.C.A. provided a list of ineligible
services whereby municipalities could include growth-related costs for any service that
was not listed. With Bill 108, the changes to the D.C.A. would now specifically list the
services that are eligible for inclusion in the by-law. Furthermore, the initial list of
eligible services under Bill 108 was limited to "hard services," with "soft services" being
removed from the D.C.A. These services would be considered as part of a new
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community benefits charge (C.B.C.) (discussed below) imposed under the Planning Act.
As noted in the next section, this list of services has been amended through Bill 197.
Mandatory 10% Deduction - The amending legislation would have removed the
mandatory 10% deduction for all services that remain eligible under the D.C.A.
Remaining Services to be Included in a New C.B.C. Under the Planning Act - It
was proposed that a municipality may, by by-law, impose a C.B.C. against land to pay
for the capital costs of facilities, services and matters required because of development
or redevelopment in the area to which the by-law applies. The C.B.C. was proposed to
include formerly eligible D.C. services that are not included in the listing below, in
addition to parkland dedication and bonus zoning contributions.
3.1.2 Bill 138: Plan to Build Ontario Together Act, 2019
On November 6, 2019, the Province released Bill 138 which provided further
amendments to the D.C.A. and the Planning Act. This Bill received Royal Assent on
December 10, 2019, and was proclaimed, which resulted in sections related to the
D.C.A. (schedule 10) becoming effective on January 1, 2020. The amendments to the
D.C.A. included removal of instalment payments for commercial and industrial
developments that were originally included in Bill 108.
3.1.3 Bill 197: COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020
In response to the global pandemic that began affecting Ontario in early 2020, the
Province released Bill 197 which provided amendments to a number of Acts, including
the D.C.A. and the Planning Act. This Bill also revised some of the proposed changes
identified in Bill 108. Bill 197 was tabled on July 8, 2020, received Royal Assent on July
21, 2020, and was proclaimed on September 18, 2020. The following provides a
summary of the D.C. related changes (see sections 2.1 and 4.1 for changes related to
the Planning Act).
List of D.C. Eligible Services
• As noted above, under Bill 108 some services were to be included under the
D.C.A. and some would be included under the C.B.C. authority. Bill 197,
however, revised this proposed change and has included all services (with some
exceptions) under the D.C.A. These services are as follows (note that services
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pertaining to the Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan have been indicated
in bold text):
o Water supply services, including distribution and treatment services;
o Wastewater services, including sewers and treatment services;
o Storm water drainage and control services;
o Services related to a highway;
o Electrical power services;
o Toronto-York subway extension;
o Transit services;
o Waste diversion services;
o Policing services;
o Fire protection services;
o Ambulance services;
o Library services;
o Long-term care services;
o Parks and recreation services, but not the acquisition of land for
parks;
o Public health services;
o Child care and early years services
o Housing services (no longer eligible as per Bill 23);
o Provincial Offences Act services;
o Services related to emergency preparedness;
o Services related to airports, but only in the Regional Municipality of
Waterloo; and
o Additional services as prescribed (no additional services are currently
prescribed).
Mandatory 10% Deduction
As well, the removal of the mandatory 10% deduction for “soft services” amended under
Bill 108 was maintained.
3.1.4 Bill 23: More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022
On November 28, 2022, Bill 23 received Royal Assent. This Bill amends a number of
pieces of legislation including the Planning Act and the D.C.A. The following provides a
summary of the changes to the D.C.A. It is noted that, as of the time of writing, the
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Province has announced (on December 13, 2023) potential changes to the phased-in
requirements and the removal of studies as eligible capital costs. The details of these
changes are anticipated to be forthcoming in 2024 and Watson will monitor and advise
as to the nature of these changes.
• Additional residential unit exemptions for a second and/or third unit in existing
and new residential single detached, semi-detached, or rowhouse, building or
structure, including an ancillary building or structure (note there are restrictions
that apply as per the legislation);
• Additional residential unit exemption of the greater of one or 1% of the existing
residential units in rental residential buildings with four or more residential units
for;
• New statutory exemptions for Affordable Units, Attainable Unit, and Affordable
Inclusionary Zoning Units;
• Historical level of service calculation required to be undertaken in a D.C. Study
revised from the prior average over the 10-year period preceding the preparation
of the D.C. background study to the average over the 15-year period preceding
the preparation of the D.C. background study.
• Revised definition of Capital Costs eligible for recovery through D.C.s, which
removed studies;
• Mandatory Phase-in of D.C.s for new by-laws over a 5-year period (starting at
80% of the calculated charges and increasing by 5% annually until 100% of the
calculated charges are appliable in year 5);
• By-law Expiry revised to allow a by-law to be in place for a maximum of 10 years,
vs. the prior 5 year maximum;
• Exemption for Non-profit housing, including the removal of any instalment
payments that may have been previously required;
• Discount, ranging from 15% to 25%, for rental housing based on the number of
bedrooms in each unit;
• Prescribed maximum interest rate for instalments and determination of the D.C.
for eligible stie plan and zoning by-law amendment applications set at the
average prime rate plus 1%; and
• Requirement to spend or allocate at least 60% of D.C. funds received for water,
wastewater and services related to a highway. Other services may be prescribed
by regulation in the future.
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3.1.5 Bill 134: Affordable Homes and Good Jobs Act, 2023
As noted in section 3.1.4, the exemption for affordable residential units was included in
the More Homes Built Faster Act (Bill 23), which provided a definition of an “Affordable
Residential Unit.” While the legislation was enacted in November 2022, the ability for
municipalities to implement the exemptions required the Minister of Municipal Affairs
and Housing to publish an “Affordable Residential Units for the Purposes of the
Development Charges Act, 1997 Bulletin.” This bulletin would inform the average
market rent and purchase price to be used in determining which developments qualify
as affordable residential units. As of the time of writing, this bulletin had not been
published by the Minister.
Bill 134 received Royal Assent on December 4, 2023 and provides for a modification to
the affordable residential unit definition by:
• Introducing an income-based test for affordable rent and purchase price; and
• Increasing the threshold for the market test of affordable rent and purchase price.
This change provides the exemption based on the lesser of the two measures.
Moreover, the rules in subsection 4.1 of the D.C.A. are unchanged with respect to:
• The tenant and purchaser transacting the affordable unit being at arm’s length;
• The intent of maintaining the affordable residential unit definition for a 25-year
period, requiring an agreement with the municipality (which may be registered on
title); and
• Exemptions for attainable residential units and associated rules (requiring further
regulations).
For a summary of the legislative requirements that are in effect, including future
anticipated requirements that are anticipated upon proclamation of legislation, see
Appendix A-2.
3.2 Municipality’s Current Development Charges By-law
The Municipality’s 2020 D.C. Background Study, dated October 15, 2020, as amended
on November 3, 2020, along with By-Law 2021-010, passed January 18, 2021,
embraced the changes to the D.C.A. that had been in effect at that time, including the
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amendments set out in the Smart Growth for Our Communities Act, the More Homes,
More Choice Act, the Plan to Build Ontario Together Act, and the COVID—19 Economic
Recovery Act (Bills 73, 108, 138, and 197). Since the passage of this by-law, additional
amendments to the D.C.A. have occurred, as identified in Section 3.1 above. Many of
these amendments came in effect upon royal assent and/or proclamation of the Acts
and therefore, override the provisions of the Municipality’s by-law, where other
amendments are still awaiting regulations before they take effect.
By-Law 2021-010 recovers costs associated with the following services:
• Growth Studies (these capital costs are currently ineligible for inclusion in future
D.C. by-laws, however, may become eligible again as per a December 13, 2023
new release from the Province);
• Library Services;
• Fire Protection Services;
• Parks and Recreation Services; and
• Services Related to a Highway.
The D.C.s are deposited into reserve funds for each service and assist in funding both
outstanding growth-related debt and future incremental capital costs.
3.3 Municipality’s Capital Budget
The 2024 capital budget has identified capital needs of approximately $1.9 million
related to parks and recreation, with $100,000 being funded from D.C. revenues. For
Library Services, the 2024 capital budget has identified $390,060 of capital needs with
$255,060 planned to be funded through D.C.s. In addition, outstanding growth-related
debenture payments are also anticipated to be funded from D.C. revenues as indicated
through the reserve fund summary, as discussed further below. The 2024 reserve fund
summary indicates that the 2023 ending balances in D.C. reserve funds are as follows:
• Parks and Recreation Services: $3,297,849; and
• Library Services: $1,934,805 million.
The 2024 reserve fund summary also indicates D.C. funding towards capital and
outstanding debt of approximately $1.31 million related to parks and recreation services,
and approximately $333,600 related to library services. It is also noted that there are
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also projects currently underway based on prior year approvals that are anticipated to
be fully and/or partially funded from D.C.s in 2024. The 2025-2027 reserve fund
forecast summary indicates that additional expenditures for parks and recreation
services will require approximately $8.84 million in growth-related debt funding and for
library services, approximately $235,500 in growth-related debt funding. As the reserve
fund does not forecast the anticipated D.C. revenue, it is unclear if sufficient funds will
be available to meet the growth-related expenditures or if future growth-related debt will
be required for parks and recreation services. The Master Plan will provide the long-
term capital needs and identify the potential D.C. funding to assist emplacement of
infrastructure to service growth.
Regarding growth-related studies, as noted earlier, the continued recovery of costs
associated with growth-related studies for all D.C. eligible services, including parks and
recreation services and library services, will become ineligible with the passage of the
next D.C. by-law, unless the D.C. legislation is amended again to provide for studies as
an eligible cost. Growth-related study costs that are not eligible for recovery through
D.C.s can be considered for recovery through a C.B.C. by-law.
4. Community Benefits Charge
The Planning Act, as amended, provides municipalities with the authority to recover
growth-related capital costs associated with development and redevelopment through a
Community Benefits Charge (C.B.C.). Since the introduction of the C.B.C., this section
of the Planning Act has been subject to a number of amendments that have introduced
additional restrictions to municipalities to recover the costs associated with growth
through this funding tool. These changes are discussed further in section 4.1 herein.
Parks and Recreation Services are eligible for recovery through C.B.C.s, however, the
Municipality does not currently have a C.B.C. by-law in place.
4.1 Legislative Framework
The refinements that have taken place over the past few years to the Planning Act
included the amendment to s.37, related to C.B.C.s. Similar to some refinements
related to the D.C.A. and the sections of the Planning Act related to parkland dedication,
various pieces of recent legislation have amended the rules related to the imposition of
C.B.C.s.
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4.1.1 COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020 - Bill 197
The COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act (Bill 197) received Royal Assent on July 21,
2020. Schedule 17 of the Act amended the Planning Act with respect to the provisions
of community benefits. The amendments were proclaimed and came into effect on
September 18, 2020. Municipalities with agreements for community benefits, under the
prior s.37 rules, had two years after the date of proclamation (i.e., September 18, 2022)
to transition to the new rules under s.37 of the Planning Act. Eligible municipalities also
have the ability to impose a C.B.C. under this authority.
Single-tier and lower-tier municipalities may adopt a by-law to impose a C.B.C. against
land to pay for the capital costs of facilities, services, and matters required because of
development or redevelopment in the area to which the by-law applies. The capital
costs included in a C.B.C. may include:
• Land for parks or other public recreational purposes in excess of lands conveyed
or funded by PIL of conveyance under sections 42 and 51 of the Planning Act;
• Capital costs for services under subsection 2 (4) of the D.C.A. that are ineligible
for recovery under a D.C. by-law (e.g., a Performing Arts Centre); and
• Capital costs for municipal services eligible for inclusion in a D.C. by-law that are
not intended to be funded under the municipality’s D.C. by-law.
A C.B.C. may be imposed with respect to the services listed in section 2 (4) of the
D.C.A. (eligible services) “provided that the capital costs that are intended to be funded
by the community benefits charge are not capital costs that are intended to be funded
under a development charge by-law.”
There are restrictions on the application of the charges. A C.B.C. may be imposed only
with respect to development or redevelopment that requires:
• The passing of a zoning by-law or of an amendment to a zoning by-law under
section 34;
• The approval of a minor variance under section 45;
• A conveyance of land to which a by-law passed under subsection 50 (7) applies;
• The approval of a plan of subdivision under section 51;
• A consent under section 53;
• The approval of a description under section 9 of the Condominium Act, 1998; or
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• The issuing of a permit under the Building Code Act, 1992 in relation to a building
or structure.
As discussed later, the regulations limit the charge relative to the value of land at the
time of building permit issuance thus, imposing the charge at the time of development
requiring the issuance of a building permit would be prudent.
The Planning Act limits the imposition of the C.B.C. to certain types of development.
Under s.37 (3), a C.B.C. may not be imposed with respect to:
• Development or redevelopment of fewer than 10 residential units, and in respect
of buildings or structures with fewer than five storeys;
• A building or structure intended for use as a long-term care home;
• A building or structure intended for use as a retirement home;
• A building or structure intended for use by:
i. A publicly assisted university (within the meaning of section 1 of the
Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Act);
ii. A college or university federated or affiliated with universities described in
i. above; or
iii. An Indigenous Institute prescribed for the purposes of section 6 of the
Indigenous Institutes Act, 1997;
• A building or structure intended for use as a memorial home, clubhouse, or
athletic grounds by an Ontario branch of the Royal Canadian Legion;
• A building or structure intended for use as a hospice to provide end-of-life care;
or
• Not-for-profit housing.
The amount of the charge cannot exceed an amount equal to the prescribed percentage
of the value of the land on the date of building permit issuance. At present, the
prescribed value is set by regulation at 4% of land value. Moreover, if the landowner is
of the view that the amount of the C.B.C. exceeds the prescribed value, the landowner
may pay the charge under protest. In this circumstance there is an obligation of the
landowner and municipality to provide appraisals, and for the municipality to maintain a
registry of at least three land appraisers.
A municipality may allow the landowner to provide in-kind contributions towards the
facilities, services or matters in lieu of paying a C.B.C.
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Before adopting a C.B.C. by-law a municipality must prepare a C.B.C. Strategy that
identifies the facilities, services, and matters that will be funded with the charges. The
municipality must consult with such persons and public bodies as the municipality
considers appropriate while preparing the Strategy. Furthermore, Ontario Regulation
(O. Reg.) 509/20 specifies the methodology that must be followed in the Strategy. This
includes:
• An estimate of the anticipated amount, type, and location of development and
redevelopment with respect to which C.B.C.s will be imposed;
• Estimates of the increase in the need for facilities, services and matters
attributable to the anticipated development and redevelopment to which the
C.B.C. by-law would relate;
• For the facilities, services, and matters included above an identification of excess
capacity and estimates of the benefit to existing development;
• Estimates of the capital costs necessary to provide the facilities, services, and
matters; and
• Identification of any capital grants, subsidies and other contributions made to the
municipality or that the council of the municipality anticipates will be made in
respect of the capital costs.
Once a by-law is passed, the municipality must give notice of passage and the by-law
may be appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) within 40 days of by-law passage.
Revenue collected under a C.B.C. by-law must be maintained in a special account and
used for the purposes that the charge was imposed, and the municipality must report on
the activity of the special account annually.
4.1.2 More Homes for Everyone Act, 2022 - Bill 109
The More Homes for Everyone Act, 2022 (Bill 109) received Royal Assent on April 14,
2022. Schedule 5 of the Act amended the Planning Act with respect to C.B.C. by-laws.
New subsections 37 (54) to (59) require that Council must pass a resolution on whether
a revision to the C.B.C. by-law is needed at least every five years from the date the by-
law was first passed.
The municipality must review the by-law and determine whether there is need for a
revision and requires that municipalities shall consult with such persons and public
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bodies as appropriate. The municipality must give notice of the passing of the
resolution within 20 days on the website of the municipality.
If Council does not pass a resolution within the five years, the by-law is deemed to
expire.
4.1.3 More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 - Bill 23
The Province introduced the More Homes Built Faster Act (Bill 23) with the overall
objective to increase housing supply and provide attainable housing options. The
Province’s plan is to address the housing crisis by targeting the creation of 1.5 million
homes over a period to 2031. To implement this plan, the Act introduced several
changes to the Planning Act, along with nine other Acts including the D.C.A. and the
Conservation Authorities Act, which seek to increase the supply of housing.
The More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 received Royal Assent on November 28, 2022.
Schedule 9 of the Act amended the Planning Act with respect to C.B.C. by-laws as
follows:
• Subsection 37 (7.1) allows a municipality to enter into an agreement with a
landowner for the provision of in-kind contributions. It also allows for this
agreement to be registered on title of the land to which the charge applies (s.s.37
(7.2)).
• Subsections 37 (32), as amended, clarifies the application of the maximum
prescribed percentage of the value of land for redevelopment. Where
development or redevelopment is occurring on a parcel of land with an existing
building or structure, the maximum C.B.C. that could be imposed is to be
calculated based on the incremental development only.
• Subsection 37 (32.1) exempts affordable residential units, attainable residential
units, inclusionary zoning residential units, and non-profit housing developments
from the payment of a C.B.C. The current definitions for these development
types are in reference to the D.C.A.
It is noted that the value of an in-kind contribution accepted from a developing
landowner, would be deducted from the total C.B.C. payable, therefore, reducing the
C.B.C. revenue available to fund the capital infrastructure needs identified within a
C.B.C. Strategy.
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4.1.4 Affordable Homes and Good Jobs Act, 2023 - Bill 134
The Ontario Legislature introduced new legislation through Bill 134, the Affordable
Homes and Good Jobs Act which received royal assent on December 4, 2023. The
legislation, once proclaimed, will impact the Planning Act, amending the definition of an
“affordable residential unit” for the purpose of exempting such developments from the
payment of C.B.C.s (and parkland dedication). Under the legislation, the definition is
modified to introduce an income-based test for affordable rent and purchase price; and
increase the threshold for the market test of affordable rent and purchase price (as
indicated in sections 2.1 and 3.1.6 herein). The change in definition continues to
require the bulletin to determine which units will be considered affordable.
For a summary of the legislative requirements that are in effect, including future
anticipated requirements that are anticipated upon proclamation of legislation, see
Appendix A-3.
4.2 Municipality’s Current Official Plan
The Municipality’s O.P. includes policies related to trails and major recreational uses,
and supports the provision of arts, culture, and heritage programs, events, and facilities
in private and public developments.
The O.P. currently provides that, in accordance with the Planning Act, within designated
Village or Urban Centres, Council may in a Zoning By-law authorize increases in the
height and/or density of development for a site specific development proposal beyond
that permitted in the Zoning By-law, in return for the provision of such facilities, services,
or matters that include a significant public benefit in accordance with the Community
Benefits section of the implementing Zoning By-law. These provisions of the O.P. are
based on the prior s. 37 provisions for Community Benefits and does not embrace the
revised provisions of s. 37 related to C.B.C.s.
Currently the Community Benefits are noted as being related to:
• Increases in height and/or density may be considered in order to obtain the
following community benefits:
a) The preservation of cultural heritage resources;
b) The provision of major cultural or arts facilities;
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c) The provision of public squares, arcades, and walkways within the
development otherwise not required by the policies of this Plan that have
functional benefits;
d) The provision of assisted or special needs housing;
e) The provision of daycare facilities;
f) The provision of community facilities; and
g) Any other public benefit deemed suitable by the Municipality.
The O.P. also currently provides that the Municipality may also consider a Community
Benefits by-law outside of Centres for the protection of cultural heritage resources
and/or natural features beyond the parkland dedication requirements of the Planning
Act, in accordance with the Community Benefits section of the implementing Zoning By-
law.
Further, the O.P. currently provides that the use of Community Benefits zoning shall be
carefully controlled, and shall only be undertaken after a thorough site-specific
Community Benefits study that shall assess the extent of the permitted height and/or
density bonuses that shall be established based on:
a) The proposed development’s compatibility with existing adjacent
development;
b) The extent to which the proposed development is consistent with the stated
goals and objectives of the Municipality;
c) Conformity to the general intent of the relevant land use designation of this
Plan; and
d) The adequacy and impact of infrastructure and community services.
Additionally, the O.P. provides that when considering Community Benefits, and allowing
the provisions of benefits off-site, the positive impacts of the exchange should benefit
the surrounding areas experiencing the increased height and/or density. Further, the
Community Benefits Zoning By-law shall set out areas where the height and/or density
of development would be permitted to increase, as well as the extent of the height
and/or density bonus. As a condition of the Community Benefits Zoning By-law, the
Municipality will require the proponent to enter into one or more agreements registered
against the lands to which it applies, and Implementation dealing with the provision and
timing of facilities, services or matters that are to be provided, and the height and/or
density bonus to be given.
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As part of the changes to the Planning Act, site specific community benefits agreements
have now been replaced by the revised C.B.C. legislation as noted above. Therefore,
the Municipality is no longer able to enter into agreements under the prior provisions of
S. 37 of the Planning Act, as provided in the O.P.
4.3 Municipality’s Current Community Benefits
Provisions/By-law
Currently the Municipality does not have a Community Benefits By-law. With the
changes to s. 37 of the Planning Act, the Municipality can no longer impose Community
Benefits under the prior provisions and as set out in the current Official Plan. The
Municipality must undertake a C.B.C. strategy, public consultation process, and pass a
by-law under the amended section of the Act, if they wish to recover growth-related
costs through this tool. The growth-related costs that can be recovered through a
C.B.C. by-law include, but is not limited to, growth-related costs that are not being
recovered through the parkland provisions of the Planning Act and/or the provisions of
the D.C.A.
It is our understanding that the Municipality is currently considering whether or not to
undertake a C.B.C. strategy. The Master Plan will assist in determining if it would be
beneficial to undertake a C.B.C. as it relates to Parks, Recreation, and Cultural growth
needs and provide insight into capital projects that could be considered in the strategy.
However, it is noted that the Municipality may have growth-related priorities related to
non-parks, recreation and/or cultural services that they would prefer to use C.B.C.
revenues towards.
Further, an updated policy framework will be included in the Master Plan to provide
recommendations for updates to the Official Plan for alignment with the current
legislation.
4.4 Municipality’s Capital Budget
As the Municipality does not currently have a C.B.C. by-law in place under the new
rules of the Planning Act, the current capital budget and forecast has not embraced
C.B.C. funding as a revenue source. However, there are a number of projects that
could be considered through a C.B.C. Strategy. Currently the Municipality’s 2024
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budget indicates there are capital needs related to museums, in the amount of
$115,655. These capital projects could be considered as part of a C.B.C. Strategy,
where they related to growth. The Master Plan will also identify future capital needs for
parks, recreation, and culture along with the potential for consideration of funding
through C.B.C. Strategy.
5. Other Funding Tools
5.1 User Fees
User fees related to parks, recreation, and cultural services, among other services
provided by municipalities, are governed by the Municipal Act, 2001. Specifically, Part
XII of the Municipal Act provides municipalities and local boards with broad powers to
impose fees and charges through the passage of a by-law. These powers, as
presented in s.391 (1), include imposing fees or charges:
• “for services or activities provided or done by or on behalf of it;
• for costs payable by it for services or activities provided or done by or on behalf
of any other municipality or any local board; and
• for the use of its property including property under its control.”
This section of the Municipal Act provides municipalities with a source of funding for
operating and programing costs for parks, recreation, and culture. The costs included in
a fee or charge may include costs incurred by the municipality or local board related to
administration, enforcement, and the establishment, acquisition, and replacement of
capital assets. Further, a fee or charge imposed for capital costs related to services or
activities may be imposed on persons not receiving an immediate benefit from the
services or activities but who will receive a benefit at some point in time.
In contrast to cost justification requirements under other legislation, the Municipal Act
does not impose explicit requirements for cost justification when establishing fees for
municipal services. In setting fees and charges for these services, however,
municipalities should have regard for legal precedents and the reasonableness of fees
and charges. The statute does not provide for appeal of fees and charges to the OLT;
however, fees and charges may be appealed to the courts if municipalities are acting
outside their statutory authority. Furthermore, no public process or mandatory term for
fees and charges by-laws is required under the Municipal Act. There is, however, a
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requirement that municipal procedural by-laws provide for transparency with respect to
the imposition of fees and charges.
It should be noted that in applying Section 391 of the Municipal Act for the recovery of
capital costs a municipality must have regard for the associated regulation, O. Reg.
584/06. Section 2(1) of the regulation indicates that a fee under the Act cannot be
imposed to recover capital costs that are also included in a development charge or
front-ending agreement which is in effect before the composition of the fee. This clause
is provided to avoid a duplication of fees and charges for the same works. As the costs
being considered parks and recreation fees are predominantly for operating costs, and
capital-related costs related to replacement capital needs which are ineligible for
funding under the D.C.A., no duplication in cost recovery currently exists.
It is noted that the scope of the Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan does not
include a review or update to the Municipality’s user fees. A user fee review is not
typically undertaken as part of a Master Plan. Often, the best time to undertake a user
fee review is when new programs are being made available and/or when new facilities
and services are being offered. Many municipalities undertake user fees on a cyclical
basis (e.g., once every 5 years). The Municipality should determine the best time to
undertake an update to their user fees through a separate undertaking based on their
specific needs.
5.2 Fundraising, Donations, and/or Benevolent Funds
Fundraising, donations, and/or benevolent funds are often utilized by municipalities that
are planning new, expansion, and/or upgrades to parks, recreation and/or culture
services. Fundraising efforts are often organized by community groups that are
advocate for specific things such as arts and other cultural amenities and/or awareness
in their communities. As well, there are often personal or corporate donations or
benevolent fund received towards parks, recreation and/or cultural services, These
could include naming rights for a specific recreation or cultural facility or room in a
facility, amenities such as park benches or play equipment in honour of a family
member, beautification of parks, etc. The receipt of funding such as this could be used
for capital related expenditures and/or ongoing maintenance costs.
Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. PAGE 27
Funding Discussion Paper -Feb 29, 2023
5.3 Grants and Subsides
Grants and Subsidies often become available through Provincial and/or Federal
programs that related to parks, recreation, and/or cultural services. These grants and
subsidies can relate to operating and/or capital costs. However, often to access capital
related funding, capital projects must be “shovel ready” and are allocated on a case-by-
case basis. It is noted that to be “shovel ready” often requires detailed design to be
complete, land to be available, etc. Further, what is considered as “shovel ready” may
differ for the various funding programs available. Hence, the Master Plan does not
provide the Municipality with “shovel ready” projects, but will assist the Municipality in
identifying the timing of capital needs which would assist in forecasting when land
should be secured, detailed design should be undertaken, and construction could
commence.
Recently programs available to municipalities include, but are not limited to, the
following:
• The Energizing Life Community Fund through Hydro One, in support of projects
that focus on the physical, psychological, and emotional safety of Ontarians, to
build safer and more resilient communities. This program is in its fourth year and
is available to Indigenous communities, charitable organizations, and
municipalities seeking funding to support programming for Ontario communities;
• The Documentary Heritage Program through Library and Archives Canada, that
provides funding to assist in ensuring that Canada’s living memory is
documented and preserved;
• The Experience Ontario Program, through the Province on Ontario, that supports
in-person festivals and events in the province which promote tourism, provides
jobs in the tourism, culture, and entertainment sectors;
• The Commemorating the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation Program, that
assists in funding initiatives related to the increase in awareness and
commemoration of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September
30th;
• The Canada Cultural Spaces Fund (CCSF), through Canadian Heritage, that
supports the improvement of physical conditions of arts, heritage, culture, and
creative innovation through renovation and construction projects; and
Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. PAGE 28
Funding Discussion Paper -Feb 29, 2023
• The Green Municipal Fund, that supports municipalities demonstrating innovative
solutions or approaches related to environmental issues.
As noted, there are various grant and subsidy opportunities that become available to
municipalities that may assist in providing funding for parks, recreation and/or cultural
projects or initiatives.
5.4 Property Taxes
Property Taxes continue to be a source of revenue for both capital and operating
expenditures related to parks, recreation, and culture services, as other funding tools do
not provide full cost recovery for the Municipality.
6. Considerations for Parks, Recreation, and
Culture Master Plan
The preceding, summarized the legislation and municipal funding practice for parks,
recreation, and culture services. These practices include Parkland Conveyance, D.C.s,
C.B.C.s, User Fees, etc. The Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan will provide
the Municipality with the standards at which these services should be provided to the
Municipality’s residents and employment communities. These standards will assist the
Municipality in determining what capital costs will be required for growth, which will
assist with undertaking future D.C., C.B.C. and Parkland studies. The following
considerations with respect to each are provided to inform the Municipality through the
master planning process.
The completion of the Master Plan will identify the needs for parkland in the
Municipality, thus meeting the “Parks Plan” requirement of the Planning Act, which
allows the Municipality to pass a parkland by-law. Subsequently, a revised Parkland
and Open Space Dedication by-law should be considered to allow the Municipality to
impose the alternative parkland rate against residential development, where it
maximizes the parkland conveyed and/or PIL revenue, to the extent allowable under the
Planning Act.
Further, the Municipality’s current D.C. by-law 2021-010, that recovers costs for parks
and recreation services, as well as and library services, will expire on January 19, 2026.
Changes to the D.C.A. will require updates related to mandatory exemptions, phase-ins,
Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. PAGE 29
Funding Discussion Paper -Feb 29, 2023
discounts, etc., as well as to remove growth-studies as an eligible capital costs (unless,
as noted, the legislation is revised to allow for growth-studies to be eligible again).
Based on the findings of future capital needs identified through the master planning
process, the Municipality should consider if an update to the D.C. by-law should be
undertaken to embrace additional capital costs.
Additionally, the Municipality should consider undertaking a C.B.C. Strategy for
additional recovery of growth-related costs. The C.B.C. may include costs associated
with those that are not recoverable under the Parkland provisions of the Planning Act
and/or through D.C.s due to limitations that may be identified through the D.C.
calculations and/or growth-related studies related to these services. As the D.C.A.
does not permit recovery of growth-related costs for Arts and Culture services, other
than Library Services, the C.B.C. strategy can include such costs.
As noted above, the Master Plan does not include a review or update of the
Municipality’s user fees related to parks, recreation, or cultural services. However,
based on the findings of the Master Plan, the Municipality may wish to undertake a new
and/or updated user fee study to embrace additional costs that are identified, following
the completion of the Master Plan.
Regarding fundraising, donations, and/or Benevolent Funds, the Municipality may wish
to encourage fundraising efforts from parks, recreation and/or cultural interest groups,
and work with municipal partners, where possible, to enhance these types of funding
opportunities.
Moreover, the Master Plan will provide a strategy for the Municipality to assist in
managing the capital and operation costs associated with implementing the plan. The
Master Plan will identify for capital needs, and a funding framework which indicates the
eligibility considerations for recovery through D.C.s, Community Benefits Charges,
and/or PIL of Parkland Conveyance funds. Therefore, the Master Plan will provide
budgets, recommendations for financial strategies, and staffing plans for
implementation.
Furthermore, the Municipality is encouraged to apply for funding through grant and/or
subsidy programs that are available to municipalities to generate additional funding for
parks, recreation, and/or cultural services, and reduce the need for funding through
other municipal funding tools.
Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. PAGE 30
Funding Discussion Paper -Feb 29, 2023
Finally, the Municipality will be required to fund operating and capital expenditures for
parks, recreation, and cultural services from property taxes, however, to reduce the
need for tax funding, the Municipality is encouraged to explore other funding sources,
as noted above, to the extent possible.
Appendix A
Summary of Legislation
Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. PAGE A-1
Funding Discussion Paper -Feb 29, 2023
Appendix A-1
Summary of Legislation Related to Parkland
Funding
Tool Legislation Item Legislative Rules Effective at
Jan 1, 2024
Parkland Planning Act Conveyance of
Parkland
2% of land for Commercial and Industrial
purposes.
5% for all other purposes (e.g., Residential, and
Institutional)
Yes
Parkland Planning Act Conveyance of
Parkland
Alternative Rate to 5% for Residential:
1 hectare per 300 dwelling units No
Parkland Planning Act Conveyance of
Parkland
Alternative Rate to 5% for Residential:
1 hectare per 600 dwelling units Yes
Parkland Planning Act
Payment in Lieu of
Conveyance of
Parkland
1 hectare per 500 dwelling units No
Parkland Planning Act
Payment in Lieu of
Conveyance of
Parkland
1 hectare per 1,000 dwelling units or lesser if
specified in a parkland by-law Yes
Parkland Planning Act Residential
Exemptions
Affordable Housing
Attainable Housing
Affordable Housing in Inclusionary Zoning By-
law Areas
No
(Awaiting
Proclamation)
Parkland Planning Act Residential
Exemptions Non-Profit Housing Yes
Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. PAGE 2
Funding Discussion Paper -Feb 29, 2023
Funding
Tool Legislation Item Legislative Rules Effective at
Jan 1, 2024
Parkland Planning Act Parkland Capping
The amount required to be conveyed or
required as a payment in lieu of conveyance
shall not exceed:
10% of land or value of land where the land in
the subdivision is five hectares or less; or
15% of land or value of land where the land in
the subdivision in greater than five hectares
Yes
Parkland Planning Act Allocation of Special
Parkland Account 60% of Opening Balance, Annually Yes
Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. PAGE 3
Funding Discussion Paper -Feb 29, 2023
Appendix A-2
Summary of Legislation Related to Development Charges
Funding
Tool Legislation Item Legislative Rules Effective at
Jan 1, 2024
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Instalment Payments Commercial & Industrial:
Six equal payment commencing at occupancy
+ interest at prescribed rate No
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Instalment Payments Intuitional Development:
Six equal payment commencing at occupancy
+ interest at prescribed rate Yes
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Instalment Payments Rental Housing Development:
Six equal payment commencing at occupancy
+ interest at prescribed rate Yes
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Instalment Payments Non-Profit Housing Development:
Twenty-One equal payment commencing at
occupancy + interest at prescribed rate
No
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Rate Freeze as of
January 1, 2020
Developments occurring within 2 years of a
Site Plan or Zoning By-Law Amendment
Planning Approval pay D.C. rate in effect at
time of application + interest at prescribed rate
Yes
Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. PAGE 4
Funding Discussion Paper -Feb 29, 2023
Funding
Tool Legislation Item Legislative Rules Effective at
Jan 1, 2024
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Rate Freeze Prior to
January 1, 2020
Developments occurring within 2 years of a
Site Plan or Zoning By-Law Amendment
Planning Approval pay D.C. rate in effect at
time of application
No
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Prescribed Interest
Rate
For Instalment Payments & Rate Freeze:
Average Prime Rate + 1%
Yes
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Eligible Services Limited to 20 Services, including Parks and
Recreation, and Library Services
Yes
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Additional
Residential Unit
Exemption to
Existing Single
Detached Unit
Up to two (2) additional units exempt if size of
additional unit(s) does not exceed size of
existing unit
Yes
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Additional
Residential Unit
Exemption to
Existing Semi-
Detached or Row
Dwellings
Up to one (1) additional unit exempt if size of
additional unit does not exceed size of existing
unit
Yes
Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. PAGE 5
Funding Discussion Paper -Feb 29, 2023
Funding
Tool Legislation Item Legislative Rules Effective at
Jan 1, 2024
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Additional
Residential Unit
Exemption to
Existing Rental
Residential Buildings
Greater of one (1) or 1% of the existing number
of units in the building
Yes
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Additional
Residential Unit
Exemption to Other
Existing Residential
Buildings
Up to one (1) additional unit exempt if size of
additional unit does not exceed size of existing
unit
Yes
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Additional
Residential Unit
Exemption to New
Proposed Detached
Unit
One (1) additional unit exempt if the new
residential building is not attached to other
building and where the second (additional) unit
has the same gross floor area or less than the
first unit.
Yes
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Additional
Residential Unit
Exemption to New
Proposed Semi-
Detached or Row
Dwellings
One (1) additional unit exempt where the new
dwelling only contains two dwelling units and
where the new dwelling must be located on a
parcel of land with no other dwelling on it.
Yes
Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. PAGE 6
Funding Discussion Paper -Feb 29, 2023
Funding
Tool Legislation Item Legislative Rules Effective at
Jan 1, 2024
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Additional
Residential Unit
Exemption for
Ancillary Units
When Ancillary to proposed new detached,
semi-detached, or row dwelling (all of which
only contain one unit):
One (1) ancillary unit is exempt where the
gross floor area of the ancillary unit is equal to
or less than the new detached, semi-detached,
or row dwelling
Yes
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Residential
Exemptions
Affordable Housing
Attainable Housing
Affordable Housing in Inclusionary Zoning By-
law Areas
No
(Awaiting
Proclamation)
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Residential
Exemptions Non-Profit Housing Development Yes
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Non-Residential
Exemptions
Up to 50% enlargement to an Existing
Industrial Building
Yes
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Phase-in of Charges
Under New By-law
Five (5) Year Phase-in:
80% of Charge in Year 1 of by-law
85% of Charge in Year 2 of by-law
90% of Charge in Year 3 of by-law
95% of Charge in Year 4 of by-law
100% of Charge in Years 5-10 of by-law
Yes
Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. PAGE 7
Funding Discussion Paper -Feb 29, 2023
Funding
Tool Legislation Item Legislative Rules Effective at
Jan 1, 2024
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Eligible Capital Cost Growth Studies in Current By-law Yes
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Eligible Capital Cost Growth Studies in New By-law No
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
By-law Expiry in New
By-law Maximum 10 Years Yes
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
By-law Expiry in New
By-law Maximum 5 Years No
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Rental Housing
Discount
Rental Housing Developments with four (4) or
more units where all units are rental,
discounted by:
25% for units with 3 or more bedrooms
20% for units with 2 bedrooms
15% for units with 1 bedroom or less
Yes
Development
Charges
Development
Charges Act
Allocation of Reserve
Fund Balance
For Water, Wastewater, and Services Related
to a Highway:
60% of Opening Reserve Fund Balance,
Annually
Yes
Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. PAGE 8
Funding Discussion Paper -Feb 29, 2023
Appendix A-3
Summary of Legislation Related to Community Benefits Charge
Funding
Tool Legislation Item Legislative Rules Effective at
Jan 1, 2024
Community
Benefits
Planning Act Eligible Services Bonus Zoning for Increased height and/or
Density of development for a site-specific
development proposed beyond that permitted
in the Zoning By-law
No
Community
Benefits
Planning Act Eligible Services All facilities, services and matters required due
to growth including:
- Land for parks or other recreational purposes
in excess of the Planning Act provisions
identified in sections 42 & 51;
- Capital costs for services ineligible for
recovery under the Development Charges Act;
- Capital costs for services eligible for recovery
under the Development Charges Act, that are
not being funded through Development
Charges
Yes
Community
Benefits
Planning Act Residential
Exemptions
Long-term Care Home;
Retirement Home;
Hospice or building used to provide end-of-life
care.
Yes
Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. PAGE 9
Funding Discussion Paper -Feb 29, 2023
Funding
Tool Legislation Item Legislative Rules Effective at
Jan 1, 2024
Community
Benefits
Planning Act Residential
Exemptions Affordable Housing & Attainable Housing
No
(Awaiting
Proclamation)
Community
Benefits
Planning Act Non-Residential
Exemptions
Publicly assisted university (as per the Ministry
of Training, Colleges, and Universities Act);
College or university federated or affiliated with
universities described as a publicly assisted
university;
An indigenous institute prescribed for purposes
of section 6 of the Indigenous Institutes Act;
and
A memorial home, clubhouse, or athletic
grounds used by an Ontario branch of the
Royal Canadian Legion
Yes
Community
Benefits
Planning Act Maximum Charge 4% of land value, valued on the day before
building permit issuance Yes
Community
Benefits
Planning Act In-Kind Contributions May be accepted towards the Community
Benefits Charge where accepted and valued by
Council
Yes
Community
Benefits
Planning Act By-law Expiry in New
By-law
Maximum 5 Years Yes
Municipality of Clarington
Phase 2 Community Engagement Summary Report
Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
March 2024
Attachment 4 to
PDS-011-24
Municipality of Clarington Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
Phase 2 Community Engagement Summary Report
i
Table of Contents
1. Community Engagement Strategy ........................................................................ 1
2. Public Open Houses ............................................................................................... 4
2.1 Enhancing Indoor Recreation Facilities .............................................................. 4
2.2 Enhancing Parks, Trails, and Outdoor Recreation Facilities .............................. 4
2.3 Enhancing Cultural Facilities, Libraries and Museums ....................................... 5
2.4 Enhancing Programs and Services .................................................................... 5
3. Community Survey ................................................................................................. 6
3.1 Survey Respondent Profile................................................................................. 6
3.2 Participation in Parks, Recreation and Culture Activities .................................... 6
3.3 Requests for Parks, Recreation and Culture Activities ....................................... 8
3.4 Participation Barriers .......................................................................................... 8
3.5 Use of Clarington Library, Museum and Archives .............................................. 9
3.6 Importance and Satisfaction Levels ................................................................. 12
3.7 Support for Additional Spending....................................................................... 13
3.8 Level of Agreement on Parks, Recreation and Culture Statements ................. 15
3.9 Other Survey Comments .................................................................................. 15
4. Stakeholder Focus Groups .................................................................................. 16
4.1 Arts and Cultural Groups .................................................................................. 16
4.2 Baseball and Slo-Pitch Groups ........................................................................ 17
4.3 Bowmanville Older Adult Association ............................................................... 18
4.4 Conservation Authorities .................................................................................. 19
4.5 Durham Region ................................................................................................ 19
4.6 Firehouse Youth Centre ................................................................................... 21
4.7 Indoor and Outdoor Sports and Recreation Groups ......................................... 21
4.8 Indoor Sports and Recreation Groups .............................................................. 22
4.9 Parks Organizations ......................................................................................... 23
4.10 School Boards .................................................................................................. 24
5. Advisory Committee Meetings ............................................................................ 24
5.1 Accessibility Advisory Committee ..................................................................... 24
5.2 Active Transportation and Safe Roads Committee .......................................... 26
5.3 Agricultural Advisory Committee ...................................................................... 26
5.4 Community Hall Boards ................................................................................... 27
5.5 Diversity Advisory Committee .......................................................................... 28
5.6 Heritage Advisory Committee........................................................................... 29
5.7 Clarington Library, Museum and Archives Board ............................................. 29
Municipality of Clarington Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
Phase 2 Community Engagement Summary Report
ii
5.8 Samuel Wilmot Nature Area Management Advisory Committee ...................... 30
6. Staff Workshops ................................................................................................... 31
7. Council Interviews ................................................................................................ 35
8. Next Steps ............................................................................................................. 36
Limitations
This Phase 2 Community Engagement Summary Report was prepared by Monteith
Brown Planning Consultants Ltd. and Tucker-Reid & Associates (herein referred to as
“the Consulting Team”) for the account of the Municipality of Clarington. The material in
this report reflects the Consulting Team’s best judgment in light of the information
available to it at the time of preparation. Any use which a third party makes of this
report, or any reliance on or decisions to be made based on it, are the responsibility of
such third parties. The Consulting Team accepts no responsibility for damages, if any,
suffered by a third party as a result of decisions made or actions based on this report.
Municipality of Clarington Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
Phase 2 Community Engagement Summary Report
1
Community engagement is critical to the success of the Parks, Recreation and Culture
Master Plan (Master Plan). The perspectives of residents, stakeholders, and
Municipality staff and Council are important elements in the development of strategies
to address current and future needs. This document provides an overview of community
input received through the planning process to date. The Municipality has reached out
to Indigenous Peoples to provide input on the development of the Master Plan. The
invitation to provide input will remain open throughout the planning process and the
Municipality will continue to share information about the project as it becomes available.
Additional consultation sessions will be held once the draft Master Plan has been
developed to test preliminary directions and receive feedback prior to finalization.
Additional staff interviews and engagement sessions may also need to be made to
support the Organizational Structure and Staffing Review, which is being undertaken as
a concurrent process.
The information and suggestions presented throughout this report should not be
interpreted as recommendations. Community input has not been altered even in
instances where comments incorrectly reflect the Municipality of Clarington’s or
Clarington Library, Museum and Archives (CLMA) actual policies, practices, or
level of provision. Some facility needs suggested by the community may already
be addressed through the future South Bowmanville Recreation Centre.
It should also be recognized that the requests and suggestions expressed by
residents, stakeholders and staff may not result in recommendations. The
comments collected from these community engagement sessions will be
considered with other inputs, including local demographics, population
projections, trends, current inventory, and usage data as part of the analysis that
will be undertaken in the next phase to identify community needs.
1. Community Engagement Strategy
A Community Engagement Strategy was created that outlined the consultation activities
planned to collect input from residents, stakeholders, Municipality and CLMA staff,
Council, and other representatives to make their voices heard.
A project webpage was created on Clarington Connected and the Master Plan was
promoted through a Council Briefing Note, radio interviews and commercials (including
Spotify advertisements), media press release, posters and pop-up banners, bookmark
handouts, calendar event listings, digital signage promotion, print advertisements,
including in the Clarington Connected newsletter that was mailed to all residents in the
Municipality, word of mouth, a robust social media campaign, and more.
Municipality of Clarington Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
Phase 2 Community Engagement Summary Report
2
The following consultation activities were held. Each technique has been proven to be
an effective, accessible, and efficient method of communication and deliberation.
Additional public consultation will be held once the draft Master Plan is available for
public review and feedback.
• Public Open Houses (4 in-person and 1 online, with approximately 200 direct
engagements with individuals)
• Community Survey (3,203 survey submissions)
• Stakeholder Focus Groups (10 sessions, 31 groups)
• Advisory Committee and Board Meetings (6 advisory committees and 2 boards)
• Staff Workshops (2 workshops, 55 staff)
• Council Interviews (Mayor and 6 Councillors)
• Written Submissions (6 received as of February 2024)
Common themes heard through the consultation activities are highlighted below in no
particular order:
• Clarington’s parks, recreation and culture system is viewed as a strength of the
community that attracts new residents, visitors and economic development to the
Municipality and it should continue to be a high priority.
• Access to parks and open spaces is important and there are opportunities to
strengthen connections with nature through the development of Camp 30 and the
Bowmanville Zoo. Connecting these lands with the Municipality’s broader parks
and trails system, including to the rural area, valleylands and waterfront, also
needs to be considered. Creating a looped trail around Bowmanville, known as
the “circle of green” was expressed.
• The Municipality’s waterfront is highly valued by the community and there is
potential for enhancement to encourage greater use such as passive recreation
opportunities, including trails and outdoor spaces for special events and
performing arts, and more.
• Emphasis should be placed on maximizing the use of existing parks, recreation,
and cultural facilities, which may require consideration for park or facility renewal
or enhancement.
• As population growth occurs, there is a need to ensure that Clarington’s parks,
recreation, and culture system expands to respond to community needs and
public expectations. This will also result in staffing and financial needs, as well as
municipal support for community organizations, service providers, and
community facility operators to ensure they are successful such as direct funding,
pursuit of grants, volunteerism, promotion, and awareness and more.
Municipality of Clarington Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
Phase 2 Community Engagement Summary Report
3
• The community is proud of all the services and resources that the CLMA
provides such as the food pantry, borrowing library, and social services. There is
support for updating the Bowmanville branch to better respond to trends such as
the demand for study rooms and makerspaces. Library services to serve the rural
area of the Municipality was also suggested, and consideration should be given
to incorporating library spaces as part of multi-use community centres, such as
what is currently offered at the Courtice Community Complex. Enhanced library
services in the rural area were suggested, including establishing a bookmobile.
• There is a desire for the Municipality to offer more popular recreation activities at
convenient times that work for families to ensure that everyone has an
opportunity to participate in registered programs.
• There is a strong desire for casual, unstructured activities for residents of all
ages.
• Requests were made for more facilities including, but not limited to, indoor pools
and ice pads, indoor artificial turf fields, pickleball courts, cricket pitches,
gymnasiums, youth drop-in space in the rural area, off-leash dog parks, squash
courts, outdoor fitness equipment, program and sensory rooms, indoor walking
tracks, performing arts space, and more.
• Parks, recreation, and culture facilities, programs, and services should be
accessible to persons with disabilities and inclusive of all residents, regardless of
age, ability, income, background, and orientation.
• Clarington’s natural heritage spaces and local history is an important part of the
Municipality’s identity and their protection and preservation need to be
considered. Promoting their enjoyment is encouraged, although it should be done
in a manner that minimizes negative impacts on the environment.
Municipality of Clarington Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan
Phase 2 Community Engagement Summary Report
4
2. Public Open Houses
Public open houses were held in November and
December 2023, including four in-person
sessions in Courtice, Bowmanville, Newcastle
and Orono, as well as a virtual session for
residents who were unable to attend the in-
person sessions. In total, there were
approximately 200 direct engagements with
individuals. Each in-person session was
scheduled over a two-hour period, but in most
cases, the timing of open houses was extended
due to the volume or interest.
The purpose of the sessions was to raise
awareness about the Master Plan and
encourage residents to get involved in the
planning process by completing the community
survey. Residents were also invited to provide
their initial input on how we can enhance parks,
recreation, and culture in Clarington. Through
the consultation process, written input was also
received. This section highlights key themes
from the comments received through the open
houses and written input.
2.1 Enhancing Indoor Recreation Facilities
Residents expressed the desire to enhance Clarington’s existing facilities such as
improving and updating washrooms, showers, and larger family change rooms, and
ensuring that audio and visual equipment in the Municipality’s facilities are functioning.
Renovating the Orono and Newcastle Arenas was also suggested. Requests for new or
more indoor recreation facilities was also identified, including indoor pickleball courts,
indoor pool, indoor walking track, squash courts, indoor artificial turf fields, arenas (a
comment opposed to more arenas was also received), multi-purpose program space,
fitness centre and studio space, and squash courts. A suggestion was made to create
community hubs that centralize a variety of civic amenities and services at one location.
2.2 Enhancing Parks, Trails, and Outdoor Recreation Facilities
Suggestions to enhance Clarington’s parks and trails were identified, including winter
trail maintenance (although the use of salt should be avoided), invasive species
management in parks and valleylands, and developing the Bowmanville Zoo lands.
There is a desire for more trails, with specific requests for more connections in the north
end of Courtice, as well as strengthening north to south connections to draw residents
to the waterfront; ensuring that there are continuous linkages and to avoid crossing
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major roads. Refurbish the Bowmanville Marina and providing a community board within
parks was also suggested.
With respect to outdoor recreation facilities, suggestions were made to improve the
quality of soccer and football fields, as well as to provide sports more fields. The need
for a range of outdoor recreation facilities was suggested, including BMX pump track,
skate park (including upgrading existing locations), pickleball courts (including
resurfacing the courts at Orono Park), ball diamonds, basketball courts, cricket pitch,
watercraft rentals, off-leash dog park, outdoor skating rinks, and park amenities such as
seating, shade, and ping pong tables. The need for a playground in south Courtice was
also mentioned, as well as developing the Courtice waterfront.
2.3 Enhancing Cultural Facilities, Libraries and Museums
Support for more library space was heard and it was mentioned that new library facility
space should be combined with a multi-use community facility. The desire for
makerspace at in the Bowmanville and Newcastle library branches was suggested, and
a comment was also made for a museum in Courtice to bring more awareness to local
history.
2.4 Enhancing Programs and Services
To improve parks, recreation, and cultural programs and services, suggestions were
made to expand the variety of activities that are offered for key age groups such as
children and youth, and adults 55+. More swim classes were suggested, including
during the daytime and for adults. Concerns were raised about challenges with
registering for popular programs due to high demand but limited availability. Fitness
programs and pickleball activities were also requested.
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3. Community Survey
A community survey was conducted in late
fall 2023 to collect input about participation
preferences and barriers, satisfaction levels
and priorities related to parks, recreation,
and culture opportunities. The community
survey was available to complete online or
by hardcopy and it was promoted through
the project webpage, social media, print
media, public events, newspaper, and radio
advertisements, through community
stakeholders, word of mouth, and more. A
total of 3,203 surveys were received and
analyzed, representing over 8,500 people
across all age groups. As a voluntary, self-
directed survey, respondents were not
required to answer every question and the
results are not necessarily representative of
the entire Municipality as the respondents
were not randomly selected.
3.1 Survey Respondent Profile
The following is a high-level summary of the survey respondents.
• The median age of the survey respondent was 47 years (2021 Census Median
Age: 39.2 years)
• Households with children were more likely to complete the community survey.
• More than half (51%) of survey respondents were Bowmanville residents, 24%
were from Courtice and 13% were from Newcastle. The remaining 11% were
from the rural area and less than one percent were non-residents.
3.2 Participation in Parks, Recreation and Culture Activities
Enjoying parks and open spaces (70%) was identified as the most popular activity
respondents participated in over the past five years. Other popular activities that were
identified included attending a community event (66%), walking, or hiking for leisure
(66%), enjoying or using the Clarington waterfront (63%), and visiting a farmers’ market
(66%). What’s common among these top activities is that they are all unstructured and
self-scheduled activities, which is consistent with broader participation trends. These
activities rank highly as they appeal to wide interests and age groups. Other recreation
activities and sports ranked lower as they tend to be played by a sub-set of the
community.
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Figure 1: Participation in Parks, Recreation and Culture Activities in the Past Five Years (n=3,188)
Neutral and don’t know responses not shown.
70%
66%
66%
63%
61%
57%
54%
53%
50%
45%
42%
41%
38%
36%
31%
26%
22%
21%
21%
20%
19%
15%
14%
12%
11%
11%
10%
9%
8%
8%
8%
7%
5%
4%
4%
4%
1%
1%
Enjoying parks and open spaces
Attending a community event
Walking or hiking for leisure
Enjoying or using the Clarington waterfront
Visit a farmers market
Visited a public library (in-person or online)
Swimming (instructional, recreational, aqua-fit)
Borrowed a book / material from a library
Use of playground equipment
Use of splash pad
Dog walking (on or off leash)
Indoor hockey, ringette, figure skating, or ice…
Aerobic, yoga, or fitness programs
Attend a concert / live music show
Gardening
Cycling or mountain biking
Visit a museum or heritage centre
Baseball or softball (or other forms)
Weight training
Arts and crafts program
Camp programs
Attend a live theatre show
Outdoor recreational skating
Attending a storytime program
Visited an art gallery
Gymnastics
Drama, dance, or music program
Organized Older Adult 55+ Programs
Outdoor tennis
Volleyball
Basketball
Outdoor pickleball
Teen programs
Football or rugby
Disc golf
Cricket
Outdoor bocce
Lawn bowling
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3.3 Requests for Parks, Recreation and Culture Activities
Respondents had an opportunity to identify what parks and recreation activities they
would like to see offered in the Municipality through an open-ended comment. The most
common requests were for more swimming programs, indoor and outdoor pickleball
courts, outdoor skating rink or trails, indoor walking track, outdoor trails, cricket field,
and fitness activities (e.g., yoga and Zumba).
Similarly, survey respondents identified what arts and cultural opportunities they would
like to see offered in Clarington through an open-ended comment. The most common
requests were for a performing arts space for theatre and concerts, and more art
classes for painting, pottery, and cooking. Performing arts classes were also suggested
such as dance, as well as programs and activities about Indigenous Peoples.
3.4 Participation Barriers
One-third (33%) of survey respondents identified that they are not able to participate in
parks, recreation, and culture activities as often as they would like. This is common in
many communities as people lead increasingly busy lifestyles and it is a barrier that
municipalities have little control over. Other top barriers that were identified included the
lack of desired facilities or programs (29%), programs not offered at a convenient time
(29%), and lack of information or being unaware of opportunities (25%). More than one-
quarter (26%) of respondents identified that they have no barriers to participation This is
consistent with other municipalities although it varies depending on many factors such
as local community demographics and the levels of service currently being provided, as
well as the sample of survey respondents given that these surveys are not
representative of the entire community.
Figure 2: Participation Barriers in Parks, Recreation, and Culture Activities (n= 3,203)
Neutral and don’t know responses not shown.
33%
29%
29%
26%
25%
19%
6%
5%
2%
0%
Lack of personal time / too busy
Lack of desired facilities or programs
Program not offered at a convenient time
No barriers - we are able to participate as often as…
Lack of information / unaware of opportunities
Cost / too expensive
Lack of childcare
Lack of transportation / facility too far away
Lack of Accessible Options
Language / cultural barrier
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3.5 Use of Clarington Library, Museum and Archives
More than one-third (38%) of survey respondents reported that they have visited the
Bowmanville Branch Library the most in the past five years. This was followed by the
Courtice Branch Library (24%) and Newcastle Branch Library (14%); 17% of
respondents reported that they have not visited any CLMA location in the past five
years.
Figure 3: Use of Clarington Library, Museums & Archives Locations (n=2,859)
Neutral and don’t know responses not shown.
38%
24%
17%
14%
2%
2%
1%
Bowmanville Branch Library
Courtice Branch Library
I have not visited a Clarington Public Library, Museums
& Archives location
Newcastle Branch Library
Orono Branch Library
Sarah Jane Williams Heritage Centre
Waverley Place Museum (by Tour only)
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Thinking about the library location that survey respondents used the most, they were
asked to rate their level of agreement with various aspects about the facility, which is
summarized in the following figure. Four out of five respondents felt that the library
branch they used the most was clean and well maintained (91%), they feel safe (91%),
the library is in good condition (88%), the time it takes to get to the library is reasonable
(87%), the library is welcoming (86%), and the library has the features and amenities
that respondents need (84%).
Figure 4: Level of Agreement with Statements About Libraries Used Most by Survey Respondents
(n= 2,212 to 2,227)
Neutral and don’t know responses not shown.
91%
91%
88%
87%
86%
84%
75%
59%
43%
12%
2%
2%
3%
5%
2%
5%
8%
6%
19%
55%
The library is clean and well maintained
I feel safe at this library
The library is in good condition overall
The time it takes for me to travel to the library is
reasonable
The library is welcoming of all members of the
community
The library has the features and amenities I need
The hours of operation at the library are reasonable
The library offers quality programming that suits my
needs
The library should be updated or expanded
The library is too crowded or busy
Strongly Agree or Somewhat Agree Strongly Disagree or Somewhat Disagree
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Respondents identified suggestions on what would encourage them to use CLMA
facilities more. More than one-third of respondents suggested that there should be more
information on what opportunities are available (35%) and there should be a greater
variety of programs or special events (33%). One-quarter of respondents suggested
having extended hours of operation (25%), food and beverage services (25%) and
outdoor reading gardens (23%), and one-fifth suggested programs at better times
(19%). Other comments that were submitted included suggestions for free parking at
Bowmanville library branch location.
Figure 5: What Would Encourage Respondents to use the Clarington Library, Museums &
Archives more (n=2,595)
Neutral and don’t know responses not shown.
35%
33%
25%
25%
23%
19%
18%
15%
13%
13%
12%
11%
11%
9%
9%
9%
8%
5%
4%
4%
2%
More information on what opportunities are available
Greater variety of programs or special events
Extended hours of operation
Food and beverage services
Outdoor reading gardens
Programs at better times
More physical collections (books, magazines, etc.)
More comfortable seating for reading
Nothing / not interested in using the library
Faster WIFI
More quiet space to study and work
More computers and software applications
More makerspaces and multi-media spaces
Improved website and online services
Renovations to existing libraries
More spaces for meeting and collaboration
New library location closer to my home
Improved accessibility from public transit, walking or
biking
Less crowded
Improved customer service
Improved cleanliness
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3.6 Importance and Satisfaction Levels
Participants were asked to rate their level of satisfaction with Clarington’s parks and
recreation opportunities, as well as for cultural (including library) opportunities, for
different age groups. The highest satisfaction levels were reported for pre-school
children (ages 0 to 4 years) and children (ages 5 to 12 years). Lower satisfaction levels
were reported for teens (ages 13 to 17). This is a common finding in many communities
as there is often a perception that there are not enough things to do for teens although
this will be assessed in the Master Plan. These results suggest that there are
opportunities to improve satisfaction levels across all age groups.
Figure 6: Satisfaction with Parks and Recreation Opportunities in Clarington (n=2,456 to 2,510)
Neutral and don’t know responses not shown.
Figure 7: Satisfaction with Cultural and Library Opportunities in Clarington (n=2,442 to 2,506)
Neutral and don’t know responses not shown.
64%
62%
43%
57%
59%
59%
24%
28%
38%
25%
22%
21%
Preschool Children (0 to 4 years)
Children (5 to 12 years)
Teens (13 to 17 years)
Adults (18 to 54 years)
Older Adults (55+)
Family Activities and Events
Very Satisfied or Somewhat Satisfied Very Dissatisfied or Somewhat Dissatisfied
64%
62%
48%
58%
59%
60%
15%
15%
23%
16%
12%
17%
Preschool Children (0 to 4 years)
Children (5 to 12 years)
Teens (13 to 17 years)
Adults (18 to 54 years)
Older Adults (55+)
Family Activities and Events
Very Satisfied or Somewhat Satisfied Very Dissatisfied or Somewhat Dissatisfied
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Respondents were asked to rate their level of importance and satisfaction with various
aspects of the parks, recreation, and culture system such as trails, facilities, and
programming. High levels of importance paired with high levels of satisfaction suggest
that expectations are being met. There is room for improvement across all areas that
were measured, although the area requiring the greatest attention is improving
satisfaction levels in recreation programming such as swim lessons and public skating.
Other areas where attention is needed include indoor recreation facilities, such as
arenas, pools, and gymnasiums, and arts and cultural spaces and related programming.
Figure 8: Importance and Satisfaction Levels for Parks, Recreation and Culture Opportunities (n=
2,548 to 2,604)
Neutral and don’t know responses not shown.
3.7 Support for Additional Spending
The following figure illustrates respondents’ level of support for spending additional
public funds on improving existing or developing new parks, recreation, and culture
facilities. Consistent with trends in the sector, facilities that support unstructured and
self-scheduled activities were most supported for additional spending. The top
supported facilities paved multi-use trails (84%), acquisition of parks and open space
(80%), indoor pools (79%), unpaved nature trails (76%), and an outdoor ice rink/trail
(75%).
94%
94%
94%
88%
87%
80%
65%
63%
62%
51%
72%
72%
61%
61%
49%
69%
42%
32%
31%
25%
Parks that preserve natural areas and open spaces
Recreational trails and pathways
Indoor recreation facilities such as arenas, pools, and
gymnasiums
Outdoor recreation facilities such as sports fields and
playgrounds
Recreation programs such as swim lessons and public
skating
Library branches
Library programs (registered and drop-in)
Arts and cultural spaces such as performing art spaces
Arts and culture programs (registered and drop-in)
55+ Older Adults programs
Very Important and Somewhat Important Very Satisfied and Somewhat Satisfied
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Figure 9: Support for Additional Public Investment in Parks, Recreation and Culture Facilities
(n= 2,482 to 2,515)
85%
84%
80%
79%
76%
75%
73%
71%
71%
71%
70%
69%
68%
68%
64%
62%
60%
60%
60%
57%
56%
54%
52%
51%
51%
51%
50%
49%
48%
46%
46%
46%
45%
44%
43%
42%
42%
41%
29%
24%
21%
5%
4%
7%
5%
5%
11%
5%
7%
7%
5%
5%
5%
12%
9%
6%
13%
9%
8%
12%
11%
10%
14%
13%
12%
9%
10%
14%
13%
15%
12%
12%
18%
13%
16%
12%
20%
15%
17%
17%
27%
28%
Clarington waterfront
Paved multi-use trails
Acquisition of parks and open space
Indoor pools
Unpaved nature trails
Outdoor ice rink / trail
Playgrounds
Fitness centres
Indoor multi-use sports dome
Space for community events
Splash pads
Dedicated youth centres
Arenas (indoor ice)
Indoor walking track
Gymnasiums
Outdoor swimming pools
Therapy pools
Outdoor education space
Community gardens
Library branches
Outdoor soccer fields
Outdoor fitness equipment
Indoor space for large special events
Arts and crafts program rooms
Dedicated 55+ centres
Outdoor basketball courts
Heritage buildings
Community halls and meeting spaces
Outdoor reading garden
Outdoor tennis courts
Performing arts space
Baseball or softball diamonds
Performing art spaces
Museums
Sports field for football and rugby
Off-leash dog parks
Outdoor pickleball courts
Skateboard parks
Outdoor lacrosse boxes
Disc golf course
Cricket fields
Strongly Support or Somewhat Support Strongly Opposed or Somewhat Opposed
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3.8 Level of Agreement on Parks, Recreation and Culture Statements
Respondents shared their level of agreement with statements about parks, recreation,
and culture in Clarington. Nine-out-of-ten (90%) survey respondents indicated that
parks, recreation, and culture opportunities should be a high priority for Council (90%).
Lower levels of agreement were found for other statements, including ‘Clarington’s
parks, recreation and culture opportunities are inclusive of all residents, regardless of
age, income, ability and orientation’ (60%), ‘I am satisfied with the geographic
distribution of parks, recreation and culture facilities in Clarington’ (48%), and ‘the
Municipality does a good job in informing me about parks, recreation, and culture
services (34%).
Figure 10: Level of Agreement with Statements about Parks, Recreation, and Culture in Clarington
(n=2,435 to 2,443)
Neutral and don’t know responses not shown.
3.9 Other Survey Comments
Additional comments were provided in an open-ended format. Key themes from these
comments centered around the need to ensure that programs are affordable for
families, with specific reference to the cost of swimming classes that may be
unaffordable for some households. Suggestions were made to promote subsidy
programs for residents. Requests for new or more parks and recreation amenities and
facilities were expressed, including a desire for developing the Bowmanville Zoo, indoor
pools and ice pads, playgrounds, cricket pitches, trails and programming for children,
youth, and older adults 55+. There was also a desire for more cultural activities and
special events, as well as space for performing arts such as music concerts and theatre.
90%
60%
48%
43%
3%
16%
31%
34%
Parks, recreation and culture opportunities should be a
high priority for Council.
Clarington’s parks, recreation and culture opportunities
are inclusive of all residents, regardless of age, income,
ability, and orientation.
I am satisfied with the geographic distribution of parks,
recreation and culture facilities in Clarington.
The Municipality does a good job in informing me about
parks, recreation and culture services.
Strongly Support or Somewhat Support Strongly Disagree or Somewhat Disagree
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4. Stakeholder Focus Groups
Stakeholder Focus Groups were held with various community organizations that have
an interest in parks, recreation, and culture in Clarington to understand what trends and
challenges they may be facing, how groups expect to evolve over the next five to ten
years, how facilities can be improved or where there are gaps, and how the Municipality
and organizations can work better together help to respond to their needs. Nearly 70
stakeholders were invited to participate in the focus groups, including indoor and
outdoor sports clubs, parks groups, service organizations, facility and program
providers, and arts and cultural groups. 30 groups attended the focus groups and
following the sessions, organizations (including groups that did not attend) were invited
to provide any additional written comments to ensure that all organizations had an
opportunity to get involved. Input was received from the following groups and a
summary of key themes from each focus group is highlighted in this sub-section:
• A Gift of Art
• ACO Clarington Branch
• Autism Home Base Durham
• Bowmanville Older Adult Association
• Boys & Girls Club of Durham
• Central Lake Ontario Conservation
Authority (CLOCA)
• Clarington Concert Band
• Clarington Eagles
• Clarington Girls Hockey Association
• Clarington Minor Football Association
• Clarington Minor Football Association
• Clarington Minor Hockey Association
• Clarington Minor Lacrosse
• Clarington Recreation Hockey League
• Clarington Renegades
• Clarington Slo Pitch
• Clarington Squash Club
• Clarington Swim Club
• Clarington Thunder
• Durham Region
• Firehouse Youth Centre
• Grand River Conservation Authority
(GRCA)
• Kawartha Pineridge District School
Board
• Kawartha Region Conservation
Authority
• Kendal Baseball Association
• Kendal Eagles
• Orono Figure Skating Club
• PVNC District Catholic School Board
• Valleys 2000
• Visual Arts Centre of Clarington
4.1 Arts and Cultural Groups
Embracing Arts and Culture in Clarington – Participants felt that the arts and culture
opportunities offered in Clarington is one of the driving factors that are attracting new
residents to Clarington as people are often looking for what community amenities are
available. The arts and cultural community is made up of passionate individuals and
organizations that are excited about the potential of new residents in Clarington as the
Municipality is expected to grow in the future. Participants expressed that the arts and
cultural sector must also grow to be able to respond to public expectations and
interests. To succeed, there is a need for more support through space and funding.
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Financial and Volunteer Support – Organizations have a desire to build up arts and
cultural opportunities in Clarington, although their plans are often limited by the amount
of funding that’s available. Many organizations rely on fundraising and grants, and there
is a desire for greater financial support from the Municipality to invest in grassroots
organizations to offer community programs and events. Organizations recognize that
there is a Municipal grant program, although they feel that the eligibility requirements
are restrictive, and the grant amount does not offset the rising service delivery and
facility costs that groups incur.
There is also a deficit of volunteers to help run programs and events. There is an
increasing challenge in finding dedicated volunteers and as a result, groups were
unable to run popular events. There may also be an opportunity for the Municipality to
help seek out volunteers or assist with event delivery.
Need for Arts Space – There is a desire for affordable performing arts space for
events, as well as multi-purpose space for musical practices, meetings, and storage. It
was mentioned that some existing spaces may not be affordable for groups due to high
rental costs or insurance requirements.
Investing in the Municipality’s arts and cultural spaces was also suggested, such as
ensuring that spaces are accessible so that programs and services that take place
within them are inclusive of all users, such as at the Visual Arts Centre and outdoor park
spaces that are used for arts and cultural activities and events. There are also a lot of
opportunities to use Clarington’s parks for arts and cultural opportunities, particularly
those with historical significance (Camp 30 was noted as an example).
4.2 Baseball and Slo-Pitch Groups
Ball Diamond Participation Trends – While participation among ball diamond
organizations was impacted by COVID-19, interest is on the rise in Clarington.
Organizations reported they are having to turn teams/participants away due to the lack
of sufficient diamond time. It is recognized that there may be some available diamond
time within the current system, but their locations may not be suitable due to their
condition.
Demand for High Quality Ball Diamonds – To alleviate current pressures and allow
groups to grow in the future, requests were made for more high-quality diamonds that
are suitable for games, as well as more lit and larger diamonds. To meet future needs,
future ball diamonds should be co-located together to create a sports complex where
games can be centralized.
Locating ball diamonds in appropriate locations was identified as a consideration as it
was mentioned that some diamonds have drainage issues. Other concerns were raised
about diamonds, including vandalism (or improper use of the diamonds), fencing and
infield quality, and the placement of field lighting. Suggestions were made for additional
trained staff that are dedicated to maintaining Clarington’s ball diamonds.
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Municipal Support and Communication – Enhancing communication between ball
groups and the Municipality was suggested to help identify opportunities to improve
existing ball diamonds and to help plan for new facilities. Working together to improve
how diamonds are booked was also suggested to direct rentals to higher quality
locations, and to reduce use of facilities that have field condition issues or flooding.
4.3 Bowmanville Older Adult Association
The BOAA is Growing – Over the past number of years, the use of BOAA’s Beech
Centre has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels. The BOAA had between 1,500 to 1,700
members in 2023 and much of its membership are Bowmanville residents, recognizing
that the Municipality also provides adult 55+ programming in Courtice, as well as in
other areas of Clarington. BOAA’s members range in age between 70 and 80 years old,
although more recently there has been an increase in younger members. Most
residents learn about BOAA’s programs and opportunities through word of mouth and
their marketing methods such as radio advertisements.
Evolving BOAA Programming – BOAA’s programming is continually evolving to
respond to member interests. During the COVID-19 pandemic, BOAA introduced virtual
programs and while the Beech Centre has fully reopened to its members, the
organization plans to continue offering online programs. Coupled with providing more
outdoor programming in Clarington’s parks and trails, as well as offering day trips, the
BOAA has been successful in finding new ways to engage members outside of the
Beech Centre.
One of the strengths of the BOAA is the staff’s ability to respond to offering new
programs as suggestions from members are always welcomed. There have been
requests for education and technology classes, as well as low impact sports. There
continues to be a strong desire for low to no cost programs, and activities, gatherings
and events that include meals and refreshments. There is a desire from its members for
more evening and weekend activities. The BOAA’s Wheels in Action Program is also
very important to make the Beech Centre more accessible for its members. In 2023, the
Wheels in Action Program provided nearly 5,000 rides that supported 130 members.
Overcoming Challenges and Looking to the Future – The BOAA expressed that its
primary challenge is the availability of staffing and volunteers (there currently are
approximately 300 volunteers) to respond to the desire for more programming,
particularly in the evening and during the weekend. The need for more parking at the
Beech Centre was also highlighted, though the BOAA hopes to alleviate this pressure
through other strategies such as expanding the Wheels in Action Program, as well as
finding other satellite parking lots to shuttle members to the Beech Centre. As BOAA
uses Clarington’s public spaces for day trips and outdoor activities, it was mentioned
that there is a need to ensure that parks and trails are accessible, particularly along
trails and walkways.
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4.4 Conservation Authorities
Protecting and Preserving Natural Areas – Central Lake Ontario Conservation
Authority (CLOCA) and Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) spoke highly about
the need to protect and preserve natural areas and resources in Clarington and in the
surrounding area and thus the range of recreational activities should be limited to
passive uses and programmed spaces should be limited.
Suggestions for minimizing the public impact on natural areas were made by the
conservation authorities, including avoiding constructing built infrastructure within
floodplains such as playgrounds, although certain exceptions may be made such as
walking pathways. Incorporating green infrastructure within parks was suggested such
as rain gardens and pollinator gardens. The use of wayfinding and educational signage
would also help raise awareness and educate the public on safe use of parks and open
spaces, particularly if there are areas of natural significance. Other strategies to educate
the public on protecting and preserving natural areas were also identified such as
creating mailouts and educational programming.
Continued Collaboration with the Municipality – CLOCA and GRCA expressed
positive working relationships with Clarington staff on past initiatives and are supportive
of continuing to work together to promote and preserve natural heritage areas and
habitats, while encouraging responsible public use. There is support to continue to
permit passive recreational uses on conservation area lands such as trails, which are
beneficial to provide designated walking routes through natural areas and to minimize
the creation of informal walking routes. CLOCA and GRCA are also open to working
with the Municipality to connect their lands to walking infrastructure being planned to
strengthen active transportation opportunities.
4.5 Durham Region
Alignment with the Durham Region Strategic Plan and other Strategies – Durham
Region’s strategic plan identifies several goals and actions that guide key initiatives that
have relevance to Clarington’s Master Plan. Such actions include:
• Protect, preserve, and restore the natural environment, including greenspaces,
waterways, parks, trails, and farmlands.
• Expand sustainable and active transportation.
• Revitalize existing neighbourhoods and build complete communities that are
walkable, well-connected, and have a mix of attainable housing.
• Enhance community safety and well-being.
• Build a healthy, inclusive, age-friendly community where everyone feels a sense
of belonging.
• Expand access to existing life stabilization programs.
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Durham Region also has other strategies to be considered as part of this Master Plan,
including a new Official Plan that supports parks and recreation opportunities, and a
Regional Cycling Plan. The Region has also been actively working with community
partners, including the Clarington Library, Museum and Archives to provide social
programs to support vulnerable populations, as well as a Public Art and Creative
Placemaking Initiative.
Supporting Economic Development and Tourism Opportunities – Durham Region’s
Ready Set Future provides a strategy and action plan for economic development and
tourism. Key actions for the Region to implement (in collaboration with municipalities
including Clarington) that are relevant to parks, recreation and culture include:
• Promoting Durham Region as a weekend destination for GTA visitors.
• Explore the creation of a fund that supports the Region’s diverse arts and cultural
industry.
• Establish a process that considers sponsorship opportunities for events that
enhance the Region’s quality of place.
• Explore the potential for establishing a festival incubator.
• Host sports events that engage, inspire, and connect the community, creating
sport and social legacies.
• Support the growth of inclusive and accessible sport opportunities, infrastructure,
and participation.
Durham Region is also supportive of sport tourism opportunities to foster economic
development and tourism. Clarington’s recreation facilities and supporting infrastructure
are encouraged to consider sport-friendly features that can strengthen the Region’s
ability to attract major multi-sport, multi-day, or large capacity events across Durham.
The Region noted that the growing the creative industry is also important for economic
development. Durham Region has a growing creative economy and continuing to foster
this growth is important to attract skilled workforces, new businesses, and increase
quality of life.
Access and Inclusion – Ensuring that the development of parks, recreation, and
culture opportunities are accessible and inclusive of all residents, Durham staff
expressed that consideration needs to be given to diverse voices such as the BIPOC
community (Black, Indigenous and people of colour). Physical accessibility in parks and
facilities is also important, with consideration give not assisted mobility aids, heights and
widths of park/facility features, signage and wayfinding, audio/visual aids, sensory
spaces, shade, and seating, and more. The availability of washrooms in parks was also
suggested, particularly accessible washrooms. Annual accessibility audits were
suggested. Additionally, the use of plain language was advised.
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4.6 Firehouse Youth Centre
Providing Important Community, Recreation and Social Programs and Services –
Through the John Howard Society, the Firehouse Youth Centre provides a range of
drop-in programs and activities that centre around sports, life skills, social, recreation,
arts, community engagement and volunteering. Sports continue to be one of the
organization’s most popular activities, although activities are also available for those
with other interests such as the arts as the group provides resources and equipment for
youth to harness their creativity. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization has
seen an increased interest in youth seeking social services and support and noted that
many are experiencing challenges such as food insecurity and financial barriers. The
organization seeks to help individuals wherever possible over and above providing safe
spaces through food, providing transportation, wellness checks, job and volunteer
services, counselling, and more.
Enhancing Youth Space – It was expressed that co-locating youth space within
community centres in Clarington is positive to be able to access other public spaces.
With food insecurity being a concern among users who visit youth centres, requests
were made for a kitchen space for cooking and classes. The organization is also open
to the opportunity for providing youth services in more locations to increase their
geographic reach to this age group, particularly in the rural area such as Orono as it
was reported that many users of the drop-in spaces, particularly in Newcastle, are rural
youth. As part of multi-use community centres, suggestions were also made to have
exterior access to the youth space as it was mentioned that some users may not feel
comfortable using the main community centre access.
Collaboration Opportunities for Volunteering – It was expressed that visiting the
Firehouse Youth Centre to find volunteer hours is one of the many reasons why youth
come to these centres. The Firehouse Youth Centre engages many youths in volunteer
activities and actively works with other community organizations to connect youth with
other volunteer opportunities. The organization expressed an openness to working with
the Municipality and others to strengthen this service to help other groups that are
seeking volunteers.
4.7 Indoor and Outdoor Sports and Recreation Groups
Recreation Participation Trends – There is interest in field sports such as lacrosse
and football, particularly among younger age groups, as more people are seeking
outdoor sports beyond soccer and baseball.
Sports Field Requests – There is a desire for more indoor and outdoor fields to allow
football and lacrosse organizations to grow and respond to increased interest in their
sports. Groups use several outdoor fields around the Municipality, although there is an
increased need for indoor field access; school gymnasiums are currently being used,
but indoor field time is needed.
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Supporting Amenities – In addition to the use of fields, requests were made for
supporting field amenities, which may not currently be available at locations groups
currently use, such as water fountains, permanent washrooms and change rooms. It
was also mentioned that there is no score board at South Courtice Park, which can
make a game challenging when the score isn’t displayed.
Municipal Support and Communication – Greater support and communication from
the Municipality was requested when booking indoor and outdoor facilities. The
organizations mentioned that it is difficult to find additional field time under the current
booking system. Organizations suggested regularly meeting with the Municipality to
book facility time to allow for better use of the facilities and understand what fields other
groups are using. There is also a desire for enhanced communication with the
Municipality to better understand when arena floor pads are ready for use so scheduling
can be done efficiently and accurately.
Accessibility – There is a desire for more accessibility to outdoor facilities.
Organizations have noticed it can be challenging for the older population and/or persons
with disabilities to make it to the fields to watch a game. It was also mentioned that
there is not a lot of space for people to sit and watch the game.
4.8 Indoor Sports and Recreation Groups
Strong Municipal Support – Stakeholders agreed that one of the biggest strengths in
Clarington was the quality of Municipality staff and their ability to respond to requests
quickly. Organizations also appreciated the convenience of being able to view their ice
bookings online and see where available timeslots are. It was expressed that there is a
need to ensure that all Municipality staff have the appropriate customer service training
so that all residents feel welcome and included.
Desire for More Prime-Time Ice – There was general agreement from arena users that
there is a desire for more prime time ice to accommodate their programming as many
groups mentioned that there are waitlists for new participants, although they cannot be
accommodated through their current allocation of ice time at Municipality-operated
arenas. It is particularly a challenge for minor organizations that are seeking early prime
time hours due to the young age of their participants. To alleviate pressure, groups are
renting ice in other municipalities such as Oshawa, or at private arenas, which can be at
a significant cost to user groups. Support was voiced for constructing two additional ice
pads at South Courtice Arena to create a quad-pad location.
Demand for Indoor Spaces – Requests were made for more multi-purpose spaces for
general community programming, as well as space that could be used for dryland
training as complementary space for arena users. Dedicated indoor space was
requested for childcare services. To accommodate persons for disabilities, a suggestion
was also made for sensory rooms in Clarington’s facilities, as well as calming spaces
that could be incorporated within parks. The need for storage space was also expressed
by groups.
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Squash Courts – There is strong demand for squash courts, which is a success
although it can be a challenge for the squash organization to manage bookings and the
use of the courts, particularly as the group has seen an increase in interest from the
public post-COVID. Requests were also made for additional squash courts to better
accommodate tournaments.
Indoor Aquatic Opportunities – The aquatic club is experiencing pressure from
residents interested in joining the organization, but the club is unable to accommodate
new participants due to the lack of additional pool time as the club is competing with
other pool users. As a result, there is currently a waitlist of potential swim participants.
There is a desire for an additional indoor pool, preferably one that is conducive for
competitive swimming, with associated amenities including modern change facilities,
spectator seating, viewing areas, and storage. A 50-metre pool was also requested.
4.9 Parks Organizations
Bowmanville Zoo and Valley Lands – Participants expressed that the Bowmanville
Zoo and Bowmanville and Soper Creek Valleys are important outdoor spaces that form
part of the Municipality’s parks system. There were several unique features that groups
were proud of including the butterfly garden, Camp 30, commemorative forest, and
Rotary Park. In particular, the dam and fish ladder were also identified as important
features and their long-term maintenance needs were identified as a concern due to the
closure of the Goodyear Plant and the significance of the location that provides passage
for trout and salmon.
Encouraging passive uses, trail development and connectivity, and preserving natural
features and historical significance is also supported. In particular, the Bowmanville Zoo
concept was highlighted as an important initiative for the Municipality and moving
forward with implementation should be priority. It was expressed that appropriate
funding needs to be allocated to support trail use and other active and passive uses
proposed for the site as identified on the concept including, but not limited to,
amphitheater, and areas for play, picnics and social gatherings, education, large events,
and more.
Increased Trail Use – A heightened interest in trail use was noted due to various
factors such as population growth and a greater desire to be outdoors following the
COVID-19 pandemic. While this is an overall benefit for the community and for residents
and visitors, there is a need to ensure that trail users are educated on the importance of
remaining on designated trails to minimize the disturbance of vegetation. Ensuring that
the public is aware of the Municipality’s trail maps and using signage was encouraged.
It was suggested that only non-motorized forms of travel should be permitted along the
Municipality’s trails. It was also expressed that new trail development should avoid tree
removal and environmental impacts. It was recognized that with increased trail use,
there is a greater need for maintenance and necessary resources, including funding and
staffing. Concerns about appropriate maintenance practices were identified to support
and encourage trail use. Suggestions were made for repairing or repaving pathways,
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ensuring that pathways are clear of debris and vegetation, emptying garbage cans more
frequently, and winter snow clearing.
Focusing on Connectivity – Trail connectivity was a high priority for park groups.
Establishing trails within the Bowmanville Zoo lands was identified as a high priority for
the Municipality. Ensuring that there is a continuous, unobstructed walking pathway
from the Bowmanville Zoo lands along Soper Creek Valley Trail towards the Clarington
Waterfront Trail was also identified. As part of strengthening connectivity, participants
also identified that consideration needs to be given to the Active Transportation Master
Plan that’s also being undertaken to ensure that recommended plans are in alignment.
4.10 School Boards
Maximizing the use of Shared Spaces – Both school boards identified that there are
school properties that are adjacent to Municipality parks, which have provided
opportunities to share outdoor park space such as playgrounds, sports fields and
parking. While there is no shared indoor space, community organizations can rent
indoor school space such as gymnasiums outside of school hours. Continuing to plan
for the co-location of schools and public park spaces is supported and there may be
future opportunities for joint school and community centre facilities, although future
negotiations would need to take place with consideration given to key matters such as
safety and access between shared facilities and users.
5. Advisory Committee Meetings
Clarington has advisory committees and boards that oversee various areas of interest in
the Municipality and make recommendations to Council. This section highlights the key
themes from key advisory committees and boards that have relevance to Clarington’s
parks, recreation, and culture system. Key groups that were engaged included:
• Accessibility Advisory Committee
• Active Transportation and Safe Roads Committee
• Agricultural Advisory Committee
• Community Hall Boards
• Diversity Advisory Committee
• Heritage Advisory Committee
• Clarington Library, Museum and Archives Board
• Samuel Wilmot Nature Area Management Advisory Committee
5.1 Accessibility Advisory Committee
Designing Accessible Indoor Facilities – A variety of suggestions were expressed to
ensure that Clarington’s indoor recreation facilities are accessible for persons with
disabilities. For arenas, it was identified that there should be accessible viewing areas
together with the spectator seating area to bring persons with disabilities closer to the
game, rather than outside in a viewing gallery as it was mentioned that people can feel
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disconnected from the ice pad activities (this also applies to other venues). Suggestions
were also made for larger spectator seating space for larger/taller individuals (seat and
leg room) and accessible concession areas, including lower table heights as standing
tables are not suitable for persons in wheelchairs. Additionally, it was suggested that
new or redeveloped ice pads should be designed to accommodate sledge hockey; there
should also be a location in the community to rent sleds and skates for people who do
not own or can purchase the equipment.
Other suggestions to enhance the accessibility of indoor facilities included providing
braille signs that are not positioned too high on the wall, sensory features (e.g., foot
pathway), universal and accessible changerooms, family changerooms, providing more
than one accessible stall in washrooms (or more dedicated accessible washrooms),
adult and baby change tables, and mobility charging stations. A request was also made
for a Snoezelen room, which is a multi-sensory environment, that can be used for
education, therapy, and support space for persons with disabilities.
With respect to libraries, it was identified that the multi-purpose rooms at the branches
are important for programs, activities, and social events but concerns were raised about
rental costs associated with the CLMA’s new use of space policy that is viewed as a
financial barrier to participation for some residents.
Inclusive Outdoor Park Spaces – A number of comments were expressed to ensure
that Clarington’s outdoor parks are designed to be inclusive of all users. The importance
of trails and pathways (with an appropriate slope and grade) was raised to ensure that
people have a designated walking area. Supporting trail amenities that should be
considered were identified including distance markers, denoting the edges of trails and
pathways with painted lines as a visual aid, and providing wheelchair parking areas
(also usable for baby strollers) adjacent to benches at rest areas. Other inclusive park
features were suggested, including park lighting, emergency phones, seating and rest
areas, shade shelters and trees, outdoor fitness equipment, and accessible playground
features, as well as play features or designated spaces for older youth, teens, and
adults such as adult or accessible swings and equipment. The desire for beach access
mats for wheelchairs was also identified. It was raised that amenities should be in
visible locations to avoid vandalism.
Programs and Services – The importance of offering accessible recreation programs
was identified to be inclusive of all residents in Clarington. It was identified that the
Municipality’s Accessible Recreation program should be promoted to ensure that people
are aware that it is offered and that support persons can participate in activities to
support a participant that requires assistance at no additional cost. It was also
suggested that the Accessible Recreation program should be available for all
Municipality’s programs.
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5.2 Active Transportation and Safe Roads Committee
A Connected Clarington – There is a strong desire to strengthen active transportation
connections in Clarington to facilitate safe movement throughout the Municipality.
Building upon existing trail systems and linking them together was expressed for both
on and off-road infrastructure. A particular point of emphasis should be placed on
connecting active transportation users with the waterfront, GO Station, and in the
emerging secondary plan areas where it may be more feasible to develop trails as
development occurs.
Draft Active Transportation Master Plan – The Municipality is preparing a separate
Active Transportation Master Plan (ATMP) to guide infrastructure development. While
still in draft form, the preliminary goals of the ATMP include, but are not limited to the
following (which will be considered as part of this Master Plan):
• Create connections to the waterfront.
• Connect to transit.
• Create safe, inclusive, and accessible communities.
• Create sustainable communities.
• Address major barriers.
• Support community health.
• Implement comfortable and direct connections between urban areas.
• Connect hamlets with rural routes.
• Provide and support a variety of transportation options.
5.3 Agricultural Advisory Committee
Enhancing Recreation Facilities – Participants identified that there are opportunities
to enhance the use of the rural community halls, particularly during the daytime. It was
suggested that Municipalities work with hall boards and establish partnerships to
increase the use of these facilities and expand the range of opportunities within these
spaces where it can be accommodated, such as indoor sports and fitness. Kendal
Community Centre was identified as an example that has a gymnasium that is currently
used for pickleball and could accommodate other active activities. Concern over the
cost of improving the rural community halls was also raised.
With respect to outdoor spaces, suggestions were made for more frequent garbage
pickups and public education about park etiquette, such as keeping dogs on leashes
and appropriate facility use. Requests were also made for more shade and seating,
which could be funded through sponsorships and dedications.
It was mentioned that greater awareness about the opportunities that are available is
needed to encourage more use of the rural community halls and there is a need to
provide a mix of digital and print marketing materials, as well as the use of QR codes.
Reviewing the governance of community hall boards was also suggested as it was
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expressed that those operating community halls should be elected and not volunteers to
ensure that the use and booking of space is fair and transparent.
Building upon Clarington’s Trail Network – Positive comments were heard about
Clarington’s trail system, and it was mentioned that there are opportunities to improve
connections. It was identified that trail users prefer to avoid walking along the road and
as a result, the Municipality needs to work with landowners to provide designated
walking routes to establish continuous trail connections. The desire for year-round trail
use was also expressed, which would require resources for snow maintenance; it was
suggested that partnerships should be considered in this regard.
Raising the Profile of Culture – It was identified that many rural residents are willing to
drive to Clarington’s urban areas such as Newcastle and Bowmanville to attend and
participate in annual special events. There are also many special events that take place
in the rural area such as in Orono and Kendal, although it is recognized organizations
have been challenged with finding volunteers to help. It was believed that enhancing
marketing and communication about arts and cultural opportunities would be beneficial
to increase participation as it was suggested that there should be a blend of online and
print marketing material. Requests for a theatre were also made as some participants
are currently travel to nearby municipalities such as Port Hope, Oshawa, Peterborough
and Lindsay.
Expanding Library Services in the Rural Area – Participants identified that there
have been many “Little Libraries” being installed throughout the rural area where
residents can share books and other small items, which have been well received.
Expanding library services to the rural area was suggested to better connect with
residents, including the provision of a bookmobile service.
5.4 Community Hall Boards
Connecting Rural Residents – Participants expressed that Clarington’s community
halls are important community assets that bring together residents to celebrate a range
of social events, including birthdays, barbeques, weddings, breakfast and dinners,
holidays, and more. Spaces are also booked for user group rentals and programming.
Since facilities have re-opened after the COVID-19 pandemic, many groups have
experienced an increased interest in booking the community halls, with holidays and
weekends typically being the busiest periods.
The increased use is also being driven by the fact that people are looking to hold larger
gatherings that do not fit within residents’ homes, and holding a gathering at a
community hall also provides users with services that are not offered at home such as
setup and cleanup. Some locations also benefit from other amenities that make renting
attractive such as outdoor recreation facilities and churches. The affordability of hall
rental rates also makes them popular locations compared to spaces within more
urbanized locations that may be more costly, with some indicating that they have
attracted use from non-Clarington residents.
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Maintaining Community Halls – A concern shared among community hall boards is
their ability to maintain the facility as many are older facilities that have aging
mechanical equipment or structural issues. Many locations are also not accessible,
which limits potential users from renting the space, both indoors and outdoors.
Examples of accessibility upgrades that are needed include entrance ramps, automated
doors, wider hallways and bathrooms, and elevators. In addition to maintaining facilities,
participants also felt that updating their facilities is needed to respond to public
expectations for modern meeting spaces.
Collaboration with Clarington – Community hall board members indicated that
increased communication and collaboration with the Municipality is needed to help
identify facility challenges and prioritize investment. Many felt that additional municipal
funding was needed to help address the aging facilities and to undertake accessibility
retrofits. Assistance with securing grant funding is also an area to strengthen,
recognizing the community hall boards must be recognized as a non-for-profit
organization and some do not meet this requirement. The lack of volunteers has also
been a challenge where the Municipality may be able to provide some support.
Outdoor Recreation Enhancements – While it is recognized that community hall
boards are not responsible for outdoor space, facility suggestions were made such as
pickleball courts in Kendall and resurfacing the tennis courts in Solina. Providing
designated walking pathways in parks was also suggested to enhance accessibility.
5.5 Diversity Advisory Committee
Planning for a Multi-Cultural Clarington – Participants recognized that Clarington is a
growing community that is becoming more diverse in cultural backgrounds and in the
range of leisure interests. As a result, there is a growing demand for a broader range of
parks and recreation opportunities to be more inclusive and welcoming of all residents.
To respond to an increasingly diverse population, participants expressed the desire for
new or more recreation amenities, including cricket fields, pickleball courts, indoor
artificial turf field, outdoor soccer field, indoor walking and running track, outdoor skating
rink or trail, and track and field facilities. Updating Clarington’s indoor pools and squash
courts was also identified. The group also expressed that the Bowmanville Zoo lands
also have a lot of potential to address a wide range of needs for residents and visitors.
Minimizing Barriers to Parks and Recreation – Minimizing barriers to parks and
recreation is important to ensure that all residents can participate. Suggestions included
locating facilities in places that are accessible by public transit and providing facilities in
more locations as well as expanding the trail network to encourage walkable
communities. Providing low to no cost activities was also suggested as the cost to
participate may be a challenge for low-income households; it was mentioned that
Durham Region offers an Action Pass to all Grade 5 students, which provides
passholders with free public swimming and skating and is a benefit in the community.
From a physical accessibility perspective, example facilities that were identified as a
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best practice included the Abilities Centre in Whitby and the Walker Sports and Abilities
Centre in St. Catharines.
5.6 Heritage Advisory Committee
Celebrating Local Heritage through Parks and Facilities – The Heritage Advisory
Committee has been actively undertaking research to identify parks with significant
heritage features or locations such as Courtice Memorial Park, Samuel Wilmot Nature
Area, and Bowmanville Valley Creek (including the fish ladder and dam). Preserving
cultural heritage assets such as Camp 30 and the former Bowmanville Zoo lands was
also identified. Through new park construction and renewal opportunities, it was
expressed that attention needs to be given to preserving or highlighting heritage
features and history, including consideration given to Indigenous Peoples.
Enhancing Heritage Assets – The Heritage Advisory Committee is currently
implementing a QR Code program in Clarington to connect residents and visitors in the
community with online resources to educate and bring awareness to local history and
there is a desire from the organization to continue this initiative. QR Codes have
benefits over installing plaques to reduce vandalism, though it is recognized that not
everyone may be able to use a QR Code. Suggestions were made to showcase
physical artifacts in public spaces and there is an opportunity to implement this within
public spaces. The need to preserve and protect Camp 30 and the Jury Lands was also
mentioned as the property has significant potential to educate residents and visitors
about the importance and history of the site and its buildings.
Reinvesting in aging assets was also identified as an area that should be considered.
Examples included restoration of Waverly Place and infrastructure associated with the
Municipality’s cemeteries. Other suggestions included developing trails along or near
areas of significance such as heritage properties or along railways. Adequate funding
was identified as a need to support these initiatives as well as the suggestions identified
above.
5.7 Clarington Library, Museum and Archives Board
People are the Strength – The Clarington Library, Museum and Archives (CLMA) team
are viewed as a strength in the community as they have fostered strong relationships
with the community and the Municipality. CLMA staff are a strong team and are efficient
with deploying its resources to respond to traditional library programs and services, and
most recently museum and archive needs. The CLMA also provides community
resources for employment, newcomers, and the unhoused, as well as a food pantry.
Responding to Emerging Needs – CLMA’s strong staff team has been able to quickly
pivot and offer new services, programs, and materials to respond to emerging needs.
As the Municipality continues to diversify, CLMA is proud to offer a wide selection of
multi-lingual materials, there is also an increased interest in other library services
including genealogy, technology assistance and computer and internet, makerspaces,
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DVDs, and lending library. CLMA is also offering expanded library hours to adapt to the
public’s desire for more flexible library use, including more evening and weekend time.
To continue to respond to public demands for enhanced services, CLMA has identified
key initiatives they hope to accomplish through their new Strategic Plan, including
renovating the Bowmanville Library Branch, launching a bookmobile program to serve
the rural area, promoting the museum and archives, and centralizing heritage resources
in downtown Bowmanville. To expand CLMA’s public reach, there is also a desire to
establish satellite locations.
Overcoming Challenges – Clarington’s population is growing and becoming more
diverse and while CLMA identified that they can quickly respond to the changing
community, their ability to address is limited by available funding to allow staff to offer
the resources that the public desires. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the types of
patrons visiting CLMA locations are changing and becoming broader and there is also a
need to ensure that staff have the proper training and knowledge to respond to
customers, and security measures are put into place to ensure that all users are safe.
The CLMA is also three years into the harmonization of library, museum, and archive
services, which has been working well, although there is a need to better understand
how the new organization can grow and respond to public needs.
From a space perspective, staff expressed the need for more physical space to be able
to offer the things that the public wants such as more meeting rooms and study spaces.
There is also a need for more space for library staff. It was mentioned that the CLMA is
currently not meeting the library space target recommended by the Ontario Library
Association. While there are plans to renovate the Bowmanville Library branch, it will
not result in any net increase in additional library space. In taking on archives that are
stored at the Sarah Jane Williams Heritage Centre, concerns were raised about the fact
that the storage methods currently being used are not ideal. They are currently looking
to digitize their collection, although this is a time-consuming process.
5.8 Samuel Wilmot Nature Area Management Advisory Committee
Uniqueness is its Strength – Participants describe the Samuel Wilmot Nature Area as
a hidden gem in Clarington that has a diverse range of natural habitats that supports
biodiversity and wildlife. The trails were also described as a strength as it encourages
residents and visitors to enjoy the natural area while minimizing the impact on the
natural area. It also functions as an outdoor education area to bring awareness to
important environmental issues, habitats and animals that live in the area. Another
strength is that it is one of the few public spaces that provides waterfront access to Lake
Ontario.
Protecting and Preserving the Samuel Wilmot Nature Area – Continuing to protect
and preserve the Samuel Wilmot Nature Area is a priority for the Management Advisory
Committee. There are currently plans for some events at the site, including clean-up
days and plantings. There is also a desire to continue to raise awareness and educate
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the community about the importance of the natural area through signage and directing
visitors to online resources through QR codes.
Additional Municipal support was identified, including assistance with by-law
enforcement to ensure that the site is being used as intended. Some challenges
experienced at the Samuel Wilmot Nature Area include people overnight camping,
motorized vehicle use (e.g., dirt bikes and ATVs), and visitors picking plants and flowers
that need to be protected. There is also a desire for paved parking lots and snow-
clearing to promote year-round use. There may also be some trail routes that could be
paved to make walking routes more accessible and opportunities to increase trail
connections to the waterfront should also be considered. Additionally, assistance to
manage invasive species was requested and there should be consideration for
maintenance and preservation plans for naturalized and passive parks and recreation
spaces, and financial support to help implement future initiatives and current projects
such as tree plantings.
6. Staff Workshops
Two staff workshops were held with Municipality and CLMA staff to capture their
valuable knowledge, insights, and experiences to be considered as part of the Master
Plan. Over 50 staff members participated in the workshops that were organized by
senior management and frontline positions, including directors, managers, supervisors,
assistants, coordinators, customer service representatives and service associates,
clerks, and more. Discussion topics were wide-ranging and key themes are highlighted
in this section.
Parks, Recreation and Culture Visioning – Staff identified key terms that expressed
the desired state of Clarington’s parks, recreation, and culture system, which are
highlighted below.
• Going from good to great
• Progressive
• Proactive
• Collaborative
• Focused on parks, trails and green spaces
• Responsive
• Innovative
• Accountable
• Implementable
• Affordable
• Accessible
• Measurable
• Welcoming
• Competitive
• Adaptable
• Caring
The Municipality is Growing and Diversifying – Clarington is a growing municipality.
By 2051, the Municipality is expected to experience substantial population growth in its
urban centres such as in designated Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs). There is also
growth in cultural diversification of Clarington’s residents. These factors are impacting
how the Municipality’s facilities are used and the services that are in demand or being
requested.
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Responding to Evolving Needs – Population growth is driving the need to provide
enhanced parks, recreation, and culture experiences that are expected in large
municipalities, particularly for new residents moving to Clarington from other GTA
municipalities. Cultural diversification is resulting in requests for new services and
differing levels of service. It is recognized that there is a need to balance the provision
of new and existing services in a manner that reflects the needs of residents and is
inclusive of all segments of the community.
These trends have resulted in requests for ice pads, indoor pools, indoor walking track,
accessible playgrounds, park amenities (e.g., washrooms and parking), cricket fields,
pickleball courts, indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, outdoor special event space,
facilities to serve the rural area, cultural spaces and more. An expanded range of
programs are also being requested, including adult swimming lessons, general interest
programs for adults, and activities for teenagers. From a library perspective, continuing
to support, enhance, and promote access to social services was raised, in addition to
building upon their efforts to meet the multi-cultural needs of the community. In addition
to these requests, it was identified that approved levels of service will set the stage for
operational and staffing needs.
Recovering from the COVID-19 Pandemic – A key strength of the Municipality is its
ability to quickly respond to provincial and public health recommendations regarding
social distancing, gatherings, and the use of public facilities during the COVID-19
pandemic. The pandemic highlighted the importance of parks, recreation, and culture
and its role in bringing people together, combating isolation, and building community,
and as a result, there was a pent-up demand for these services in Clarington. As
restrictions were lifted and facilities re-opened, the Municipality was quick to recover
from the impact of the pandemic as facility use and programming have generally
returned to or exceeded pre-COVID usage levels. In some areas, the Municipality has
experienced a greater demand for new or expanded facilities, programs, and services
because of the pandemic, which is also linked to the change in Clarington’s community
profile that has occurred during this period. For example, there is more interest in trail
use and outdoor programming, demand for adult learn to swim programs and other
activities such as pickleball, family programming, cricket, etc. There has also been a
change in customer behaviour and increased use of facilities by people seeking mental
health support, general assistance, and from the unhoused population.
Organizational Effectiveness and Staffing – The Municipality recently underwent a
re-organization of departments that are involved with the provision, maintenance, and
operations of the Municipality’s parks, recreation, and culture to streamline processes
and decision-making, and minimize service duplication. While there has not been
sufficient time to fully understand the success of this change, staff indicated that there
continues to be areas of duplication or opportunities for greater/continued coordination
that needs to be addressed to operate more efficiently.
Staff have identified that Council has been supportive of expanding the staffing
complement in the past and this should continue to be supported if the Municipality
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continues to provide more facilities, programs, and services. The CLMA also identified
the need for more staffing to meet the needs of users; it was mentioned that the CLMA’s
existing staffing complement is not currently meeting industry standards set by the
Ontario Library Association. It will be particularly important to ensure that consideration
be given to a diversified staff team that is qualified and competent to deliver and
implement programs and services, and that reflect the changing diversity of the
Municipality. Physical space for staff was also identified by the Municipality and CLMA
team.
As residents become more sophisticated and expectations are higher, staff training and
professional development will continue to be important, particularly on the front line to
manage customer expectations and behaviours. Following the pandemic, staff are
facing a broader range of requests and inquiries, which is reflective of the Municipality’s
changing community profile.
Strategic Partnerships and Volunteers Increase Programs and Services – The
Municipality and CLMA works collaboratively with community organizations and
volunteers to provide parks, recreation, and culture services. This has worked well and
as Clarington continues to grow and the range of services increase; continuing to build
upon these relationships and explore new partnerships will be important, particularly in
areas where community partners may have the expertise and resources that the
Municipality may not have. Collaborating with the private sector to provide facilities and
services in intensification areas should be considered. Exploring strategies to attract
and retain volunteers will also be important as this has been an increasing challenge
that many communities face, including Clarington.
Operational Considerations to Improve Inclusion, Service Delivery and
Satisfaction Levels – Staff had further suggestions as to how to improve service
delivery which included:
• The development of an Accessible Playground Strategy to identify opportunities
within the Municipality to improve access for persons with physical limitations and
prioritize these applications.
• Consider amenities such as washrooms, shade, and lighting would improve
access to parks for all populations.
• The impact of the Pandemic has seen a reduction of volunteers to manage
community hall spaces; consideration should be given to how these spaces can
be operated through partnerships or staff given decreased volunteerism.
• Volunteerism has decreased in many other areas of service, reducing
enhancements in these areas. A plan to increase volunteers and provide more
enhanced support should be addressed.
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• Staff would like guidance as to when to seek out partners and when to keep
services in-house. This would provide a framework for decision-making.
• A look to increasing the capacity of aquatic staff to provide adequate programs
as many programs are waitlisted due to lack of pool space and staff.
• Staff suggested some assistance in ensuring that programs and services are
reflective of the diverse needs of the community.
• Setting targets and performance measures and offering a report card would
assist in ways to continually improve service delivery by identifying strengths and
gaps in service. It is noted that there are performance measures in place in some
program areas, however, there is not a consistent approach within the
departments.
• It was suggested that there is duplication in servicing sport field users as one
division permits, and another maintains the fields. A consistent approach would
serve sport field users more effectively.
• There is a need to engage developers in providing recreational spaces within
condominium and apartment towers to provide local and accessible spaces.
Staff Top Priorities
• Planning for future residents while recognizing the needs of existing residents,
particularly in established areas that are underserved with parks, recreation, and
cultural services.
• Balance new facility needs and repair/replacement of aging infrastructure.
• Making efficient use of resources will be important and should include exploring
partnerships with community groups and the private sector.
• Changing legislation such as Bill 23 will impact future park acquisition and
development opportunities and alternatives to be considered.
• Future actions need to be implementable, achievable, and measurable.
• Parks, recreation, and culture features need to be connected to strengthen
community walkability.
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7. Council Interviews
Individual interviews with Council members were undertaken to provide an opportunity
for Councillors to provide their perspective and priorities on parks, recreation, and
culture in Clarington. This section highlights key themes from the discussions.
Connecting Clarington through Trails – Trails for walking and cycling are important
amenities in Clarington and continuing to enhance these features should continue to be
encouraged to ensure that there are safe and accessible with both east-west and north-
south connections across the Municipality. Consideration should be given to the use of
railways and hydro corridors, exploring strategies to link together parks (including within
Camp 30 and Bowmanville Zoo lands), expanding the waterfront trail, and creating a
green trail around Bowmanville. Encouraging year-round trail use was also suggested,
which could be tied in with a winter holiday lighting event.
Bowmanville Zoo Lands – The Bowmanville Zoo lands has a lot of potential to create
a unique park space such as New York’s Central Park. It was identified that these lands
should primarily be geared towards passive and cultural uses, although some organized
recreation uses may be permitted, such as sports fields. Ensuring that the public is
continually engaged in the development of these lands will be important. While private
involvement is discouraged, it was identified that the Municipality should be open to
meaningful partnership opportunities that benefit the public.
Camp 30 – Camp 30 is a historically significant site that has a lot of potential to support
the arts and culture industry, such as providing space for community organizations and
a venue for performing arts and special events. It was also suggested that the buildings
at Camp 30 could be leased for commercial uses; Toronto’s Distillery District was
mentioned as an example that could be explored. The need to investigate external
funding and partnerships was identified as it is recognized that a significant investment
will need to be made to modernize the buildings.
Investing in the Waterfront – Clarington’s waterfront is a natural asset that is
underutilized. As the Courtice waterfront is developed, opportunity exists to create a
destination for residents and tourists including, but not limited to, parks, trails,
recreation, performing arts, and cultural spaces. Securing additional waterfront land for
public use was suggested. Waterfront communities that were identified as ideal models
include Oakville, Orillia, and Mississauga.
Library Services – Opportunities to strengthen library services in Clarington’s rural
area was suggested such as creating a mobile bookmobile service; this idea was
previously explored but it has not yet been implemented. Additional funding for library
services was suggested to help deliver this program and achieve other goals such as
increasing its online presence and staffing, particularly as the library is increasingly
being viewed as a place to access social resources.
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Responding to Emerging Recreation Facilities – There is an increasing desire for
new or additional recreation facilities such as outdoor pickleball courts, cricket fields,
indoor pool, ice pads, gymnasium, tennis courts, outdoor skating rinks, and more. The
need to construct regulation-sized recreation facilities is important to attract and support
tournaments and competition uses. Updating existing parks and facilities was also
viewed as important to ensure that they are well-equipped and modern.
Arts and Cultural Opportunities – The desire for a performing arts space was
identified. It was expressed that the Municipality should establish a cultural hub in
downtown Bowmanville, which could contribute to creating a vibrant downtown. As part
of this, it was suggested to relocate the Clarke Schoolhouse in Orono to downtown
Bowmanville, as it is currently underutilized.
8. Next Steps
This Phase 2 Community Engagement Summary Report highlights the input received
from the activities undertaken to date, including public open houses, community survey,
stakeholder focus groups, meetings with advisory committees and workshops and
interviews with Staff and Council. The comments collected from these community
engagement sessions will be considered with other inputs, including local
demographics, population projections, trends, current inventory, and usage data as part
of the analysis that will be undertaken in the next phase to identify community needs,
which will ultimately form the draft Master Plan.