Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan 2018-2028
Owen Sound, Ontario
· adopted 2018-01-29
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City of Owen Sound
Recreation, Parks & Facilities
Master Plan: 2018-2028
January, 2018
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0
Introduction ........................................................................... 1
1.1
Master Plan Goals and Scope ................................................ 2
1.2
Methodology ......................................................................... 3
1.3
Organization of the Plan ....................................................... 4
2.0
Background Review ............................................................... 5
2.1
Owen Sound Regional Context ............................................. 6
2.2
Demographics ....................................................................... 6
2.3
Planning Framework Review ................................................. 8
2.3.1
Planning Act (1990) ............................................................... 8
2.3.2 Provincial Policy Statement (2014) ....................................... 9
2.3.3
Grey County Official Plan (2013) ......................................... 10
2.3.4 City of Owen Sound Official Plan (2006) ............................. 10
2.4
Review of Previous Studies Completed .............................. 12
2.4.1 Owen Sound Strategic Plan (2015) ..................................... 12
2.4.2 Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan (2007) ........... 12
2.4.3 Harrison Park Master Plan (2002) ....................................... 13
2.4.4 Victoria Park Master Plan (2011) ......................................... 14
2.4.5 Kelso Beach Park Master Plan (2010).................................. 14
2.4.6 Recreation Trails Master Plan (2012) .................................. 15
2.4.7 Greenwood Cemetery Master Plan (2012) .......................... 15
2.4.8 2016 Service Review ........................................................... 15
3.0
Trends in Recreation & Programming ................................. 17
3.1
Program and Recreation Trends ......................................... 18
3.1.1
Physical Activity and Wellness ............................................ 18
3.1.2
Children's Participation ....................................................... 18
3.1.3
Unstructured and Spontaneous Use Opportunities............ 19
3.1.4
Recognize the Evolving Role of Community Recreation ... 19
3.1.5 Volunteerism ........................................................................ 21
3.1.6
Social Inclusion .................................................................... 22
4.0
Trends in Recreation Infrastucture ...................................... 24
4.1
Creating Opportunities for All under One Roof .................. 25
4.2
Spaces that Encourage Social Interaction ........................... 25
4.3
Spontaneous and Scheduled Activities ............................... 26
4.4
Integrating Indoor and Outdoor Environments .................. 27
4.5
Including Convenience Amenities ....................................... 27
4.6
Multipurpose Spaces and Expandability ............................. 28
4.7
Special Events and Competitions ........................................ 28
5.0
Emerging Themes in Owen Sound ...................................... 30
5.1
Key Themes ......................................................................... 31
5.2
Accessibility/ Affordability ................................................... 31
5.2.1
What we Heard .................................................................... 31
5.2.2 Gaps and Opportunities ....................................................... 32
5.2.3 Trends/Best Practices .......................................................... 33
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5.2.4 Recommendations .............................................................. 34
5.3
Marketing & Communications ............................................ 35
5.3.1
What we Heard .................................................................... 36
5.3.2 Gaps and Opportunities ...................................................... 36
5.3.3
Trends/ Best Practices ......................................................... 36
5.3.4 Recommendations .............................................................. 38
5.4
Partnerships & Collaboration .............................................. 39
5.4.1 What we Heard .................................................................... 39
5.4.2 Gaps and Opportunities ...................................................... 39
5.4.3 Trends/ Best Practices ......................................................... 40
5.4.4 Recommendations .............................................................. 40
5.5
Desire for Indoor Recreation Facility ................................... 42
5.5.1
What we Heard .................................................................... 42
5.5.2 Gaps and Opportunities ...................................................... 43
5.5.3
Trends & Best Practices ....................................................... 43
5.5.4 Recommendations .............................................................. 43
6.0
Parkland Analysis & Recommended Policy Updates .......... 45
6.1 Parkland Requirements & Acquisition ................................ 46
6.2 Owen Sound Parkland Provision ........................................ 46
6.3 Parkland Requirements & Acquisition Policies ................... 47
6.4
Recommended Updates to Parkland Policy ....................... 48
6.5
Park Rationalization Analysis .............................................. 50
6.6
Proposed Process for Transition of Use .............................. 52
6.7
Play Structure Analysis ........................................................ 53
6.8
Future Parks: Sydenham Heights Planning Area Analysis.. 54
7.0
Inventory Of Recreational Facilities, Parks, Open Space &
Trails........... ..................................................................................... 56
7.1
Facility Inventory ................................................................. 57
7.1.1
Recreation Facilities ............................................................. 59
7.2
Parks, Open Space and Trails Assessment.......................... 62
8.0
Implementation Strategy .................................................... 67
8.1
Master Plan Goals and Implementation Strategy ............... 68
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In 2016, the City of Owen initiated a Service Review. A key
recommendation from this Review was to undertake a review and
update of the 2007 Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan. The
consulting team of MacNaughton Hermsen Britton Clarkson (MHBC)
Planning Ltd. was retained by the City to undertake the Recreation,
Parks and Facilities Master Plan Update. The purpose of the
Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan is to provide the City of
Owen Sound with a five year strategy to be used as a guide in
maintaining and developing recreational programs, services,
partnerships and facilities as well as open spaces, parks and trails.
This Master Plan will build on the previous Recreation, Parks and
Facilities Master Plan as well as the City's 2015 Strategic Plan.
The updated Master Plan is intended to complement past studies
(Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan; Harbour and
Downtown Urban Design/Master Plan Strategy; Harrison Park
Master Plan; Victoria Park Master Plan; Kelso Beach Park Master
Plan; and Recreation Trails Master Plan) and provide a
comprehensive strategy which focuses on program and service
delivery and built infrastructure to ensure the City continues to meet
the recreation needs of residents and visitors of all ages and abilities.
The scope of the Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan is
limited to the programs and services provided by the City of Owen
Sound, which are delivered primarily through the City's Community
Services Department. This plan will also address partnerships
between the City and other recreational providers such as the YMCA.
This Plan is a five-year plan with a broader 10-year strategy to
complement the existing strategic plans. The updated Master Plan
was supported by a public consultation program, which included a
public workshop/public meeting, input from stakeholders, staff and
other recreation program service providers, and on-line survey.
Detailed results of this consultation are included in a compendium
appendix document.
Based on the public input and background review conducted as part
of this study, four general themes emerged, centered on the
following issues:
Accessibility/Affordability
Marketing and communications
Partnerships and Collaboration
Desire for indoor turf facility
In addition to these themes, this update also addresses parkland
requirements and acquisition; recreational asset improvements;
programming; and service delivery and monitoring. As a result,
over 100 key recommendations/strategic actions have been
provided under these 8 strategic goal areas, which are intended to
help the Community Services Department build capacity in
programming; enhance diversity of opportunities for participants;
and establish a strategy for the dedication of parkland and
rationalization of parks.
This update provides Owen Sound with an opportunity to reflect on
past success, while looking ahead to the future. Owen Sound is on
the cusp of change, navigating the new direction for recreation,
leisure, and community. This will require leadership and vision that
v
will demand support and the combined efforts of the Community
Services Department and prospective partners from all community
sectors in order to make changes that will allow for success.
1
1.0 Introduction
2
1.1 Master Plan Goals and
Scope
The purpose of the Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan is to
provide the City of Owen Sound with a long term strategy to be used
as a guide in maintaining and developing recreational programs,
services and facilities as well as open spaces, parks and trails. This
Master Plan will build on the previous Recreation, Parks and Facilities
Master Plan as well as the City's 2015 Strategic Plan.
Relevant to this Master Plan, key objectives proposed in the 2015
Strategic Plan include:
Enhancing tourism opportunities;
Encouraging participation in cultural activities and active
lifestyles;
Facilitating affordable recreation and sports opportunities;
Fostering inclusive public spaces; maintaining, improving
and promoting the use of local parks and trails; and
Ensuring the responsible management of natural resources.
Several policies and plans are currently used to inform various
aspects of the City's Recreation model. These plans include the City
of Owen Sound's Official Plan (2006); Recreation, Parks and
Facilities Master Plan (2007); Harbour and Downtown Urban
Design/Master Plan Strategy (2000); Harrison Park Master Plan
(2002); Victoria Park Master Plan (2011); Kelso Beach Park Master
Plan (2010); and Trails Master Plan (2012). Additional policies and
documents impacting the City's recreation model include the 2016
Service Review, the City's Asset Management Plan, the YMCA's
AODA Statement of Commitment to Accessibility, the Downtown
River Precinct Conceptual and Schematic Design as well as economic
development policies and plans.
These plans and strategies are in effect, and serve as important
planning tools for the provision of parks and recreation facilities
within the City. The updated Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master
Plan is intended to complement these documents and provide a
comprehensive strategy which focuses on program and service
delivery to ensure the City continues to meet the recreation needs of
residents and program/ service users from the surrounding area of
all ages and abilities.
In addition to addressing the parks system, recreational facilities and
services provided by the City of Owen Sound, this Master Plan
reviews the joint partnership between the Julie McArthur Regional
Recreation Centre and the YMCA. Through this partnership, local
and regional residents can access a diverse range of activities that
result in more active lives.
This Plan also addresses current issues and opportunities for
program delivery not envisioned in the existing Master Plan. Key
issues reviewed include financial sustainability, parkland dedication
and parks rationalization.
This Plan is a five-year plan with a broader 10-year strategy to
complement the existing strategic plans. The Recreation Parks and
Facilities Master Plan establishes a clear path forward for the City,
which will:
3
Enhance diversity of opportunities for participants based on
current and projected demographic trends;
Provide a snapshot of user needs now and in the future;
Identify how current and future services can be improved
and/or developed to meet user expectations;
Provide City staff with best practices and recommendations
for parkland dedication and rationalization to consider for
the Official Plan review and update taking place in 2018; and
Provide best practices and recommendations for staff for
continued maintenance and management of parks and
recreational facilities.
1.2 Methodology
The foundation of the Master Plan is based upon public consultation
with the community, input from stakeholders, staff and other
recreation program service providers, while considering recreation
and leisure trends and the City's demographics and population.
In order to get a better understanding of how the community
currently utilizes programs offered by the City and obtain input on
the delivery of parks and recreation programs moving forward, a
community consultation exercise was undertaken to identify
program needs and areas for improvement. This consultation
assisted in answering fundamental questions such as:
What is the level of satisfaction with existing recreational
facilities and parks in Owen Sound?
How could existing programs and services be improved?
What other programs and services would you like to see
offered in the community?
Are there enough parks and trails?
How do residents feel about altering the use of under-
utilized parks and open spaces in order to improve their
usage and meet changing recreational needs?
In addition, an online survey was undertaken to obtain additional
feedback regarding:
The community's current participation in leisure programs
offered by various organizations within and outside of the
City of Owen Sound;
Facility usage within the City;
Barriers to participation;
Level of service provided by the City with respect to
recreational needs and programming;
Areas for improvement; and,
Perceptions and opinions on partnerships between the City
and community organizations.
The survey ran through October, 2017. In total, there were 505
responses to the survey. However, 43% of respondents were
responding on behalf of households, representing an additional 524
individuals. Thus, the online survey accounts for 1029 individuals.
72% of these respondents were residents of Owen Sound; 5% were
residents of Meaford, 4% were residents of Chatsworth; and 19%
indicated 'Other' (Georgian Bluffs, Hepworth, Shallow Lake, etc.)
A public Open House was held on September 27th, 2017 with staff,
user groups and other community stakeholders to:
4
Assess the current demand and capacity for existing
programs;
Understand how recreation and leisure service providers
perceive the strengths and weaknesses of the current
delivery of programming;
Confirm if there are enough parks, trails and facilities for
recreational use; and
Gauge the support of altering use of under-utilized parks and
open spaces in the City.
These exercises assisted in the identification of major goals, gaps,
opportunities and priority areas to direct the provision and delivery
of future parks and recreation services in the City. The results of the
survey and a summary of the community open house consultation
are included as appendices to this report.
Existing background reports and plans were also reviewed to assist
in establishing an understanding of the City's existing recreation
offerings in order to identify gaps and priorities for recreation and
the future needs for recreation facilities, parks and services in the
City. These have included strategic master plans including the
Strategic Plan (2015), Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan
(2007), Parks Master Plans (Harrison Park, Kelso Beach Park, Victoria
Park, etc.), and the Recreation Trails Master Plan as well as the City's
recreational program offerings and other community organization
program offerings.
Available data on user rates, participation numbers in minor sports,
program fees, and operating budgets made available by the City
were also relied upon. Demographic data, obtained primarily from
Statistics Canada, and local planning policy documents were also
used in order to get a better understanding of the demographic
profile and future demographic trends that could potentially
influence parks and recreation program delivery in the City.
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) data was also made
available, and utilized to assess parkland and open space supply for
the City.
1.3 Organization
of
the
Plan
The Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan includes the
following components:
A Review of Background Information, including a review of
local demographics, a summary of background studies
completed by the City, which inform and complement the
findings and directions of this Plan (Section 2.0); and, a
review of current programming and recreation trends
(Sections 3.0 and 4.0);
Identification and Summary of Key Themes, which were
identified through community consultation and background
research and analysis (Section 5.0);
Inventory of parks, open spaces and recreational facilities
in Section 6.0; and,
Implementation/Action Plan, developed based on the
recommendations proposed for each of the identified key
themes (Section 7.0).
5
2.0 Background Review
6
2.1 Owen Sound Regional
Context
The City of Owen Sound is located on the southern shore of
Georgian Bay, at the base of the Bruce Peninsula. Owen Sound is
the largest urban community in Grey and Bruce County. The total
population of Grey County, according to the 2016 Census, was
93,830. Grey County is comprised of nine municipalities:
Township of Southgate;
Township of Georgian Bluffs;
Township of Chatsworth;
Town of the Blue Mountains;
Town of Hanover;
Municipality of West Grey;
Municipality of Meaford;
Municipality of Grey Highlands; and
City of Owen Sound;
With a population of 21,341, Owen Sound is the largest of the nine
municipalities within the County and is considered to be an 'urban
hub' for the neighbouring communities. Key natural attractions
including Kelso Beach, Harrison Park and the Niagara Escarpment
are within the City's boundaries. Additional natural spaces within
close proximity include Inglis Falls and Hibou Conservation Area.
The City of Owen Sound provides a variety of parks and recreation
facilities intended to serve residents of the City and County,
including two community centres, an advanced trail system and
numerous public outdoor spaces (parks) of varying sizes. While this
Master Plan update explores Owen Sound's recreational needs, it is
important to note that the City's recreational assets provide
recreation and leisure opportunities for the wider region, including
the adjacent rural municipalities.
In addition to the recreational facilities and public spaces provided
and operated by the City, many other private facilities exist and
contribute to the recreation and leisure opportunities available to
residents of the City and County. These include a variety of private
fitness facilities, yoga studios, dance academies, and organized
sport leagues (e.g. soccer).
2.2 Demographics
With a population of 21,341 in 2016, the City of Owen Sound
represents the largest municipality in Grey County. West Grey
(12,518); Meaford (10,991); Georgian Bluffs (10,479); and, Hanover
(7688) are the next most populous municipalities within the County.
7
Based on population forecasts provided in the Grey County's
Growth Management Strategy Update (Hemson Consulting Ltd.,
2015), it is expected that by 2036 Owen Sound's population will
grow by 2179 people to a total of 23,520. Notwithstanding the
growth projections allocated to the City, the 2016 Census data
shows that Owen Sound's population is not growing as fast as in
previous Census years and not as fast as forecasted. Population
growth from the 2011 Census to the 2016 Census was -1.6% (347
people). This is a larger decline than the previous Census years,
where Owen Sound experienced a growth of 0.06% from 1996-
2001; 0.28% from 2001-2006, and; -0.06% from 2006-2011. While
Owen Sound's population is not growing, the number of
households did increase in the 2011-2016 period.
The slow growth/decline in population points to an overall aging
population and smaller household size in the City. This is further
confirmed
by
analysis
of
median age. The median age
of residents of the City of
Owen Sound is 47.8 years old,
which is significantly higher
than the provincial (41.3) and
national (41.2) median age.
According
to
Statistics
Canada,
the
average
household size in Owen Sound
is 2.1 people, which is less than
the provincial and national
averages of 2.6 and 2.4
respectively
It is worth noting, however, that the 5th largest age cohort is 25-29
years. This is higher than Grey County's 25-29 years cohort (4.8%),
and an increase from the 2011 Census (5.1%) which may indicate a
growing centre for new and/or young families living in Owen Sound.
Analysis of immigration patterns suggests that growth is also not
likely to occur via immigration to the City. Census data indicates that
the proportion of new immigrants to the City between Census years,
as a proportion of the total population, is declining.
55-59 Years (8.0%)
50-54 Years (7.3%)
60-64 Years (7.1%)
65-69 Years (6.6%)
25-29 Years (6.0%)
Top five age cohorts, Owen Sound
(Statistics Canada, 2016)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Owen Sound
Grey County
Ontario
Percentage (%) of total population
Age group
Age distribution: Owen Sound, Grey County & Ontario (Statistics Canada,
2016)
8
Research indicates that there is a correlation between income and
participation in recreational activities whereby participation in
recreation activities is often higher among higher income families.
Studies have also shown that wealth and family income increases
with age. Based on the latest Census data, the average household
income in Owen Sound is lower than the Provincial average. The
National Household Survey determined that the median household
income after tax for Owen Sound was $46,857 compared to $65,285
for Ontario.
The level of education one achieves also influences the likelihood of
engaging in healthy physical and recreational activities. As the level
of education one achieves increases, so does the probability that
participation in physical and recreational activities will increase.
Nearly half (45.3%) of the City's population has a post-secondary
certificate, diploma or degree, while the balance (54.6%) has either
attained only a high school diploma or reported no formalized
education. Given these statistics and the links between educational
attainment and physical activity levels, it can be inferred that as
educational attainment continues to grow, participation in
recreational activities should grow as well.
Demographic analysis shows that the majority of Owen Sound's
population speaks English as a first language. The top 5 languages,
other than English and French, spoken by residents in Owen Sound
are German, Korean, Dutch, Arabic and Tagalog. Ethnicity can
influence the community services provided by a municipality. The
diversity of ethnic groups in the community can lead to greater
demand for recreation pursuits that these ethnic groups enjoy. For
example, in the future there may be greater demand on facilities for
activities such as cricket, bocce, or other culturally specific programs
in order to serve the diverse community needs. It is therefore
important for the City to continue to monitor the changing
demographics to ensure cultural, leisure and recreation services
meet the socio-demographic demands.
Overall, the demographic trends suggest that Owen Sound is
comprised of an aging population. However, current marketing
efforts to attract young families to the City aims to offset the
demographic trend of an older/aging population.
2.3 Planning Framework
Review
2.3.1 Planning Act (1990)
Section 42 and 51.1 of the Ontario Planning Act deal with the
applicable policies which permit municipalities to enact by-laws that
will require parkland conveyance to the municipality for new
development or redevelopment. Section 42 specifies the required
parkland dedication through specific policies that outline parkland
requirements based on the proposed development land uses.
Currently, the City's Official Plan contains a rate for parks of different
scales (i.e. Neighbourhood parks and Community parks specifically).
The proposed update to the Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master
Plan has reviewed the City's requirements for parkland dedication in
the Official Plan and the Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan
9
and has evaluated the existing supply of parks through a mapping
exercise, which shall be discussed below.
Furthermore, Section 42(4.1) and 51.1(2.1) of the Planning Act state
that a municipality shall prepare and make available to the public a
parks plan that examines the need for parkland in the municipality
prior to adopting policies in the Official Plan that deal with the
provision of lands for park or other public recreational purposes and
the use of the alternative requirement for parkland dedication.
Section 42(4.2) and 51.1(2.2) state that in the preparation of the
parks plan, the municipality shall consult every school board that has
jurisdiction in the municipality and may consult other persons or
public bodies as the municipality deems appropriate. In accordance
with these policies, the update to the Recreation, Parks and Facilities
Master Plan will recommend that the Department undertake
consultation with local school boards and public bodies for future
changes to parkland requirements and changes to the parks plan in
order to ensure that input can be provided by these parties.
Section 42(6) and 51.1(3) state that where applicable, the council of
a municipality may request a payment in lieu for the parkland that is
required to be conveyed, at a rate to be established by an
implementing Official Plan policy, and based on the direction of the
Planning Act policies. Section 42(15) of the Planning Act states that
where a municipality collects payment in lieu of parkland dedication,
that all money received by the municipality for the purposes, "less
any amount spent by the municipality out of its general funds in
respect of the land, shall be paid into a special account and spent
only for the acquisition of land to be used for park or other public
recreational purposes, including the erection, improvement or repair
of buildings and the acquisition of machinery for park or other public
recreational purposes." Each year, the treasurer must provide a
statement for the special account that identifies any transaction
made to and from the account.
These policies will be discussed further in Section 6.0 of this Master
Plan.
2.3.2 Provincial Policy Statement (2014)
The Provincial Policy Statement (2014) provides policy direction on
matters of provincial interest related to land use planning and
development. While the majority of policies within the PPS focus on
these topics, there are policies which support the continued
provision of parkland and open spaces to serve the surrounding
community. Specifically, policy 1.5.1 states that "Healthy, active
communities should be promoted by:
b) planning and providing for a full range and equitable distribution of
publicly-accessible built and natural settings for recreation, including
facilities, parklands, public spaces, open space areas, trails and
linkages, and, where practical, water-based resources;"
The proposed update to the Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master
Plan recognizes the importance of maintaining parkland and open
space within the City of Owen Sound, and will seek to implement the
significance of this policy through the revised parkland policies and
a parkland rationalization analysis.
10
2.3.3 Grey County Official Plan (2013)
The County of Grey Official Plan was approved by the Ministry of
Municipal Affairs and Housing on March 5, 1998, and replaced the
Grey/Owen Sound Official Plan, that was approved by the Province
in 1981. As of June 30th, 2000, the Minister of Municipal Affairs
approved an order to restructure the County of Grey which would
come in effect on January 1st, 2001. This restructuring was
developed by the County and proposed that a two-tier government
system with a county government and nine local municipalities be
implemented. The updated plan reflects this new structure by
basing land use schedules and the growth strategy on the County
and nine local municipalities.
The Official Plan is meant to guide the development within the
County to the year 2026, and to interpret and apply the intent of
Provincial legislation, regulations and policies for developments
within the County. The policies within the plan integrate the
principles of sustainable, healthy and strong communities, a
healthy environment, and economic growth for the long term.
The Official Plan contains a variety of policies that are relevant to
the update of the Owen Sound Parks and Facilities Master Plan.
One of the goals of the County Official Plan is to "strengthen the
role of Grey County as a desirable place to work, live, and visit by
encouraging the provision of affordable, diverse and accessible
housing and by promoting the provision of adequate social,
recreational, cultural, health and educational services".
Some policies of the County Official Plan also support sustainable
environmental management of fisheries and wildlife in order to
continue to provide opportunities for outdoor recreational space for
area residents and visitors. Policies suggest that many recreational
and tourism-related activities in the County can provide year-round
recreation/tourism activities through the establishment of new
facilities. Recreational uses such as skiing, snowmobiling, fishing,
hunting, golfing, walking, hiking, biking, and water access activities
are some of the uses that can be diversified to provide year-round
recreation opportunities.
One of the fundamental policies of the County Official Plan is to
"promote healthy and diverse communities where residents can live,
work and enjoy recreational opportunities." The update to the
Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan will seek to ensure that
there is adequate provision and preservation of indoor and outdoor
recreational facilities and parks to promote the continued
recreational use of facilities within the City of Owen Sound.
2.3.4 City of Owen Sound Official Plan
(2006)
The City of Owen Sound Official Plan was adopted by City Council
on March 20, 2006, and was approved by the County of Grey on
August 10, 2006. A review of the Official Plan was undertaken in
2011/2012, in accordance with the direction of the Planning Act and
policy from the 2006 Official Plan. The updated Official Plan
provides a long-term vision for all lands within the City of Owen
Sound, as well as goals to guide the future development of the City.
11
The policies of the City Official Plan promote a healthy population
through the provision of recreation facilities that are accessible to all
ages. The policies also support the expansion, redevelopment, and
extension of these recreation facilities and parks where financially
feasible partnerships are developed and community needs are
addressed.
Specific policies regarding updates to the Recreation, Parks and
Facilities Master Plan are included in the Official Plan and include the
following:
Review the current and projected recreation needs of the
Owen Sound community in the context of the demand for
recreational services from surrounding communities,
tourism needs and usage trends for various types of
recreational activities.
Assess the capacity and adequacies of the existing public
and private facilities to meet these needs.
Provide direction to the City in the development,
improvement, expansion and maintenance of the public
park system and recreational facilities.
Provide the basis for long-term strategies and master plans
for Owen Sound's Parks and other potential open space
options.
Identify appropriate recreation program ideas for the City
and recreation partners.
Provide comprehensive plan or strategy for the design, use,
maintenance and development of the trail systems within
the City, under the general framework of the Tom Thomson
Trail on the east side, Georgian Bluffs Rail Trail on the west
side, and Freedom Trail at the south end of the City.
The City shall maintain and regularly update Schedule 'D' -
Trails to provide for paths and trails.
The provision of parks is also highly detailed within the City Official
Plan. Details regarding the appropriate parkland dedication rate as
well as definitions for the different types of parks are provided within
the policies. Where there is a need for additional parkland within the
City, the Official Plan policies identify means through which the City
can acquire parkland. Policies outlining the City's parkland
dedication requirement for new developments are also included. As
part of this update, Section 42 and 51.1 of the Planning Act will be
reviewed to ensure the City's Official Plan policies are up to date.
In addition to public parks, the Official Plan identifies that recreation
trails and trail systems are also a promoted form of recreation. Since
the Official Plan was approved, the City has completed a Recreation
Trails Master Plan that contemplates the creation of a trail system
within the City to support transportation, environmental, social,
cultural and recreational functions.
The findings of this study will help to inform the 5 year review of the
Official Plan which the City will be undertaking in 2018.
12
2.4
Review of Previous
Studies Completed
Over the past ten years, a number of other studies, strategies and
plans have been completed regarding the planning and provision of
parks and recreation in the City. These studies, reviewed below,
generally deal with the planning and development of parks and
recreation infrastructure. It is anticipated that the recommendations
of this Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan will complement
and build upon the recommendations of these other studies.
2.4.1 Owen Sound Strategic Plan (2015)
The Strategic Plan for the City of Owen Sound was finalized in 2015
and represents a vision to the year 2020. The development of the
Strategic Plan included significant consultation with the public
through public meetings, working sessions, comment cards and on-
line surveys. The Plan sets the overall direction for development
within the City, and thereby guides the creation of the policies
within the Official Plan and the Asset Management Plan. The
Strategic Plan is founded on a vision and mission statement and
underlying values that are intended to help guide future decision-
making.
Furthermore, the Strategic plan identifies objectives and actions to
help guide the City towards their goals. The City has identified a
desire for the Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan Update
to address objectives 3, 7, 14, and 15 of the City of Owen Sound
Strategic Plan. The objectives are as follows:
Objective 3 - Leverage our City's assets in order to enhance
tourism opportunities;
Objective 7 - Encourage and promote participation in
cultural activities and active lifestyles;
o Action 7.2 - Continue to facilitate affordable
recreation and sports opportunities;
Objective 14 - Maintain, improve and promote the use of
our local parks and trails; and
Objective 15 - Ensure the responsible management of
natural resources.
The update to the Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan will
include a section to describe what objectives of the Strategic Plan
are being addressed through the Recreation, Parks and Facilities
Master Plan.
2.4.2 Recreation, Parks and Facilities
Master Plan (2007)
The Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan was finalized in
January 2007 and has since served as the City's guide to the
development of parks and recreation facilities. The plan was
intended to span a period of 10 years, which is why an update to the
plan has been initiated by the City.
The Master Plan had identified overarching goals and action plans
that contribute to the completion of the goals. In a staff report to
City Council (CS-16-113), a report card was provided that reviewed
the individual action plans and evaluated their status. Overall, many
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of the action plans have been completed or are in the process of
being completed.
The construction of the Julie McArthur Regional Recreation Centre
has addressed many of the action items identified in the 2007 Master
Plan. The main recommendation that stemmed from the previous
Master Plan was the need for a new multi-use recreational facility to
address the community's recreation needs. This facility changed the
landscape of recreation in Owen Sound. Additionally, the
partnership with the YMCA changed Owen Sound's approach to
recreational service delivery.
Despite several action plans from the current Recreation, Parks and
Facilities Master Plan being completed, there are still some
recommendations that will be priorities in this updated Master Plan.
These include:
Review whether playground equipment is being provided in
accordance with the standards that are identified in the
City's Official Plan (Action Plan #30)
Confirm if the minimum parkland provision rates in the City's
Official Plan remain relevant (Action Plan #42)
Identify policies regarding parks rationalization for
undersized parcels (Action Plan #49)
Based on information in Official Plan, the City should
develop a comprehensive inventory of municipal parks and
open space that contains information on the size, location,
and associated facilities of each parcel (Action Plan #41)
2.4.3 Harrison Park Master Plan (2002)
Harrison Park is the largest park in the City of Owen Sound, and
the only regional park, consisting of over 40 hectares of land.
The park is located at the southeast end of the City, and
contains trails, campgrounds, and the City's only outdoor pool.
The Park is bounded by Grey Sauble Conservation Area lands
which extend the public open space.
In 2002, the Community Services Department at the City of
Owen Sound retained consultant, Larry Porter, to undertake the
Harrison Park Master Plan Study to conduct an overall review of
the park's land use planning and the overall condition of the
park. The purpose of the study was to identify areas of the park
which required immediate or long term attention, and provide a
list of "actions" to address these areas.
The study was conducted through many conversations with
groups and individuals to understand the park's background and
issues. The issues within the park were identified and
categorized into eight areas for which the study outlines design
issues and provides recommendations of design actions. While
there were recommendations for the eight identified areas of
Harrison Park, the study also provided global recommendations
for Harrison Park which included conducting projects that would
address some of the issues observed and improve the operation
of the park.
Youth activity area;
Children's play area;
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Hard surface plaza for events;
Portable stage for concerts/ events;
Traffic circulation; and
Infrastructure (utilities, water, sewer, electrical)
2.4.4 Victoria Park Master Plan (2011)
Victoria Park is located on the east end of Owen Sound, on 10th
Street East and has a natural escarpment band that goes through the
park, providing key views of the downtown, harbour and Georgian
Bay. In October 2010, Benj Art Inc. Construction was retained by the
City of Owen Sound to conduct the Victoria Park Master Plan, which
was completed in October 2011. Despite the study being conducted
just before the completion of the Julie McArthur Regional Recreation
Centre, the Master Plan provided for the Regional Recreation Centre
and identifies it as the central element of Victoria Park. The Plan
identifies the Recreation Centre as a hub for the community which
provides facilities and opportunities to encourage a healthy, active
lifestyle for people of all ages.
Development of the Master Plan was informed by public
consultation with the City residents in the form of a public visioning
meeting and a questionnaire that was collected from the public and
stakeholder groups. Meetings with the public were held in February
2011, September 2011 and October 2011. The final result of the
Master Plan produced a comprehensive document that identified
issues, opportunities, overall recommendations, and a proposed
Master Plan drawing for Victoria Park.
2.4.5 Kelso Beach Park Master Plan
(2010)
Kelso Beach Park is located on the west shore of Owen Sound on
Georgian Bay at the mouth of Pottawatomi River and close to the
Owen Sound harbour and marina. Based on the City's classification
of parks in the Official Plan, Kelso Beach Park is considered a "City
Park", which provides unique, specialized recreational facilities and
services and serves users from throughout the City and adjacent
communities. The Kelso Beach Park Master Plan was completed in
April 2010 by Northwood Associates Landscape Architects Ltd. The
Master Plan process included extensive public consultation and
engagement in the form of a visioning meeting, an open house, and
two public meetings. As part of the Master Plan process, the
consultant conducted an inventory and assessment of Kelso Beach
Park and recommendations for phasing of future improvements to
the park.
As part of the Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan, one of
the Action Plans identified in the Report Card was that a Park
Master Plan for Kelso Beach be undertaken for the intention of
beginning a process to restore a permanent beach environment
that can be enjoyed by the community. This action plan has been
met and the implementation of recommendations from the Master
Plan is ongoing.
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2.4.6 Recreation Trails Master Plan
(2012)
The Recreation Trails Master Plan was created for the purpose of
encouraging and facilitating trail use as an alternative form of
transportation and recreation within the City of Owen Sound. The
Trails Master Plan identifies trails as a key strategic initiative for the
City of Owen Sound, which is also supported by the Official Plan
and the current Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan.
Furthermore, the Recreation Trails Master Plan identifies that
relationships between City departments will be integral to
maintaining a well-used trail system, and that lines of
communication between all departments must be open in order for
the City to provide the best trails system possible.
In addition to a review of policies which emphasize the importance
of providing adequate trail systems, the Recreation Trails Master
Plan also identifies strategies and methods that should be used
when improving existing or implementing new recreation trails. To
aid in the explanation, the Master Plan also contains a section
which identifies trail classifications and major uses as well as
existing and future trail routes.
Section 8 of the Master Plan identifies a Five Year Priority Plan for
trails projects within the City. The priorities identified are those
which are expected to provide the most value to the City's residents
and those that are most desired based on previous input. Some of
these items include:
Continue "Safe Trails Network Project";
Remediation of Existing Trails in Poor Condition;
New Trail Construction (various); and
City Wide Trail Signage Project.
2.4.7 Greenwood Cemetery Master Plan
(2012)
The Greenwood Cemetery is a 19th century cemetery located at the
south end of the City, in proximity to Harrison Park. In 2012, a
review of the Cemetery Master Plan was undertaken to evaluate
the operation and provide recommendations to address needs and
opportunities. The cemetery is classified as a park and open space
as its trails are used for passive recreation purposes. The internal
road network is heavily used for walking and cycling to other areas
of the City, including Harrison Park, Nine Bends and Second
Avenue East.
2.4.8 2016 Service Review
The 2016 Service Review was initiated to review the status of the
services that are being provided to the City and surrounding
municipalities, and provide recommendations regarding the
operation of these services. The Service Review also identified
goals for various Departments within the City of Owen Sound to
improve the success of operations. The Service Review identifies
key policies within the planning framework such as the Official Plan
or the Strategic Plan, and evaluates the status of the policies
against the existing operation.
The Service Review included a review of the following divisions, as
they relate to the Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan:
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Parks and Open Space;
Greenwood Cemetery;
Community Programs;
Facility Booking;
Property & Building Management;
Special Events;
Tourism; and
Two recreation centres.
Additional issues included in the Service Review include:
Senior's Rates and Facilities; and
Non-resident Fees.
Many observations and recommendations were made with
regards to the operation of the Parks and Open Space division of
the Community Services Department. Some of the key
recommendations from the Service Review include the
following:
THAT City Council investigate the following Parks
recommendation: 2414.2, as amended, to update the
Recreation, Parks & Facilities Master Plan in 2017,
including a focus on park rationalization and a
determination if parks or portions of parks are sufficient to
meet the needs of the City in the short and long term"
"THAT City Council direct staff to provide a report card on
the Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan"
(Addressed in staff report: CS-16-113)
"THAT City Council directs staff provide a report to the
Community Services Committee with a complete review of
youth and adult non-resident user fees for sports and
recreation programs" (Addressed in staff report CS-17-
014)
These recommendations have since been provided, or will be
addressed through the update of the Recreation, Parks and
Facilities Master Plan.
Each of the studies and plans mentioned above should be reviewed
to ensure they are still relevant. Older Plans, such as the Harrison
Park Master Plan should be reviewed first.
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3.0 Trends in Recreation &
Programming
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3.1 Program and
Recreation Trends
The 2007 Master Plan contained a very comprehensive review of
trends relating to the provision and design of recreation facilities and
parks. Most of these trends continue to apply to the City moving
forward, such as the need to ensure that facilities be as multi-
functional and flexible as possible.
The following is a summary of trends that the City will need to
continuously monitor in order to ensure that the programs and
services offered align with these evolving trends.
3.1.1
Physical Activity and Wellness
Physical activity is associated with a range of physical, mental and
social health benefits. The more activity, the greater the benefit.
For children and adolescents (ages 5-17), guidelines published by the
World Health Organization (WHO) recommend that children and
youth accumulate a minimum of 60 minutes of moderate-to-
vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day, as well as muscle-and-
bone strengthening activities, at least three times per week.
However, the 2016 ParticipACTION Report Card of Physical Activity
for Children and Youth in Canada indicates that only 9% of kids aged
5-17 get the 60 minutes of heart pumping activity they need each
day.
Looking at adult physical activity, new guidelines from the WHO
recommend that adults should accumulate at least 150 minutes of
moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) a week. However,
the majority of Canadian adults' waking hours - 68% for men and
69% for women - are sedentary. The Canadian Health Measures
survey found that the recommended level of activity is achieved by
only 17% of men and 14% of women.
Studies show that a sedentary lifestyle may be connected to a
multitude of serious health risks such as diabetes, weight gain,
osteoporosis, and cardiovascular health risks. In terms of the
connection between physical activity and wellness, a report from
Vital Signs/ True Sport Foundation found that 71% of sport
participants see themselves as being in excellent or very good
mental health. Players say sport participation improves their skills,
sense of achievement, self-esteem, sense of belonging and self-
worth. Beyond the physical health effects, physical activity can help
participants enjoy positive social relations.
3.1.2 Children's Participation
The benefits of participation in physical activity and leisure have
been demonstrated by a number of research and practical initiatives.
Health Canada estimates that for each $1 invested in physical
activity there is long term saving of $11 in health care costs. The
benefits are particularly important for children, since physical
recreation is crucial to physical, social, motor and emotional
development.
In its Summer 2008 edition of Canadian Social Trends, Statistics
Canada examined trends in regular sports participation of children
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aged 5 to 14 from 1992 to 2005. In the article entitled, "Kids' Sports",
participation in sports is described as having declined from 57% to
51%. The 2016 ParticipACTION Report Card confirms that this trend
has continued, but there has been some improvement. According to
parents, 77% of 5-19 year olds in Canada participate in organized
physical activities or sports. Sports participation is most prevalent
among children from high-income households and lowest among
children from lower income households. Children of recent
immigrants are less likely to participate in sports than children of
Canadian born parents (55%).
3.1.3
Unstructured and Spontaneous
Use Opportunities
Citizens are demanding more flexibility in timing and activity choice,
moving away from structured team sports to spontaneous activities
such as fitness / wellness, leisure swimming, walking, and open
gymnasiums for spontaneous activities. People are seeking
individualized, informal pursuits that can be done alone or in small
groups, at flexible times, often near or at home. This does not,
however, eliminate the need for venues that accommodate
structured activities and the stakeholder groups that utilize them.
Instead, this trend suggests that planning for the general population
is as important as planning for traditional structured use
environments.
Statistics Canada, through the 2010 research document entitled
"Sport Participation in Canada, 2010", relates a number of key trends
in sport participation occurring in the nation. In the period between
1992 and 2010, participation rates in organized sport dropped from
45% to 26% of the population. This drop was consistent across all
age groups. This trend can be seen in Owen Sound, as minor sport
participation has declined over time.
Although many team sports offer a number of positive physical and
mental benefits to participants, the concept of spontaneous
recreation and the increasingly busy lifestyles of Ontarians have
prompted a shared focus on infrastructure development that
accommodates both team sports and individual pursuits. As both
provide a myriad of benefit to health and wellbeing in a community,
it is important that future infrastructure development have
opportunities for both team and individual activities.
Approximately two-thirds of Canadian sport participants participate
alone (65%) or with close family (69%). More Canadians report a
preference for non-competitive activities (47%) than for competitive
activities (9%); 44% of Canadians prefer competitive and non-
competitive activities. This trend is reflected in the Owen Sound
survey data, which shows that participation in outdoor fitness
activities such as running and cycling (69%) - programs that are
generally individual by nature - were in demand by residents.
3.1.4 Recognize the Evolving Role of
Community Recreation
The parks and recreation field is recognized as a vital element in
overall community health, including improving fitness behaviours of
residents and addressing social issues at the community level.
Indeed, the largest impact in people's health, well-being and
happiness comes from improving where we live, work and play and
participation in recreation can result in a more cohesive community.
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Leisure needs and values change across an individual's lifetime and
there are generalizations that can be made about leisure behaviours
of specific population groups. For example, as the population ages,
the appreciation for physical well-being improves and there is an
increased demand for spaces and activities that may not have
previously been considered. Older adults and seniors are more active
today than in the past and they are seeking opportunities for casual
sports, active living and a greater variety of choices, including more
readily accessible pursuits such as walking, picnicking, sightseeing,
or attending sporting and cultural events; however, outdoor
activities requiring significant physical exertion, excessive skill
development or special equipment remain popular with the Baby
Boomer generation of seniors.
There is also a clear shift in the adult and youth population toward
more informal and individualized activities that can be done at
convenient times and places and include (but are not limited to)
walking, cycling, gardening, cultural events, outdoor activities,
environmental and cultural learning, ecotourism and physical
exercise. In addition, as people's schedules become increasingly
busy, there is greater demand for informal and individual activities
rather than scheduled programs.
The Owen Sound survey data is in line with existing and future trends
in that respondents are pursuing adventure, outdoor sport and
outdoor fitness based programs that can be accessed on an
individual's leisure and are in most cases unstructured.
Parks and recreation plays a role in improving quality of life within
the broader community that includes people living on lower incomes
or with disabilities as well as members of visible minorities. The on-
line survey identified the following barriers to participation:
Cost (fees are too high);
Not enough time;
Lack of information (unsure of what is being offered);
Program or event times (inconvenient scheduling); and
Overcrowded facilities.
Programs and services with continued emphasis on inclusion and
access will be important as will a priority of creating safe and
engaging public places, in order to build community.
This best practice can be found in the City of Owen Sound. Through
a joint partnership between the City and the YMCA, the YMCA
delivers inclusive community recreation programming that is aimed
at enhancing the personal, social, environmental and economic well-
being of the community and incorporates the principles of
exceptional service, operational sustainability and community
development. Through this partnership, the following best practices
are being applied:
Developing opportunities for people to be active on an
individual, informal basis.
Ensuring sport and physical activity programs and amenities
reflect the range of interests, inspirations and abilities of the
diverse community while aligning planning with community
usages, participation and trends.
Improving
"learn-to"
sport
and
physical
literacy
(fundamental movement and sports skills) programs to
facilitate learning experiences for all ages and abilities.
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Delivering introductory programming in all service areas
through a variety of delivery models.
Embracing opportunities to build on and incorporate
emerging sport and activities into program offerings.
Considering facility and park design, programming and
community partnerships that foster physical activity, social
gathering, connection, and responsiveness to the recreation
needs of the growing and changing community.
3.1.5 Volunteerism
The evolving nature of volunteerism is important for recreation
service providers to understand, given the importance of volunteers
in the delivery of community programs and events. In 2013, 44% of
Canadians, aged 15 years and older, participated in some form of
volunteer work. This represents a decrease from a high 47% in 2010.
It is important to note that experiences volunteers are looking for is
also changing. Increasingly, volunteers are seeking more defined
roles and terms as well as opportunities to gain new skills and
experiences.
Based on the National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and
Participating findings (Statistics Canada, 2013), it is clear that the
majority of volunteer hours are provided by the minority of
volunteers. This is also true within the realm of sports and recreation.
Seventy-nine (79%) of total volunteer hours contributed to sports
and recreation organizations came from 25% of volunteers.
The 2013 National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating
suggest that many groups still struggle in finding volunteers. One
key result of the national survey was that 18% of the volunteer hours
in Canada are in sports and recreation sector, which is the highest of
all sectors. It should also be noted that the absolute average
volunteer hours per year decreased slightly from 156 hours per year
in 2010 to 154 hours per year in 2013.
Similar to trends in the general population, the population of
volunteers is aging. In 2013, 28% of all Canadian volunteers were
aged 55 and older. In contrast, the share of volunteers aged 35 to 44
decreased from 22% to 18% in 2013. This changing age profile of
volunteers could have several implications on recreation and leisure
programs, because older volunteers tend to prefer certain types of
activities (For example, participating on boards/committees instead
of coaching).
The City of Owen Sound Recreation, Parks and Facilities department
should consider ways to create opportunities for all ages to volunteer
in various capacities. This may be done through partnerships that
support minor sport leagues, seniors groups or the YMCA. The future
delivery of recreation and sport is dependent on ensuring that
volunteers are engaged at all levels in program development and
delivery; facility planning and operations; participating in leadership
roles on community task groups, and sport delivery at all levels.
Survey feedback from community organizations based on anecdotal
data indicates that the stronger organizations owe a great deal to
their volunteer recruitment, training, retention and recognition
activities. It was also noted that all groups would welcome
collaboration with other organizations that clearly have developed a
number of "Best Practices" in volunteer involvement in their
organizations. Collaboration is strongly encouraged amongst all
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organizations in order to build a strong volunteer network in the
community.
3.1.6 Social Inclusion
Research has demonstrated that recreation and leisure can foster
social inclusion for residents facing social, financial, physical or
mental health barriers. While always an important issue, its
significance has risen as communities have become more diverse.
Social inclusion is about making sure that all children and adults are
able to participate as valued, respected and contributing members
of society. It involves the basic notions of belonging, acceptance and
recognition. For immigrants, social inclusion would be manifested in
full and equal participation in all facets of a community including
economic, social, cultural, and political realms. It goes beyond
including "outsiders" or "newcomers." In fact social inclusion is about
the elimination of the boundaries or barriers between "us" and
"them." There is a recognition that diversity has worth unto itself and
is not something that must be overcome.
Children living in families which are struggling are more likely to be
excluded from some of the aspects of life essential to their healthy
development. Children are less likely to have positive experiences at
school, less likely to participate in recreation, and less likely to get
along well with friends, if they live in families struggling with
parental depression, family dysfunction or violence.
Increasingly, municipalities and other recreation providers are
putting a focus on providing recreational opportunities for
individuals with barriers to participation. Support for initiatives such
as the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association's 'Everybody Gets
to Play' program, KidSport and JumpStart can help ensure that
youth have access to programs and activities that can foster social
inclusion and overall physical and mental health. Outreach
programs, partnerships with social service providers and subsidized
user fees are also potential mechanisms being used by providers to
remove barriers. The City of Edmonton's Leisure Access Program is
one example of a municipally operated initiative, which provides low
income families with subsidized access to programs and passes. The
program provides qualified families with a 75% discount on
programs free admission to a number of City facilities.
The County of Grey funds the Grey County NCB Reinvestment
Program, which provides subsidies for approximately 400 children
from low income families to participate in a wide variety of
recreation activities, including music lessons, hockey, soccer, girl
guides, boy scouts, martial arts, dance lessons, swim lessons, etc.
The program is administered by the YMCA. The YMCA works
collaboratively with local sports associations, the Ontario Works
Program, the City of Owen Sound and Grey County to inform
families of this funding assistance.
Subsidies are one way to enable residents to participate in sports and
recreation programs, regardless of income. For example, the YMCA
currently provides 13 per cent of members with subsidized
membership rates. Additionally, seniors are able to access
recreational activities for a low fee of $2 at the Harrison Park Seniors
Centre.
A number of groups have sport equipment swaps or provide
sponsorships for participants who identify barriers due to income.
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The City should consider an "Access Owen Sound" program to
ensure access for all. This can be as simple as a sponsored free skate,
try it hockey time, or facilitating access through a sport or
community organization.
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4.0 Trends in Recreation
Infrastructure
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4.1 Creating Opportunities
for All under One Roof
The design, allocation and distribution of parks and recreation
facilities plays an integral role in the delivery of recreation programs.
Without properly designed and equipped infrastructure and
maintenance programs, the range, type and quantity of programs
offered can be limited. Therefore, infrastructure needs have to be
considered along with exploration of facility development
partnerships, ensuring balanced and equitable access and
optimization of facilities and resources to best meet program needs.
A growing trend in the development of recreation, leisure and
cultural infrastructure involves providing amenities that appeal to a
variety of individual interests and ability levels. Including a variety of
amenities in a facility can help maximize facility usage and ensure
that a facility is viewed as being relevant by all residents. While
traditional recreation facility components such as ice arenas,
gymnasiums, fitness centres and aquatic areas continue to be
important, many facilities are now including components and
amenities that have previously been stand-alone in the community
or not identified with recreation facilities. Examples include senior's
centres, youth centres, indoor child play areas and libraries.
Including these amenities can also help recreation facilities become
community "hubs" of activity and further justify municipal
investment.
The Julie McArthur Regional Recreation Centre and YMCA facilities
have been designed to encourage participation for all abilities and
ages, and has become a community hub for health and wellness in
Owen Sound and the wider region.
4.2 Spaces that Encourage
Social Interaction
A recent trend in recreation and cultural infrastructure is to create
facilities, which are highly social in nature, and that can act as social
gathering 'hubs' within a neighborhood or broader community. In
active spaces such as fitness centres, walking / running tracks, and
aquatics facilities, social interaction can be encouraged through the
layout and design of these areas and adjacent support amenities
(e.g. change rooms, stretching areas, information desks).
Increasingly, many facilities are also focusing on increasing social
interaction opportunities in passive spaces such as lobbies, corridors,
spectator areas, and food service locations. This is often
accomplished through a combination of facility design, facility
aesthetics and by a creating warm and welcoming atmosphere. By
increasing social interaction in passive areas, many facilities have
been successful in attracting individuals and groups who might not
typically visit recreation or cultural facilities.
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Another growing trend is to include program areas within
multipurpose facilities that focus on providing socially interactive
opportunities to specific populations. Whereas in the past child care
facilities, youth centres, adult social clubs and seniors centre were
often built as stand-alone facilities; many municipalities are now
including these spaces as components of multi-purpose recreation
and cultural facilities. The Julie McArthur Regional Recreation
Centre is an example of a multi-purpose recreational facility that
enhances opportunities for social interaction, providing unique
opportunities to the City of Owen Sound.
4.3 Spontaneous and
Scheduled Activities
While schedule (structured) activities remain important, there is a
growing demand for opportunities to participate in spontaneous
(unstructured) activities. People are seeking individualized, informal
pursuits that can be done alone or in small groups, at flexible times,
often near or at home. Examples of spontaneous use activities
include fitness / wellness, leisure swimming, walking, and open
gymnasium time.
The public is placing greater demand on spontaneous, non-program
forms of activity due to evolving households, schedules and
lifestyles, prompting a transition of activities from organized to
unorganized sports. In 2005, Statistics Canada reported that
participation in organized sports declined from 57% in 1992 to 51%.
The Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Institute found that 61% of
children were more likely to participate in unorganized physical
activities, although this is a decline from 69% in 2000; suggesting an
overall decline in physical activity. This trend is largely driven by lack
of time, a general decline of many organized sports, socio economic
status, and the desire for self-scheduled and accessible forms of
activity. Research revealed that the top four physical activities with
the highest participation rates among Ontarian's are 'spontaneous'
in nature:
1. Walking for pleasure (81.4%);
2. Bicycling (41.9%);
3. Swimming in pools (40.5%); and
4. Aerobics / fitness / aqua-fit / yoga (37.7%)
The Owen Sound online survey data agrees with the Ontario trends
with the following activities being the top four indicated by
respondents:
1. Adventure activities - E.g. hiking, camping, boating, skiing
(69%)
Julie McArthur Regional Recreation Centre: lobby and
spectator area
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2. Outdoor fitness - E.g. running, cycling, cross-country skiing
(69%)
3. Outdoor athletics - E.g. Soccer, tennis, baseball (65%)
4. Indoor fitness - E.g. exercise classes, yoga (53%)
This does not, however, eliminate the need for venues that
accommodate structured activities and the stakeholder groups that
utilize them. Instead, this trend suggests that planning for the
general population is as important as planning for traditional
structured use environments.
4.4 Integrating Indoor and
Outdoor Environments
A new concept in recreation and culture infrastructure planning is to
ensure that the indoor environment interacts seamlessly with the
outdoor recreation environment. This can include such ideas as
indoor / outdoor walking trails, indoor / outdoor child play areas and
indoor / outdoor aquatics facilities. Although there are a number of
operational issues that need to be considered when planning indoor/
outdoor environments (e.g. cleaning, controlled access, etc.) the
concept of planning an indoor facility to complement the site it is
located on (and associated outdoor amenities included) as well as
the broader community parks and trail system is prudent and will
ensure the optimization of public spending on both indoor and
outdoor recreation infrastructure. Some of these types of concepts
were previously been recommended and implemented through the
2007 Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan. For example, the
YMCA includes an indoor track while Victoria Park includes an
outdoor tack. The development and implementation of the Trails
Master Plan also demonstrates a commitment to complementing
the network of community parks and recreational facilities.
4.5 Including Convenience
Amenities
Increasingly, recreation facility users and patrons are demanding
that their facility experience be convenient and tailored to their
personal and family needs. Convenience amenities such as child
minding (temporary child care), food services, medical services (e.g.
physiotherapy, chiropractic) and retail are being included in many
new and retrofitted recreation facilities. In addition to enhancing the
user experience, the inclusion of these amenities can generate
increased revenues for a facility.
Providing an array of social amenities can further enhance the facility
experience and increase overall facility visitations. Examples of
social amenities include attractive lobby areas, common spaces,
restaurants and cafeterias, spectator viewing, areas, meeting
facilities, wireless internet and adjacent outdoor parks or green
space. Including these amenities can also help attract residents who
might not normally use a recreation facility, and increase facility
traffic during non-peak hours.
28
4.6 Multipurpose Spaces
and Expandability
The inclusion of spaces that are multi-purpose and multi-functional
in nature can help a facility create the critical mass necessary to
maximize usage and expand revenue potential. Field houses and
gymnasiums are examples of spaces that are commonly being
designed and outfitted with dividing curtains, portable boards,
temporary bleachers and multi-use flooring types. Many recreation
facilities are also putting an increased focus on including
multipurpose programs rooms that can be used for fitness classes,
meetings, smaller social functions and a host of other activities.
When developing recreation infrastructure, it is also important to
plan for potential expandability should community needs and
population characteristics evolve. Ensuring that facilities are built on
sites with adequate amounts of adjacent land can make future
expansion both possible and more efficient. Many recreation
facilities are also developing components and amenities in such a
manner that they can be re-purposed in the future to meet user
demand. Placing common or non-allocated spaces next to high
demand amenities (e.g. fitness centres) can help make future
expansion and re-purposing feasible.
4.7 Special Events and
Competitions
Hosting special events and competitions remain important to many
communities. Hosting events and competition can result in
increased community pride and result in economic benefits through
both local resident and visitor spending. The capacity of a
community to host tournaments or events is in large part driven by
the availability and quality of facilities and other public spaces.
When developing new recreation and cultural facilities it is important
for municipalities to balance providing spaces and facility amenities
that are relevant and needed by the whole community on a regular
basis, while also considering spaces and amenities that can help
Multi-purpose
Space (with
dividing walls) at
the YMCA
The J.D. McArthur Arena
at the Bayshore
Community Centre can
accommodate both
regular community
usage and special
tournaments and events
29
attract tournament and events. Increasingly facilities such as field
houses, gymnasiums, and ice arenas are being designed to
accommodate regular community usage as well as special events
and tournaments. This is commonly accomplished in many newer
facilities by incorporating expandable seating, flexible change room
options, audio / visual elements (e.g. sound systems, lighting, video
boards) and equipment loading areas.
30
5.0 Emerging Themes in
Owen Sound
31
"More than any other service, recreation has the ability to reach all
citizens, and to bring people together in a non-threatening, pleasurable
atmosphere. However, a rebalancing of recreation is necessary if it is
to strategically address the barriers and constraints to participation
faced by some people, and to celebrate the diversity of Canada's
population."
(A framework for Recreation in Canada 2015)
5.1 Key Themes
Based on the background research completed, public input received
through the on-line survey, and facilitated workshop, four broad
'themes' emerged that help influence and direct recreation
programming in the City. These themes include:
Accessibility & affordability
Marketing & communications
Collaborations & partnerships
Desire for an indoor (turf) facility
The following summarizes what we have heard, reviews current
experiences/ practices of the City, identifies gaps and opportunities,
reviews trends and best practices and provides recommendations.
Other issues such as recreational amenity improvements, and
recommendations
for
programming,
service
delivery
and
monitoring of the master plan will be discussed in the
implementation strategy.
5.2 Accessibility/
Affordability
The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 15% of
the world's population lives with a disability, making this group the
world's largest minority (World Health Organization, World Report
on Disability, 2011). In Canada, the Participation and Activity
Limitation Survey conducted by Statistics Canada in 2006 estimated
that approximately 4.4 million Canadians were challenged with a
disability, with nearly one quarter of those living in Ontario. It is
anticipated that is figure will continue to grow, increasing to 3.3
million Ontarians with a disability by 2025. As a result, the province
has been responsive to this growing segment through enacting the
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
Accessible and affordable programs and services are essential to
providing equitable parks and recreation services and maximizing
participation. As the City grows and demand for services increases,
Owen Sound will need to look for ways to ensure it is delivering its
parks and recreation services fairly and equitably.
5.2.1 What we Heard
71% of survey respondents believe that there is a need for
greater access to recreational programs and services.
Based on survey results, key barriers that prevent individuals
and households from participating in recreational and leisure
activities include: high fees (47%); time limitations (42%); low
32
awareness of what programs/services are offered (35%); and
inconvenient hours (31%).
Some respondents indicated that all-day child minding
services at the YMCA would allow working parents to access
more classes/program, resulting in more active lives. In the
past, the YMCA has offered child minding services beyond
the busiest times (E.g. 8:30 - 11:30), but it was found that
there was not enough demand.
To improve affordability, respondents and workshop
participants suggested more drop in classes/sports that do
not require high fees or long-term commitments may help
improve accessibility.
Survey respondents and workshop participants expressed
that more opportunities for pay per use activities would be
beneficial as they would allow users to try new activities
without
committing
to a fee
associated with
an
activity/program.
The specific age groups that respondents feel there are not
enough recreational and leisure programs for include
teenagers/ages 14-19 (39.4%) and adults/ages 19-65 (34.8%).
Survey respondents and participants from the workshop
indicated there is strong demand for year-round, indoor
activities. The demand for an indoor turf facility will be
discussed further below.
In particular, seniors felt that there could be better usage of
underutilized parks and facilities, such as the Active Living
Seniors Centre.
Trails are highly valued in Owen Sound. Survey respondents
and workshop participants highlighted the need to improve
connectivity and year-round usage. There is also demand to
further connect the trail system with the wider Region (E.g.
Chatsworth, Thornbury) and update trails for multi-usage.
In general, a consistent theme that emerged from the survey and
community workshop was that accessibility, in terms of range of
programs, cost, and communications, could be improved. Year-
round activities for all ages and income levels should be prioritized in
order to provide equitable and accessible recreation and leisure
services to the City of Owen Sound.
5.2.2 Gaps and Opportunities
Since the last Master Plan, the Julie McArthur Regional Recreation
Centre was built and addresses several of the gaps identified through
the 2007 Master Plan. Investing in a multi-purpose facility
demonstrates the City's commitment to providing local and regional
residents with an accessible space for a range of activities and uses.
Multi-use facilities allow for greater flexibility, and provide users with
options for less structured activities, while responding to increased
demands for new activities without major building retrofits.
The Master Plan update provides the City an opportunity to gather
feedback on how to further improve recreational and leisure
facilities, services and programs for residents. Stakeholder
consultation indicated high levels of satisfaction with the new
Recreation Centre. For example, 70% of survey respondents are
satisfied with the variety of programming the YMCA provides.
However, feedback shows that barriers such as cost, time limitations
and low awareness of programs offered continue to limit residents
33
from participating in recreation and leisure programs in Owen
Sound. 1
It will become increasingly important for the City and service
partners to identify ways to improve accessibility for all age groups
and income levels. This will require consultation with partners and
stakeholder organizations to gather specific suggestions on how to
improve accessibility. Suggestions from the online survey and
community workshop include the following:
More drop-in classes;
All-day child minding;
Pay-per-use activities (E.g. Pickleball);
Year-round activities;
Improve trail maintenance (year round) and shift towards
more multi-use trails (paved, widened, etc.)
Improve
communication
of
information
regarding
recreation and leisure programs, facilities, trails;
Increase program offerings for very popular classes (E.g.
swimming lessons fill up very fast); and
Offer
classes
that
work
better
for
working
parents/commuters (evenings and weekends).
While communication will be discussed further below, survey
respondents provided information on how they prefer to stay
informed of recreation and leisure programs offered by the City of
Owen Sound. Social media (68%), email messages (42%) and the
1 It is important to note that the YMCA is an independent charity and operates its
Health, Fitness and Aquatics facility based on the fees it receives from members and
City's website were the preferred methods for keeping Owen Sound
residents informed.
5.2.3 Trends/Best Practices
Trends suggest that the barriers discussed above are not unique to
the City of Owen Sound, although the extent to which they limit a
person's ability to participate is community-specific. Income is
directly correlated with the level of participation in recreational
activities since the amount of disposable income affects the ability
to pay for services.
A person's ability to pay needs to be considered as it will be a
deciding factor whether or not residents will participate. The online
survey shows that recreational spending for Owen Sound residents
varies, but 57% are spending $51 or more each month.
participants. Through a joint agreement between the City and the YMCA, the YMCA
is responsible to manage its operations, set fees and offer programs and services.
34
User fees and rental rates continue to rise across the province for a
variety of reasons including cost of insurance and maintaining
infrastructure. Recreational and leisure activity providers continue
to face the challenge of ensuring programming is accessible and
affordable for all income levels. Independent service providers, such
as the YMCA, face challenges to find staffing for popular programs
such as swimming lessons as most instructors are high school aged
and often move away for college/university upon graduation.
Another trend and municipal best practice that is changing
recreational use in Ontario includes increased demand for passive
and less rigorous recreation activities that promote socialization
and community cohesiveness. Facilities such as the JMRRC play an
important role in providing a community facility that provides users
with a multitude of recreational experiences.
A Policy Development and Implementation Guide prepared by the
Ontario Task Group on Affordable Access to Recreation (supported
by Parks and Recreation Ontario) suggests that municipalities
develop and implement an Affordable Access Policy to improve
access to recreation services. The guide also suggests providing a
core set of free programs to establish a degree of universality in
communities.
5.2.4 Recommendations
The use of City facility assets and indoor and outdoor amenities
needs should be continually reviewed to ensure that basic recreation
and leisure needs are being met, that existing allocation are being
properly and responsibly allocated and that opportunities are being
provided for a variety of programs and services.
This includes all indoor and outdoor facilities, including sports fields.
Pressures to meet current and new demands are increasing and
demands exceed capacity based on current practice. Improved
access to School Board joint-use facilities will provide increased
opportunities for the community to maximize existing and potential
partner facilities to grow programs and services where it meets
established core program criteria.
Extending hours of operation and programming to evenings and
weekends would provide some of the much-needed space to support
programming for individuals and households who are unavailable
during business hours (E.g. 9:00 am to 5:00 pm). In summary, the
following should be considered:
Investigate operational changes such as extending days and
hours of operation, reviewing Fees and Charges Policy, subsidy
11%
11%
21%
29%
28%
Nothing
$1-$20
$21-$50
$51-$100
$100+
How much do Owen Sound residents spend per month on
outdoor or indoor recreation programs and activities?
35
rates, and make changes to Policies that support more balanced
and best use of publicly owned space (City facilities).
Consult with trail users to discuss year-round multi-use trails and
connectivity;
Increase awareness of recreation and leisure program offerings
by strengthening online presence via social media and the City's
website.
Develop a youth strategy and a senior's strategy that is relevant
and consistent with changing trends, and address the barriers to
access and participation through engagement with non-users.
In Owen Sound, the use of some City facilities and amenities
such as ice pads is currently guided by an Allocation Policy. Each
recreational facility should have its own Allocation policy which
should be guided by considering the following five criteria:
1. Equity;
2. User Profile;
3. Function Profile;
4. Past Performance; and
5. Economic Benefit to the Town
To ensure community facilities, services and procedures
enhance accessibility for all, including different ages, genders,
abilities and cultures, the City should consider the following:
o Facilitate the continued support and operation of
facilities and services targeting the needs of specific age
groups, with particular reference to seniors and youth.
o Encourage citizens of all ages to feel welcome and self-
sufficient in all community facilities.
o Explore opportunities for increasing a sense of
belonging for youth.
o Encourage service providers to investigate the
possibility of intergenerational programming.
o Encourage physical environments that do not inhibit the
movement of people with disabilities.
o Ensure that people of all ethnicities benefit from, and
feel welcome in Owen Sound community facilities and
services. The City should consider the development of
an Inclusion Policy for community facilities.
o Build upon the core set of free programs to establish a
degree of universality in communities.
5.3 Marketing &
Communications
The City's Community Services Department will need to evaluate
how it is communicating with the community and surrounding
catchment areas and develop an effective marketing plan that meets
the needs of a diverse population. Before a marketing plan can be
realized, the Department needs to understand its "brand". What
describes the Department, its products, services, what image does
the Department want to project? When brand, marketing and
communication strategies are in-sync, great things happen.
Strengthening communication also contributes to improving
accessibility for Owen Sound residents.
36
5.3.1 What we Heard
There is a need to improve communication between the
City and residents to increase awareness of programs,
facilities/services, parks and trails found in Owen Sound.
Survey respondents indicated that the registration process
for programs/classes can be difficult, and could be
improved by providing an online registration option. The
most frequent registration mentioned was swimming
lessons at the YMCA.
68% of survey respondents feel that communication via
social media is the best way to stay informed (followed by
email messages and the City's website)
Lack of signage/ visibility in parks and trails; way finding
could be improved.
There is a lack of knowledge regarding Owen Sound's trail
system. The City should consider alternative ways to
distribute the Trail Map to residents.
There is a lack of knowledge regarding what recreational
activities/programs and amenities are offered in Owen
Sound. Better communication of existing
programs/activities/amenities is required. The City's Event
Calendar (available on the website) includes this
information, but respondents and workshop participants
indicate this could be more readily available to residents
(not available online).
The City should increase advertisement of programs/
facilities to get the word out to more residents.
5.3.2 Gaps and Opportunities
Effectively communicating and engaging various target groups is
both a challenge and an opportunity as it continues to grow and
become more diverse. A well-coordinated marketing program is a
great investment that can have a direct, positive impact on
participation and revenue. There are a variety of ways that the
Department can approach its marketing plan. The plan should
include the following:
Situation Analysis: a thorough review of the department
noting its assets, strengths, and weaknesses.
Customer Analysis: a close look at your resident base. A
good 'consumer' analysis will include geographic,
demographic, psychographic, and behavioural
segmentations.
In terms of streamlining processes such as online registration for
classes, the YMCA is working towards an online registration system
for all classes/programs and expects this to be in place by the end of
2018.
5.3.3 Trends/ Best Practices
Generational Marketing: Recreation programs have long had the
image of being programs for youth. Many are making some changes
in this perception by creating brochures that clearly target specific
segments of multiple generations. For example, Fox Valley Park
District in Aurora, IL has a brochure targeting active seniors
(not Baby Boomers) called "Prime Times." Many brochures are
37
featuring young families on the front cover in response to the
interest of young parents in family activities. A few programs have
even
developed
special
promotional
pieces
for
Millennials/Generation Y (born between 1980 and 2000) which are
designed and developed with substantial input from the target
group. For example, in the Township of Langley, BC, in addition to
having a section inside the brochure designed with graphics and
narrative to appeal specifically to 'Generation Y', the department
also enlisted a 15-year old to design and draw a comic book aimed at
promoting programs to youth. It was such a success, that it is going
to become a regular feature of the program.
Many parks and recreation directors report seeing a gap in service
delivery for boomers who refuse to participate in "senior" activities.
For example, the City of Owen Sound could undertake an exercise to
identify activities that are geared toward active, healthy fifty (50)
something's as a starting point, and even develop a separate
brochure/marketing materials for this age group.
The One-Year Marketing Plan: Budgets are becoming tighter,
accountability is increasing, and demands on departments to
increase community participation are mounting. Many programs
have begun to develop one-year marketing plans to guide their
efforts and to help establish strategies that will increase the
likelihood of growth and program success.
Increased Importance of Technology: Parks and Recreation
directors are reporting that participants are increasingly turning to
their websites for information. This does not mean that
brochures/guides are obsolete, but it does mean that marketing
materials and websites need to be designed to support and
complement each other. Marketing materials need to drive
prospective participants to the website, and the marketing function
of the website needs to be considered carefully in the design of the
site. Quick loading, easy navigation, and good graphics are all
essential to successful online marketing, as is online registration
software.
More and more agencies are going online to reach patrons and
purchase registration systems, perform automatic monitoring of
buildings and the environment, monitor public safety and employ
technology to complete day-to-day tasks.
Parks and recreation is being dramatically affected by these leaps in
technology. In addition, younger adults are turning to technology to
connect to nature and the outdoors in addition to their typical
entertainment. The "Pokémon" phenomena is a clear indication of
the immediate impact of technology on an individual's health and
wellbeing.
Email newsletters: Email newsletters are an excellent way to
promote the overall program or a specific class or event. Generally,
this is a one-page email with graphics and color that has information
of interest to the recipient in addition to promotional copy. There are
some excellent templates and designs available for purchase.
Social Media: There is no longer any question about the validity of
using social media today to communicate with consumers of all ages
and demographics. While some audience segments may make less
use of social media, the vast majority are using some form of it. Parks
and Recreation organizations can make efficient use of social media
38
to promote programs, services, facilities and events that encourage
physical activity and overall health and wellness.
Social marketing is a way of communicating with various audiences
in newer, quicker and more creative ways. It is also a more efficient
way to build communities of interested, vested and dedicated
people that share interest in parks, recreation and sport. The
following social media trends are recommended to assist in
promoting park and recreation programs and services:
Daily Deal Coupon for Activities and memberships
Managing Your Online Reputation
o Google alerts
o Twitter Saved Searches
o Social Mention
Location-Based Marketing
The Big Five Social Media Platforms
o Twitter
o Facebook
o YouTube
o Instagram
o LinkedIn
5.3.4 Recommendations
In order to meet expectations of recreation and leisure users in Owen
Sound, the City should also consider the following:
Defining the department's core services through a vision-
driven Community Services Department that is determined
to be a leader in community building.
Conduct a review of best practices for promoting and
marketing recreation and leisure programs and services.
Select promotional approaches that are appropriate for
Owen Sound and implement an updated promotion and
marketing framework.
Creating a Customer-Centred Culture that focuses on core
values and expectations of the organization.
Implementing a customer service excellence training
program for staff members and volunteers.
Integrating
customer
service,
marketing
and
communication into staff meetings.
Develop ongoing strategies for customer feedback for both
internal and external customers.
Improve the use of information technology and develop and
increase the availability for online information, transactions,
e-solutions and mobile applications.
Continue to monitor need for personal contact with
customers and grow customer staff to respond to changing
desire by customers to connect with staff in the department.
Improve the online facility booking through a 'one-window'
booking approach
o Booking should be consistent for all facilities (rates,
contacts, hours of operation, etc.)
Ensure City website includes links to other recreation
providers and their services (E.g. YMCA classes and
programs)
39
5.4 Partnerships &
Collaboration
Municipalities can no longer be the central provider of all recreation
and cultural facilities and services, so partnership arrangements are
becoming increasingly important and prevalent in the service-
delivery model. Municipalities are adopting a greater oversight role
and providing leadership and support to non-profit agencies and
organizations that can operate with greater autonomy and
responsibility for their operation.
5.4.1 What we Heard
There is a desire for a streamlining of services between
different organizations to eliminate duplication.
Need to improve communication between organizations in
order to foster an effective partnership.
Survey respondents and workshop participants indicated
that there is a need for co-operation and partnerships across
the various organizations and service providers in the City.
It would be beneficial to explore opportunities to
collaborate/ partner with local recreation and sport
providers (E.g. Grow partnership with Owen Sound Minor
Soccer Association, Owen Sound Slo-Pitch) in order to
appropriately service recreational amenities.
Create a database of existing organizations/ activities within
the City and the County: consider asset mapping.
There is recognition that the partnership between the YMCA
and the City is important.
Community workshop participants are supportive of
partnerships that encourage better usage of underutilized
parks/facilities in order to improve usage
There is strong demand for an indoor sports field in Owen
Sound. There are a number of teams/organizations who are
eager to collaborate with the City.
5.4.2 Gaps and Opportunities
Partnerships are a viable strategy for developing a service mix.
However, they should be approached purposefully and not be seen
as an exit strategy to simply divest of a struggling program or
service.
A partnership is a cooperative venture between two or more parties
with a common goal, who combine complementary resources to
establish a mutual direction or complete a mutually beneficial
project. Partnerships can be facility-based or program-specific. The
Community Services Department can foster collaboration by
fostering with other service providers to enhance public offerings for
Owen Sound residents.
Partnerships can accomplish tasks with limited resources, respond
to compelling issues, encourage cooperative interaction and conflict
resolution, involve outside interests, and serve as an education and
outreach tool. Partnerships broaden ownership in various projects
and increase public support for community goals. Partners often
40
have flexibility to obtain and invest resources/dollars on products or
activities where municipal government may be limited. There must
be support for the concept and process of partnering from the very
highest organizational level - i.e. City Council, Community Services
Department, and Parks and Open Space Division.
It is very important to have a partnership policy in place before
partner procurement begins. This will allow the City to be proactive
rather than reactive when presented with a partnership opportunity.
It also sets a "level playing field" for all potential partners, so that
they can know and understand in advance the parameters and
selection criteria for a proposed partnership. Such a policy is
currently in place between the City and the YMCA. This approach
should be used for other partnerships between the City and
recreation providers.
A partnership policy and process should set development priorities
and incorporate multiple points for "go/no-go" decisions.
5.4.3 Trends/ Best Practices
Emerging best practice in municipal partnership is extending to a
variety of newer partners in health, justice, education, community
and social services and the corporate sector. Interdepartmental
municipal partnerships are also growing as cooperation between
parks and recreation, planning, engineering and the police play a
greater integral role in community design and public safety. Business
partnerships such as P3's and not-for-profit organizations are also
called upon to help deliver services that were once the sole
responsibility of the municipality.
Traditionally, the calculation of facility needs within a community
was based on its population and demand. Increasingly, recreation
facilities are also expected to contribute to stimulating tourism. In
particular, games, tournaments and cultural events are seen as a
means of encouraging economic growth. Such events are often
supported by a fee structure with variable rates for residents or non-
residents, as well as new partnership arrangements with the local
business community.
There is also a trend to include more partners in facilities. The most
successful are those that involve program partnerships rather than
simply having a traditional landlord-tenant relationship. Owen
Sound's partnership with the YMCA demonstrates this municipal
best practice. Through this partnership, the Julie McArthur Regional
Recreation Centre and the YMCA attributes to healthy lifestyles for
Owen Sound and the wider region.
Municipalities can no longer be the central provider of all facilities
and services, so partnership arrangements are becoming
increasingly important and prevalent in the service delivery model.
Municipalities are adopting a greater oversight role and providing
leadership and support to non-profit agencies and organizations
that can operate with greater autonomy and responsibility for their
operation.
5.4.4 Recommendations
Continue to strategically explore and utilize both private and
not for profit partnerships to deliver facilities and services
41
wherever financially viable while ensuring standards of
quality are being met.
Establish principles and policies for each type of partnership
the City engages in (E.g. public/public, public/private, and
public/not-for-profit).
Conduct regular evaluation of the City's partnership with
recreation providers. Assess quality and diversity of service,
economic benefit and customer service.
City Staff should continue to meet with the YMCA on a
quarterly basis to coordinate the operations of the
Recreation Centre as per the operating agreement.
Identify potential partners to help improve usage of
underutilized parks/facilities
Identify opportunities to engage partners and stakeholders
to collaborate in assessing current program gaps and
overlaps in order to maximize recreational options for
users.
Consider joint partnership plan with Owen Sound Minor
Soccer Association and other sports field users to support
and facilitate the expansion/improvements of the Kiwanis
Soccer Complex.
Consider partnerships for other sports fields and
recreational facilities (E.g. Duncan McLellan Park) for
capital improvements.
Implement an award system for community
leaders/partners who help deliver recreational and sport
and/or promote healthy, active living in Owen Sound.
Investigate corporate marketing and sponsorship
partnerships to fund facilities, programs and service
enhancements.
Align facility development/space clustering with like-
minded partners so as not to duplicate efforts and to ensure
that expertise of any given organization is maximized.
Develop and implement a sponsorship policy that connects
sport providers with businesses, and other potential
partners in the City.
Consult with baseball groups to explore options for
improving existing ball diamonds.
Recognize health and nutrition as contributing factors
toward the development of healthy children and develop
and strengthen existing and new partnerships with local
health organizations, sport, YMCA and like-minded
agencies.
Develop a service continuum to meet the broad community
needs that includes operating agreements with all partners
to ensure coordination of programming and identifies
service areas that may be best suited to be delivered by the
private sector.
Strengthen stewardship activities and programming within
parks by collaborating with a variety of community partners.
Review site-specific agreements and complete a reciprocal
joint-use agreement with School Board's to guide future
arrangements.
Explore corporate marketing and sponsorship partnerships
to fund facilities, programs and service enhancements.
42
"Taking the time to connect with partners on a regular basis is an
integral part of successful cross-sectoral collaboration; it prevents
duplication, streamlines resources and ensures all partners feel heard
and supported."
Kristen MacDonald, Sport Development
Specialist and Chair of the PL4ALLSteering
Committee of Hamilton
5.5 Desire for Indoor
Recreation Facility
The 2007 Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan recommended
"the City should monitor demand for an indoor turf facility in five to
10 years' time." It further stated that "should there be an identified
need that can be justified through a business case, creative provision
strategies should be examined, including re-use of an existing
building and local partnerships."
Through stakeholder consultation, it is clear that there is still a
strong desire for a multi-use indoor turf facility. This update provided
an opportunity to gather additional feedback on the demand for an
indoor turf facility.
Prior to the time of writing the Master Plan update, efforts were
undertaken by recreation and sports organizations to advocate for
the inclusion of updated recommendations on the need for an indoor
turf facility. A petition in support of a covered indoor artificial turf
field in Owen Sound was received by the City and signed by 196
individuals.
This project is contingent on the demonstration of a business case
and several feasibility studies. Support from neighbouring
municipalities and creative partnerships are key considerations.
5.5.1 What we Heard
Lack of availability/ accessibility to indoor sports facilities
for year round activities. For example, soccer players use
school gymnasiums during winter months.
The City will require additional information regarding the
long-term implications to their operating budget and will
continue to circulate information to Council and the
Community Services Committee as they are made
available.
Minor soccer is the most popular minor sport activity in
Owen Sound with 902 registered in 2016.
Survey respondents highlighted that an indoor turf facility
would increase physical activity for all ages throughout
winter months.
Some respondents also suggested that an outdoor turf field
that would extend the playing season should be explored
further if the indoor facility is not feasible in the short-term.
Interested user groups would like to see a committee
developed including key user organizations, recreational
service provides and City staff/Council members
43
5.5.2 Gaps and Opportunities
The current operating budget for the City of Owen Sound does not
include funding for an indoor turf facility. Consideration should been
given to creative partnership models and/or sponsorships to help
fund this facility. They City can provide support by engaging with
user groups and any committees that develop to further examine the
need for an indoor turf facility.
Based on the input received through the survey and the current level
of support for an indoor turf facility, this opportunity should be
explored further.
5.5.3 Trends & Best Practices
Indoor turf facilities are becoming increasingly common throughout
Ontario. Regionally, there are indoor turf facilities within Guelph
(Guelph Community Sports Dome and the Gryphon Field House at
the University of Guelph), Halton Hills (Dufferin Rural Heritage
Community Centre), Milton (Milton Soccer Centre), Kitchener
(Budd Park Indoor Field), Cambridge (Com Dev Soccer Park),
Hamilton (Soccer World, Player's Paradise, Wentworth Arena),
Brantford (Brantford City Soccer Club Indoor Complex), and
Guelph/Eramosa (The Royal Distributing Athletic Performance
Centre). While there is no set service level for the municipal
provision of indoor turf, trends indicate that indoor turf facilities are
typically built to serve a population of over 50,000.
An indoor turf facility provides access to field sports, indoor walking
and running year-round. Fields can typically be divided into two
smaller fields which provide opportunities for multiple users and/or
a variety of options for single user groups. For the purposes of this
update, the indoor turf facility for Guelph-Eramosa has been used
to provide additional background on the provision and construction
of indoor turf facilities.
The Royal Distributing Athletic Performance Centre (Township
of Guelph/Eramosa):
Size: 210' x 120' (can be subdivided into two smaller fields of 1oo' x
120'. Includes an indoor walking track.
Revenue: Nearly neutral overall, but very little usage from June to
August (which is typical for these facilities).
User Groups: Include soccer leagues (from surrounding areas),
intramural sports such as Frisbee and soccer, track and field clubs,
football clubs, rugby.
Bookings: Typically booked through most evenings. Very few
bookings during daytime hours Monday through Friday.
Funding: Funding was secured for construction through Federal
and Provincial Sources (Building Canada Fund Communities
Component) and municipal contributions.
5.5.4 Recommendations
The City should evaluate its involvement in an indoor turf facility
based upon a business plan, feasibility study and financing strategy
prepared by an interested party. The following steps would be part
of this process:
44
Undertake a detailed analysis of the current use of soccer
fields in Owen Sound and determine key user groups
through consultation with sports groups (OSMSA, Frisbee,
lacrosse, rugby, lawn bowling, gymnastics, track and field,
pickleball, etc.)
The City and interested parties should consult with
neighbouring municipalities (Georgian Bluffs and Meaford)
to discuss regional need for indoor turf facility and potential
partnerships.
Perform analysis of future projections and confirm if there
is a need from Owen Sound and regional users for an indoor
turf facility.
Support interested user groups through the development
of a business case by providing them with the necessary
resources (E.g. planning and development support).
Consider potential locations for a future indoor turf facility,
and provide relevant information to user groups.
Consider partnership options (E.g. School Boards)
Review and compare potential management models
proposed by the proponents.
The City should support committees/organizations that
may develop around the need for an indoor turf facility and
provide input and direction by liaising with the Community
Services Committee which advises Council on recreational
services and facilities.
45
6.0 Parkland Analysis &
Recommended Policy
Updates
46
6.1 Parkland
Requirements &
Acquisition
The Master Plan Update provided an opportunity to:
1. Review the amount of parkland and open space in Owen
Sound;
2. Assess if locations are meeting demands or identify gaps in
parkland facilities;
3. Determine opportunities/potential for rationalization,
repurposing and/or partial-full disposition of existing parks;
and
4. Establish a framework for future consideration and process
associated with re-purposing, modification of functions
and/or disposition of parklands.
An examination of parkland policies, including standard provisions
and park classification, as well as a mapping exercise was
undertaken to explore Owen Sound's current supply and future
need for parks and open space.
6.2 Owen Sound Parkland Provision
The City`s Official Plan establishes policies on the standard of
Parkland Provision in Owen Sound. Specifically, Section 7.5.1.2
states the following:
The major components of City recreational services shall consist of a
system of open space, public parks, trails, sports facilities and
recreational facilities as well as the programming of these resources.
Expansion, redevelopment and extension of facilities, parks and trails
associated programs will be encouraged where financially feasible
partnerships are developed and community needs are addressed.
Parks provision is included in Section 7.5.2.1 of the Official Plan and
provides the following minimum standards of provisions:
Park Classification
Standard Provision
Walking Distance/
Radius Served
Neighbourhood
Park
0.5 hectares per
1000 population
0.5 km
Community Park
1.5 hectares per
1000 population
1.5 - 2.5 km
City Park
1.5 hectares per
1000 population
n/a
Open Space
Corridor
Strategic Linkages
n/a
Regional Park
No minimum
requirement
n/a
Neighbourhood Parks: Generally a small open space area serving a
local neighbourhood area of 2,000 to 3,000 people, and containing
recreation facilities and complementary services primarily for
younger children and their parents. Examples include Ed Taylor
Park and Ryerson Park.
Community Parks: An open space containing a range of
recreational facilities and services primarily for teenaged children
and adults, serving a community with a population of between
4,000 and 10,000. Examples include Duncan McLellan Ball Park and
St. Julien's Park.
47
City Parks: Open spaces providing unique, specialized recreational
facilities and services, serving user from throughout the City.
Examples include Kelso Beach Park and Harrison Park.
Open Space Corridors: Open space elements that provide
connection between various parks and open space. They are linear
parks and trails, wildlife corridors and riverbanks.
Regional Parks: Open spaces providing recreational facilities and
natural environments for regional users, and are generally provided
by the Province, County or Conservation Authority. Examples
include West Rocks and Mill Dam Park East and West.
In terms of the classification and standard provisions, an
assessment of other municipalities on the standards and
classification suggested that the existing Official Plan provisions are
appropriate. The current benchmarks should be maintained. An
analysis of how the City is meeting the benchmark is included
below in Section 6.5. It is recommended that this provision be
monitored and implemented in future development.
With regard to the provision of existing parks, built areas, the
location, function and physical state of the park should also be a
factor should there be consideration for re-purposing, modification
of functions and/or disposition of parklands.
6.3 Parkland Requirements & Acquisition
Policies
As mentioned earlier, the Section 42 and 51.1 of the Planning Act
include updated policies on parkland dedication that should be
considered as part of this Master Plan in preparation for Owen
Sound's Official Plan review in 2018. It is timely to review and
update parkland policies since the passing of Bill 73, The Smart
Growth of our Communities Act in 2015. This bill resulted in changes
to the Planning Act that impact parkland dedication.
Key changes include:
The requirement to prepare a parks plan that is made
available to the public; and
The requirement to consult with every school board and
any other persons or public body that the municipality
considers appropriate.
These changes encourage municipalities to strategically plan for
parks and be prepared for potential opportunities to acquire park
lands to meet future community needs.
Bill 73 also resulted in changes to the payment in lieu requirements:
The maximum alternative parkland rate changed from one
hectare per 300 units to one hectare per 500 units for
cash-in-lieu.
The intended outcome of this change is to help incent acquisition of
land for parks and to help provide parkland more quickly.
Section 42(1) and 51.1(1) of the Planning Act specify the required
parkland dedication requirements based on the proposed
development land uses. The current Official Plan is consistent with
this policy, in the requirement for 2 per cent of commercial/industrial
developments to be dedicated parkland; and 5 per cent for all other
cases (E.g. residential).
48
Owen Sound Official Plan, Section 7.5.3.2: The City may require a
park dedication of 5% of the land proposed for new residential
purposes and 2% of the land proposed for new industrial and
commercial subdivision. This requirement should apply equally to the
whole of the City through the subdivision process. The City may
decline any offer of land that does not specifically meet the City's
requirements regarding size, shape, location, topography or suitability
for the intended park or open space use. Stormwater management
ponds or Hazard Lands may be part of a park system but will not be
applied to the parkland dedication required by this Plan.
As an alternative to requiring the conveyance provided above (2
and 5 per cent), the City can consider the following policy:
Planning Act, Section 42(3) and 51.1(3): In the case of land proposed
for development or redevelopment for residential purposes, the by-
law may require that land be conveyed to the municipality for park or
other recreational purposes at a rate of one hectare per 300 units
proposed (or at a lesser rate as may be specified by by-law).
In order for an alternative rate to be enforced by a parkland
dedication by-law, the Official Plan must include policies that speak
to parkland dedication and an alternative rate.
Council may also require payment of money to the value of land
otherwise required to be conveyed in lieu of the conveyance:
Planning Act Section 42 (6) and 51.1 (3.1): If the approval authority
has imposed a condition under subsection (1) requiring land to be
conveyed to the municipality and subsection (2) applies, the
municipality may require a payment in lieu, calculated by using a rate
of one hectare for each 500 dwelling units proposed or such lesser
rate as may be determined by the municipality.
Regarding cash-in-lieu payments, the City's Official Plan currently
states:
Section 7.5.3.3: In place of the dedication of land, the City may
require a payment in lieu of land at a rate appropriate to the value of
the required land. The City may also accept the provision of alternate
public recreational facilities by the developer of the land in place of
payment.
The City should consider updating its Official Plan to ensure that its
cash-in-lieu policies are consistent with Section 42 (6) and 51.1 (3.1)
of the Planning Act. An update to cash-in lieu policies would require
that the City adopts the updated park plan and undertakes
consultation with school boards.
6.4 Recommended Updates to Parkland
Policy
Based on the updated Planning Act, the City's Official Plan and
Parks By-Law should be updated to reflect the following changes:
Owen Sound Official Plan Updates:
The City should consider updating the following policies as stated
below:
49
Section 7.5.1.3: In order to adequately plan for the recreational needs
of the community, the City shall continue to update the Recreation,
Parks and Facilities Master Plan. Updates to the plan shall:
a) Review the current and projected recreation needs of the
Owen Sound Community in the context of the demand for
recreational services from surrounding communities, tourism
needs and usage trends for various types of recreational
activities.
b) Assess the capacity and adequacies of the existing public and
private facilities to meet these needs.
c) Identify appropriate recreation program ideas for the City and
recreation partners (Including the YMCA).
d) Provide comprehensive plan or strategy for the design, use,
maintenance and development of the trail systems within the
City, under the general framework of the Tom Thomson Trail
on the east side, Georgian Bluffs Rail Trail on the west side
and the Freedom Trail at the south end of the City.
Section 7.5.3.2: The City may require a park dedication of 5% of the
land proposed for new residential purposes and 2% of the land
proposed for new industrial and commercial subdivision. This
requirement should apply equally to the whole of the city through the
site plan and plan for subdivision process. The City may decline any
offer of land that does not specifically meet the City's requirements
regarding size, shape, location, topography or suitability for the
intended park or open space use. Stormwater management ponds
and Hazard Lands may be part of a park system but will not be
applied to the parkland dedication required by this plan.
Section 7.5.3.3: In place of the dedication of land, the City may require
a payment in lieu of land at a rate of one hectare for each 500
dwelling units proposed. The City may also accept the provision of
alternate public recreation facilities by the developer of the land in
place of payment.
In addition to these proposed updates, the City could consider
including the following policies in the Official Plan, Parks By-Law
and/or as a general practice:
In order to determine if the provision of land for such parks can be re-
purposed, transitioned to another use, or partially/fully disposed of,
the City should undertake one of the following two approaches
depending on the intended outcome (repurposing vs. disposition of
lands):
Recommended Approach for Repurposing Park Lands:
1. City staff identify and recommend park to consider for
repurposing to new recreational new. Council consideration to
confirm direction, including public input.
2. Assess current conditions of park and assess alternatives.
3. Survey residents within 500 metres of park to gather data on
park usage.
4. Hold public meeting with surrounding residents and
stakeholders to discuss alternatives.
5. Based on public feedback, select preferred alternative and
present to committee/Council for consideration.
6. Develop a preliminary design and action plan.
7. Hold public meeting to discuss preliminary design and action
plan.
50
8. Present final plan to Committee/Council for approval.
Recommended Approach for Partial/Full Disposition of Park
Lands:
1. City staff identify and recommend park to consider for partial
or full disposition. Council consideration to confirm direction,
including public input.
2. Assess current parkland supply (full system and specific
quadrant) based on standards for park provision.
3. Survey residents and other stakeholders within 500 metres of
park to gather data on park usage.
4. Hold public meeting with surrounding residents and
stakeholders to discuss.
5. Based on public feedback and usage data, present options to
committee/Council for consideration.
6. Develop an action plan.
7. Hold public meeting to discuss process and action plan.
8. Present final plan to Committee/Council for approval.
9. Comply with City bylaw regarding disposition of land.
These processes will be discussed further below (Section 6.6).
To ensure park development is not delayed in development
processes, the City should also consider including a policy that
requires front end construction:
For plan of subdivision, front end construction of parkland is required.
Parks By-Law Updates:
The City should consider updating the existing parks by-law (1992-
014 Regulate and Control Parks) or create a new Parkland
Dedication By-Law that includes the updated parkland dedication
policies for enforcement.
6.5 Park Rationalization Analysis
Based on the City's current provisions for parks, an analysis was
undertaken to explore the current inventory of parks as well as
future needs. This analysis incorporates feedback from
stakeholders and the City in terms of usage and bookings. Overall,
this analysis indicates there are existing gaps in the parks system,
as well as a need to consider repurposing some parks to maximize
use and benefit to users.
Through the 2016 service review, it was concluded that the City
generally meets or exceeds the standard of park provision for
community and city parks.
The following analysis shows that the City is slightly undersupplied
in neighbourhood parks as there is a need for an additional 2.19
hectares of neighbourhood parks. Some neighbourhoods are also
served by Community or City Parks. However, the standard varies
slightly depending of the area/quadrant of the City that is
examined.
This is based on the City's standard provisions, as follows:
51
Table 1: Parkland Requirements
Population
(2016)
Required
Actual
Neighbourhood
Parks
21,341
10.6
hectares
8.41
hectares
Community
Parks
21,341
32.0
hectares
40.21
hectares
City Parks
21,341
32.0
hectares
107.9
hectares
There are 156.51 hectares of parkland (including neighbourhood,
community and city parks). This does not include Regional Parks,
open space corridors or Greenwood Cemetery, which results in a
total of 245.28 hectares of publically accessible greenspace.
Looking forward to 2022, and based on a forecasted population of
21,7992, parkland requirements are anticipated to slightly increase.
While Community Park and City Park provisions will continue to be
met, the land required to meet Neighbourhood parkland
requirements is forecasted to increase slightly from 10.6 hectares
to 10.9 hectares.
Table 2: Forecasted Parkland requirements for 2022
Population
(2022)
Required
Neighbourhood
Parks
21,799
10.9
hectares
Community
Parks
21,799
32.7
hectares
City Parks
21,799
32.7
hectares
2 Based on estimated population growth in Grey County Management
Strategy Update (Source: Hemson Consulting Ltd., 2015)
It is worth noting Owen Sound has a relatively high number of parks
and area of parks when compared to similarly sized municipalities.
Furthermore, the City's cost per acre of parkland is relatively low.
Table 3: Comparison of Parkland and Budgets
Owen
Sound
Brockville
Collingwood Orangeville
Number of
Parks
43
39
26
39
Number of
Parks/
resident
0.002
0.0017
0.0012
0.0013
Acres of
Parkland
386.7*
(156.5
1) ha)
95
(38.44 ha)
262
(106 ha)
121
(49 ha)
Acres of
Parkland/
resident
0.018
(0.007
ha)
0.0042
(0.0017 ha)
0.012
(0.005 ha)
0.0041
(0.0017 ha)
Budget
$1,144
,480
$1,110,222
$1,562,850
$277,104**
Cost of
Parks/ acre
$2960
per
acre
$11,686 per
acre
$5919 per
acre
$2290 per
acre**
*Does not include Regional Parks, open space corridors or Greenwood Cemetery
**Does not include wages
A mapping exercise was undertaken to identify any gaps in Owen
Sound's Park System, specifically looking at neighbourhood parks
and community parks. This analysis is included at the end of this
Section. The analysis included the following factors:
52
A walking distance of 300 metres for neighbourhood parks
A walking distance of 500 metres for community parks
While these parks serve a wider radius (0.5 km and 1.5-2.5 km
respectively), a conservative walking distance was applied to
identify more accurate gaps.
While the number of parks and area of parks is sufficient (and
exceeded in the case of community and city parks), there are still
gaps found in Owen Sound. In particular, the City will need to
consider future parkland locations in the Sydenham Heights
Planning Area. This is discuss further in Section 6.8 below. Parkland
gaps have been identified in the red circles on Figure 1.
6.6 Proposed Process for Transition of
Use
If the City wishes to consider transition of use for parkland in Owen
Sound, staff and Council should be cognisant of parkland provision
and the impacts of removing land from the parks system. Direction
from Council and staff shall be based on data such as bookings
(sports fields), usage and public input.
Subject to Council direction, the City should consider ways to
transition parks/portions of these parks to other recreational
purposes. For example, sports fields could expand use to host large
outdoor events. Alternatively, large parks could be reduced in size
to encourage better usage of space. Parcels could be sold and
developed to leverage funds for other recreational improvements.
The funds leveraged from selling off parcels of larger parks could
help offset costs for improvements at highly used parks including
Harrison Park, Kelso Beach Park and sports fields.
In order to determine if the provision of land for such parks can be
re-purposed, transitioned to another use, or partially/fully disposed
of, the City should undertake one of the following two approaches
depending on the intended outcome (repurposing vs. disposition of
lands):
Recommended Approach for Repurposing Park Lands:
1. City staff identify and recommend park to consider for
repurposing to new recreational new. Council consideration
to confirm direction, including public input.
2. Assess current conditions of park and assess alternatives.
3. Survey residents within 500 metres of park to gather data
on park usage.
4. Hold public meeting with surrounding residents and
stakeholders to discuss alternatives.
5. Based on public feedback, select preferred alternative and
present to committee/Council for consideration.
6. Develop a preliminary design and action plan.
7. Hold public meeting to discuss preliminary design and
action plan.
8. Present final plan to Committee/Council for approval.
53
Recommended Approach for Partial/Full Disposition of Park
Lands:
1. City staff identify and recommend park to consider for
partial or full disposition. Council consideration to confirm
direction, including public input.
2. Assess current parkland supply (full system and specific
quadrant) based on standards for park provision.
3. Survey residents and other stakeholders within 500 metres
of park to gather data on park usage.
4. Hold public meeting with surrounding residents and
stakeholders to discuss.
5. Based on public feedback and usage data, present options
to committee/Council for consideration.
6. Develop an action plan.
7. Hold public meeting to discuss process and action plan.
8. Present final plan to Committee/Council for approval.
9. Comply with City bylaw regarding disposition of land.
This approach will ensure that residents are consulted on proposed
changes (repurposing, transition of uses or partial/whole disposition
of lands) for parks in Owen Sound.
The table below shows preliminary examples of park locations that
could be considered by Council and staff for transition of use. Any
proposed changes should be subject to the recommended
approach for transitioning park lands.
Table 4: Preliminary examples of park locations to consider for transition of use
Park
Rationale
St. Julien (ball diamonds)
This is a very basic ball
diamond (without lights) and
has had low bookings in the
past.
Harrison Field (ball diamond)
Very low use (low bookings) in
recent years.
Garafraxa Park
Large area with little frontage
onto arterial roads.
Portion of Kelso Beach Park
(soccer field)
Very large parcel of land/open
space that is rarely used for
soccer (very low bookings).
*Note, these lands are leased
by the City.
Owen Heights Park
This playground meets the
need for play structures in the
area. Partial disposition of
parklands could be considered.
6.7 Play Structure Analysis
The 2007 Master Plan also includes a recommendation stating: The
City should strive to provide playground equipment within a 500
metre radius of all residential areas, without causing pedestrians to
cross a major natural or man-made barrier. To determine the City's
current status, a mapping exercise was undertaken. Figure 6 shows
that there are still gaps in playgrounds remaining, as not all
residential areas can access a play structure within 500 metres
without having to cross arterial roads and/or natural barriers.
54
Based on the playground proximity analysis, the following parks
should be considered for development of playgrounds:
Table 5: Parks to consider development of playgrounds
Park
Rationale
Harrison Field
Large open space with low
usage. This would help fill a
gap in playgrounds between
14th Street West and 10th Street
West.
Stobbe Park
There is a gap between Evans
Park and Comm-r-ette Park. A
new playground at Stobbe
would help fill this gap.
Stoney Orchard Park
There are no playgrounds in
this portion of Owen Sound. A
play structure at either parks
would help complete the
playground network.
The recommended approach for determining the repurposing/
transition/disposition of parklands will include consideration of how
an existing park may assist in achieving a different objective or
meeting another gap within the parks system. For example, a
playground gap is found west of the West Side Boat Launch (from
14th Street West to 10th Street West). However, if a play structure
was added at Harrison Field - an underutilized park - this gap
would be reduced or addressed.
6.8 Future Parks - Sydenham Heights
Planning Area Analysis
Since the 2007 Master Plan, the City has designated lands for new
greenfield residential development. Density for these lands is
anticipated to be medium to high. There are no existing parks or
playground within the area as this is a new growth area.
Parkland policies have been reviewed in order to ensure that new
development in this area is adequately and equitably serviced with
parks and recreation opportunities. The Sydenham Heights
Planning Area (identified through the Sydenham Heights
Secondary Plan in the Official Plan, Schedule A2) was selected for
further analysis, based on its proposed low, medium and high
density residential development.
Section 5.2.3 of the Official Plan provides policies on parkland for
the Sydenham Heights Planning Area.
Section 5.2.3.2 states: Four neighbourhood parks with links to the
Trail system are to be provided as shown on Schedule A2 to provide
local parkland needs of residents in the Sydenham Heights Planning
Area. The southerly park is adjacent to lands designated Escarpment
Rural on Schedule A2 and shall be designed and developed for passive
recreational activities for the area residents. The City may require the
completion of a landscape plan for any park area and may enter into a
development agreement for the construction of a park.
There are currently four proposed areas for open space - parks, as
well as the existing rail trail identified on Schedule A2. There is,
55
however, no park proposed in the Phase 1 area adjacent to the area
designated as Escarpment Rural. This area is proposed to be
developed for passive recreational activities in close proximity to an
area proposed for medium to high density residential dwellings.
To enhance recreation needs, the City:
1. Should explore opportunities to partner with the hospital to
utilize any surplus land through a creative public-public
partnership for the development of a neighbourhood/
community park to serve this area.
2. Should ensure that the amenity/landscape requirements for
new site plans provide the required amenity and landscape
area with consideration for appropriate play structures and
programming.
Figure 7 shows a larger planned open space/park area in the
northwest portion of the Sydenham Heights Planning Area. This
area is encouraged to be a Community Park based on its potential
size. A smaller neighbourhood park, including play structures and
open space for passive use should be developed south of 8th Street
East, west of Telfer Creek and another East of Telfer Creek.
With the recent closure of the neighbouring public school, it will be
important to provide future residents with access to open space
and parks. The City should consider requiring parkland dedication
for any redevelopment of any school board lands as an opportunity
for continued park area.
Based on review of the Secondary Plan and park location criteria,
the following recommendations are proposed for modification to
the Official Plan for the Sydenham Heights Planning Area:
Section 5.2.3.2 should be updated to provide further clarity
on how parkland will be dedicated in future developments
for this area. There should be at least one community park
(as already identified) for this area, and at least five
neighbourhood parks.
In addition to the three neighbourhood park areas
proposed on Schedule A2, two new parks should be
designed and developed. One should be in close proximity
to the area proposed for medium and high density
residential, north of the Escarpment Rural lands. The other
park should be located west of Telfer Creek in the Phase 1
lands. These proposed parks can be seen in the attached
Figure 7 (Schedule A2). Final locations would be
determined through planning applications.
Trail connectivity should continue to be maintained in this
area, particularly along the linear rail trail.
These recommendations for updates to the Official Plan may be
completed as a City-initiated Official Plan Amendment or as part of
the upcoming Official Plan review. Should development
applications be submitted in advance of any update, the
recommendations of the Master Plan Update shall be referred to as
the policy direction for any review associated with planning
applications.
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9th Street West
4th Avenue West
Somers Street
9th Street East
22nd Street West
Alpha Street
Superior Street
20th Street West
15th S
tr
e
et West
6th Avenue West
15th Street B East
12th Street West
1st Av
enue West
16th Street West
17th Street East
4th Avenue East
14th Stre
et W
est
10th Street East
2nd Avenue East
9th Avenue East
19th Street East
8th Street West
13th Street West
19th Street West
26th Street East
1st Avenue East
4th Street East
30th Street West
2nd Avenue West
5th Avenue East
6th Avenue East
7th Avenue East
15th Street East
24th Street West
27th Street West
26th Street West
3rd Avenue West
8th Avenue West
16th Street East
Finden Street
20th Street East
18th Street East
5th Avenue West
Carney Street
8th Avenue East
8th Street East
16th Avenue East
Inglis Falls Road
7th Street East
10th Concession
11th Street West
7th Street A East
13th Street
A
West
4th St
r
e
e
t
A
West
23rd Street East
Park Street
Story Book Park Road
20th Avenue East
28th Avenue East
Range Road
Concession 11
Concession 3 Derby
10th Street West
2nd Avenue East
2nd Avenue West
9th Avenue East
10th Street East
3rd Avenue East
6th Street East
8th Street East
Grey Road 5
2nd Avenue So
u
theast
28th Avenue East
3rd Avenue West
Ed
d
i
e
S
a
rgent Parkway
16th Street East
Grey Road 17a
Grey
Road 1
Gre
y Roa
d 15
East Bay Shore Road
Highway 6 & 10
Hig
h
way 26
Former CN
Rail R.O.W
Kiwanis Soccer
Complex
Kelso Park /
Newash Park
Maitland Park
Tom Williams
Park
Harrison
Field
Harrison Park
Extension
Ryerson
Park
Garafraxa
Park
Queen's
Park
Jervis
Bay
Mill
Reserve
Harrison
Park
West Rocks
Park
St Julien
Park
Kinsmen
Owen Heights
Park
Centennial
Towers
Cpl. James
Mitchell Park
J.Irvine Brown Childrens
/ Bayshore Comm. Centre
Soundview
Ed Taylor
Park
Victoria Park/
St George's Park
Inner
Harbour
Leader SRS Park /
West Side Boat Lauch
Blacks
Park
Parkview
RCA Boat
Launch
Timber McArthur Park
Duncan McLellan Park
Stoney
Orchard
Timber
McArthur Park
Former CN Rail R.O.W.
Greenwood
Cemetery
Westmount Park
Bill Inglis Park
Tot Lot Park
Mary Miller Park
Evans Park
Stobbe Park
Comme-r-ette
Alexander Park
Pinecrest Park
Charlie Kelly Park
Private Park
Park Proximity Analysis
Parks
Proximity Analysis
Features
Areas to Assess for Potential Parks
Sydenham Heights Planning Area
City Boundary
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Trails
Neighbourhood Parks
Community Parks
City Parks, Regional Parks, & Open Space Corridors
Within Walking Distance of a Neighbourhood Park (300m)
Within Walking Distance of a Community Park (500m)
Within Walking Distance of a Neighbourhood and Community Park
Waterbody
Future Medium-High
Density Residential
Proposed Parks - Sydenham Heights
All Quadrants
µ
1:10,000
(24x36)
Figure 1
!
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! !
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!
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Westmount Park
Tot Lot Park
Mary Miller Park
Private Park
Kelso
Park /
Newash Park
Maitland Park
Tom
Williams
Park
Harrison
Field
St Julien
Park
Kinsmen
Soundview
Inner Harbour
Leader SRS Park
/ West Side
Boat Lauch
Former
CN Rail
R.O.W.
19th Street West
4th Avenue West
22nd Street West
17th Street West
Alpha Street
20th Street West
1
5
th Street West
21st Street West
12th Street West
1st Avenue West
16th Street West
7t
h
Avenue A W
e
st
14th Stre
et Wes
t
13th Street West
7
th Avenue West
6th Avenue West
23rd Street West
18th Street West
28th Street West
29th Street West
26th Street West
3rd Avenue West
8th Avenue West
5th Avenue West
11th Street West
13th Street A West
5th Avenue A West
2nd Avenue West
3rd Avenue West
Eddie Sargent Parkway
µ
Park Proximity Analysis
Sydenham Heights Planning Area
City Boundary
Waterbody
! ! ! ! ! Trails
Neighbourhood Parks
Community Parks
City Parks, Regional Parks, & Open Space Corridors
Proposed Parks - Sydenham Heights
Within Walking Distance of a Neighbourhood Park (300m)
Within Walking Distance of a Community Park (500m)
Within Walking Distance of a Neighbourhood and Community Park
1
Quadrant:
1:4,000
Parks
Proximity Analysis
Features
Figure
2
!
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! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
!
!
!
! !
Alexander Park
Former CN
Rail R.O.W
Kiwanis
Soccer
Complex
J.Irvine Brown
Childrens / Bayshore
Comm. Centre
Ed Taylor
Park
Victoria
Park/ St
George's Park
RCA Boat
Launch
Timber
McArthur
Park
Duncan
McLellan Park
Stoney
Orchard
Timber
McArthur
Park
1st Avenue East
15th Street B East
17th Street East
4th Avenue East
2nd Avenue East
9th Avenue East
19th Street East
26th Street East
25th Street East
5th Avenue East
6th Avenue East
7th Avenue East
1
2th Street East
15th Street East
16th Street East
20th Street East
18th Street East
8th Avenue East
16th Avenue East
32nd Street East
23rd Street East
3rd Avenue East
20th Avenue East
28th Avenue East
3rd Avenue East
9th Avenue East
East Bay Shore Road
µ
Park Proximity Analysis
Sydenham Heights Planning Area
City Boundary
Waterbody
! ! ! ! ! Trails
Neighbourhood Parks
Community Parks
City Parks, Regional Parks, & Open Space Corridors
Proposed Parks - Sydenham Heights
Within Walking Distance of a Neighbourhood Park (300m)
Within Walking Distance of a Community Park (500m)
Within Walking Distance of a Neighbourhood and Community Park
2
Quadrant:
1:7,500
Parks
Proximity Analysis
Features
Figure
3
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Stobbe Park
Comme-r-ette
Charlie Kelly Park
Queen's Park
Jervis Bay
Mill Reserve
West Rocks
Park
Cpl. James
Mitchell
Park
Blacks Park
Greenwood
Cemetery
7th Avenue West
9th Street West
4th Avenue West
8th Street East
6th Avenue West
Beattie Street
5th Avenue West
8th Street West
5th Street West
1st Street West
2nd Avenue West
7th Street West
1st
Avenue East
3rd Avenue West
1st Avenue West
4th
Street A West
8th Avenue West
4th
S
treet W
est
10th Street West
µ
Park Proximity Analysis
Sydenham Heights Planning Area
City Boundary
Waterbody
! ! ! ! ! Trails
Neighbourhood Parks
Community Parks
City Parks, Regional Parks, & Open Space Corridors
Proposed Parks - Sydenham Heights
Within Walking Distance of a Neighbourhood Park (300m)
Within Walking Distance of a Community Park (500m)
Within Walking Distance of a Neighbourhood and Community Park
3
Quadrant:
1:3,500
Parks
Proximity Analysis
Features
Figure
4
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Pinecrest Park
Charlie Kelly Park
Harrison
Park
Extension
Ryerson
Park
Garafraxa
Park
Harrison Park
Owen
Heights
Park
Centennial
Towers
Parkview
9th Street East
Lamson
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c
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7th Avenue East
5th Avenue East
5
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treet
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8th
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4th Street East
9th Street A East
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venue A
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8th Street East
7th Street East
16th Avenue East
7th Street A East
18t
h Avenu
e East
1st
Street East
6th Street East
11th Avenue East
10th Avenue East
9th Avenue East
6th Street East
8th Street East
16th Street East
µ
Park Proximity Analysis
Sydenham Heights Planning Area
City Boundary
Waterbody
! ! ! ! ! Trails
Neighbourhood Parks
Community Parks
City Parks, Regional Parks, & Open Space Corridors
Proposed Parks - Sydenham Heights
Within Walking Distance of a Neighbourhood Park (300m)
Within Walking Distance of a Community Park (500m)
Within Walking Distance of a Neighbourhood and Community Park
4
Quadrant:
1:7,250
Parks
Proximity Analysis
Features
Figure
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89:|
89:|
89:|
89:|
89:|
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89:|
89:|
89:|
89:|
89:|
89:|
89:|
89:|
9th Street West
4th Avenue West
Somers Street
9th Street East
Alpha Street
Superior Street
20th Street West
15th S
tr
e
et West
6th Avenue West
15th Street B East
12th Street West
1st Av
enue West
16th Street West
17th Street East
4th Avenue East
14th Stre
et W
est
10th Street East
2nd Avenue East
9th Avenue East
19th Street East
8th Street West
13th Street West
19th Street West
26th Street East
1st Avenue East
4th Street East
30th Street West
2nd Avenue West
5th Avenue East
6th Avenue East
7th Avenue East
15th Street East
24th Street West
27th Street West
26th Street West
3rd Avenue West
8th Avenue West
16th Street East
Finden Street
20th Street East
18th Street East
5th Avenue West
Carney Street
8th Avenue East
8th Street East
16th Avenue East
Inglis Falls Road
7th Street East
10th Concession
11th Street West
7th Street A East
13th Street
A
West
4th St
r
e
e
t
A
West
23rd Street East
Park Street
Story Book Park Road
20th Avenue East
28th Avenue East
Range Road
Concession 11
Concession 3 Derby
10th Street West
2nd Avenue East
2nd Avenue West
9th Avenue East
10th Street East
3rd Ave
nue East
6th Street East
8th Street East
Grey Road 5
2nd Avenue So
u
theast
28th Avenue East
3rd Avenue West
Ed
d
i
e
S
a
rgent Parkway
16th Street East
Grey Road 17a
Grey
Road 1
Gre
y Roa
d 15
East Bay Shore Road
Highway 6 & 10
Hig
h
way 26
Former CN
Rail R.O.W
Kiwanis Soccer
Complex
Kelso Park /
Newash Park
Maitland Park
Tom Williams
Park
Harrison
Field
Harrison Park
Extension
Ryerson Park
Garafraxa
Park
Queen's
Park
Jervis
Bay
Mill
Reserve
Harrison
Park
West Rocks
Park
St Julien Park
Kinsmen
Owen Heights
Park
Centennial
Towers
Cpl. James
Mitchell Park
J.Irvine Brown Childrens
/ Bayshore Comm. Centre
Soundview
Ed Taylor
Park
Victoria Park/
St George's Park
Inner
Harbour
Leader SRS Park /
West Side Boat Lauch
Blacks
Park
Parkview
RCA Boat
Launch
Timber McArthur Park
Duncan
McLellan Park
Stoney
Orchard
Timber
McArthur Park
Former CN Rail R.O.W.
Greenwood
Cemetery
Westmount Park
Bill Inglis Park
Tot Lot Park
Mary Miller Park
Evans Park
Stobbe Park
Comme-r-ette
Alexander Park
Pinecrest Park
Charlie Kelly Park
Private Park
µ
Playground Proximity Analysis
1:10,000
Parks
Features
Barriers include Highways, Arterial Roads, and Watercourses
Areas to Assess for Potential Playground
Access
City Boundary
Waterbody
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Trails
Neighbourhood Parks
Community Parks
500m Unimpeded Walking Distance
City Parks, Regional Parks, & Open Space
Corridors
89:|
Playgrounds (21)
(24x36)
Figure 6
Area to Assess for Potential Park
Figure 7
56
7.0 Inventory Of Recreational
Facilities, Parks, Open
Space & Trails
57
7.1 Facility Inventory
Table 6 summarizes the inventory of selected municipal recreation and parks facilities in the City of Owen Sound (school facilities permitted by
the City are not included). All inventory information has been provided by the City's Community Services Department and is understood to be
accurate as of Fall, 2017.
Table 6: Facility Inventory
Facility
Municipal
Supply
Location / Comments
Community Centres
1
Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre
Includes four halls that can be converted into two larger halls
Includes two kitchens
Includes a stage
Community Halls
1
Harrison Park Community Centre
Senior Centres
4
Harrison Park Seniors Centre, Active Lifestyles Seniors' Centre Grey Bruce, North of 55 - An
Active Living Centre, Owen Sound Legion
Ice Pads
3
Bayshore Community Centre (J.D. McArthur Arena) and Julie McArthur Regional Recreation
Centre
Indoor Pools
2
Family YMCA
Includes leisure pool (warm water) and 25 metre competitive pool
The City is also served by non-profit/private indoor pools:
-
Hotel pool (Days Inn)
Fitness Centres
1
Family YMCA
The City is also served by non-profit/private facilities:
-
Anytime Fitness
-
Owen Sound Fitness & Training
-
Velocity Sports Performance & Fitness
-
A Woman's Journey
-
Goodlife Fitness
Soccer Fields
9
Fields are located at the Kiwanis Soccer Complex (7), Victoria Park (1), Kelso Beach (1)
Ball Diamonds (Total)
14
Class A (Lit): Duncan McLellan Park (4); Class B (Lit): Victoria Park (1); Class C (Unlit): Kelso
Beach Park (1), Harrison Field (4), Kinsmen (3), St. Julien (1), Tom Williams (1).
58
Tennis Courts (unlit)
2
Tennis court (also used for Pickleball) is located at Harrison Park
OSDSS tennis courts (through agreement with BWDSB)
Pickleball Court (outdoor)
1
Pickleball court (tennis court) is located at Harrison Park.
Basketball Courts:
4
Courts located at Harrison Park (2 half courts), Getaway Sk8board Park (1 half court) and
JMRRC/YMCA (1 full court)
Outdoor Pools
1
Harrison Park
Outdoor Ice Rinks
1
Harrison Park
Skateboard Parks
1
Kiwanis Skate and Bike Park
BMX Bike Parks
1
Kiwanis Skate and Bike Park,
Playground Locations
18
18 locations contain creative play equipment, 9 contain traditional play equipment (slides,
monkey bars) and 12 contain swings
Beaches
2
Kelso Beach, J. Irvine Brown Children's Park
Boat Launches (public &
private)
5
RCA Boat Launch, West Side Boat Launch, East Side Boat Launch, GS Marina, Rainbow Boat
Launch
59
7.1.1 Recreation Facilities
For each recreational facility, frequency of use varies. For example,
over 50% of survey respondents indicated they use the Bayshore
Centre once a month or less. 35.5% of respondents indicated they use
the Julie McArthur Regional Recreation Centre at least once a week
or more and 37% use the YMCA fitness/aquatic facilities at least once
a week or more.
Results of the online survey indicate that 34% of respondents
participate in recreation and leisure programs outside of the City of
Owen Sound. Respondents indicated they travel outside of Owen
Sound to participate in hockey, softball/baseball, soccer, golf, skiing,
broomball and hiking. While there is no clear area/activity that is
pulling Owen Sound residents away from local facilities, towns such
as Hanover, Meaford, Shallow Lake, Chatsworth, Desboro, Sauble
Beach and Wiarton were mentioned as where respondents travel to
for other recreational opportunities.
Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre:
Opened in 1983, the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre
offers a wide range of facilities, amenities and services. The
Bayshore Community Centre hosts numerous events throughout the
year including hockey tournaments and concerts, providing services
to the broader region in Grey County. The facility contains the J.D.
McArthur Arena, a 2,800 seat spectator arena which is home to the
Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League.
Space is available for rent to permanent and occasional user groups
and the general public for sport, recreational and cultural purposes,
including birthday parties and workshops. There is also a walking
track which is an important asset for Seniors in Owen Sound.
Julie McArthur Regional Recreation Centre:
Through a partnership between Owen Sound and the YMCA, the
Julie McArthur Regional Recreation Centre was built in 2012 to serve
Owen Sound and the wider region. The facility includes two NHL
sized ice surfaces, outdoor amenities including soccer/football field
and skate/bike park that are operated by the City, as well as the
Family YMCA which includes a gymnasium, fitness/conditioning
centre, cycle studio, fitness studio, meeting space, walking/running
Online Survey Results - Recreational Facility Frequency of Use
Harry Lumley
Bayshore
Community Centre
Julie McArthur
Regional Recreation
Centre
YMCA of Owen
Sound Grey Bruce
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
60
track, a 25 metre eight lane pool and warm water pool, plus
associated amenities.
The YMCA of Owen Sound Grey Bruce supports the community of
Owen Sound and Grey and Bruce Counties through a variety of
services, including: Health, Fitness and Aquatics; Child Care;
Employment Services; Community Initiatives; Resident and Day
Camp; and Opportunities to Give.
This facility is operated under a Joint Operating Agreement between
the City and Family YMCA. The City owns the facility and a portion
of the building is leased to the Family YMCA. Through this
partnership, the Family YMCA delivers many recreation programs
for Owen Sound as well as the surrounding community (primarily
fitness and aquatic programming). This multi-purpose, fully
accessible recreation destination has altered the culture of fitness
and recreation across Grey and Bruce Counties.
The YMCA is an independent charity and operates its Health, Fitness
and Aquatic facility based on the fees it receives from members and
participants. The YMCA does not receive funding from the City for
its operations. The YMCA must ensure it is financially sustainable in
its operations, and therefore charges fees that cover the cost of its
operations.
The Family YMCA averages over 5000 members, with over 1000
being seniors. YMCA membership is inclusive, welcoming all
members of the community. YMCA memberships are a convenient
and economical option for Owen Sound and regional residents
seeking fitness and health opportunities.
A financial assistance program also helps to reduce barriers to
participation. The monies raised through fundraising events and
donations helps support over 900 people of all ages each year.
Currently, over 125 fitness classes are offered each week by the
Family YMCA, and there are approximately 1200 daily usages of the
YMCA facility.
Swimming lessons are a very popular service offered by the YMCA.
There are approximately 650 people enrolled at any one time in a
session of swim lessons throughout the year. In order to instruct this
large number of swimmers, there are 34 full and part-time staff
instructing and supporting each session of lessons.
While the YMCA has pool space to add more lessons, they are limited
by the availability of certified instructors and lifeguards. As
mentioned earlier, it is a challenge to continually replace
staff/instructors as they often leave to attend college/university.
Julie McArthur
Regional Recreation
Centre with the YMCA
of Owen Sound Grey
Bruce
61
Training new staff to meet the demand for swimming lessons will
continue to be a challenge for the YMCA.
Overall, survey respondents indicated they are satisfied with the
quality and diversity of programs offered by the YMCA.
Programs offered by the YMCA include:
Fitness Programs: Over 125 classes are offered weekly,
including aquatic fitness (shallow, deep, gentle, joints in
motion); cardio classes (gentle, sculpt, skip, step, triathlon
and Zumba); strength classes (gravity, boot camp, assisted
workout, body sculpt, core, tabata/high intensity interval
training, instructors choice and workout of the week); cycle
classes (cycle, ride and glide, gentle and triathlon); three
mind and body classes (yoga, tai chi, Pilates fusion and
stretch); Cardiac rehabilitation program;
Recreation Programs: Basketball, Badminton, Pickleball,
Floor Hockey, Craft/Lego Kids, Kids Club, PD Day programs,
Holiday Camp, March Break Camp, Summer Play and Day
Camps, Specialty Camps, Babysitting certification, Family
Fun;
Aquatics: Swimming Lessons for all ages (preschool, youth
and adults), length swimming, recreational swimming, aqua
therapy, aquatic fitness, school swim lessons, Owen Sound
Aquatic Club, Special Olympics.
They YMCA's Mission is an integral component of Owen Sound's
recreational landscape with a central mission to build a caring,
healthy community by creating opportunities for all people to
achieve personal growth in spirit, mind and body. The YMCA's
website (http://www.ymcaowensound.on.ca/) is a great source of
information on all YMCA services and offers a virtual tour of the
Health, Fitness and Aquatic Facility.
Additional Recreation and Fitness Opportunities
In addition to the Family YMCA, a variety of private fitness facilities
in the City/surrounding area offer fitness classes/programs,
including: Velocity; Stone Tree Golf and Fitness; Georgian College's
gym; A Woman's Journey; Anytime Fitness; Owen Sound Fitness and
Training; Goodlife Fitness and various yoga, gymnastics and dance
studios.
62
7.2 Parks, Open Space and Trails Assessment
The following table includes an updated analysis of parkland area for the City of Owen Sound. Using Geographical Information Systems data
provided by the City and looking specifically at neighbourhood, community and city parks results in a total of 156.51 hectares of parkland.
Table 7: Parkland Inventory
Quadrant
Neighbourhood Parks
Community Parks
City Parks
Area (ha)
Area (ha)
Area (ha)
1
Maitland Park
0.61
Harrison Field
1.30
Kelso Park / Newash Park
9.86
1
Mary Miller Park
0.30
Kinsmen
1.28
Leader SRS Park / West Side
Boat Launch / Getaway
Skateboard Park
1.40
1
Soundview
0.79
St Julien Park
1.19
1
Tot Lot Park
0.10
Tom Williams Park
1.45
1
Westmount Park
0.06
TOTAL
5
1.86
4
5.22
2
11.26
2
Alexander Park
0.41
Timber McArthur
Park
15.55
J.Irvine Brown Children's /
Bayshore Comm. Centre
5.84
2
Ed Taylor Park
0.79
Duncan McLellan
Park
4.89
Kiwanis Soccer Complex
21.61
2
Stoney Orchard
5.25
RCA Boat Launch
0.75
2
Victoria Park/ St George's Park
15.34
TOTAL
2
1.20
3
25.70
4
43.54
3
Blacks Park
0.95
Queen's Park
1.22
3
Charlie Kelly Park
0.12
3
Comme-r-ette
0.25
3
Cpl. James Mitchell
Park
0.43
3
Evans Park
0.09
3
Stobbe Park
0.10
TOTAL
6
1.94
1
1.22
0
0.00
63
4
Bill Inglis Park
0.30
Garafraxa Park
8.07
Harrison Park
18.92
4
Centennial Towers
0.99
Harrison Park Extension
34.18
4
Owen Heights Park
0.71
4
Parkview
0.65
4
Pinecrest Park
0.26
4
Ryerson Park
0.49
TOTAL
6
3.41
1
8.07
2
53.10
TOTAL
19
8.41
9
40.21
8
107.90
Parks
Area (ha)
GRAND
TOTAL
36
156.51*
*Does not include unopened road allowance or Pottawatomi Conservation Area.
Including regional parks, open space corridors and Greenwood Cemetery results in a total of 245.28 hectares, which is shown in Table 8 below.
This table also shows the average size of each parkland class and the per capita ratio, based on Owen Sound's 2016 population.
Table 8: Parkland summary by park class
Parkland Class
# of
Sites
Supply
(ha)
Avg. Size per Park
(ha)
Per Capita
Ratio*
Neighbourhood Parks
19
8.41
0.44
0.39 ha/1000
Community Parks
9
40.21
4.47
1.89 ha/1000
City Parks
8
107.9
13.49
5.07 ha/1000
Regional Parks
5
78.09
15.62
3.67 ha/1000
Open Space Corridor
2
10.67
5.34
0.50 ha/1000
TOTAL
43
245.28
39.35
11.61 ha/1000
*Based on a population of 21,341 (2016 Census)
64
Table 9: Trails Inventory and Assessment (Source: Recreation Trails Master Plan, 2012)
Trail
Distance
(km)
Surface
Rating Parking Benches Lighted Comments
Mile Drive
.5
Stone dust
Easy
Yes
No
No
Needs resurfacing in future
Orchard Park
3.0
Dirt
Easy
Yes
No
No
Hidden asset for forest trails. Extension to
Timber McArthur in future
Fitness Trail
1.2
Stone dust
Easy
Yes
Yes
No
Possible extensions + paving
Eddie Sargeant
.2
Pavement
Easy
Yes
No
Yes
Harbour Walkway
0.3
Pavement and
stone dust
Easy
Yes
Yes
Yes
Future snow removal
Weaver's Creek
0.2
Stone dust and
boardwalk
Easy
Yes
Yes
No
Waterfall tour site
St. Mary's Cemetery
0.3
Dirt
Mod
Yes
No
No
Less used route
Freedom Trail in Park
0.9
Pavement and
stone dust
Easy
Yes
Yes
Yes
Popular route in park
Top of the Hill loop
1.0
Dirt
Mod
Yes
No
No
Side loop to Mile Drive
Parkview Erosion Trail 0.4
Stone dust
Easy
Yes
No
No
New trail link to park
5th Ave E to Fitness
Trail
0.4
Dirt
Diff
Yes
No
No
Closed/Future Repairs
9 Bends
0.6
Pavement
Easy
Yes
No
No
Popular connector to Harrison Park
4th Ave W to 1st St W
0.6
Multi
Mod
No
No
No
Poor conditions due to erosion
Mill Dam
0.2
Pavement
Easy
Yes
Yes
Yes
Downtown crossing location
Kelso beach trails
1.5
Pavement and
Stone dust
Easy
Yes
Yes
Yes
Popular trails starting point
Tom Thomson/CP Rail
Line
4.0 +
Stone dust
Easy
Yes
Yes
No
Starting at Bayshore and follows rail line.
TTT leaves Rail bed at 26th street E
14th Street W
footpath
0.1
Grass
Mod
No
No
Yes
Residential connector/steep grade
10th Street A W walk
0.3
Concrete
Easy
No
No
Yes
Sidewalk route bypasses 10th street W hill
Old Hospital Trail
0.2
Pavement
Easy
No
No
Yes
Residential Connector
West Rocks Access
Trail
0.5
Rock and hard
earth
Mod
Yes
No
No
Steep grade rugged trail opposite West
Hill. Entrance to West Rocks
65
7th Ave West/Merkel
0.4
Gravel and hard
earth
Mod
No
No
No
Access to West Rocks
Popular snowshoe and ski route, access to
Bruce Trail
Black's Park Trails
0.5 total
Hard earth
Easy
No
No
No
School route/future development
5th St. W to 4th Ave
W
0.08
Pavement
Easy
No
No
Yes
Residential route
4th Ave W to 8th St W 0.2
Pavement
Mod
No
No
Yes
Residential route to downtown. Steep
grade
Sydenham Walking
Path West Side
0.2
Stone dust
Easy
Yes
Yes
Yes
Opposite library, fisherman's trail
Family Y trail East
Side
0.3
Stone dust
Easy
Yes
Yes
No
Fisherman's trail along Sydenham
MacArthur Park
0.1
Pavement
Easy
No
No
Yes
Paved link to 5th Ave E below hill
St. Mary's Paved link
0.2
Pavement
Easy
No
No
Yes
Paved path at St. Mary's Church
Regional Recreation
Centre Stairs
0.2
Stairs
Mod
Yes
No
Yes
Steep stair linking Recreation Centre to
St. Georges Ball Park
Taylor Park Paved
Route
0.2
Pavement
Easy
Yes
No
Yes
Paved link from Parkette to new 10th St
extension. School route
14th Ave E to 10th St
extension
0.2
Pavement
Easy
No
No
Yes
New connecting route to 10th St
extension and OSCVI
Heritage Place Trail
0.4
Stone Dust
Easy
Yes
No
No
Trail connects the mall to residential area
of 9th Ave E
Tower Trails
0.6
Stone Dust and
Hard Earth
Easy
Yes
Yes
No
Route to Centennial tower and Bruce Trail
Parkview Crescent
Trail
0.4
Hard earth
Diff
No
No
No
Eroded and dangerous route to the fitness
trail from Parkview Crescent
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Table 10: Trails in or Directly Adjacent to Owen Sound
Name
Description
Bruce Trail
Bruce Trail The Bruce Trail runs along the Niagara Escarpment from Niagara to Tobermory, spanning
more than 850km.
West Rocks Management Area
West Rocks Management Area Part of the Bruce Trail, there are 10km of hard-packed trails that link to
Inglis Falls in the south and into the
Inglis Falls Conservation Area
Inglis Falls Conservation Area Part of the Bruce Trail, there are 7.5km of hard-packed trails of varying
difficulty and topography. To the South is
CP Rail Trail (proposed)
CP Rail Trail (proposed) This is a proposed trail that brings a multi-use trail into Owen Sound from Dundalk
along the abandoned CP rail
Tom Thomson Trail (under
construction)
This is a new trail being developed between Owen Sound and Meaford by a volunteer group, with some
assistance from the City. One completed, the trail - of which 4.7km are now in use - will travel through
fields, wooded areas and country roads and will eventually connect Owen Sound's many trails with the
Georgian Trail, which begins in Meaford and continues to Collingwood. The trail currently runs from Owen
Sound's Harry Lumley
Bayshore Community Centre north towards Hibou Conservation Area.
Freedom Trail (being
formalized/improved)
The Freedom Trail (located between Harrison Park and Inglis Falls) is an existing trail that will soon be
undergoing improvements planned by the City in conjunction with the Grey Sauble Conservation
Authority.
Sarawak Rail Trail
This trail runs west from Kelso Beach, through flat farm land, up the escarpment, and then connects to the
Keppel Rail Trail section of the Georgian Bluffs Trail and continues to Park Head. The trail is also accessible
at the west edge of Owen Sound at Range Road.
Owen Sound Harbour
The harbour walkway is approximately 3km of asphalt and interlocking brick for use by both walkers and
cyclists.
It follows the harbour from Kelso Beach on the west to past the Bayshore Community Centre on the east.
Harrison Park
Contains a series of hard-packed natural paths internal to the Park, with linkages to the Bruce Trail.
Sydenham River
A hard-packed natural path that runs along the Sydenham River (and local streets) and connects Harrison
Park to the Owen Sound Harbour pathway.
Various Bicycle Routes
Located throughout the city, these routes are either asphalt paths or follow less well-travelled roads.
Various Snowmobile Trails
There is also a system of snowmobile trails that are off-road for the most part throughout the City. There
is also a by-law which prohibits snowmobiles on certain arterial roads.
67
8.0 Implementation Strategy
68
8.1 Master Plan Goals and Implementation Strategy
Based on public input, stakeholder consultation and background research, a series of goals and action items have been established for the
provision of parks and recreation facilities, programs and services in the City of Owen Sound. A guiding principle was also developed as an
overarching goal for the Community Service Department and other service providers in Owen Sound:
To encourage residents of all ages to maintain physical, social and mental well-being through the provision and
facilitation of a range of opportunities and choices.
These goals have been used to guide the development of this Master Plan and should be utilized for future decision-making in the City of Owen
Sound. These goals are complementary, and do not take priority over another: they should be read and interpreted as a set, rather than as
separate statements. However, responsibilities and timelines have been assigned to each action item in order to assist the City in prioritizing
future work plans and priorities. More detailed responsibility (Specific divisions) would be determined by the lead City department. It is
understood and expected that the City and community service providers will strive to achieve these goals through the various means available,
taking into consideration the limits of municipal financial resources.
1. Accessibility & Affordability
2. Marketing & Communications
3. Partnerships & Collaborations
4. Desire for Indoor Turf Facility
5. Parkland Requirements & Acquisition
6. Recreational Asset Improvements
7. Programming
8. Service Delivery and Monitoring
Timeline:
O = Ongoing
S = Short-term (0-2 years)
M = Medium-term (2-5
years)
L= Long-term (5-10 years)
69
1.0 Accessibility and Affordability
GOAL: To ensure community facilities, services and procedures enhance accessibility for all.
ACTIONS
Responsibility
Timing
(O/S/M/L)
a) Review rates and fees policies on annual basis to ensure that they continue to respond
to community needs and promote access for all regardless of age, income level, culture,
gender, and abilities.
Community Services
Department / Committee
Ongoing
b) Consider expanding the core set of free programs that can be established to create a
degree of universality and inclusiveness for all in Owen Sound (beyond free skates and
swims).
Community Services
Department through
consultation with other
recreational providers
Short-Medium
c) Create opportunities for increasing a sense of belonging among all groups by
developing an Inclusion Policy for Owen Sound facilities.
Community Services
Department and partner
service providers
Ongoing
d) Establish an Affordable Access Policy to improve access to recreation programs for
those whom fees are a barrier to participation.
Community Services
Department and partner
service providers
Short
e) Continue to implement accessibility plan at Julie McArthur Regional Recreation Centre
and Bayshore Community Centre and review recreational facilities, parks and trails to
identify ways to reduce barriers for people with disabilities where feasible.
Community Services
Department and partner
service providers (E.g.
YMCA)
Ongoing
f) Coordinate with existing organizations (E.g. Teen Advisory Group at the Owen Sound
Library) to ensure recreational facilities, parks and trails remain relevant and consistent
with changing trends, and address the barriers to access and participation. City and
community service partners should explore new ways to increase unstructured and
drop-in activities for teens. The City should continue to provide activities such as free
swims, as well as the skate and Bike Park, and outdoor rink.
Community Services
Department and relevant
partners (E.g. Teen
Advisory Group)
Short
70
g) Encourage seniors' organizations in Owen Sound to develop a senior's strategy that is
relevant and consistent with changing trends, and identify the barriers to access and
participation through engagement with non-users. Continue to provide wellness and
active living programs for active seniors.
Community Services
Department through
partnership with Seniors'
Groups (E.g. Active
Lifestyles Centre Grey
Bruce)
Short
h) Introduce intergenerational programming which would involve special events and
physical activities that grandparent and grandchildren can participate in together.
Community Services
Department with partners
Short-Medium
i)
Consult with trail users to discuss year-round multi-use trails and determine
opportunities to improve trail network connectivity.
Community Services
Department with partners
(E.g. Tom Thomson Trail
Group)
Short
j) Ensure all activity rooms or facilities do not have specific 'label' (e.g. Youth or Senior's
room) to maximize flexibility of available rooms and provide for cross-programming of
existing space.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing/Short
k) Investigate operations changes such as extending days and hours of operations at
recreational facilities to support more accessible hours for facility users. Update hours
where need exists.
Community Services
Department
Short
l)
Optimize existing operating hours by creating programs that attract persons who are
faced with barriers. I.e. youth, persons with disabilities, new Canadians, seniors, parents
and tots.
Community Services
Department and service
providers
Ongoing
m) Continue to avoid single use amenities when updating or planning for new spaces or
facilities.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
n) Through facility updates, continue to encourage an atmosphere that feels welcoming
by creating spaces for non-structured social and community engagement (E.g. more
modular seating).
Community Services
Department and service
provider partners
Ongoing
o) Ensure that City-owned lands are protected for future community use to maintain
livability and walkability.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
p) Continue to look for opportunities in the community to protect and secure parkland or
other open space areas that have the potential to provide outdoor recreational program
opportunities.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
71
2.0 Marketing & Communications
GOAL: Be a leader in user retention and growth through the implementation of strategic communication efforts.
ACTIONS
Responsibility
Timing
(O/S/M/L)
a) Coordinate an information session with relevant departments and divisions to share the
outcomes and recommendations of this updated Master Plan.
Community Services
Department
Short
b) Ensure the updated master plan is reflected in the City's Strategic Plan, Official Plan
and other vision documents.
Community Services
Department
Short
c) Continually update a comprehensive data base of key stakeholders and designate a
staff person with the responsibility of keeping database current.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing/Short
d) Conduct a review of best practices for promotion and marketing recreation and leisure
programs and services. Select promotional approaches that are appropriate for Owen
Sound and implement an updated promotion and marketing framework.
Community Services
Department
Short
e) Continue to promote recreational facilities, parks, trails and events through social
media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.).
Community Services
Department
Ongoing/Short
f) Carry out 'customer service' surveys every two years to strengthen relationships and
engagement with recreational users.
Community Services
Department and service
providers
Short-Medium
g) Create and distribute quarterly newsletters to distribute information on recreational
opportunities.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing/Short
h) Create a customer-centred culture amongst staff that focuses on core values and
expectations of the City as well as partnering organizations through the development
of a customer service excellence training program for staff members.
All staff
Ongoing
i)
Enhance the use of the City's 4 social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube,
LinkedIn and others as new technologies are introduced.
Community Services
Department
Short
j)
Improve the access to information technology for visitors to recreation facilities by
increasing the availability of online information from all divisions.
All departments
Short-Medium
72
k) Introduce an online booking system for all recreational facilities that includes online
transactions and registration. Ensure system is accessible through smart phones and
tablets and information provided is consistent for all facilities (Include rates, contact,
hours of operations, etc.). Identify ways to encourage resident/customer use of online
transactions/bookings.
All departments, led by
Community Services
Department
Short
l)
Adopt a Department wide advertising signage policy that permits access by potential
partners, sponsors, businesses and community groups to advertising space in facilities
where possible.
Community Services
Department
Short
m) Allow community partners through negotiated agreements to access potential
sponsorship revenues from facility and/or program signage (i.e. share revenue
generation with Soccer, Baseball, Sport Council and other stakeholders when advertising
campaigns are a result of joint efforts).
Community Services
Department and partners
such as local businesses or
sports organizations
Short-Medium
n) Integrate customer service, marketing and communications in all staff meetings.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing/Short
3.0 Partnership & Collaborations
GOAL: Build capacity and promote healthy lifestyles for all ages through partnerships and collaboration.
ACTIONS
Responsibility
Timing
(O/S/M/L)
a) Continue to strategically explore and utilize both private and not-for-profit partnerships
to deliver facilities and services wherever financially viable while ensuring standards of
quality are being met.
Community Services
Department and relevant
partners (Business
organizations and
potential partners such as
Family YMCA and Minor
Soccer)
Ongoing
b) Establish principles and policies for each type of partnership the City engages in (E.g.
public/public, public/private, and public/not-for-profit).
Community Services
Department through
discussion with Council
and relevant Committees
Short
73
c) Conduct regular evaluation of the City's partnership with the other service providers
and partners.
Community Services
Department and
recreational service
providers
Ongoing
d) Identify potential partners to help improve usage of underutilized parks/facilities.
Community Services
Department
Short
e) Identify opportunities to engage partners and stakeholders to collaborate in assessing
current program gaps and overlaps in order to maximize recreational options for users.
Community Services
Department and
recreational service
providers
Short
f) Implement an award system for community leaders/partners who help deliver
recreational and sport and/or promote healthy, active living in Owen Sound.
Community Services
Department and
recreational service
providers
Short-Medium
g) Continue to investigate corporate marketing and sponsorship partnerships to fund
facilities, programs and service enhancements.
Community Services
Department
Short
h) Consult with ball groups to explore options for improving existing ball diamonds, the
need for additional diamonds and/or repurposing of existing diamonds.
Community Services
Department
Short-Medium
i)
Strengthen stewardship activities and programming within parks by collaborating with
a variety of community partners that demonstrate a long-term commitment to
stewardship activities.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing/Short
j) Review site-specific agreements and update or complete a reciprocal joint-use
agreement with School Board's to guide future arrangements.
Community Services
Department and School
Boards
Short-Medium
k) Explore corporate marketing and sponsorship partnerships to fund facilities, programs
and service enhancements.
Community Services
Department
Short
74
4.0 Desire for Indoor Recreation Facility
GOAL: Through consultation with stakeholders, assess need and financial feasibility for an indoor turf facility.
ACTIONS
Responsibility
Timing
(O/S/M/L)
a) The City should evaluate its involvement in an indoor turf facility based upon a business
plan, feasibility study and financing strategy prepared by an interested party.
Interested
party/stakeholders with
Community Services
Department
Short-Medium
b) The City and interested parties should consult with neighbouring municipalities
(Georgian Bluffs and Meaford) to discuss regional need for indoor turf facility and
potential partnerships.
Community Services
Department with
interested parties
Short
c) Support user groups to develop a working group/special committee and provide input
from City Council and staff by liaising with the Community Services Committee
Interested User Groups
with support from
Community Services
Department
Short
d) Undertake a detailed analysis of the current use of soccer fields in Owen Sound and
determine key user groups through consultation with sports groups (Owen Sound
Minor Soccer, Frisbee, lawn bowling, rugby, etc.) and additional partners such as School
Boards
Interested
party/stakeholders with
Community Services
Department
Short-Medium
e) Conduct review of best practices for developing indoor turf facilities
Community Services
Department
Short-Medium
f) Perform analysis of future projections and confirm if there is need from Owen Sound
and regional users for an indoor turf facility.
Community Services
Department
Short-Medium
g) Consider potential locations for a future indoor turf facility, and provide relevant
information to interested partners.
Community Services
Department through
consultation with
interested user groups
Short-Medium
h) Consider creative partnership options (E.g. School Boards).
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
75
5.0 Parkland Requirements & Acquisition
GOAL: Update parkland policies to be consistent with current policy framework and continue to monitor parkland needs in the
future.
ACTIONS
Responsibility
Timing
(O/S/M/L)
a) In the Downtown, East and West Harbour Planning Areas - and other areas of the City,
should the need for additional parkland become evident - the City should look to secure
parks and open spaces through various means including, but not limited to: dedication
from development; acquisition through cash-in-lieu fees; partnerships with public or
private organizations; public trusts/donations; restrictive covenants; easements;
bonusing, etc. While it is preferred that these lands be in public ownership, where this is
not possible, the City should seek to secure a right of access across these lands for
public use.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
b) Update Parkland Policies in Official Plan based on recommendations of Section 6.4
Specifically Policies 7.5.1.3, 7.5.2 and 7.5.3 as part of Five Year Review
Community Services
Department
Short-Medium
c) Update Parkland by-law to include the requirement for the conveyance of land for park
purposes and cash-in-lieu as a condition of development or redevelopment.
Community Services
Department
Short-Medium
d) Consider conditions/process for plan of subdivision to allow for front-end construction of
parks (at site plan approval stage).
Community Services
Department
Short
e) The Official Plan should be updated to include requirements for parkland through site
plan development process in addition to the subdivision process. (Policy 7.5.3.2)
Community Services
Department
Short
f) Update the Sydenham Heights Secondary Plan Area to include requirements for
parkland and locations of future parks.
Community Services
Department
Short
g) Explore partnership opportunities with the Hospital to develop public parks on surplus
hospital lands.
Community Services
Department
Short-Medium
h) The City should strive to maintain the minimum provision standards for neighbourhood
parks (0.5 hectare/1000) and City Parks (1.5 ha/1000) as outlined in the Official Plan.
This provision can be monitored through the development of future parks, and
assessed for update at the next Master Plan Update.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
76
i)
When utilizing cash-in-lieu funds, preference should be given to spending it on park and
facility upgrades and creating trail linkages within the subject lands' planning area.
Community Services
Department subject to
direction from Council
Ongoing
j) Open space corridors that are required for the development of a linked trail system may
be acquired as part of the City's dedication requirements through the development
process. Alternative acquisition strategies for ensuring long-term public access of Open
Space Corridors may also be pursued (E.g. negotiation, long-term least arrangements,
etc.).
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
k) Assess potential to determine park area as surplus lands and marketing the lands for
sale.
Community Services
Department subject to
direction from Council
Short
l)
Lands designated "Hazard Lands" (as identified in the Official Plan) will not be
considered as parkland dedication.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
m) The Official Plan should be updated to include a policy that requires consultation with
local school boards and public bodies when there are changes to parkland requirements
and/or changes to the parks plan.
Community Services
Department
Short
n) The online inventory of municipal parks, open space, trails and facilities should continue
to be updated to reflect capital improvements and enhancements over the Master Plans
period (5 years).
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
o) Assess future use of public lands that have been used as parks (E.g. schools) through
redevelopment and planning application processes. Encourage parkland to be required
instead of cash-in-lieu.
Community Services
Department subject to
direction from Council
Ongoing/Short
p) Continue to provide play structure parks throughout City that are within 500 metres
walking distance (unimpeded by arterial roads or natural barriers). Parks to consider for
adding play structures include: Timber McArthur Park, Stoney Orchard, Harrison Field,
and Stobbe Park.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
q) Consider the repurposing of sports fields/ball diamonds to transition use to multi-use
parkland. Consider parks based on Council direction and data related to usage and
bookings if applicable (sports fields).
Community Services
Department subject to
direction from Council
Short-Medium
77
6.0 Recreational Asset Improvements
GOAL: An integrated parks, trails and open space system that connects the community and creates recreation opportunities for
all.
ACTIONS
Responsibility
Timing
(O/S/M/L)
TRAILS
a) The Trails Master Plan should be reviewed and updated based on this updated Master
Plan. Key priority areas for improvements should be confirmed. Trails that were
highlighted as requiring enhancements and updates in the Trail Master Plan should be
reviewed, including:
Harrison Park
i. Trail link across Greenwood Cemetery into Harrison Park
ii. Addition of a new loop(s) on eastern edge of Harrison Park (Ski Hill area
east of the Fitness Trail)
iii. Paving the Fitness Trail (Strong demand from stakeholders)
iv. Construction of single track, hard earth loop along either east or west
side of park - has this pilot project trail happened yet?
Stoney Orchard
i. Establish stone dust links through McArthur Park to adjoin Stoney
Orchard trail system to the Bayshore Community Centre and the JMRRC.
McArthur Park
i. Add stone dust trail through this park to link the Orchard property trails
Mill Dam
i. Overall renewal of this trail is required (tree removal, some stonework)
Kelso Beach
i. Create single tract stone dust/paved trail along north bank of the
Pottawatomi River from the Eddy Sargent Bridge to the lakeshore (will
require control of phragmites - an invasive wetland grass)
Overall trail remediation (as suggested in Trails Master Plan)
Community Services
Department
Short-Medium
78
b) As part of the updated Trails Master Plan, a Trails Implementation Strategy should be
prepared to assist in identifying options and priorities for developing a comprehensive
trails system.
The document should include consultation with the public and affected
stakeholders and include a phases plan for upgrading existing trails and
infrastructure, acquiring new linkages, and developing new neighbourhood and
community trails and routes.
The scope of the Strategy should address not only multi-use trails, but also
cycling routes/bike lanes, snowmobile trails, cross-country skiing trails and
historic walking tours, with consideration being given to support infrastructure,
design standards, promotion and marketing, funding/partnership opportunities
and cost implications.
Community Services
Department through
consultation with trail
users
Short-Medium
c) Through the process of updating the Trails Master Plan, consideration should be given
to laying asphalt along the Spine trail that links to the Harbour Trail and to Harrison
Park.
Community Services
Department
Short-Medium
d) A continued emphasis on trail establishment is supported by trends and community
interest. High priority should be assigned to multi-use trail development and
improvements, particularly at the Tom Thomson Trail, the Fitness Trail and the
Georgian Bluffs Rail Trail. Enhanced trail development will require additional funds and
partnerships to support the maintenance and improvements, as well as continued
efforts to secure abandoned rail corridors and harbourfront lands in partnership with
other government agencies/departments/non-profit groups.
Community Services
Department through
consultation with trail
users
Ongoing
e) Existing and future trails should be appropriately signed, with trail entry and access
points identified. Local trails should be promoted through various means such as
publications, brochures and websites. Direction relating to these aspects should be
addressed in the proposed Trails Implementation Strategy.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing/Short
f) Opportunities to include bike lanes or multi-modal linkages to arterial roads should be a
priority for enhancing the active transportation network in Owen Sound.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
g) All development applications should be reviewed by the City with trail and pathway
linkages in mind. Additionally, whenever road construction/reconstruction is planned,
the City should include designated bike lanes.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
PARKS & OPEN SPACE
h) All park plans (Harrison Park, Victoria Park and Kelso Beach Park) should be reviewed
and updated to ensure they are still relevant. Older plans (Harrison Park Master Plan)
should be reviewed first.
Community Services
Department
Short
79
i)
Usage levels of the City boat launches should continue to be monitored.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
j) The City should consider options to transition some ball diamonds to new uses, and
invest in significant improvements at Duncan McLellan Park (lighting, outfield/infield,
dugouts). Consultation with ball groups will be needed to ensure improvements are
appropriate and implemented where needed most.
Community Services
Department through
consultation with baseball
groups
Short-Medium
k) The City should continue to operate the outdoor pool at Harrison Park and continue to
offer open swims.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
l)
The City should examine installation of additional lighting at the Kiwanis Soccer
Complex subject to capital budget.
Community Services
Department with partners
Ongoing/Short
m) Local soccer demand should be accommodated through the phased expansion of the
Kiwanis Soccer Complex. Desire for a new indoor turf facility should be taken into
consideration for future expansions.
Community Services
Department
Short-Medium
n) Several school fields in the community are used to accommodate soccer practices and
casual rentals. The City should continue to work with the school boards to maximize
access to these fields, while maintaining reasonable standards of field quality and
affordability.
Community Services
Department through
consultation with school
boards.
Ongoing/Short
o) The City should develop outdoor pickleball courts to reduce conflicts with tennis court
use at Harrison Park. The City should also consider working with school boards to
access tennis courts for pickleball usage (E.g. OSDSS and the City have an agreement
to permit pickleball usage). Improvements to the tennis court/pickleball court at
Harrison Park should also be considered.
Community Services
Department through
consultation with users
and school board
Short-Medium
p) The City should develop new agreements with all three School Boards to access
gymnasiums for indoor use (e.g. volleyball and basketball).
Community Services
Department through
consultation with school
boards.
Short-Medium
q) Decisions relating to playground installation and removal should be made on a site-
specific basis, in consultation with the community.
Community Services
Department subject to
Council direction and
through consultation with
community
Short
r) Continue to implement the recommendations in the Harrison Park Master Plan with
respect to campground improvements, as resources permit.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
80
s) Continue to implement the Kelso Beach Park Master Plan to restore permanent beach
environment at the site.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
7.0 Programming
GOAL Support effective program delivery by facilitating partnerships and collaboration with community service providers and key
stakeholders.
ACTIONS
Responsibility
Timing
(O/S/M/L)
a) The City should continue to be involved as a direct programmer in areas where
introductory level skills, instruction/training, broad appeal and affordability are key
criteria and where there are no suitable non-municipal providers available to offer the
services. This is the current approach to delivering soccer and hockey skills, and power
skate. Effort should be made to avoid duplicating existing service provision.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
b) Develop Allocation Policies for each recreational facility guided by the following
criteria: (i) Equity; (ii) User profile; (iii) Function profile; (iv) Past performance; and (v)
Economic Benefit to the Town.
Community Services
Department
Short-Medium
c) The City should maintain its role as a coordinator for facilitation of recreation as leisure
activities.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
d) The City and community service providers should explore ways to improve program
coordination and provide complementary services with a view towards addressing gaps
in delivery.
Community Services
Department and
recreational service
providers
Ongoing
e) Review Allocation Policies for each recreational facility annually to allow for more
efficient and effective allocation of resources and to ensure facilities are meeting needs
of users.
Community Services
Department
Short
f) The City should work with Seniors Groups and ensure continued support through
facility provision. To reduce duplication of efforts, consideration should be given to
combining both groups (Bayshore Community Centre and Harrison Park Seniors Drop-
In Centre).
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
81
8.0 Service Delivery & Monitoring
GOAL To deliver efficient services through effective management, policies, and partnership frameworks while continually
monitoring the success of the Master Plan.
ACTIONS
Responsibility
Timing
(O/S/M/L)
a) The City should work to identify synergies in implementing the updated Recreation,
Parks and Facilities Master Plan and the Cultural Master Plan. If there are conflicting
recommendations between the two plans, this should be reconciled.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing/Short
b) In an effort to reduce duplication and competition between service providers, the City
should organize an annual workshop with all physical activity service providers to
educate, synchronize programs, share resources, etc.
Community Services
Department and
recreational service
providers
Ongoing/Short
c) A volunteer management policy, procedures and program should be developed to
define and clarify the responsibilities and parameters of the City's role in assisting
community volunteers.
Community Services
Department and
recreational service
providers
Long
d) The City should continue to work collaboratively with adjacent municipal governments
to ensure appropriate access to facilities and programs in Owen Sound for all residents
in the area in a manner that is responsible to Owen Sound taxpayers. Recreation
agreements should be considered in addition to the non-resident fee.
Community Services
Department and
neighbouring
municipalities
Ongoing/Short
e) The City should establish a formal policy framework to assist in responding to special
requests from the community with regard to recreation and parks, facilities and
services.
Community Services
Department
Short
f) Investigate collaborative models to explore improvements to the planning and delivery
of recreational amenities and facilities in the Owen Sound catchment area and where
possible coordinate with neighbouring municipalities to allow each community to
leverage their collective assets and focus on creating amenities that serve Grey County.
Community Services
Department and
neighbouring
municipalities
Short
g) The adjacent municipalities of Georgian Bluffs and Meaford should continue to be
pursued as partners with the City of Owen Sound in municipal capital recreation
projects that serve all area residents. The amount of contribution should be
commensurate with the level of service provide and benefit derived.
Community Services
Department and
neighbouring
municipalities
Ongoing
82
h) All organizations renting City of Owen Sound facilities should be continue to be
required to report annually on the number of registered participants by municipality.
This information should be included in each facilities' allocation policy.
Community Services
Department and user
groups
Ongoing
i)
The City should continue to set aside 3% of revenues from facility rentals for capital
projects and improvements.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
j) Undertake an annual review of the recommendations in the Master Plan as part of the
municipal budgeting process, including a description of recent achievements and future
objectives.
Community Services
Department
Ongoing
k) Undertake a comprehensive update of the Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan
prior to the end of the 10 year timeframe of the Plan (2027).
Community Services
Department
Long
83
Authors
Dave Aston, MSc, MCIP, RPP, MHBC Planning - Project Lead
Julie Welch, MSc, MHBC Planning
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the contributions from the following City Staff:
Pam Coulter, Director of Community Services
Brent Fisher, Manager of Community Development & Marketing
Staci Ollerton, Administrative Assistant
Margaret Potter, Community Planner
Adam Parsons, Manager of Parks
Kristan Shrider, Manager of Property
MHBC Planning
540 Bingemans Centre Drive, Suite 200, Kitchener, ON, N2B 2X9