Recreation & Leisure Services Master Plan - Lambton Shores

Municipality of Lambton Shores

Recreation & Leisure Services Master Plan FINAL REPORT February 2011 Prepared by:

in association with

Tucker‐Reid & Associates

Table of Contents Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................................................... iv The Strategic Framework of the Master Plan .................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of the Recreation & Leisure Services Master Plan .................................................................................................... 1 Master Plan Context ................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Benefits of Parks, Recreation & Leisure .................................................................................................................................. 3 A Vision & Mission Statement for Recreation & Leisure Services ........................................................................................... 4 The Master Plan’s Strategic Directions ................................................................................................................................... 5 Methodology ........................................................................................................................................................................... 7 How to Read the Master Plan’s Actions .................................................................................................................................. 8 Master Plan Organization ........................................................................................................................................................ 9 Glossary of Terms .................................................................................................................................................................. 10 Planning Context: Research & Consultation .................................................................................................................... 11 Community Profile ................................................................................................................................................................ 11 Key Trends ............................................................................................................................................................................. 14 The Community Consultation Programme ............................................................................................................................ 16 STRATEGIC DIRECTION #1: Become a Leading Edge Municipality ........................................................................................... 21 The Role of the Municipality in Delivering Leisure Services .................................................................................................. 21 Leadership, Quality Assurance & Innovation ........................................................................................................................ 22 Utilizing Targets & Performance Measures ........................................................................................................................... 24 Effective Systems, Practices and Procedures ........................................................................................................................ 25 Excellence in Customer Service ............................................................................................................................................. 26 Regular Strategic Planning .................................................................................................................................................... 27 Strategic Direction #1 – Actions & Implementation .............................................................................................................. 28 STRATEGIC DIRECTION #2: Supporting Our Volunteers .......................................................................................................... 30 Our Volunteers ...................................................................................................................................................................... 30 The Importance of Older Adult Volunteers ........................................................................................................................... 31 Recruiting, Retaining & Recognizing Volunteers ................................................................................................................... 32 Strategic Direction #2 – Actions & Implementation .............................................................................................................. 33 STRATEGIC DIRECTION #3: Establishing Positive Partnerships ............................................................................................... 35

MONTEITH BROWN PLANNING CONSULTANTS in association with Tucker‐Reid & Associates and The JF Group FINAL REPORT – February 2011

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Partnerships in Delivering Services ....................................................................................................................................... 35 Potential Partners ................................................................................................................................................................. 36 A Standardized Approach to Evaluating Partnerships ........................................................................................................... 37 Strategic Direction #3 – Actions & Implementation .............................................................................................................. 38 STRATEGIC DIRECTION #4: Supporting Municipal Staff .......................................................................................................... 40 Organizational Structure ....................................................................................................................................................... 40 The Role of Staff in Delivering Recreation & Leisure Services ............................................................................................... 43 Supporting Municipal Staff .................................................................................................................................................... 44 Strategic Direction #4 – Actions & Implementation .............................................................................................................. 46 STRATEGIC DIRECTION #5: Success Through Municipal Leadership & Community Development ............................................ 48 Community Development ..................................................................................................................................................... 48 An Integrated Service Delivery Approach ............................................................................................................................. 49 Strategic Direction #5 – Actions & Implementation .............................................................................................................. 51 STRATEGIC DIRECTION #6: Increasing Awareness of Local Resources & Opportunities ........................................................... 53 Communicating with the Community ................................................................................................................................... 53 Communication Methods ...................................................................................................................................................... 54 Strategic Direction #6 – Actions & Implementation .............................................................................................................. 55 STRATEGIC DIRECTION #7: Facilitating a Range of Recreation & Leisure Activities ................................................................. 57 Providing Inclusive Options ................................................................................................................................................... 57 Inactivity & Obesity ............................................................................................................................................................... 60 Targeting Key Markets .......................................................................................................................................................... 60 Indoor Recreation Facilities ................................................................................................................................................... 65 Outdoor Recreation Facilities ................................................................................................................................................ 67 Strategic Direction #7 – Actions & Implementation .............................................................................................................. 75 STRATEGIC DIRECTION #8: Embracing the Arts, Culture & Heritage ....................................................................................... 80 The Importance of Culture .................................................................................................................................................... 80 The Existing Cultural Landscape ............................................................................................................................................ 81 Policy Support for Arts, Culture & Heritage .......................................................................................................................... 82 Arts & Cultural Space Requirements ..................................................................................................................................... 83 Strategic Direction #8 – Actions & Implementation .............................................................................................................. 85 STRATEGIC DIRECTION #9: A Functional and Sustainable Parks System ................................................................................. 87 Parkland Classification System .............................................................................................................................................. 87


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Trails System ......................................................................................................................................................................... 89 Natural Heritage Areas .......................................................................................................................................................... 91 Waterfront & Beach Areas .................................................................................................................................................... 92 Parkland Needs ..................................................................................................................................................................... 93 Parkland Distribution ............................................................................................................................................................ 94 Parkland Acquisition Strategies ............................................................................................................................................. 95 Parkland Design & Amenities ................................................................................................................................................ 97 Strategic Direction #9 – Actions & Implementation ............................................................................................................ 101


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Executive Summary The Recreation and Leisure Services Master Plan represents the first corporate strategic planning framework undertaken to guide decisions regarding parks, recreation and leisure since the Municipality of Lambton Shores was amalgamated in the year 2001. The Master Plan provides direction in planning facilities, programs and services pertaining to parks and waterfront areas, recreation, leisure, and culture over a ten year period that extends to the year 2020. The Master Plan has employed a comprehensive methodology that considers demographics, trends, a statistically significant household survey, stakeholder group input, community feedback, municipal staff involvement, contributions from Council members, the current municipal supply of facilities, service level targets, and an audit of the Municipality’s recreation and leisure service delivery system. These analyses have resulted in the development of nine strategic directions (see adjacent figure), as well as 89 actions and associated implementation plans that will guide the development of the Municipality’s recreation and leisure services for the next ten years. Municipal Council requested that the Consultants outline the most pressing issues facing the Municipality of Lambton Shores with respect to Recreation and Leisure Services; these are listed below with reference to guidance found within this Master Plan for addressing each issue. Issue • Management of Grand Bend Beach •

Recruiting and retaining volunteers

•

Increase the Municipality’s focus on culture and the arts

•

Shift towards unstructured recreation and leisure participation Aging population

•

•

Trails and connections

Guidance • Undertake a Grand Bend Beach Research and Consultation Initiative following the Master Plan. • Strategic Direction #2 is dedicated to ‘Supporting Our Volunteers’, providing input regarding the importance of recruiting, retaining, supporting and recognizing volunteers (e.g., develop a Volunteer Management Strategy). • Strategic Direction #8 is dedicated to ‘Embracing the Arts, Culture and Heritage’ through assessing the existing cultural landscape and potential future arts and cultural space requirements. • The importance of unstructured and unscheduled activities and spaces is highlighted where appropriate throughout the Master Plan. • Strategic Direction #7 includes an analysis of the needs of older adults, including recommendations to continue to consult with this population and make space available in each community centre and hall for the provision of older adult programming. • Consultation undertaken for this Master Plan revealed that residents place a high priority on trails in Lambton Shores. Strategic Direction #9 includes recommendations for trails, including the development of a ‘Trails / Active Transportation Master Plan’.


Become a ‘Leading Edge’ Municipality

Supporting Our Volunteers

Establishing Positive Partnerships

Supporting Municipal Staff Success Through Municipal Leadership & Community Development Increasing Awareness of Local Resources and Opportunities Facilitating a Range of Recreation & Leisure Activities Embracing the Arts, Culture & Heritage A Functional and Sustainable Parks System iv | P a g e

Issue • Support for stakeholder groups

•

Staffing

Guidance • The stakeholder survey revealed a desire for enhanced municipal support for stakeholder groups; the recommended creation of a Recreation and Leisure Services Assistant position to support the Recreation and Leisure Services Facilitator will allow for more time to be spent on facilitating community development models. • As stated above, the Recreation and Leisure Services Assistant will be a crucial staff position whose role will be to support other members of the Recreation and Leisure Services staff. This should be the first new position instituted by the Municipality. In addition, the recommended Horticulturist position is needed to support the parks function of the Community Services Department.

Service Delivery Needs The Municipality indirectly facilitates recreation and leisure programming through the provision of facilities, as well as the service delivery system through which other organizations offer programs to its residents and visitors. As such, it is imperative that the Municipality’s service delivery needs are addressed; recommendations include the development of a volunteer management strategy and volunteer fact sheet, as well as building upon the existing volunteer group database, annual volunteer recognition event, and quality assurance programs such as Blue Flag and Communities In Bloom with targeted new efforts (e.g., High 5 and Youth Friendly Communities, etc.). The creation of a program plan will assist the Department in identifying opportunities for addressing gap areas based upon business planning and the consideration of services being offered by its partners. In this vein, the Municipality is in need of a standardized process or framework for evaluating and responding to requests for partnerships. The creation, maintenance and enhancement of partnerships with other levels of government, adjacent municipalities and First Nation communities, local schools, places of worship, community organizations, private sector pools, etc. should be explored through this framework to determine alignment with public interests and corporate and Departmental priorities. The promotion of recreation and leisure opportunities must be bolstered through a variety of awareness strategies, including current and innovative messages targeted at youth to promote continued participation. To assist with the effective management of the Municipality’s leisure needs, the creation of a distinct Recreation & Leisure Services Division is recommended, led by the Recreation & Leisure Services Facilitator. In addition, three new full‐time positions – Recreation & Leisure Services Assistant, Horticulturist / Forester, and Health & Safety Coordinator (responsible for Municipality‐wide objectives) – are also proposed. To ensure that the Municipality remains responsive to the community’s needs, it is recommended that consultation and engagement of the community be undertaken during strategic planning and key initiatives. Articulating an integrated service delivery approach will help the Municipality maximize existing resources in the community; piloting two critical community‐wide issues that would benefit from a


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collective approach (e.g., inclusion of under‐represented groups, development of a greening strategy, etc.), is recommended. Indoor Facility Needs The Municipality of Lambton Shores is well supplied with indoor recreation facilities, with the addition of The Shores Recreation Centre in 2007 and the ongoing revitalization of the Legacy Centre. The Municipality decommissioned the ice pad at the Forest Community Centre & Arena (which includes 4 curling sheets which are presently leased to the Forest Curling & Social Club for use) in 2007; a feasibility study should be undertaken to determine the future of the facility based on structural considerations and the costs required to enhance the site. In addition, the enhancement of existing community spaces, component upgrades (e.g., wood sprung floor, audio‐visual systems, etc.), and consultation with local stakeholders should be undertaken. Specific consideration should be given to enhancing existing spaces for use by arts and cultural groups, and ensuring that each community centre and hall has space that is available for use by older adults and seniors. Outdoor Facility Needs To better monitor and manage the use of its outdoor recreation facilities, the Municipality is in need of a Sports Field Allocation Policy that will plan for facility access requirements and formalized permitting through collection of up‐to‐date and accurate participant data (including names and addresses). The practice of clustering sports fields at individual sites should be continued and enhanced, as well as undertaking improvements at existing facilities. The Master Plan addresses a number of future outdoor facility needs based upon existing supply (including facility conditions) and consultation efforts. There is a need for an additional major splash pad, to be constructed at the Port Franks Community Centre through the repurposing of the existing ball diamond, and the integration of basic cooling features into at least one existing playground in Thedford, Forest and Arkona. In addition, the Municipality’s youth will benefit from the construction of a minor skateboard park in Forest, which should be designed in consultation with the local community (including skateboarders) and other youth. Other facilities that are recommended for construction include tennis courts in Grand Bend, Thedford and Arkona, as well as a basketball court in Thedford, and support of the partnership with the Port Franks Yacht Club to provide a hard surface court. Parkland Needs To ensure that the residents of Lambton Shores have access to adequate parks and open spaces, a provision target of 4.0 hectares of parkland per 1,000 residents has been proposed for inclusion in the Municipality’s Official Plan, to complement the existing hierarchy of parkland. Further, Major Parks are encouraged at a rate of 2.0 hectares per 1,000 residents, while Community and Neighbourhood Parks are encouraged at a rate of 1.0 hectares per 1,000 residents for each type. As such, the Municipality will need an additional 7 hectares by the year 2020. In general, parkland should be provided within 800 metres of all major residential areas in built‐up areas, free of major pedestrian barriers such as waterways, highways, major roads, rail lines, etc.


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The undertaking of comprehensive digital mapping exercise for parks and park assets will allow the Municipality to create and maintain an accurate inventory and allow for easier analysis and decision‐making with these lands. Trails, which emerged as a key desire for residents, should be addressed through a Trails / Active Transportation Master Plan, which will establish a framework for addressing long‐term trail planning. The waterfront is a key component of Lambton Shores’ identity, as there is one municipal beach (Grand Bend), and several non‐municipal beachfront areas, including those at the Pinery Provincial Park, Ipperwash, and other smaller private beaches. It will be important for the Municipality of Lambton Shores to consider the needs of its rural residents, as well as those in Ipperwash, who make use of municipal services and facilities. The Municipality also has two marinas in its inventory – Grand Bend Marina and Port Franks Harbour – which allow for access to Lake Huron and the Ausable River. It is recommended that the Municipality maintain its partnership with the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority to ensure that recreation opportunities, both on and off the water, are nurtured for residents and visitors alike. The Grand Bend Beach is an important element of the waterfront that draws thousands of visitors per year, including permanent and seasonal residents, daytrippers and vacationers. To determine how to enhance the Grand Bend Beach for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike, and serve the community’s needs into the future, it is recommended that the Municipality undertake a Research and Consultation Initiative to address the role, uses, best practices, infrastructure needs, rate structure, and potential partnerships with respect to Grand Bend Beach. Arts, Culture and Heritage Needs The Municipality of Lambton Shores does not directly own or operate any specific cultural facilities, although arts and cultural organizations do make use of municipal spaces. To provide citizen‐based guidance for the arts and cultural community, the Municipality would benefit from an Arts, Culture & Heritage Committee. In addition, the creation of a Public Art Policy that will guide the provision of art in public spaces should be undertaken. Working in concert with the local arts and culture sector, the Municipality should assess its existing supply of appropriate municipal and community‐ based facilities through a cultural mapping exercise; in addition, a feasibility study is recommended to determine the interest, need, potential partnerships, and if deemed appropriate, potential sites for arts and cultural space. In terms of future provision of arts and cultural spaces in the outdoors, parks and civic spaces should also be designed to accommodate arts and cultural activities, as well as providing interpretation opportunities for natural heritage features.


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The Strategic Framework of the Master Plan

Purpose of the Recreation & Leisure Services Master Plan The Recreation & Leisure Services Master Plan represents the first corporate strategic planning framework undertaken to guide parks, recreation and leisure decisions since the Municipality of Lambton Shores was amalgamated in the year 2001. The Master Plan provides direction in planning facilities, programs and services pertaining to parks and waterfront areas, recreation, leisure, and culture over a ten year period that extends to the year 2020.

Master Plan Context Situated in Lambton County, the Municipality of Lambton Shores is a geographically expansive urban, rural and waterfront community which is located within one hour from the major cities of Sarnia (to the southwest) and London (to the southeast). The Municipality provides a number of indoor and outdoor facilities for recreational and leisure activities, as well as a number of parks, beaches and open spaces which are distributed across Lambton Shores. In focusing on solely providing facilities, the Municipality of Lambton Shores has adopted an “indirect” service delivery role to facilitate community organizations, non‐profit organizations and the private sector alike to provide programs and services to residents, many of whom make use of municipal parks and facilities. As a result of this indirect municipal service delivery model, the local community and private sector is highly active and well organized in providing recreation and leisure‐based opportunities to residents of Lambton Shores. For example, private fitness centres, golf courses, and recreation facilities in community neighbourhoods complement the municipal supply and result in a collaborative delivery of services between the Municipality and its community‐based partners. Relationships with the County and local school boards are also prevalent, as evidenced through the co‐location of public libraries with community centres and integration of a municipal gymnasium within a local school. Lambton Shores is also home to a variety of community events, including recreational tournaments, farmers’ markets, home and garden shows, and holiday events including Canada Day celebrations, Easter Egg Hunt, Christmas tree lighting, Agricultural Fall Fair, car shows, etc. In addition, the Municipality of Lambton Shores has been actively involved in the Communities In Bloom program, which promotes civic pride, environmental stewardship and community involvement across the country through the beautification of towns, cities and villages by their residents. The Municipality received the highest possible rating in 2010 (5 blooms), and will be participating in the National Communities in Bloom program in 2011.


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Lambton Shores is also fortunate to have a number of publically accessible beachfront areas, affording residents and tourists with waterfront opportunities. The municipally‐owned Grand Bend Beach offers lifeguard supervision, a beach house with concession, observation deck and washrooms, an accessible splash pad, playground equipment, boardwalk and a pavilion. Although privately owned and unsupervised, the Ipperwash Beach allows public access to its shallow waters and nearby public washrooms and picnic areas, while the Municipality has worked collaboratively with the landholders to facilitate beach cleanups as a means to enhance public enjoyment and use of the beach. A third major beach is located at the Pinery Provincial Park, which is under the purview of the Ministry of Natural Resources. There are also a number of private access beaches throughout Lambton Shores. The public can also access the waterfront through the Grand Bend Harbour and Port Franks Marina (both municipally owned), which provide slips for both visiting and local boats, as well as public boat launches, public washrooms and other amenities. It should also be noted that there are a number of private marinas as well. Together, the Municipality and its community work together in promoting and enhancing Lambton Shores’ identity as a waterfront community, through bolstered public access to beaches and boating sites. The natural environment of Lambton Shores provides opportunities for conservation and preservation efforts by way of the Esli Dodge Conservation Area (owned by St. Clair Conservation Authority, but managed by the Municipality), Pinery Provincial Park and Rock Glen Conservation Area. Although these are not municipally owned, they enhance the Municipality’s inventory by providing additional beaches, trails, museums, picnic facilities and interpretive programs. The Ausable River also provides a valuable riparian corridor that forms a significant component of the local natural heritage system.


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Benefits of Parks, Recreation & Leisure Recreation and leisure, both in organized and unstructured forms, provides individuals with numerous physical health, psychological, economic and environmental benefits which are associated with a high quality of life. Not only does participation in recreation and leisure provide opportunities for a healthy lifestyle, it also facilitates greater cognitive development, self‐esteem, social interaction, economic spending, conservation of natural lands, and community vibrancy.

Community Benefits

• • • •

New leaders are supported and encouraged Health care costs are reduced because we build healthier populations Volunteerism is encouraged and enhanced Youth find ways to channel their energy positively

Personal Benefits

• • • •

Sport contributes positively to physical, intellectual, social and emotional development Increased personal health Reduced stress and increased self‐esteem Stay independent longer

Environmental Benefits

Economic Benefits

• Residents take on stewardship roles in the protection of the environment • Enjoy the beauty of parks and open spaces while enhancing the quality of life • Focus on walkability and active modes of transport reduce reliance on cars

• New business is attracted to the Municipality, resulting in economic growth • Tourism increases because of festivals, special events and tournaments • Increased property values

Sources: Canadian Parks & Recreation Association. The Benefits of Recreation. 1992. Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport. What Sport Can Do, the TrueSport Report. 2008.


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A Vision & Mission Statement for Recreation & Leisure Services In order to form appropriate actions, it is important to understand the strategic orientation of the Municipality of Lambton Shores. By aligning assessments with strategic values and principles, recommendations will be targeted to achieving the directives of the Recreation & Leisure Services Master Plan. Lambton Shores has defined a broad vision for its services, reflecting what the Municipality intends to be and what it strives towards in the future. Lambton Shores is a safe, attractive and welcoming place to live, work and play; with a strong economy, community spirit and pride. Citizens have access to excellent health, educational, cultural and recreation and leisure facilities, programs and services. We are a growing community, sensitive to our heritage, our environment and quality of life and a leader in local government service delivery. VISION ‐‐ MUNICIPALITY OF LAMBTON SHORES A Vision Statement has been crafted for the Recreation & Leisure Services Master Plan in order to guide the collaborative actions of the community and staff. The Vision Statement for the Master Plan is intended to align with the municipal vision statement: Residents and visitors to Lambton Shores are inspired by the beauty in the natural surroundings and are motivated to lead active and healthy lifestyles. The Recreation & Leisure Services Master Plan will strive to ensure the continued and sustainable delivery of opportunities for sport, recreation, arts, culture and heritage for all to enjoy. VISION ‐‐ RECREATION & LEISURE SERVICES MASTER PLAN The Mission Statement is intended to reflect the Community Services Department’s purpose, which in the context of recreation and leisure services is described below. Lambton Shores values its parks, recreation, arts, culture and heritage resources which enable our residents to lead healthy, enjoyable, and environmentally responsible lifestyles. Our Staff, in collaboration with community partners, will provide a wide range of recreation and leisure choices with the goal of keeping our residents active, engaged, inspired, cohesive, and proud. MISSION – RECREATION & LEISURE SERVICES MASTER PLAN


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The Vision and Mission Statements inherently set out the parameters for the Municipality’s role in delivering leisure services. The Municipal mandate and role will further be advanced through the Strategic Directions articulated in the following subsection. As will be discussed throughout the Master Plan (particularly in the analysis portion of Strategic Direction #1), the Municipality of Lambton Shores should continue to be a facilitator of community‐based programming through the provision of parks, facilities, and other appropriate supports; the Municipality, however, should concurrently evaluate where programming gaps exist and address these through either supporting community‐development efforts or considering direct delivery of cost‐effective, municipal‐based programs where warranted by need. The following Strategic Directions are intended to advance and support the municipal role in recreation and leisure service delivery.

The Master Plan’s Strategic Directions The Strategic Directions are core statements which are intended to fulfill the Vision and Mission Statements. Recommendations have been developed for the Recreation & Leisure Services Master Plan which align with the Strategic Directions as a means for the Municipality to implement and realize its Vision. The Strategic Directions address the people‐ based elements of recreation and leisure management first, providing guidance for the Municipality in supporting its human resources – volunteer, staff and participants alike. Facility and activity‐based elements of the Municipality’s recreation and leisure services are also included in the Strategic Directions.

BECOME A ‘LEADING EDGE’ MUNICIPALITY Lambton Shores will continually strive to be a leading provider and facilitator of high quality facilities and services by employing best practices, and embodying principles of innovation, inclusivity and creativity, through its fiscally‐responsible service delivery models.

SUPPORTING OUR VOLUNTEERS In recognition of the important contributions by its dedicated base of volunteers, Lambton Shores will work diligently with local volunteers to ensure the sustained delivery of community‐based programs and services.

ESTABLISHING POSITIVE PARTNERSHIPS In order to ensure that unique, cost‐effective and high quality services are available in the community, Lambton Shores will seek out strategic partnership opportunities that make sense for the Municipality and its residents.


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SUPPORTING MUNICIPAL STAFF The Municipality will provide appropriate supports to its Departments and ensure that Staff roles, skills and tasks are consistent with evolving trends and community demands.

SUCCESS THROUGH MUNICIPAL LEADERSHIP & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT The Municipality will continue to be both a provider and facilitator of appropriate recreation and leisure services in Lambton Shores. In addition to municipal delivery of services, the Municipality will strengthen its community development approach by building capacity with local service providers to develop their internal capacities with the hopes of sustainable program and service delivery over the long‐term.

INCREASING AWARENESS OF LOCAL RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES Lambton Shores will facilitate and enhance planning and communication efforts between the Municipality, community service providers and local residents as a means to increase awareness of local resources, with the aim of collaboratively delivering services throughout Lambton Shores.

FACILITATING A RANGE OF RECREATION & LEISURE ACTIVITIES As a means to serve the traditional and emerging interests of a growing and increasingly diverse population, the Municipality will strive to facilitate a broad range of both organized and non‐programmed activities at local parks and leisure facilities.

EMBRACING THE ARTS, CULTURE & HERITAGE The Municipality will work to showcase Lambton Shores’ vibrant arts, culture and heritage to our residents and visitors through collaboration and interpretation efforts.

A FUNCTIONAL AND SUSTAINABLE PARKS SYSTEM Lambton Shores will seek to develop its parks and trails system to provide appropriate opportunities for active and passive forms of recreation in consideration of best practices in environmental management which enhance ecological function and sustainable contributions.


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Methodology In February 2010, the Municipality of Lambton Shores released its Terms of Reference for the Recreation & Leisure Services Master Plan. Following a competitive bidding process, the Master Plan process was initiated and led by a core team of Municipal Staff who were assisted by the Consulting Team of MONTEITH BROWN PLANNING CONSULTANTS, Tucker‐Reid & Associates, and The JF Group. A number of tasks have been employed in the development of the Recreation & Leisure Services Master Plan. The Consulting Team has conducted an extensive review of background research and community demographics, analysed existing supplies of recreational resources, and carried out an extensive consultation with local residents, user groups and representatives from the Municipality of Lambton Shores. Specifically, the consultation program has employed the following tasks: • • • • • • •

A statistically significant, random sample telephone survey of 372 households in Lambton Shores; A stakeholder and user group questionnaire; A Community Search Conference with local residents and stakeholders with an interest in recreation and leisure; Key informant interviews with municipal staff, external agencies, community user groups, and other local providers of parks, recreation and leisure services; Online feedback opportunities; Regular workshops with Municipal Council; and A public open house to present the draft strategic directions.

Based upon the background research and consultation efforts, the Strategic Framework (i.e. the Vision, Mission and Strategic Directions) was formed utilizing the key themes. A needs assessment, was subsequently prepared which analyzes needs associated with Lambton Shores’ parks, recreation and leisure resources. The needs assessment also utilizes a number of market‐driven and per capita service level targets in conjunction with utilization data contributed by municipal staff and local user groups that has been obtained through consultations.


Vision

Strategic Directions Inputs, Targets & Actions

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Attaining these service level target thresholds represent a point of departure where the Municipality needs to further consider the justification and priority of additional investment in specific facilities. After achieving a target, the Municipality should consider the following criteria (including, but not limited to) prior to confirming the need for new facilities: • • • • • • • •

Historical increases in growth; Evidence of latent demand (e.g. waiting lists); Usage patterns and capacity available at existing venues; Physical condition of existing facilities; Geographical distribution; Transit availability; Land availability on or near arterial roads; and Capacity of the Municipality to fund, operate and maintain facilities.

Based upon targets and subsequent analysis, including the consideration of public consultation and Strategic Directions developed through the master planning process, actions have been created to help guide future investment in each facility or service category.

How to Read the Master Plan’s Actions The Master Plan’s assessments and actions are organized according to the Strategic Directions articulated in the previous pages. Actions/Recommendations are categorized according to one of three streams of analysis in the Master Plan: • • •

Parks, Trails, Beach & Open Space Strategies (PTBO); Culture & Recreation Facilities and Services Strategies (CRFS); and Financing, Management & Staff Strategies (FMS).

Actions have been developed and aligned with their respective Strategic Direction, and are presented alongside an indication of timing and resource implications, as shown in the example below. Topic Area

Stream

Strategic Direction 1: Actions

Describes the area of relevance or service for the Municipality

Aligns with one of three primary streams of the Master Plan (i.e. PTOB, CRFS, or FMS)

1.1

Describes the action / recommendation to be undertaken

Resource Implications

Describes the anticipated timeframe of implementing the action

Describes implications to the Municipality which are associated with implementation of the action (e.g. financial, staffing, etc.)


Suggested Timing

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Timing of recommendations has been assigned by four key periods within the ten‐year master planning horizon: • • • •

Short‐Term Medium‐Term Long‐Term Ongoing

2010 to 2014 2014 to 2017 2018 to 2020 2010 to 2020 (i.e. over the entire planning period)

Timing assignments have been based upon present municipal conditions, however, they are subject to revision as the Municipality implements the Master Plan. For example, timing may be changed based upon population growth being realized at a rate that is different than envisioned in this Plan, municipal budget availability or constraints, staffing resources, etc. To ensure that recommendations align to future circumstances, an update to the Master Plan is recommended after five years have elapsed while reviewed annually during the municipal budgeting process. Resource implications have been developed with Municipal Staff and are considered to be preliminary estimates. Implementation of recommendations will be attained through annual budgeting exercises, and are subject to further refinement through municipal business planning exercises. Any costs identified in the Master Plan are stated in 2010 dollars.

Master Plan Organization

The Strategic Framework Provides an overview of the Master Plan’s purpose, strategic orientation, methodology and scope.

Community Profile & Key Trends Contains a demographic assessment of Lambton Shores’ population, as well as key trends that influence the delivery of recreation and leisure services.

The Community Consultation Programme Highlights key themes emerging from the Master Plan’s comprehensive public consultation initiatives.

Strategic Directions Provides analyses and actions pertaining to key topic areas in the delivery of municipal parks, recreation and leisure services, which are aligned to each Strategic Direction established in the Master Plan.


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Glossary of Terms ‘Recreation’ is broadly defined as activities consisting of all sporting, fitness and physical pursuits that a person or group pursues for the purposes of personal satisfaction and development, physical health and/or competition. ‘Culture’ includes the arts, cultural industries and heritage resources. ‘Leisure’ is a combination of all recreation, cultural, creative, intellectual and social activities that a person or group pursues in their free time for the purposes of personal satisfaction and development. ‘Parks’ refer to lands owned, leased, and/or managed by the Municipality that are developed and maintained primarily for active or passive recreational use by the community. Parks typically contain built recreational or community amenities (such as sports fields, playgrounds, cenotaph, etc.) and are used for both organized and unorganized activities. In Lambton Shores, three classes of parks are defined within the Official Plan and are acquired through various means, including dedication under the Planning Act. ‘Trails’ represent linear parcels of parkland used for travel, often by foot, bike, cross‐country skiing, inline skating or horseback riding. Trails often run through a naturalized environment, providing opportunities for appreciating flora and fauna, and may be paved, dirt (unpaved), grass or utilize other materials such as wood chips or gravel. In Lambton Shores, both paved and unpaved trails are available. ‘Beaches’ are shorelines that are made up of sand, stones, gravel or other forms of rock, and beaches are formed over time by the constant ebb and flow of the water. The Municipality of Lambton Shores owns and operates one beach (Grand Bend Beach), but residents and visitors make use of Ipperwash Beach, Pinery Provincial Park Beach and private beaches as well. ‘Open Space lands’ are intended to provide for the protection and conservation of systems and to recognize other pockets of land requiring protection from development (e.g., hazard lands, environmental protection lands, environmentally sensitive areas, etc.). In general, open spaces allow for the provision of: physical and visual linkages within the Municipality; pedestrian and bicycle paths; connections between parks and open spaces; and access to valleys and waterfront areas. ‘Active Living’ is a holistic approach to personal wellbeing that combines physical activity with mental, spiritual, and social engagement into a wide range of passive and gentle active leisure pursuits (e.g. yoga, stretching, leisurely walking, cycling, etc.).


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Planning Context: Research & Consultation

Community Profile Understanding the Municipality’s community profile is an Figure 1: Population Growth, 1991‐2020 important step towards determining recreation, leisure, and park 18,000 needs. Identification of the types (i.e., ages, incomes, ethnicities, 15,516 16,000 etc.) and the number of people residing in the community are 14,814 imperative to truly understanding local needs. The number of 14,119 14,000 residents living in the community will generate demands for a 12,000 number of municipal services, including for parks, recreation and 10,790 10,145 11,150 leisure programs and facilities. An increase in the number of 10,000 10,574 residents inherently puts added pressures on existing resources, 8,000 eventually to a point where program capacities are full, the ability of facilities (such as sports fields) to accommodate users is 6,000 diminished due to wear and tear, and needs are created for new 4,000 places to “play.” 2,000 The 2006 Census records Lambton Shores’ population at 11,150, ‐ representing a 5.5% increase from the 2001 Census, though the Municipality has observed modest population growth over the 1991 1996 2001 2006 2010 2015 2020 past 20 years (9% total growth between 1991 and 2006), with a slight decrease in population (‐2.8%) between 1996 and Source: Statistics Canada Census, 1991‐ 2006; does not include Census undercount or seasonal residents. amalgamation in 2001. Development Charge Background Study, 2005; includes seasonal residents and has been modified by MONTEITH BROWN PLANNING CONSULTANTS to reflect years 2010,2015 and 2020 using straight‐line interpolation. A Development Charge Background Study was completed for the Municipality of Lambton Shores in 2005 which outlines population growth projections through build‐out, with forecasts also provided for 2005, 2015 and 2025. It should be noted that the projected populations shown in the adjacent include a seasonal/recreational population equivalent based upon 50% occupancy of estimated 2001 seasonal households (n = 1,785). Therefore, although the 2006 Census reported the Municipality’s population as 11,150, the projections made by C.N. Watson and Associates forecast the 2005 population as being considerably higher (13,424). As this Master Plan was being completed, the County of Lambton circulated the final version of its Population: Summary Trends and Projections report. The report suggests that the Municipality of Lambton Shores is growing in the 5‐9 and 30‐39 age cohorts, although there is significant population decline across the County as a whole. Lambton Shores, however, is expected to be an exception to County‐wide trends as “the right combinations of growth in other age groups are sufficient


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Annual Median Income

to off‐set losses in the 15‐29 age groups.” In addition, the County report states that growth rates for those aged 45‐64 are “incredible – 10 to 20% higher for these age groups”, and Lambton Shores has shown “tremendous growth in retirees.” Therefore, it is anticipated that although Lambton Shores has a much older age distribution than the rest of the Lambton County, the Municipality will experience overall growth. For the purposes of analysis within this Study, the forecasts contained in the Development Charge Background Study and the subsequent 2008 Development Charge Update have been utilized; these figures are generally in line with the maximum change projections in the County’s report. Interpolation of the Development Charge projections has yielded a year 2010 population of 14,119 and a year 2020 population (representing the end of Table 1: Comparison of Population by Age Cohort, Lambton Shores & Ontario, 2006 planning period) of 15,516, as shown in Figure 1. It is, however, recommended Lambton Shores Ontario that once the 2011 Census data is released, the Municipality should determine if Age Cohort Population % of Total Population % of Total there are significant differences between the Development Charge Update (2008) 0‐9 870 7.8% 1,392,360 11.4% and the 2011 Census data and consider re‐evaluating the population‐based 10‐19 1,310 11.7% 1,651,560 13.6% assessments. 20‐39 1,925 17.3% 3,216895 26.5% 40‐64 4,460 40.0% 4,250,300 35.1% 65+ 2,585 23.2% 1,649,180 13.6% Age plays an important role in determining the types of activities that are pursued TOTAL 11,150 100% 12,160,285 100% by residents. For example, children and teens are more likely to participate in Source: Statistics Canada Census, 2006; does not include Census undercount. organized active sports (such as hockey or soccer) than older adults, many of whom prefer more passive activities such as personal fitness or hiking. According to the 2006 Census, the Municipality’s median age is 49.4 years which is Figure 2: Median Annual Income, 2005 considerably older than the provincial median of 39 years. Furthermore, the Lambton Shores population of Lambton Shores is aging as a whole, as evidenced by the Ontario Municipality’s median age of 46.3 years in 2001; this ‘greying’ of the population is $60,455 a common demographic trend that is being observed across Canada, and Lambton $51,328 Shores’ population can be expected to continue to age accordingly throughout the foreseeable future. $29,335 Research suggests that income and education are variables which tend to $20,811 influence participation in physical and social pursuits. Generally speaking, the higher the level of income and education attained, the more likely a person is to participate in leisure activities. The 2006 Census found the Municipality’s median income of $51,328 for all private households to be lower than the provincial average of $60,455 and the median income of persons 15 years or over ($20,811) All private households to be below the provincial average ($29,335) as well; this could suggest that Persons 15 years and leisure participation in Lambton Shores may be lower than average based solely over with income on level of income. This correlation may be offset to some degree by a lower cost of living in Lambton Shores relative to the provincial average. Source: Statistics Canada Census, 2006.


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Nonetheless, income can impact participation in certain leisure activities by serving as a barrier for some households due to the cost of being involved; therefore, higher household incomes tend to correlate with higher participation in recreation and leisure activities. The level of education attained can also impact participation rates, with many studies correlating increased participation levels with higher degrees of education. A review of the 2006 Census data revealed that a lower proportion of residents of the Municipality of Lambton Shores (10.2%) have attained a University certificate, diploma or degree compared to the provincial figures (20.5%), but a slightly higher proportion of local citizens have earned a college, CEGEP, or other non‐ university certificate or diploma. This data suggests that overall, the Municipality of Lambton Shores may expect participation rates to be generally on par with provincial averages on the sole basis of educational attainment. Over time, it is reasonable to expect that Lambton Shores’ population base will become more ethnically diversified as the population grows and an influx of new residents arrives to the Municipality. This shift in socio‐demographics, as with income and education characteristics, influences market demand for parks and recreation‐based facility and program design. For example, demand for non‐traditional sports such as rugby or bocce may increase. Although only 1% of the population of Lambton Shores is a visible minority, national immigration trends suggest that the level of ethnic diversification will increase; this is a trend that very well could be seen locally as well as the population grows over time. As such, non‐traditional programming options may need to be considered with increasing socio‐economic diversification, as well an increased sensitivity to a variety of leisure preferences and expectations. While 2.3% of Lambton Shores’ population are Aboriginal (comparable to the provincial figure of 2.0%), the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation community is adjacent to the Municipality and may generate some added demand for local recreation and leisure services which may not be available through the First Nation’s program and service offerings.


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Key Trends There are a number of prominent parks and recreational trends which can influence the types and ways that facilities and services are provided to the public. These trends, when considered with other variables such as demographics and consultations with the public, can assist the municipality with forecasting demands for recreational activities and associated facilities. Number one barrier to participation in recreation activities for youth and adults in Canada

Longer activity hours and flexibly scheduled are important

High levels of obesity, particularly among youth

Providing additional opportunities to exercise may help to address issues of inactivity

Physical Inactivity

Lack of Free Time

Growing emphasis placed on spontaneous, non‐programmed recreation activities

Increasing popularity of a variety of field sports, such as Ultimate Frisbee, Disc Golf, Rugby, Cricket, etc.

Emerging Activities

18% of the household survey sample lack free time for recreation and cultural activities

Can be partially attributed to a large local commuter population

Reliance on automobiles has created a culture of driving as opposed to walking

The popularity of video games, the internet and television means less physical activity

Non‐traditional sports (such as skateboarding, beach volleyball, etc.) are expected to gain popularity

Popularity of passive outdoor recreation will increase demand for passive parks

Throughout Canada there is stable to declining participation in many organized sports

Fewer than 30% of Canadians above 15yrs. participated in one or more sports (decline since 1990s)

Regular physical activity promotes healthy aging, mental health and chronic disease prevention

These "older adults" are more interested in active recreational opportunities

The new generation of older adults generally tends to be wealthier and more physically active

This generation of retirees appreciates physical activity to a greater extent

Organized Sports Emerging popularity of informal, drop‐in, and self‐scheduled activities for both youth and adults

Soccer is typcially the most popular sport for children, followed by ice hockey, swimming and basketball

Active Seniors Growing expectations for There is still a segment services that provide of this population that quality wellness and will require traditional active living activities that are gentler opportunities and more passive

Older Adult Participation High quality programming is provided by the Municipality, County, and community groups

Retirees to participate at a higher rate due to inceased free time


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Reduced popularity of single‐purpose, stand‐ alone facilities in favour of multi‐use facilities

Multi‐use facilities are often designed with flexible spaces and potential to expand

Multi‐Use Facilities

Increasing demand for multi‐field parks often oriented towards holding tournaments

Parks that can integrate spontaneous activities, family gatherings and special / community events

Multi‐ Purpose Parks

Secondary school‐level volunteer requirements present opportunities

Concern over shortages of volunteers and volunteer recruitment, which is a national trend

Volunteerism

Lambton Shores' facilities should be responsive and adaptive to shifting demands

The Shores and Legacy Centre are examples of multi‐use recreation facilities

Expectations of quality ancillary amenities (i.e. washrooms, drinking fountains, concessions, parking, benches)

Park / sports field complexes combined with multi‐use indoor facilities, creates hubs for recreational activities

Seniors contribute largest amount of volunteer hours

Shortage necessitates strategies to foster future volunteerism

Partnerships and cost sharing relationships can efficiently address recreational needs

Can maximize benefit for all parties, including the user /consumer

Walking for leisure ranks as the most popular activity for all ages

Increasing demand for the establishment and expansion of trails

Parks are closely associated with quality of life, providing a variety of benefits to communities

Parks are valued by all ages, especially for unstructured activities, socialization and passive recreation

Partnerships Many municipalities view partnerships as essential to providing recreation and leisure services

A partnership evaluation framework is necessary to guide decisions whether or not to enter agreements

Community Trails Active Transportation advocates trail usage for recreation and daily activities

Trails master planning can improve trail provision and connectivity


Parks/Public Space Design Integrating natural features that promote and enhance ecological function is a growing expectation

The growing population places increased demands on public spaces, particularly along the waterfront

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The Community Consultation Programme The public and staff consultation program is a key foundational element in the master planning process. It provides insights, attitudes and perceptions of parks and recreation services in Lambton Shores from decision‐makers, stakeholders and the general public alike. This local research, when combined with trends from across the region and other relevant analyses, facilitates the formulation of critical decisions pertaining to the community. The Master Plan has employed a number of public participation tools including: • • • • • • •

Random Sample Household Survey Community Search Conference Stakeholder / User Group Questionnaires Online & Written Submissions Interviews with representatives of the Municipality of Lambton Shores and surrounding municipalities, upper levels of government, conservation authorities and regional partners Presentations and Workshops with Municipal Council Public Open House and Information Meetings

These initiatives collected valuable input into the perceived strengths, challenges, needs and opportunities associated with parks, recreation and leisure facilities and services in Lambton Shores. A detailed summary of the key findings associated with public consultation initiatives can be found in the Master Plan’s Technical Report. These findings from consultations, along with other factors, are considered in the needs assessment component of the master planning process.

Random Sample Household Survey To assist in the preparation of the Recreation and Leisure Services Master Plan, a statistically significant household telephone survey of Lambton Shores’ residents was conducted in May and June 2010. The survey was administered to residents from both urban and rural communities within the Municipality and is considered to be representative of the population. The survey collected information on the attitudes of respondents towards various aspects of recreation, culture, beach and park activities, usage, facilities, opinions and priorities. A total of 372 surveys were completed, yielding a confidence interval of ±5% (i.e., the survey provides for an accuracy of ±5%, 19 times out of 20). To qualify, respondents were required to be 16 years of age or older and reside in the Municipality of Lambton Shores.


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Respondents were asked to indicate whether their households, in the past 12 months, had participated in particular types of leisure and cultural activities. The most popular responses are typically reflective of drop‐in or non‐programmed activities, as shown by the top six pursuits in the adjacent figure. Given the Municipality’s profile as a beachfront community, respondents were also asked if they had visited specific beaches in the area. The two beaches that were most visited were the Grand Bend Municipal Beach (53% of the sample had visited) and the Ipperwash Beach (38%). Respondents were also asked if they had visited an ‘Other Beach’ (23%) and the Pinery Provincial Park Beach (23%). If respondents stated that their household had indeed visited any of the four beaches, they were subsequently asked to rate their satisfaction with each beach on a scale of one to five, with one being least satisfaction and five being highest level of satisfaction. Pinery Provincial Park Beach received the highest rating (average of 4.16 out of 5), followed by Grand Bend Municipal Beach (4.08), Other Beach (3.83), and Ipperwash Beach (3.75). All respondents (including those that did not report visiting any beaches in the past twelve months), were asked what improvements, if any, should be made to Lambton Shores’ public beaches. The most common responses were cleanliness (particularly at Ipperwash Beach), lack of parking, better and cleaner washrooms, more garbage pickup and garbage cans. Other issues raised included the need for more lifeguards, parking fees, poor water quality, and a desire for dogs to be more closely controlled.

Figure 3: Household Survey Sample Participation in Various Leisure Activities, past 12 months Walking or Hiking for Leisure Cycling or Mountain Biking Aerobics, Fitness or Weight‐training Swimming Use of Playground Equipment Jogging Performing Arts Programs Hockey or Figure Skating Softball or Baseball Organized Seniors' Programs Soccer Arts and Crafts Programs Organized Children's Programs Skateboarding Organized Youth Programs Drama Programs Tennis Outdoor Volleyball Basketball Indoor Volleyball

82% 50% 38% 35% 24% 23% 17% 17% 17% 16% 16% 15% 13% 11% 10% 9% 8% 6% 6% 5%

Figure 4: Average Satisfaction with Area Beaches 4.16 Average Score (out of5)

Household Participation in Recreation Activities

4.08

4.20 3.83

4.00

3.75

3.80 3.60 3.40 Pinery Provincial Park Beach

Grand Bend Municipal Beach

Other Beaches

Ipperwash Beach

Note: ‘Other’ beaches in the area may include private beaches, those on Conservation Authority lands, etc.


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Barriers to Participation Respondents were asked whether they were able to participate in parks or recreation activities as often as they would like. 63% of respondents stated that they were able to participate as often as they would like, while 34% stated that they were not. The following barriers were most frequently cited as prohibiting the desired amount of time to be spent on recreation and cultural activities: •

Lack of Time was a barrier to cultural participation for 18% of the sample and to 17% for recreational participation;

•

Health/Disability/Age Constraints was a barrier to cultural participation for 8% of the sample and to 11% for recreational participation

•

Lack of Desired Facilities/Programs was a barrier to cultural participation for 7% and to 4% for recreational participation

•

Cost was identified as a barrier to cultural participation for 3% of the sample and to 4% for recreational participation

•

Other barriers to recreation and cultural participation included Lack of Transportation/Service is Too Far, Programs are Offered at an Inconvenient Time, and being Unaware of Opportunities Offered.

Desired New or Improved Facilities To assess more specifically where respondents felt municipal resources should be allocated, they were asked which facilities should receive additional public funding. The facility thought to be most in need of additional public spending was youth centres, followed by unpaved nature trails, playgrounds and seniors’ centres. Following the question about public spending, respondents were asked which two facilities they felt were needed the most (i.e., which ones are the highest priorities). The top ten most popular responses are shown in the adjacent figure.

Figure 5: Priority for Spending on Facility Types Youth centres Unpaved nature trails Playgrounds Seniors' centres Paved multi‐use trails Beaches Children's splash pads Outdoor soccer fields Arenas Fitness centres Outdoor ice skating rinks Ball diamonds Arts centres Off‐leash dog parks Outdoor skateboard parks Gymnasiums Outdoor basketball courts Outdoor volleyball courts Indoor skateboard parks Tennis courts BMX parks

51% 47% 44% 41% 39% 37% 34% 33% 31% 31% 30% 29% 27% 25% 25% 21% 20% 19% 18% 16% 16%

Figure 6: Top Ten Facilities Voted as Most Needed Unpaved nature trails Paved multi‐use trails Youth centres Seniors' centres Beaches Arenas Children's splash pads Playgrounds Fitness centres Outdoor ice skating rinks Outdoor skateboard parks

71% 63% 55% 43% 40% 33% 30% 28% 26% 20% 20%


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Community Search Conference A community search conference was conducted by MONTEITH BROWN PLANNING CONSULTANTS in June 2010 at the Port Franks Community Centre. The purpose of the Search Conference was to provide a venue within which members of the community could share ideas, listen to the perspectives of others and work together to identify pressing needs and think about creative solutions. The session was attended by 58 people, many of whom were representatives of 36 groups, as well as a number of members of the general public, four Councillors, and Municipal staff members.

Stakeholder/User Group Questionnaire A stakeholder group survey was created to gather information from community groups regarding participation statistics, organizational mandate, facility usage and needs, future requirements, and ways to increase inclusivity. Municipal Staff distributed hard copies and digital version of the questionnaire to a wide range of groups, and subsequently returned completed surveys to the Consultants for consideration as part of the master planning process. A total of 34 groups, ranging in size from 22 to 310 members, submitted surveys.

Key Informant Interviews Interviews were conducted with municipal representatives, key service providers and selected other stakeholders with a vested interest in recreation, parks and culture. Given the personal and/or confidential nature of these communications, individual responses have not been reproduced but rather, key concerns, ideas and themes were integrated in later stages of the planning process to supplement action plans that were developed.

Online & Written Submissions The Recreation & Leisure Master Plan has been advertised on the Municipality of Lambton Shores website, inviting residents to submit written briefs with respect to views on recreation and leisure. A number of briefs were sent to the Municipality and were considered during the needs assessment stage.

Public Open Houses & Meetings An open house was held to present the Master Plan’s strategic framework (i.e. the Vision, Mission, and Strategic Directions) to the general public on September 21, 2010 at the Port Franks Community Centre. Over 40 people attended the event to review progress on the Master Plan, ask questions of Municipal Council, Staff and the Consultants present at the event, and provide input into the strategic framework. Many people also expressed their thoughts on key areas of focus for the needs assessment tasks.


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An additional public information session was held to gather feedback on the Draft Recreation and Leisure Services Master Plan on November 30, 2010 at the Thedford Village Complex. The Consultants prepared display boards summarizing the recommended action plans, demographics, and mission/vision statements), and were available, along with municipal staff members, to receive feedback. The session was attended by 33 members of the public and Municipal Council. Overall, the Draft Plan was well received, with the following topics raised as areas of interest: consideration of the Community Health Centres and the Lambton Heritage Museum for partnerships; the need for an Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee; some dissatisfaction with respect to the recommended repurposing of the ball diamond at Lions Park.


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STRATEGIC DIRECTION #1: Become a Leading Edge Municipality Lambton Shores will continually strive to be a leading provider and facilitator of high quality facilities and services by employing best practices, and embodying principles of innovation, inclusivity and creativity, through its fiscally‐responsible service delivery models.

The Role of the Municipality in Delivering Leisure Services The “business” of parks and recreation service delivery is rapidly evolving, which means that progressive municipalities and their Departments must be flexible in adopting methods to manage and control their day‐to‐day activities. Successful parks, recreation and leisure organizations recognize that management and operating techniques must be revised over time in response to shifts in corporate culture or changes in market conditions. In order for the Municipality of Lambton Shores to embody principles of leadership and innovation, it must define its role in delivering leisure services before it can excel in its mission. Since amalgamation, the Municipality has taken a pragmatic, business‐oriented stance with regard to its leisure services and facilities and has generally acted as a facilitator through the provision of spaces that the community/market can utilize for programming. This has been a fairly cost effective approach where rental revenues are allocated against facility operations and maintenance, and the Community Services Department has been able to be leaner in terms of staffing. While this approach has minimized operating subsidies relative to other business models oriented to municipal delivery of programs, the approach has also generated a heavy reliance on the community to provide needed services to residents of Lambton Shores. While this is common across the province for certain facility types (e.g. sports fields and arenas), some municipalities choose to deliver programs in specific areas (e.g. gymnasium activities, arts programs, etc.). Many municipalities also facilitate programming through clearly defined strategic partnerships, much in the way that Lambton Shores has been able to benefit from the presence of the YMCA in the delivery of fitness programs. The Vision Statement articulated early in this Master Plan represents, in many ways, the desired role of the Municipality and its Community Services Department in providing leisure services. The ultimate objective is to facilitate healthy lifestyles through meaningful physical and social activity, through the continued availability of sustainable opportunities for sport and recreation, and arts and culture. The Master Plan’s Mission Statement is seen as the way to achieve this where the Municipality and its partners aim to provide a wide range of leisure choices.


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In order to provide a broad range of choice, however, the Municipality of Lambton Shores will have to strategically evaluate where the community sector has not been able to address market demands. An annual review and revision of the program inventory established as part of this Master Plan will allow the Municipality to understand “gap” areas and undertake business planning to determine the feasibility of direct municipal provision, being cognisant that program delivery will require additional human and financial resources that will need to be recovered, to an accepted level of subsidy/net gain, through revenues (whether through user fees or alternative funding streams). For example, through the Master Plan a gap area has been observed with regard to children’s programming; if the Municipality cannot find a partner to deliver enhanced programming to this market segment, it should consider entry into providing a limited number of services to the community such as drop‐in child‐minding programming to benefit caregivers using The Shores (removing a barrier to participation for those without a babysitter, while concurrently introducing children to recreational programs), summer day camps (e.g. for arts and crafts activities), or others expressed through community demand. The following figure articulates the steps in implementing and executing the municipal role with regard to the provision of programs and services. The Municipality of Lambton Shores possesses an excellent pool of talented staff, who work as a cohesive unit to achieve necessary objectives. Discussions held with Municipal Staff, through interviews and workshops, suggest that meeting public needs are their top priority and that staff are flexible and communicate well with each other to achieve the desired ends (despite decentralized operations which spread municipal human resources across Lambton Shores). Sound leadership at the executive levels is apparent from the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) through to Department Heads and others in the organization, with a willingness to delegate and listen generally apparent as well. It would appear that Municipal Staff are well engaged and accessible to the public and community groups, which is strong asset in any community but particularly important in a smaller urban‐rural community where collaboration is critical to delivering a broad range of high quality services. The recent addition of the Facilitator of Recreation & Leisure position demonstrates the Municipality’s willingness to improve and positive feedback has been received from the community in having a liaison to communicate their needs back to Council and senior management. The addition of a staff person (e.g. an Administrative Assistant supporting the Facilitator Recreation & Leisure Services) or staff team assigned to trend tracking and monitoring of best practices/innovation would also be of great benefit to the Municipality, and

Figure 7: Executing the Municipal Role

Understand Local Trends & Needs

Define Formal Agreements or Partnerships

Proceed if Necessary

Identify Gaps in Programs & Services

Facilitate / Support Community‐Based Delivery

Direct Delivery of Municipal Programs


Proceed to Next Step

Proceed if Necessary

Leadership, Quality Assurance & Innovation

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could also be utilized to evaluate progress being made on this Master Plan’s actions. Further to the point of best practices and innovation, it is important to note that the concept applies to what services the Municipality delivers and how it delivers them. Municipal leadership is evident in the desire to provide high quality facilities and services, many of which are subjected to nationally and internationally recognized quality assurance programs such as ‘Blue Flag’ for beaches and harbours, and Communities In Bloom for civic beautification. A continued willingness to embrace quality assurance programs will position the Municipality in achieving a “Leading Edge” status. Quality assurance is of paramount importance when striving to provide the best services possible, and though the Municipality is presently not a direct provider of leisure services, if it does enter into limited programming into the future it would be incumbent upon the Municipality to be able to benchmark itself against accepted criteria. For example, if the Municipality were to fill certain programming gaps related to children’s programming, it may choose to align with the High Five Program developed by Parks & Recreation Ontario which provides necessary training and assessment tools to children’s service providers. This in turn is a marketable asset to parents and caregivers who want to ensure that Municipal staff and volunteers are properly trained to deliver safe and meaningful experiences for their children. Furthermore, ensuring a high level of quality and quality assurance will mean the necessary staff supports are in place; for example, the proposed Horticulturist/Forester position (see Strategic Direction #4) will assist the Department in ensuring that its parks are designed and maintained to industry best practices. The way in which the Municipality delivers its facilities and services is guided by policies and practices that have been established over the course of time. Many of the policies are currently informal, a result of many different corporate practices being combined through the course of amalgamation. It is important to ensure, as a “Leading Edge” Municipality, that operations are transparent and consistent in order to provide guidance to staff, volunteers and the public in how policies and procedures are implemented. As such, the Municipality would benefit from annually reviewing all of its standardized, formal and informal policies to assess their relevancy and any need to update them. Furthermore, ensuring that all staff are aware of updated policies should be facilitated by the provision of copies of the policies within leisure facilities. This will enable consistent implementation and ultimately lead to a higher level of service to the customer. The Municipality is also considering ways in which to incorporate new technologies to deliver leisure services more effectively to the community. The Internet represents one of the most powerful communication tools, with the Municipality already providing information through its website and, more recently, by utilizing social media (Twitter and Facebook) to raise awareness within the community. Making use of the Internet to not only to disseminate information but also to assist groups with online registration opportunities (as well as for any programming that the Municipality may choose to deliver directly) would be a valued service among many in the community, while also providing the Municipality with a way to track data and statistics that can be utilized as performance measures. Furthermore, an online booking system for municipal facilities could accompany registration capabilities. Other ways to increase effectiveness of the municipal service delivery system could also consist of providing service kiosks at major municipal facilities (e.g., community centres, libraries, etc.) or other new technologies/best practices as they emerge. The Municipality currently utilizes program tracking software (MAX Enterprise) to gauge performance on a monthly or annually basis,


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Utilizing Targets & Performance Measures In order for the Municipality to track and quantify areas of success and required improvement in how it delivers its services, use of quantifiable targets and performance measures is encouraged. Doing so creates a process whereby operational transparency results from the delivery of leisure services, and eventually programs, as staff have accountability in meeting targets and desired outcomes in their respective areas of focus. Similarly, the strong volunteer and community sector presence can also benefit by adopting targets and measures to improve their services, allows the Municipality to benchmark external community‐based delivery in the context of its own expectations; the result is a collaborative process where all stakeholders have an interest in achieving targets for the betterment of their patrons, and ultimately the stakeholders themselves. Performance measures generally consist of four primary components: •

Inputs are the resources which are required to provide leisure services; examples may include the number of full‐time staff equivalents (FTEs) per service type, the budget allotment for each service, or the square footage or number of hectares per service type.

•

Outputs are the performance of the service, as compared to its service standard; examples may include the number of participants or users per service type, parks and trails visits, program visits, number of fitness memberships sold, number of trees maintained, or the square footage of horticultural displays.

•

Efficiencies are generally the cost per service type; for example, the cost per hectare of open space maintained, the annual cost per beach visitations, cost per square footage of property maintained, or the cost per resident per service type provide an indication of efficiency year‐over‐year.

•

Effectiveness is generally measured through customer satisfaction or relativity to the anticipated opinion from local residents; for example, overall satisfaction with leisure services can be measured every two years, satisfaction per service type, or if the public opinion changes with regard to the anticipated level of service are all factors that can be used to assess how effective the Municipality has been doing in delivering services.

Measurable Inputs

Efficiencies & Effectiveness Measurable Outputs


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The Municipality currently is mandated to collect data as part of the Provincial Municipal Performance Measures Program (MPMP), although while MPMP is useful for provincial benchmarking, it does not necessarily benefit internal planning and reporting exercises. The development of specific measures tailored to allow the Community Services Department to annually track and compare its successes and challenges is thus encouraged. At the onset, basic measures (such as the ones listed above) should be developed which can be refined and expanded upon as the Department service delivery becomes more complex with increasing sophistication and program demands of the growing resident base.

Effective Systems, Practices and Procedures For the Municipality of Lambton Shores to strive for continual excellence in the delivery of recreation and leisure services, it must follow a standardized business process as all good service organizations do, and ensure that it consistently applies best practices, policies and procedures throughout all of its Departments. These operational standards define the very parameters of how services are delivered and ensure that up‐to‐date and innovative practices are utilized, regardless of any obstacles or barriers (such as time pressures). Creating effective service delivery models starts with a sound strategic plan, the development of thoughtful service priorities and the application of meaningful policies, practices and procedures. Innovative organizations adopt effective systems that focus on progress and that maintain a keen focus on meeting customers’ needs. Lambton Shores’ management systems should emphasize the following concepts. • Working together as a team – regardless of their area of responsibility, all staff should fully understand the Department’s philosophy. Through training, collaboration and cooperation, staff should be expected to support one another, share responsibilities, respect the contributions of other individuals or service units and work towards a common purpose. This is evidenced by the use of staff to service multi‐disciplinary needs on a seasonal basis; staff is flexible and trained to complete various tasks in many functional areas making the most efficient use of human resources. • Empowered accountability – basic guidelines should establish the boundaries within which each service area within the Community Services Department will operate. Within the context of these ground rules, staff should be empowered to make decisions and take action and be empowered to take thoughtful chances with the knowledge that they will be accountable for their performance. • Financial accountability – financial sustainability is a key factor of success and financial parameters are usually set out in a business plan that is a precursor to budget submissions. Staff with responsibilities and control over revenue and cost aspects of the plan should understand their level of accountability and the implications of falling short, reaching or exceeding business plan estimates. For example, the Community Services Department sets an


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internal goal for its management staff to try to reduce annual costs by 5% during their yearly budget planning processes. •

•

Creativity – as the parks, recreation and leisure services environment changes, it will be up to the Community Services Department to innovate, create, adapt and respond to the needs for new types of services, facilities and programs. A Flexible and dynamic process – effective business systems are flexible and adaptable to respond to changes in the marketplace, adjustments in the business environment, or to new priorities developed by senior decision‐ makers and upper tiers of government. Effective models value consumer input into the process, which inherently implies that the Department can enhance its responsiveness to community needs by engaging its community at appropriate times.

In order to plan for the effective use of municipal facilities and maximize utilization, the Municipality needs to possess consistent practices in how it allocates time at its facilities. Throughout the needs assessments that have been conducted as part of the Master Plan, the need for a ‘Sports Field Allocation Policy’ has been articulated so that municipal staff are able to equitably allocate field access to multiple user groups; this would be similar to the Municipality’s Ice Allocation Policy and represent consistency in policy application. The Sports Field Allocation Policy would ideally address elements such as rental rates, allocation priority (e.g., youth, adult, community groups, non‐resident rentals, private resident rentals, etc.), rental procedures, responsibilities of user groups, etc. As part of the allocation process, all organized users of municipal facilities (notably minor and adult sport leagues using sports fields, gymnasiums, arenas, etc.) should be required to provide registration data so that the Municipality is able to equitably allocate facility access while also monitoring trends in participation of various activities, and concurrently, the Municipality should develop a formalized permitting system whereby user groups book sports fields directly through the Community Services Department in order to avoid potential conflicts that may arise as more user groups are formed and require access to local fields.

Excellence in Customer Service Throughout the province, consumers of public recreation services are more sophisticated and demanding than ever before. Patrons of recreation facilities and program participants seem to be expecting new degrees of service treatment that is well beyond traditional norms. This trend will become increasingly prevalent in Lambton Shores as newcomers arriving to the Municipality from larger urban areas seek the high quality, convenient programs and facilities that they have grown accustomed to.


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A well managed, quality‐focused customer service system is considered to be one of the fundamental components of an effective service delivery system. Top performing recreation, facilities and parks service departments acknowledge this by allocating sufficient resources as well as an appropriate number of well trained staff to fulfill the service expectations of their clientele. The way in which a patron is treated by staff is often perceived to be just as important as the quality of the facility or program that they are using. Consequently, progressive organizations are placing greater emphasis on their ability to meet their patrons’ service expectations, while also realizing that the consistent delivery of quality customer service is a planned activity that must be carefully managed and effectively coordinated. They recognize that they must devote at least as much time on the “people side of the business” as they do on the technical and procedural aspects of providing facilities and services. Therefore, they split their planning and implementation energies between: •

creating systems, procedures, practises and controls to deliver quality services; and

•

training and assisting service personnel to adopt attitudes, behaviours and verbal skills that will effectively meet customers’ expectations.

Regular Strategic Planning In order to become and remain a “Leading Edge” Municipality, care must be taken to ensure that long‐range planning is supported by short‐term monitoring. In essence, this implies planning for the future while consistently understanding the current circumstances and context of the community. For the Recreation & Leisure Services Master Plan, this would imply that the Municipality track progress made on implementing the Actions contained in this document and review them when new information (such as updated population forecasts) becomes available. It is suggested that the Municipality annually review the progress made on implementing the Master Plan’s recommendations, as part of the capital and operating budgeting exercises, while also utilizing the aforementioned Performance Standards to evaluate whether priorities associated with certain Actions need to be revisited. Regular strategic and long‐range planning is an important exercise that ensures that the Municipality is well positioned to respond to unforeseen or anticipated circumstances. By being well prepared, consistent and high quality services can be provided in a cost‐effective and sustainable manner, which is a common trait of the most successful Departments and leisure service providers. Leadership staff in the Department prepare annual plans that are aligned with strategic priorities and are held accountable to achieve targets and initiatives. Lastly, it is strongly recommended that the Municipality undertake an Update to the Master Plan after five years to not only track progress made on implementation but also ensure that the Actions and their supporting assumptions remain appropriate for that future time.


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Strategic Direction #1 – Actions & Implementation Topic Area

Stream


Suggested Timing


Role of the Municipality

FMS

1‐1. The primary role of the Municipality should continue to be as a facilitator of leisure opportunities through the provision of space and other appropriate supports to the community sector, though a move towards more of a direct provision role to fill program gaps should be considered when the community cannot reasonably provide the service(s), and where market need can be quantified and justified through business planning.

Ongoing

Direct provision of programming will require human and financial resources, the degree of which will need to be determined through business planning and depend upon the number of programs that would be offered by the Municipality.

Quality Assurance

FMS

1‐2. Build upon existing quality assurance programs such as Blue Flag and Communities In Bloom with targeted new efforts (e.g. High Five, Youth‐Friendly Communities, etc.).

Ongoing

Staff Time and potential financial implications which will depend on initiatives and would need to be confirmed through business planning

FMS

1‐3. Dedicate human and financial resources to monitoring trends, best practices and innovative service delivery models. This tasking should be assigned to the Recreation & Leisure Services Facilitator with support provided by the proposed Recreation & Leisure Services Assistant position.

Short‐Term

Recreation & Leisure Services Assistant (Full Time) (note: also see Strategic Direction #4, Action 4‐1)

New Technologies

FMS

1‐4. Incorporate appropriate new technologies in delivering leisure services, which are aimed at improving internal performance and customer service.

Ongoing

Staff Time and potential financial implications which will depend on initiatives and would need to be confirmed through business planning

Updated Policies & Procedures

FMS

1‐5. Review Departmental policies and procedures, preferably on an annual basis, to ensure relevancy to current community and operational requirements.

Ongoing

Staff Time

Performance Measures

FMS

1‐6. Establish a simple set of quantifiable targets and performance measures that can gauge the efficiency and effectiveness of services, and eventually programs, which are offered by the Municipality. These measures can be refined and expanded upon over time to respond to changing consumer expectations and Departmental operating practices.


Short‐Term (establishing and implementing performance measures)

Staff Time will be required to develop, implement and review success in achieving performance measures each year. Financial resources will also be required to set up infrastructure and time spent on tracking inputs and outputs.

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Topic Area Consistent & Equitable Facility Allocation Practices

Integrated Planning

Implementation & Monitoring

Stream


Suggested Timing


1‐7. In consultation with local user groups, establish a Sports Field Allocation Policy to formalize equitable access to municipal sports fields (similar in nature to the existing Ice Allocation Policy). As part of all Municipal Allocation Policies (including sports fields and arenas), the Municipality should require groups to provide participant data, including names and addresses to adequately plan for facility access requirements, and ensure that facility allocations are conducted through a formalized permitting system to ensure tracking and monitoring statistics can be assessed through performance measures.

Short‐Term

FMS

1‐8. Concurrent to the development of the Sports Field Allocation Policy, a formalized permitting system should be developed whereby user groups book sports fields directly through the Community Services Department.

Short‐Term

Staff Time to develop the permitting system, though it is anticipated that implementation and ongoing execution can be accommodated within existing roles, responsibilities and workloads.

FMS

1‐9. Maximize synergies within the Community Services Department and the rest of the Municipality of Lambton Shores through joint planning, integrated communications and the sharing of resources, where possible.

Ongoing

Staff Time to ensure adequate coordination and communication with other Municipal Departments.

FMS

1‐10. As part of annual capital and operating budget processes, review progress made on the implementation of the Recreation & Leisure Services Master Plan’s Actions.

Ongoing

FMS

1‐11. Undertake a comprehensive review and update to the Recreation & Leisure Services Master Plan after five years, in order to ensure that its recommendations remain relevant in relation to future community composition and preferences.

FMS

Staff Time to consult with users and develop the Allocation Policy. Ongoing annual Staff Time to collect participant data and other pertinent information from user groups to effectively apply the Allocation Policy. (note: also see Strategic Direction #1, Action 1‐8)

(note: also see Strategic Direction #5, Action 5‐6)

Medium‐Term

Staff Time associated with tracking progress on implementing actions. This could become part of the job responsibility of the proposed Recreation & Leisure Services Assistant (see Action 4‐1). Consultant Fees $60,000


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STRATEGIC DIRECTION #2: Supporting Our Volunteers In recognition of the important contributions by its dedicated base of volunteers, Lambton Shores will work diligently with local volunteers to ensure the sustained delivery of community‐based programs and services. The Municipality of Lambton Shores has an active volunteer force, and its Community Services Department utilizes volunteers in a variety of ways, including program delivery and parks maintenance. The Municipality focuses its volunteer resources in the areas of outdoor recreation, camps, youth programming, museums and special interest activities.

Our Volunteers Volunteers are the backbone of a community‐based leisure service delivery system, and Lambton Shores recognizes the tremendous contribution of these dedicated individuals. From sport and recreation to arts and culture, local volunteers contribute a significant amount of time towards helping community groups deliver programs and services to residents of Lambton Shores. There are challenges, however, as have been expressed by volunteers who have participated in the Master Planning process. Many of the issues are similar to experiences in other communities in the province, and Canada. A recent report citing the 2007 Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating1 provides the most comprehensive and up‐to‐date national data regarding the role and commitment of volunteers. The report finds that since 2004, the number of volunteers have both increased though there are some striking differences among those who constitute the volunteer profile. For example, while the highest rates of volunteering were found among young Canadians, seniors contributed the most volunteer hours. Furthermore, the report found that a small minority of volunteers accounted for the bulk of volunteer hours. This is a trend that was heard clearly from Lambton Shores’ volunteers, who stated that their core group of volunteers was largely unchanged over the years and in fact, recruitment of new volunteers was a challenging part of their operations. A cause of concern is that while volunteer rates are increasing in many parts of the country, in Ontario a decline was observed where the volunteerism rate dropped from 50% to 47% between the years 2004 and 2007. The report also found that one in ten Canadians volunteered for sports and recreation, and that these organizations accounted for the second largest percentage of volunteer hours. Between 2004 and 2007, the average number of volunteer hours per year declined slightly for sports and recreation (from 122 to 119 hours) while an even greater decline was observed in the average number of volunteer hours for arts and culture organizations (from 120 to 107), though arts and culture still ranked fourth in the number hours volunteered relative to other volunteer sectors. 1

Imagine Canada and Statistics Canada. Caring Canadians, Involved Canadians: Highlights from the 2007 Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating. Ministry of Industry, 2009.


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The Importance of Older Adult Volunteers The likeliness of volunteering decreases with age, though the number of hours actually increases. As mentioned, volunteer recruitment is challenging across the country and is apparent in Lambton Shores as well. While it is known that seniors tend to contribute the most volunteer hours, it is important to understand not only how to ensure that future seniors also continue to volunteer (trends suggest that the ‘new’ generation of seniors does not have the disposable time that previous generations had) but also how to encourage other segments of the population to become involved. The implications are that if the existing base of volunteers (presently made up of seniors) is not replenished, there will be a concern that shortages in the number or availability of volunteers will lead to a loss of valued services. As the Baby Boomer generation begins to reach retirement, there is concern that this group as a whole may not be as dedicated as past generations. A recent publication by the United States Corporation for National and Community Services (USCNCS) found the following characteristics of Baby Boomers in relation to volunteering: •

Baby Boomers have higher volunteer participation rates than past generations had at the same ages – but a lower number of volunteer hours per year per person.

•

Baby Boomers have different volunteer interests (e.g., education and cultural organizations) than past generations.

•

Approximately 3 out of every 10 Baby Boomer volunteers dropped out of volunteering each year, which highlights the necessity for awareness and promotion of volunteering.

•

The likelihood of continuing to volunteer increased as an individual’s participation hours in volunteer activities rises.

•

Retention of Baby Boomer volunteers is related to the type and nature of volunteer activity – volunteer retention is lowest for those who provide general labour.

Recognizing that Baby Boomers will need to be targeted to promote volunteering, the USCNCS has undertaken an awareness campaign. Their slogan, published across the United States reads ‘Get Involved! Lead. Inspire. Change the World. Again.’ The study also identified the shift in the types of organizations that 41 to 59‐year‐olds volunteered with in 1989 and in 2003‐2005. The data suggested that while overall volunteer participation rates within this age group are declining in most sectors, growth is being seen in educational and youth service, as well as social and community service sectors.


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Recruiting, Retaining & Recognizing Volunteers The Imagine Canada report suggests that the type of individual who contributes the most number of volunteers is generally characterized by those who attend religious services, those with higher levels of educational attainment and incomes, and those in households with school‐aged children. Furthermore, the report identifies that the likelihood of volunteering later in life appears to linked to a number of early life experiences, including individuals who had a parent that volunteered, those belonging to a youth group, or having participated in an organized team sport. Thus, there is a reciprocal relationship between the provision of leisure services and the volunteers who sustain programs; for example, the provision of leisure services leads to long‐term involvement in leisure services, including volunteerism. As such, it is important for both the Municipality and its community groups to find ways to recruit, retain and sustain the number of volunteers in the community. For example, the Imagine Canada report suggests that under half of current volunteers stated that they approached an organization by themselves to become involved, though once they joined, they provided an average of 148 hours versus 108 hours for those who did not approach an organization on their own. The report also stated that one of the barriers to volunteering was that people were not asked to do so, which would suggest that the Municipality and local groups would benefit from communicating their need for volunteers to the public‐at‐large in order to target residents who are unaware of opportunities but would otherwise be willing to help. It is important that the Municipality, in consultation with its volunteers, come up with locally‐driven strategies aimed at encouraging volunteer participation in Lambton Shores. The development of a ‘Volunteer Management Strategy’ is encouraged to address topics such as recruitment and retention, selection, training, supervision and recognition. The Volunteer Management Strategy is also seen as a tool to coordinate the roles of local volunteers, service clubs and other organizations by providing a framework to operate within, in partnership with the Municipality of Lambton Shores. This is especially important given that the Master Plan has advocated a greater municipal role in programming leisure services, therefore, working with the community and volunteer sector will be critical to achieving this objective (i.e. in order to utilize volunteer resources or avoid duplicating services already provided by the community). Furthermore, local volunteer‐based groups are well established in the community and benefit from ample experiences of sustaining themselves, particularly after amalgamation of the Municipality, and if these groups can organize and share resources within themselves, efficiencies can be attained which will support the delivery of sustainable programming over the long run. It is, therefore, in the interests of the Municipality to explore ways in which to facilitate the sharing of information and resources between volunteer groups through initiatives such as annual volunteer forums, to build off the Municipality’s existing database of local volunteer groups to encourage volunteer‐based networking opportunities, developing information tools (such as a Volunteer Fact Sheet), etc. In this way, the Municipality acts as the liaison between groups but also achieves community development objectives (as advanced in Strategic Direction #5). Furthermore, the Municipality could explore the development of a regional volunteer database (i.e. for Lambton County or surrounding municipalities) in conjunction with a regional partner(s).


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Finally, it is important to not only support volunteers but also recognize their efforts and achievements in the community. For example, the Municipality’s annual Volunteer Recognition Barbeque is an initiative that can be expanded upon and used as an example in which to customize volunteer recognition efforts to specific sectors of the community (such as volunteers in minor sports, arts and culture, service clubs, etc.). The number one barrier to volunteerism is a lack of time which can lead to volunteer “burn‐out” and frustration, though in tandem with other supports, recognition can help in making their efforts feel wanted and worth the commitment while also bringing awareness to the community at large.

Strategic Direction #2 – Actions & Implementation Topic Area Volunteer Supports

Stream FMS

Strategic Direction 2: Actions 2‐1. The Municipality should support its volunteer sector through appropriate community development and capacity building initiatives, in line with principles set out in Strategic Direction #5 of this Master Plan.

Suggested Timing Ongoing

Resource Implications Staff and Financial Resources will need to be determined through business planning and depend upon the type of supports that would be offered by the Municipality. (note: also see Strategic Direction #5, Action 5‐2)

Volunteer Development

FMS

2‐2. In consultation with local stakeholders, develop a ‘Volunteer Management Strategy’ that defines roles and provides direction on topics such as recruitment, selection, retention, training, supervision and recognition.

Short‐Term

FMS

2‐3. To assist volunteers in planning their programs, develop a ‘Volunteer Fact Sheet’ that articulates polices and other pertinent information regarding the use of municipal parks and leisure facilities.

Medium‐Term

Staff Time to develop and distribute the Fact Sheet

FMS

2‐4. Build upon the existing database of volunteer groups to facilitate volunteer‐based networking opportunities (e.g. sharing resources and combining training opportunities) across the entire Municipality and possibly with other volunteer agencies in Lambton County. Efforts should be made to ensure that all information in the database is kept up‐to‐date and accurate.

Short‐Term

Staff Time to assist in the development of the volunteer database

FMS

2‐5. Building off the annual volunteer recognition event, continue to host an annual volunteer forum(s) to bring groups together with the aim of increasing coordination and development opportunities among them. The meeting(s) should allow groups to provide feedback to each other and to the Municipality, educate them on best practices in community‐ based delivery of services, and discuss successes and challenges of implementing the proposed Volunteer Management Strategy.

Ongoing (annually)

Staff Time and financial resources (the latter to be determined) to advertise and host annual forum(s).


Staff Time and/or Consultant Fees to develop the Plan

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Topic Area

Stream

Volunteer Recognition

FMS

Strategic Direction 2: Actions 2‐6. Building off the existing Volunteer Recognition Barbeque, which is hosted for all volunteers in Lambton Shores, customize recognition efforts to individual volunteer sectors (e.g. service clubs, arts and cultural groups, minor sports, etc.) to provide more targeted coordination and development opportunities within the volunteer sector.

Suggested Timing Short‐Term

Resource Implications Staff Time and financial resources (the latter to be determined) to organize and administer recognition events


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STRATEGIC DIRECTION #3: Establishing Positive Partnerships In order to ensure that unique, cost‐effective and high quality services are available in the community, Lambton shores will seek out strategic partnership opportunities that make sense for the Municipality and its residents.

Partnerships in Delivering Services Discussions with local volunteers, stakeholders and municipal staff suggest that not one organization alone can comprehensively meet the needs of Lambton Shores’ residents. There is a need for communication, coordination, and cohesion when developing a holistic facility and service delivery model that maximizes benefit to all parties, and ultimately the general public. In this way, the Municipality can ensure that between itself and its partners are able to fill program gaps through balanced and inclusive provision of opportunities that respond to a variety of market segments (e.g. by age, incomes, abilities, etc.). Emerging consumer demands and shifting economic conditions have caused many communities to pursue partnership approaches that dramatically differ from traditional service delivery mechanisms. Partnerships, alliances and collaborative relationships of varying types are required in today’s economy to effectively and efficiently provide for the leisure needs of citizens. Collaborative agreements with Lambton Shores’ schools, places of worship, social clubs, user groups, etc. can be extremely effective in delivering sustainable and fiscally responsible recreation services to the community. Facilitating partnerships with external service providers and maximizing on the internal strengths of the community will allow Lambton Shores to provide the best possible service to its residents. With the Municipality’s role as a facilitator of services through the community, it has established a number of partnerships with its community providers, though many of them through informal arrangements and historical affiliations. Not only is there growing interest in public‐private partnerships (P3s), but also in arrangements with Trusts acting on behalf of community organizations and formal operating or cost sharing relationships with school boards as well as user/community groups. A 2006 survey that investigated the level of support amongst Canadians for P3s, found that 9 out of 10 Canadians believe that Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments are not keeping pace with demand for new or improved public infrastructure services.2

2

The Canadian Council for Public Private Partnership (2006). Trends in Canadian Support for Public Private Partnerships. Available online at: www.pppcouncil.ca


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Potential Partners Continuing to devote efforts in strengthening the relationship between the Municipality and its local school boards (i.e. the Lambton Kent District School Board and the St. Clair Catholic District School Board) should be a priority area of focus for Lambton Shores. Due to their very nature, schools are distributed across the Municipality and can provide opportunities for outreach or satellite services, particularly to rural and smaller urban settlements. Furthermore, municipal staff should continue working with school boards to remain apprised of potential school relocations/closures which may pose an opportunity for the Municipality to adaptively reuse vacated school properties for recreational uses, particularly those with sports fields and gymnasiums. Similarly, municipal partnerships that improve public access to other non‐municipal resources should be explored and pursued where it makes sense to do so (e.g. access to Provincial Parks or Conservation Areas, trails located on private lands, private sector facilities, etc.). Examples of potential partners in Lambton Shores should include, at a minimum: •

Upper tiers of government (e.g. Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Ministry of Natural Resources, Lambton Heritage Museum, Lambton County Library, etc.);

•

Adjacent municipalities and Kettle and Stony Point First Nations;

•

St. Clair Region and Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authorities, and other environmentally‐focused organizations;

•

Lambton Kent District School Board and the St. Clair Catholic District School Board;

•

Local stakeholders such as service clubs, minor sports and recreation providers, arts and cultural groups, community associations, BIAs, Community Health Centres, etc.;

•

Non‐profit organizations such as the YMCA (who already have a relationship with the Municipality), Boys & Girls Club, Big Brothers and Sisters, United Way, Community Health Centres, etc.; and/or

• The private sector (e.g. fitness providers, sporting groups, local theatres, etc.) and local land owners. As alluded to, the Municipality already has established relationships with a number of other groups with common interests (including some of those in the list above), though it is largely done through informal and verbal agreements. While casual conversations and discussions are important, with respect to the actual agreement it is important that a clear and transparent process be undertaken so that expectations of all parties and the public can be treated fairly and consistently.


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A Standardized Approach to Evaluating Partnerships Municipalities that have successfully implemented alternative service delivery approaches suggest that a standardized framework is helpful in choosing the most appropriate delivery strategy as well as measuring the capacity of potential service providers. Furthermore, a pre‐set process allows for the department to pro‐actively pursue and cultivate relationships with community groups and makes service delivery decisions more transparent. Figure 8: A Standardized Partnered Service Provision Framework Criteria Decision Response Lambton Shores’ relationships with its community partners are Is the project or program consistent with the Yes No Do not consider municipal involvement important to the process of fulfilling the Municipality’s service ▼ ► municipal mandate and service philosophy? in the project. delivery goals in the most fiscally responsible fashion. Currently, Is there a municipal role to play in providing the Yes No Do not consider municipal involvement the Municipality assumes an “indirect” service delivery role ▼ ► program or service? in the project. through the provision of facilities that facilitate community‐based Is there demonstrated need for the proposed Yes No Do not consider municipal involvement programming with respect to recreation and leisure services. ▼ ► service or program? in the project. Examples of this type of relationship include the YMCA agreement to provide programs at The Shores Recreation Centre as well as Does the proposed service or program conform to Yes No Either do not consider municipal ▼ ► the municipality’s strategic priorities and is it involvement in the project or consider with sport organizations. As discussed throughout the Master Plan, within long‐term capital and/or operating budget alternative forms of capital financing or there may be a greater role for the Municipality in “direct” forecasts? ongoing funding sources. program delivery to fill gaps that the community or private sector Can specifications ensure that the community Yes No Consider providing the service using a has historically been able to address (though demand still ▼ ► group will conform to the Department’s vision, traditional municipal self managed persists). Discussions with staff suggest that a standardized mandate, values, strategic priorities and service approach (direct). framework to decide upon the most appropriate delivery standards? approach would help to systematize decision‐making. Can financial and liability risks be reasonably Yes No Consider providing the service using a ▼ ► mitigated through an arrangement with the group? traditional municipal self managed The standardized partnership evaluation framework is shown in approach (direct). the adjacent table. It is not intended to be all encompassing or Are there suitably qualified or properly equipped Yes No Consider providing the service using a exhaustive but instead serves as an example for the Municipality ▼ ► individuals within the group who are willing to traditional municipal self managed to use and build upon when considering the merits versus provide the service or program and comply with approach (direct). legislation and policy requirements? challenges of requests brought forward by external parties. As a point of departure, any project should be consistent with Can the delivery responsibility of the service or Yes No Issue a Request For Proposal or other municipal objectives and philosophies; the remaining criteria will ▼ ► program be assigned to an organization on a sole procurement process specified by source basis? purchasing policies. guide whether the Municipality would take an active, passive or no role at all in delivering the service with its potential partner. Is there consensus regarding the terms, conditions, Yes No Negotiate a mutually acceptable ▼ ► standards of delivery and responsibilities of the operating and performance standards Throughout the Master Plan, partnerships are a key theme in the community organization? with a community organization. effective delivery of programs and services. Whether it be in Establish a relationship with a community organization (standardized agreement) for the delivery of the collaboration with volunteer or community organizations, local program or service and adopt a mutually agreeable evaluation/monitoring system. institutions, conservation authorities, school boards, or the private


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sector, the entire community benefits from the collective expertise of facility and service delivery providers working together towards a common goal. It is important that after partnerships are developed and agreements are formalized, that the Municipality regularly meet with its partners to discuss successes and challenges of the partnership and, where necessary, revisit and strengthen the agreements to ensure that a dynamic process exists to respond to changes and public preferences. For example, the Recreation & Leisure Services Facilitator meets monthly with the YMCA with regard to the partnership agreement for use of The Shores, a practice that could be extended to other groups to discuss not only partnerships but also as a means to continually understand local trends and needs.

Strategic Direction #3 – Actions & Implementation Topic Area Partnerships with the Community & Other Agencies

Stream FMS

Strategic Direction 3: Actions 3‐1. Continue to explore ways with local partners in order to fill local gaps in programming through the balanced and inclusive provision of opportunities for residents of Lambton Shores. As part of this process, the Municipality should:


Resource Implications Staff Time to solicit and/or respond to partnership requests, as well as to negotiate access and usage agreements. Financial and operational implications of individual partnerships will be need to be determined on a case‐by‐case basis.

• continue current partnership discussions with other levels of government such as the County of Lambton, adjacent municipalities, and nearby First Nations communities to create opportunities for joint provision of spaces and services;


• Initiate new discussions with other levels of government regarding the sharing of roles, responsibilities and resources; • continue to work with local schools, places of worship, etc. to provide Municipality‐wide access to gymnasium space; • explore ways to facilitate a greater degree of public access to private sector pools located within Lambton Shores, so long as it is supported through business planning and application of a standardized partnership framework; and • investigate the provision of a limited number of fitness programs targeted to youth (ages 10 to 17) on a trial basis, if a community partner cannot reasonably deliver these services. FMS

3‐2. Continually evaluate ways to strengthen agreements with the Lambton Kent District School Board and the St. Clair Catholic District School Board to increase access to indoor and outdoor leisure spaces.


Ongoing

Staff Time to liaise with the school boards and discuss access arrangements.

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Topic Area

Stream FMS

Standardized Partnership Evaluations

FMS

FMS


Suggested Timing

3‐3. Requests for facilities and services that are not part of the Municipality’s core mandate should be evaluated based on anticipated municipal role, quantifiable measures of demand and costs to the Municipality, and other long‐term implications prior to deciding whether or not to partner in the public interest.

Ongoing

3‐4. Develop a standardized process or framework for evaluating and responding to requests for partnerships, with the view of maximizing public interests. Standardized operational agreements with the community are preferred over informal agreements to ensure that obligations of all parties align with corporate and Departmental priorities.

Ongoing

3‐5. Regularly meet with partners to discuss implementation of partnership agreements, and where necessary, revisit and/or strengthen agreements to maximize benefits to all parties and the general public.

Ongoing

Resource Implications Staff Time to evaluate and respond to partnership requests. (note: also see Strategic Direction #3, Action 3‐4)

Staff Time to evaluate and respond to partnership requests. (note: also see Strategic Direction #3, Action 3‐3)

Staff Time (most likely the Recreation & Leisure Services Facilitator) to monitor and discuss partnerships, as well as other outstanding issues.


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STRATEGIC DIRECTION #4: Supporting Municipal Staff The Municipality will provide appropriate supports to its Departments and ensure that Staff roles, skills and tasks are consistent with evolving trends and community demands. Human resources are at the core of an effective organization. The Municipality of Lambton Shores has a talented and multi‐faceted workforce of dedicated staff, who take pride in their work and their role in enhancing the quality of life in their communities. For staff to be able to provide effective and high quality services, the provision of adequate and appropriate supports is necessary for these committed individuals to successfully do their jobs.

Organizational Structure Like most municipalities, the organizational structure within the Municipality of Lambton Shores is reflective of a centralized organization, where by three Departments (Finance, Clerk’s and Community Services) report to the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), through which key decisions are considered for approval by the elected Municipal Council. With respect to the delivery of recreation and leisure services, the Community Services Department presently takes the primary lead though other Departments also have an influence in certain aspects (e.g. finance, capital planning and budget development, etc.). The Community Services Department is responsible for a variety of municipal services not only pertaining to recreation and leisure. Under its purview, the Department is also responsible for public works (engineering, water and sewer, transportation, municipal property maintenance), waste management, drainage, street lighting, harbour operations (excluding administration), beaches, cemeteries maintenance, community centres and halls, arenas, and parks. The primary mandate of the Community Services Department is to ensure that the basic needs of Lambton Shores residents are met through the provision of physical infrastructure and associated policies governing their use.

Council

Office of CAO

Finance Dept.


Clerk's Office

Community Services Dept.

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With regard to recreation and leisure services, the Community Services Department’s mandate is to: •

Promote participation in organized and non‐programmed forms of sport and recreation through the provision of appropriate facilities and services;

•

Enhance awareness and vibrancy of local arts, culture and heritage resources by recognizing their importance, embracing their creative benefits and providing them with the necessary tools in which to succeed; and

•

Provide an interconnected network of parks and trailways that offer opportunities for active and passive forms of leisure and also contribute to ecological health on a local, regional and global level.

The Community Services Department has 29 full‐time employees and a number of part‐time/seasonal workers to fulfill its responsibilities. The Director of Community Services is supported by two Area Managers, and two managers overseeing projects and infrastructure, and drainage and construction. The Recreation & Leisure Services Facilitator, who also functions in a management position, was added to the staffing mix in order to better engage local community groups and provide support to the Director in matters pertaining to Recreation & Leisure Services. Through the present organizational structure, responsibilities from the delivery of parks, recreation and leisure services are assigned to a select group of staff, many of whom also have responsibilities associated with the other areas of the Community Services Department. Staff resources with responsibilities include: •

The Director of Community Services (who is responsible for the Department as a whole);

•

The Recreation & Leisure Services Facilitator (who is responsible for the development and promotion of recreation and wellness, maximizing recreation facility utilization, and liaising between the community and the Municipality);

•

Area Managers (who assist the Director in the day‐to‐day operations of the Department as a whole);

•

Operator 1 (whose responsibility of recreation and leisure services, primarily park maintenance, amount to 30% of their total duties);

•

Operator 2 (whose responsibility of recreation and leisure services, primarily facility operations, amount to 70% of their total duties); and

• The Administrative Assistant for Community Services (responsible for customer service and facility bookings). While the Community Services Department appears to be sufficiently organized to handle the facility operations side of the delivery equation (largely due to the Municipality’s traditional approach of being a program facilitator through facility provision), additional human resources will be required to evaluate and address needs associated with program gaps, as well as administering and delivering services through both community development and, if required, direct municipal provision. Ongoing management and maintenance of parks will also require additional resources if the Municipality’s objective is to remain a regional showcase for civic beautification initiatives such as the Communities in Bloom program. Unfortunately, the current organizational structure is not designed to effectively accomplish this intensive objective, given


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the wide responsibilities and priority focus areas of existing full time staff. It is recommended that the Municipality hire a specialized Horticulturist/Forester staff position who possesses the technical background to ensure that parks are designed and maintained in a manner that is high quality, aesthetically pleasing and in line with industry best practices. Reporting to the Director of Community Services, this person could also liaise with community‐based parks and horticultural groups, while also assisting in meeting Communities In Bloom objectives; during the winter months, the Horticulturist/Forester could be responsible for the production of policies, procedures, and management plans to ensure that the responsibilities of this full time position is maximized. As shown in the adjacent figure, an added Figure 9: Proposed Organizational Structure of the Community Services Department emphasis is placed on the delivery of recreation and leisure services (through community Director of Community development and direct municipal provision) by Services formally recognizing this component out as a distinct division with supporting staff. It is proposed that the Recreation & Leisure Services Facilitator would lead this division and Project & Drainage continue to undertake its existing duties of Area Manager ‐ Area Manager ‐ Infrastructure Superintendent/ North South promotion and maximizing utilization, though Manager Construction Inspector an added focus would be placed upon community development given this person’s Customer already strong connection with local Administrative Service/Booking Operators Operators organizations and user groups. The Facilitator Assistant Facilities would be supported by a new full‐time Recreation & Leisure Services Assistant whose primary responsibility would function in a Harbour Master Seasonal Workers Canteen Staff / Horticulturist / research capacity through monitoring best (seasonal) / Lifeguards Seasonal Worker Forester practices (see Strategic Direction #1), policy development, as well as continually assessing the availability of community‐based programs, and accordingly oversee the delivery of Municipal programs that are required to fill gap areas. The following responsibilities can be used to better define the role of the proposed Recreation & Leisure Services Assistant position: •

focusing on global, industry‐wide issues that inform planning within the Community Services Department;

•

assessing provincial information that would assist in establishing operational standards and procedures (e.g. quality assurance, compliance with legislative requirements), and related policy development;

•

monitoring community requirements that need to be considered in the development of program and service inventories for specific jurisdictions within Lambton Shores;


Recreation & Leisure Services Facilitator

Recreation & Leisure Services Assistant

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•

tracking implementation and progress of key Departmental planning documents (e.g. the Master Plan);

•

evaluating program gaps; and

•

in concert with the Recreation & Leisure Services Facilitator, determining which program gaps are to be addressed through community development or direct municipal provision, the latter which would require this staff position to develop and/or administer the program.

It is expected that some of the Recreation & Leisure Services Facilitator’s job responsibilities, such as implementation of key documents (i.e. the tracking progress of the Master Plan and proposed Volunteer Management Strategy) as well as some marketing efforts and report generation, could be transferred to the Assistant. This would provide the Recreation & Leisure Services Facilitator with sufficient time to focus on facilitating community development models and agreements, while freeing up time to consult more regularly and comprehensively with community providers (note: the Facilitator would still be responsible for the review of all efforts and deliverables developed by the Assistant). In effect, the Recreation & Leisure Services Facilitator acts in a management capacity for and it is emphasized that the existing Facilitator has done an excellent job to date, built strong relationships with the community, and is ideally positioned to undertake such management‐type duties.

The Role of Staff in Delivering Recreation & Leisure Services At present, the role of the Community Services Department is largely the provider and operator of municipal facilities through which the community can deliver its own programming. The recent addition of the Recreation & Leisure Services Facilitator has resulted in more dialogue and communication between the Department and its user groups; this position has been very well received by the community and has become a valuable asset to the Municipality of Lambton Shores. With amalgamation, roles and policies of the former municipalities have now been consolidated under the Lambton Shores umbrella, however, in many instances operations and role of staff have carried over from pre‐amalgamation practices. Moving forward, the role of Departmental staff will be fairly similar with regard to the provision and ongoing operation of municipal facilities. As discussed in the previous subsection, the Municipality’s indirect role of programs through capacity building of local groups (through community development) will be enhanced and complimented by a new role of potentially providing direct municipal programs. It is safe to assume, due to this shift in both corporate mentality and customer expectations, the role of the Municipality and its staff will grow in the development and delivery of recreation and leisure services. Through consultations such as the Community Search Conference, key informant interviews and the public open house, the public has already indicated a desire for a more comprehensive municipal role in not only assisting local stakeholders but also delivering direct programming to fill gaps. Additionally, there are over 100 legislative acts governing the delivery of parks, recreation and leisure services. While each discipline is responsible for understanding and complying with the respective legislative requirements, there is no central


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source of legislative requirements or a system to ensure that all departments are compliant. The Lifestyle Information Network (LIN) has most recently compiled an online summary and search tool of updated legislative acts and has developed a compliance tool to assist with annual audits. It is recommended that staff distribute the requirements, host any needed training (which will be available through LIN and Parks & Recreation Ontario) and monitor compliance annually at a minimum. Furthermore, Council is currently considering a proposed Health & Safety Coordinator position; it is recommended that this position be approved, and that this employee should be the primary contact for the Community Services Department in ensuring legislative compliance with all aspects of the recreation and leisure service delivery system. With a new and growing role, combined with an increasingly sophisticated base of customers, a greater complexity within the municipal operating environment can be expected. The Municipality of Lambton Shores will need to be in a position where it is able to respond to a changing operating environment by ensuring that it has appropriate staff resources that can monitor and respond to future trends and circumstances. Not only will this imply that an added focus be placed on creating high level policies and program development, but also the need to consider supporting realities such as risk and liability management, health and safety for staff and patrons, regulations of other levels of government, fiscal responsibility, and operating performance. As discussed in Strategic Direction #1, a need exists for integrated planning and other team‐based approaches in order to effectively deliver programs, facilities and services to the community. This would involve other Departments in the planning of new services (e.g. Finance would provide insight into capital and operating constraints, Clerk’s could provide information into zoning or building code requirements through its Planning & Development Services division, etc.). Finally, a key theme that recurs throughout the Master Plan is for the Municipality and its staff to take a proactive role in community development. By making use of volunteers (Strategic Direction #2) and potential partners (Strategic Direction #4), the Municipality’s leadership in building the capacity of groups through community development (Strategic Direction #6) is viewed as critical in achieving a holistic and comprehensive recreation and leisure services system. Training staff to liaise and interact with community groups can open the channels of communication while the Recreation & Leisure Services Facilitator can take a more specialized role in making community participation a reality. For example, supporting volunteer groups in the provision of community gatherings and special events, helping groups to generate awareness of their services through inclusion in the Recreation Guide or other marketing/promotion efforts, assisting a local group to maintain their own facilities through grants or upgrading municipal facilities through capital investment, facilitating partnership arrangements (such as the YMCA at The Shores) to provide programs, or taking on direct programming when the community is not in a position to deliver programs themselves.

Supporting Municipal Staff For the Municipality to make informed decisions, deliver high quality facilities and services, and provide excellent customer services, its staff need to be up‐to‐date on best practices in how to do their jobs effectively and efficiently. As alluded to in


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the previous subsection, additional staff resources (full time, part time and seasonal) will likely need to be added in order to fulfill many of the Recreation & Leisure Services Master Plan’s actions; in fact, the majority of the Master Plan’s Actions have staff time requirements associated with their implementation and the existing complement of staff is unlikely to be able to successfully implement all of the recommended actions in a timely manner unless provided with additional supports. The number of staff and the financial implications will need to be evaluated on a case‐by‐case basis through ongoing business planning that would be associated with implementing the recommendations arising from this Master Plan; for example, if a specific youth program is deemed to be required and it is to be provided directly by the Municipality, the proposed Recreation & Leisure Services Assistant could develop the program but may have to hire a person who is trained specifically in dealing with youth (e.g. ensure they are “youth‐friendly”) on a casual or part‐time basis, depending upon the frequency of the program delivery. With regard to the staff complement, the Municipality has a screening process in its hiring process for new employees (e.g. qualifications and experience required to do a job) though it is equally important to recognize that existing employees often benefit from professional development initiatives and finding alternative methods to “doing what has always been done.” As such, the Municipality should continue to look at professional development opportunities, ranging from on‐the‐job training, seminars, symposiums and conferences, etc. as a means to improve internal skill sets and capabilities, and to provide a supportive professional network. While there are financial implications associated with staff development, the return on investment can be high if the employee(s) are able to deliver on their roles and responsibilities in a more efficient manner. Through discussions with municipal staff, it was also apparent that formalizing a number of policies and operating parameters would help the Community Services Department more effectively understand and deliver their services. For example, the Municipality has successfully developed policies pertaining to rental fees, alcohol and violence, concessions, etc. and continuing to formalize policies in other areas of operations would be useful for staff and facility patrons. In addition, formalizing a ‘Code of Conduct’ that governs the approach to work by staff and volunteers would assist in promoting and enforcing the Municipality’s expectations with regard to operating behaviours. In terms of municipal leadership and setting an example, part of the Community Services Department mandate is to facilitate physical activity through the provision of facilities (and eventually programs). As such, implementing programs that also encourage municipal staff to engage in healthy and active lifestyles is viewed as a logical complement to initiatives that are pursued by the public‐at‐large. The creation of policies and programs specifically for municipal staff, such as physical activity days, distributing health‐related information, creating a Staff Wellness Committee, or discounting fitness memberships at The Shores, are ways in which to improve the health, productivity and commitment to their jobs over their lives. Furthermore, the Community Services Department, through its proposed Recreation & Leisure Services division, is ideally positioned to lead these initiatives for other municipal departments by way of its mandate and area of expertise.


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Strategic Direction #4 – Actions & Implementation Topic Area Organizational Structure

Stream FMS

FMS

Role of Staff

Staff Development & Supports

FMS

FMS


Suggested Timing

4‐1. The creation of a distinct Recreation & Leisure Services division, led by the Recreation & Leisure Services Facilitator, is recommended within the Community Services Department to ensure that the Municipality is positioned to respond to an increasingly complex operating environment that will be generated by a growing and highly sophisticated base of residents. The creation of a Recreation & Leisure Services Assistant position is recommended to provide operational support to the Director and Facilitator, while the creation of a Horticulturist/Forester position is also recommended to ensure that parks are designed, developed and maintained to a high quality standard and supports existing Community Services staff.

Short‐Term

4‐2. Continue to ensure that municipal facilities, services and programs are supported by appropriate staff resources. Given the growth and complexity within the municipal recreation and leisure services system, undertake a process to develop appropriate staffing standards that reflect service levels. These standards should lead to a ‘Long‐Term Staffing Review’ to ensure support for Departmental objectives and confirm/adjust the staffing analysis contained in this Master Plan.

Short‐Term

Horticulturist/Forester (Full Time)

Staff Time and/or Consulting Fees (note: also see Strategic Direction #4, Action 4‐4)

Ongoing

4‐4. Ensure that the Master Plan’s Strategic Directions and Actions can be effectively fulfilled by providing the necessary staff resources. The need for additional staff resources will need to be evaluated on a case‐ by‐case basis associated with the implementation of individual actions contained within the Master Plan.

Ongoing

FINAL REPORT – February 2011

Recreation & Leisure Services Assistant (Full Time) (note: also see Strategic Direction #1, Action 1‐3)

4‐3. The Municipality, through its Council and Staff, should assume a leadership role in building the capacity of the local community to deliver recreation and leisure services by facilitating access to space, coordinating the delivery of municipal and community‐based programs, and providing financial and promotional support as necessary.

MONTEITH BROWN PLANNING CONSULTANTS in association with Tucker‐Reid & Associates and The JF Group


Various degrees of Staff Time, and capital and operational support depending upon the type and scale of initiatives conducted over time. (note: also see Strategic Direction #5, Action 5‐1)

Staff Time and Financial Resources, the degree of which will need to be determined through business planning and depend upon the number of facilities, programs and services that would be offered by the Municipality. (note: also see Strategic Direction #4, Action 4‐2)

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Topic Area

Legislative Compliance

Stream


Suggested Timing


FMS

4‐5. Identify the needed skills and competencies, provide opportunities for staff development through training and professional development, and identify departmental and individual training plans.

Ongoing

Staff Time and Financial Resources (variable) depending on the number and type of professional development.

FMS

4‐6. Supplement existing municipal policies (e.g. Rental Fees, Alcohol & Violence, Concessions, etc.) to develop understandings and promote expectations on behalf of both Municipal Staff and patrons.

Ongoing

Staff Time to develop, implement and enforce policies

FMS

4‐7. Formalize a ‘Code of Conduct’ that governs the staff and volunteer approach to work.

FMS

4‐8. It is recommended that a Health & Safety Coordinator position be created with corporate‐wide responsibilities. As it pertains to the Community Services Department, this employee should be tasked with ensuring legislative compliance with all aspects of the recreation and leisure services system (e.g. in addition to health and safety, direction would be provided on legislations pertaining to accessibility, diversity, etc.). The Health & Safety Coordinator should also be responsible for distributing the requirements, host training sessions, and annually monitoring compliance for Municipal, and if possible, community‐ based operations.

Medium‐Term Ongoing

Staff Time to develop the Code of Conduct No resource implications are anticipated as the action can be implemented within current roles, responsibilities, and workloads.


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STRATEGIC DIRECTION #5: Success Through Municipal Leadership & Community Development The Municipality will continue to be both a provider and facilitator of appropriate recreation and leisure services in Lambton Shores. In addition to municipal delivery of services, the Municipality will strengthen its community development approach by building capacity with local service providers to develop their internal capacities with the hopes of sustainable program and service delivery over the long‐term. Successful recreation and leisure organizations are flexible, creative and dedicated to constantly deliver maximum quality, value and top‐notch customer service. In doing so, these organizations focus on achieving results in the areas of their work that are most likely to have the most influence on successful performance. In striving to be innovative, efficient and customer focused, results oriented organizations adjust their management systems and operating protocols in response to changing environments and escalating expectations of their constituents.

Community Development Lambton Shores is a Municipality that is made up of a number of communities; identities which were established in the pre‐amalgamation era. The Municipality’s various villages, hamlets and rural areas are dispersed across 331 square kilometres, with access to facilities and programs also being distributed across the entire geographic region. While most residents living in an urban‐rural municipality are willing to drive to access certain facilities, there is also the expectation that certain services will be available locally. Recognizing that the Municipality cannot establish multi‐use community centres or other capitally/operationally intensive facilities in each settlement area, a great reliance is placed upon communities themselves to strengthen their neighbourhoods and build their internal capacities in providing the services that their residents desire the most. Over the years, the Municipality has developed useful connections with user groups and community organizations, some of which precede amalgamation. In large part, these relationships have been shaped by the individual needs and competencies of the groups and, therefore, there is not much uniformity in the nature of the relations that the Department has with its community partners.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT “COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WITHIN PARKS & RECREATION SERVICES REPRESENTS AN APPROACH THAT IS HIGHLY DEPENDENT UPON CITIZEN PARTICIPATION. OVERALL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AIMS TO EMPOWER BOTH INDIVIDUALS AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES THORUGH INVOLVEMENT, EDUCATION, SKILL DEVELOPMENT IN ORDER TO CHANGE EXISTING CONDITIONS. THESE AIMS ARE ACHIEVED THROUGH PRACTIONER ROLES AS RESEARCH, EDUCATION, GROUP DEVELOPMENT, FACILITATION AND ADVOCACY.”

HUTCHISON & NOGRADI, 2003


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A standardized community development initiative would offer a more structured method of involving community groups in the development and delivery of recreation services and programs. Normally, a structured community development approach entails proactively engaging groups in most phases of program planning, design, delivery and evaluation. Community groups help to identify issues and goals and then make collective commitments to produce positive solutions. As such, the Municipality should regularly consult with its community regarding strategic planning efforts and other key initiatives that may have a great influence on groups to deliver services. Typically, a functional community development approach stimulates partnerships, networks and collaboration at all levels of program design and delivery. Furthermore, shared decision‐making between municipal staff and key stakeholders helps to foster a degree of ownership and empowerment amongst community partners. As Lambton Shores grows and the demand for increased programming expands, community organizations could assume a more significant role in certain aspects of the Municipality’s recreation and leisure services system. Applying the principles of a community development approach would strengthen the Community Services Department’s relationship with its partners and increase community capacity. It is important to recognize that for a community development approach to be effective, appropriate Municipal resources need to be devoted in order to maximize relationships that will be developed with groups. Municipal staffing will need to be available in a meaningful capacity to ensure that groups are engaged, understood and collaborated with while financial resources may also be required to enable them to “get off the ground.” As an example, the Municipality should assist groups in developing templates that can track operational measures such as utilization rates and satisfaction, which would require municipal staffing (expertise) and potentially financial resources (grants, staff time) though the aim would be to provide groups with a tool to assist them to sustainably deliver services over the long‐term. In this way, the Municipality sets a leadership example to facilitate access and provision of programming to the community. As discussed throughout the Master Plan, the Municipality should investigate areas for the direct delivery of limited municipal leisure programs to address gap areas, based upon business planning and consideration of services being provided by its partners. For example, active living programs, youth and older adult activities, day camps, dance, etc. could be explored initially on a trial basis at selected municipal parks and facilities (particularly in more rural areas where gaps in programming are more likely to exist), though in line with the municipal role, this would occur after first evaluating the ability of the community to deliver these programs.

An Integrated Service Delivery Approach An Integrated Service Delivery approach is the culmination of municipal leadership and community development. In order to deliver on the recreation, facilities and parks needs in Lambton Shores, each Department must be focused to serve and engage a similar base of community groups, neighbourhoods, residents and businesses. Coordinated efforts are made to respond to common issues and emerging trends on an as needed basis. Communication in and amongst the Departmental


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staff is critical in order to provide services consistently and equitably through the agreement on priorities. All of the Departments work collectively to a certain extent but efforts to take an integrated approach to service delivery could maximize resources and streamline efforts. The Departments work independently in some cases with the same community partners to deliver on the mandate of providing recreation, facilities and parks services to all residents. Many initiatives are planned based on evidence that specific programs and services will meet neighbourhood and community needs without consultation with departments with like customers. In an effort to streamline resources and focus on priorities in government, many models have emerged; the most successful being the models that recognize the power of the collective – staff departments, community partners and agencies working together to address pressing community issues. The lesson has been learned that working in isolation often leads to duplication and ineffective approaches to community issues. This collective approach is considered as an Integrated Service Delivery Model to a certain degree. Staff would still have the function of looking after their respective responsibilities in their departments and to deliver on service mandates but at the same time work collectively with other departments and agencies to address specific initiatives. “The model recognizes the failure of traditional hierarchical government organizations to successfully deal with the complexity and interaction among many of the tough social and economic challenges facing societies and the inability of individual agencies or governments to interconnect and reach out to wider community‐based stakeholders. The model also seeks to avoid the inefficiencies inherent in earlier efforts to reorganize government agencies into large units by focusing on engaging agencies in joint problem solving without wasting time on reorganization or re‐establishment of formal authorities.”3 Integrated Service Delivery relies on and recognizes the capacity of individuals, organizations, agencies and neighbourhoods to interact creatively to develop innovative approaches and utilize available resources to address emerging and existing social issues and the multi‐dimensional needs of the community; the model also recognizes the role of each organization to provide their own continuum of services that serves their respective stakeholders and residents. Integrated Service Delivery is not a wholesale change for the departments involved in service delivery. Already, many groups of stakeholders meet to work collectively on existing initiatives and projects. It is suggested that the Community Services Department take the lead of developing an Integrated Service Delivery Model with respect to a couple of the service priorities and Strategic Directions as stated in this report (e.g. inclusion of under‐represented groups, development of a greening strategy, etc.), and then use this as a model for the other Departments to follow. By bringing interested and skilled staff persons to the table, finding a common ground, becoming focused in addressing common issues, and developing creative solutions, all parties involved can collectively aim to strengthen and enhance the effectiveness of service delivery in Lambton Shores.

3

Goldsmith and Eggers, 2004. Kettl, 2005.


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Stream

Municipal Leadership

FMS

Community Development

FMS

Suggested Timing

5‐1. The Municipality take a lead role in understanding program opportunities available in Lambton Shores and concurrently investigate areas for the direct delivery of limited municipal leisure programs to address gap areas, based upon business planning and consideration of services being provided by its partners. As a point of departure, the Municipality should develop a ‘Program Plan’ using the inventories established in this Master Plan and working with its network of program and service providers to determine the full range of program and service delivery needs, program capacities and fill rates, gaps in service provision and the resources needed to develop greater capacity where programs and services are needed.

Ongoing

5‐2. Encourage a Community Development Model through engagement and the provision of appropriate supports (e.g. financial, logistical, expertise, etc.) as a means to empower the Lambton Shores community, continually develop their internal capacity, and enhance their capacity to sustainably deliver programs and services over the long‐run.

Ongoing

FMS

5‐4. Assist groups in developing templates that can track operational measures such as capacity and fill rates, patron satisfaction, financial performance, etc. as a means to improve their internal service delivery practices.

Medium‐Term

FMS

5‐5. Regular consultation and engagement of the community is recommended during strategic planning and other key initiatives being undertaken by the Municipality, in order to ensure that groups have the opportunity to contribute ideas and/or resources in achieving a holistic, yet pragmatic approach to community development.

Ongoing

FINAL REPORT – February 2011

Staff Time and Financial Resources, the degree of which will need to be determined through business planning and depend upon the programs that would be directly offered by the Municipality

Staff Time and Financial Resources, the degree of which will need to be determined through business planning and depend upon the community development approaches that would be employed by the Municipality.

MONTEITH BROWN PLANNING CONSULTANTS in association with Tucker‐Reid & Associates and The JF Group



5‐3. The municipal staffing mix required to support community development practices will have to be evaluated through the proposed ‘Long‐Term Staffing Review’.

FMS

Community Engagement


Staff Time and/or Consulting Fees (note: also see Strategic Direction #4, Action 4‐2) Staff Time and Financial Resources, the degree of which will need to be determined through business planning.

Staff Time to consult with the community.

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Topic Area Integrated Service Delivery

Stream


FMS

5‐6. Articulate an Integrated Service Delivery approach that uses the existing expertise to think collectively about community issues and priorities, develop solutions together, avoid duplication, maximize existing resources and is meaningful to the work of the Departments and the service delivery needs of the residents. Pilot two critical community‐wide issues (e.g., inclusion of under‐represented groups, development of a greening strategy, etc.), that would benefit from a collective approach through strengthened departmental integration.

FMS

5‐7. Provide needed training and ongoing support to the appropriate levels of staff on the introduction, principles and mechanisms of Integrated Service Delivery.

Suggested Timing


Short‐Term

Staff Time

Medium‐Term

Staff Time


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STRATEGIC DIRECTION #6: Increasing Awareness of Local Resources & Opportunities Lambton Shores will facilitate and enhance planning and communication efforts between the Municipality, community service providers and local residents as a means to increase awareness of local resources, with the aim of collaboratively delivering services throughout Lambton Shores.

Communicating with the Community The Municipality and its Community Services Department places a high priority on communications within itself and with the community. By listening to the public and informing them of the benefits of creative, healthy and active lifestyles, the intent is that quality of life and awareness of locally available opportunities will be enhanced. Parks and leisure facilities enjoy thousands of visitors annually and consistent messaging will contribute the social changes needed in the areas under the Departments’ purview. Messaging with respect to embracing active lifestyles, respecting and becoming stewards of the environment, and the benefits of participating in recreation and parks opportunities are all messages that the Municipality must consistently impart through its many communications vehicles. Lambton Shores’ providers of leisure services also play a key role in educating the public and influencing the degree of participation within the community. The Municipality recognizes the valuable role of the community in providing a diverse and healthy base of programming that benefits local residents. Between the Municipality and its partners, a consistent message is delivered to local residents about the importance of leading healthy lifestyles. No matter how comprehensive the availability of recreation and leisure spaces and programs is within the community, they can be rendered ineffective if the public is unaware that the opportunities exist. While 59% of the Master Plan’s household survey sample agreed that they were aware of parks, recreation and cultural activities available in their areas, 17% disagreed (the remaining 20% neither agreed nor disagreed); this represents an area for improvement for the Municipality in getting the message out. Making residents aware of programs and services made available by the Municipality and its community partners has been an ongoing challenge, but one that is getting better as more efforts are devoted to understanding the needs of specific target markets, such as youth. Furthermore, it is not only important for the public to understand what opportunities are available for participation in leisure activities, but it is also crucial that they are also aware of ways for them to become engaged and provide feedback to decision‐makers (also see Strategic Direction #5). It is not only important for the Municipality to improve its internal communications strategy, but as part of a community development approach, communications are part of the tools that groups will need to effectively understand if they are to


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inform the public of their services (and thus provide the potential for longevity and success). The Municipality should continue to provide the necessary supports to groups in terms of enhancing communication strategies and vehicles of its partners through initiatives such as providing affordable advertising in the Recreation & Leisure Guide or assisting with the development of marketing strategies. Furthermore, the Municipality should act as a facilitator of dialogue between groups in order to bolster communication between them and ensure that a collaborative approach is employed in delivering services across Lambton Shores. Another approach may be to host an annual forum of service providers with common interests (e.g. sport providers, arts and cultural groups, etc.), as discussed in Strategic Direction #2.

Communication Methods Users and non‐users of programs and services must have the opportunity to have open and ongoing dialogue with the Municipality on accessing programs and services, emerging trends, community and individual involvement, current and future needs and potential partnerships at a minimum. The Municipality must use all of its communication vehicles to maximize communications and its ability to listen to and influence residents and stakeholder behaviours. Currently, the Recreation & Leisure Guide published by the Municipality is the primary method of informing the community of available facilities, programs and local service providers in Lambton Shores. The Guide is a recent initiative which, according to public consultations undertaken through the Master Plan, has been met with appreciation and support from the community. Continuing to ensure that the Recreation & Leisure Guide clearly articulates programming options is a key priority for the Municipality to focus upon, though there are other ways to market opportunities as well. As evidenced through recent elections in Canada and the United States, use of the Internet has become the primary medium in which to target the masses (particularly younger voters) through Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, etc. Furthermore, the Municipality’s younger age bases who frequently are involved in recreation are a generation that is at the forefront of using emerging technologies, and will eventually be the ones that best understand it. Conversely, the aging population may need to be better trained to use technology, though a number of Baby Boomers have been directly involved in the digital age by use of technology in the workplace. In addition, communicating opportunities to the children’s and youth markets is critical to engaging those individuals (particularly those who are less involved in organized activities) to ensure that they are aware of local activities, which in turn can lead them towards healthy and safe lifestyle choices. As such, marketing available opportunities through online sources and social networking sites poses great potential and provides municipalities such as Lambton Shores with the ability to reach a large number of residents (the Municipality now uses Twitter and Facebook to advertise events and opportunities). While it is easy to rely upon the allure of the Internet to market opportunities, it should be viewed as a supporting tool (i.e. combined with other forms of advertising) as there is still a proportion of households that either do not have frequent access to a computer or are not comfortable with the technology.


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Lastly, the internal capacity of Municipal staff is an excellent way to ‘get the word out’ on certain activities. Word of mouth is a powerful marketing vehicle, particularly among younger generations, thus talking to residents about available opportunities can go a long way in promoting services. In partnership with other community leisure providers, outreach to a broad range of residents can be attained to inform them of all community‐based services which are at their disposal. As many people also tend to value face‐to‐face communications with their peers or colleagues, providing staff with training to spread ‘word of mouth’ messages about municipal programs and activities would be beneficial for the Municipality to market its services. This training can position Municipal staff to understand how various marketing mechanisms can be implemented and choosing the appropriate medium for the program/target market in question. For example, attending workshops or seminars which teach ‘word of mouth’ marketing methods (as well as other techniques) would assist Municipal staff in promoting this type of advertising.

Strategic Direction #6 – Actions & Implementation Topic Area Communications Strategy

Communication Methods

Stream



Resource Implications Staff Time to update communications strategy

FMS

6‐1. Update the Municipal corporate communications program and undertake enhanced marketing and public awareness efforts, after considering the return on investment of these initiatives through business planning.

FMS

6‐2. Ensure that all Municipal staff are aware of corporate objectives and key services which can be disseminated to the customer by increasing interaction between all levels of staff (i.e. from Management to the Front‐Line, and between all staff operation depots).

Ongoing

No resource implications are anticipated as the action can be implemented within current roles, responsibilities, and workloads.

FMS

6‐3. Develop an annual communications plan that addresses key messages to target audiences, and the associated communication media. This communications plan should also look at cross promotion of messages between the Municipality and user groups, as well as any information sharing opportunities between all stakeholders in recreation and leisure service delivery.

Medium‐Term

Staff Time to develop the communications plan

FMS

6‐4. Bolster information disseminated to the community through the Recreation & Leisure Guide, newsletters, the Municipal website, social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter), and word‐of‐mouth.

Ongoing

Staff Time to disseminate information, and the potential for financial resources depending upon the advertising medium used.


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Topic Area

Stream FMS

Strategic Direction 6: Actions 6‐5. The Municipality should ensure that its marketing methods for reaching youth are current, innovative and targeted (through use of social media, working with the schools for print advertising, word‐of‐ mouth, etc.).


Resource Implications Staff Time to disseminate information, and the potential for financial resources depending upon the advertising medium used. (note: also see Strategic Direction #6, Action 6‐4)


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STRATEGIC DIRECTION #7: Facilitating a Range of Recreation & Leisure Activities As a means to serve the traditional and emerging interests of a growing and increasingly diverse population, the Municipality will strive to facilitate a broad range of both organized and non‐programmed activities at local parks and leisure facilities.

Providing Inclusive Options Providing residents with equitable opportunities to access parks and recreation opportunities is a goal that the Municipality continues to strive towards. With people faced with barriers such as lack of time, limited disposable income, disabilities, unawareness of available activities, communication challenges, etc. it is important that inclusive opportunities to participate are provided to ensure choices are available. The following subsections deal with topics such as affordability, diversity, and accessibility for those with disabilities. The recommendations contained below are intended to be broad directions guiding inclusivity and when dealing with under‐ represented populations (i.e. generally those who may not be engaged due to income, language, and/or ability‐related barriers).

Affordability An individual or household’s ability to pay for recreation opportunities generally dictates the type and frequency of participation. Essentially, income is directly correlated with level of participation, with higher income groups tending to have higher participation rates in recreation. Residents and families of low income face particular issues in accessing parks and recreation services as their participation in recreational pursuits require disposable time, access to affordable transportation, equipment costs, user fees, etc. As such, resources required for recreation often come at the expense of spending time and resources on basic security needs such as housing, employment, and food which are higher priority needs and thus can inhibit participation in recreation. To avoid instances where residents of low income restrict their participation due to cost, special approaches must be taken including subsidy policies, a wide range of no cost / low cost programs and opportunities, creating greater understanding of the benefits of participating, providing leadership training toward potential future employment and providing childcare services to enable adults and caregivers to participate. Given the large role of the community in providing programs, the Municipality may mandate that groups have access policies in place if they are to use municipal parks and facilities to deliver their programs; the Municipality could also consider providing groups with the tools to offer affordable and inclusive programming opportunities through a variety of means such as grants, subsidies on certain operational items (e.g. rental


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rates, advertising, direct subsidization of program costs, etc.). Such tools will need to be explored further in consultation with the community. A continued focus is needed to reach out to low income families and remove barriers to participation. The benefits to the community and the individual are worth the investment of time and funding.

Diversity Through the Community Search Conference, one of the elements most valued about Lambton Shores was the diversity of residents of varying socio‐economic circumstances, walks of life, and ethnicities. With regard to ethnicity, approximately 11% of the local population is considered to be an immigrant, though only 1% are considered to be a visible minority. It is reasonable to expect that Lambton Shores’ population base will become more ethnically diversified as the population grows, in line with provincial and regional trends. This shift in ethnic composition, as with income and education characteristics, influences market demand for parks and recreation‐based facility and program design. For example, demand for non‐traditional sports such as rugby or bocce may increase. Engaging persons from culturally diverse backgrounds and providing equitable access to parks and recreation services includes understanding and addressing the barriers to participation, offering culturally specific opportunities, providing space to groups to self manage the provision of leisure pursuits and offering introductory experiences to typical Canadian opportunities. Ideally, the concept of engaging diverse populations would become a corporate goal, thus would apply to the entire spectrum of Municipal services (i.e. in addition to recreation and leisure), as deemed appropriate by the other Municipal departments.

Accessibility Under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act of 2005 (AODA), the Ontario Government defines a barrier as anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society because of his or her disability, including physical, architectural, informational, technological, communicational, attitudinal, or policy/practice barrier(s). The AODA states that Ontario municipalities, as well as businesses and organizations, will have to meet certain accessibility standards in the five following areas: • • • • •

customer service; transportation; information and communication; built environment; and employment.

The range of recreational activities, both competitive and non‐competitive, for people with disabilities has increased significantly in recent years. Providing residents of all ages and abilities with opportunities to recreate is important in achieving inclusivity among all. Furthermore, research suggests that youth with special needs who participate in


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recreational activities are more likely to do well in school, have higher self‐esteem and good social skills, and are less likely to be involved in criminal activity.4 The Municipality works collaboratively with a number of agencies and associations who offer recreation and cultural services and opportunities to persons with disabilities. Unfortunately, people with disabilities still face considerable barriers (e.g., transportation, cost, etc.) when it comes to participating in recreation activities. The household survey found that 11% and 8% of the sample was unable to participate in recreational and culture activities, respectively, due to mobility or health‐related issues (as well as older age). Although this percentage is not exactly comparable to household surveys conducted in other municipalities, it is generally lower than municipalities surveyed in the province. Staff and volunteer training is necessary to provide a better understanding of the breadth of disabilities that people are confronted with and the barriers they face. It is therefore critical that the Municipality’s various departments strengthen their existing approach to understanding the needs, further develop programs and services, strengthen partnerships and evaluate service effectiveness in including persons with disabilities. The Municipality is largely compliant with the AODA and utilizes the advice of the Accessibility Committee for Lambton Shores to understand and create barrier free infrastructure, programs and services. A number of community providers offer integrated programs and promote programs that are accessible and offer aid to residents with disabilities. A potential increase to the number of persons with disabilities requires staff to ensure that Lambton Shores is compliant, works with like minded support groups and continues to increase participation.

Distribution of Facilities Recently, the distribution of recreation and parks facilities has focused on providing larger facilities (e.g. The Shores and an expanded Legacy Centre) complimented by smaller and local community assets. While most participants are willing to travel to the larger facilities, enhancing locally based opportunities will serve to strengthen neighbourhoods and engage residents in the delivery of services. Participation in parks and recreational opportunities will strengthen neighbourhoods by building cohesion, social connections and community pride let alone the benefits accrued to the individual participant. In times where neighbours spend little time together and in a community where diversity is increasing, strengthening neighbourhoods becomes a more critical approach. As such, the provision of facilities is not based upon numbers and service standards alone. In the view of being a fiscally responsible and sustainable Municipality, it is important to recognize that all facilities and services cannot be provided on a “walk‐to” basis. For example, major capital investments such as arenas or gymnasiums are not appropriate on a neighbourhood scale, nor are facilities such as high quality sports fields. Instead, these capitally and operationally intensive facilities needed to be carefully planned and located in a manner that maximizes efficiencies and return on investment to the Municipality and its community‐based providers. That being said, opportunities for outreach and satellite programming

4

Canadian Council on Social Development. (2002; 1984). The Progress of Canada’s Children; Crime Prevention Through Social Development: A Discussion Paper for Social Policy Makers and Practitioners.


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need to be considered at the neighbourhood and community‐level by making use of more affordable types of facilities, which are inherently more flexible in accommodating multiple uses. For example, the Municipality’s existing older community halls could be positioned for activities beyond the traditional mandate, and could be retrofitted to accommodate wellness programming (e.g. adding wood‐sprung floors), arts and cultural activities (e.g. adding sinks, storage, and improving acoustics), or business‐oriented uses (e.g. installing multi‐media, and audio/visual systems). Similarly, parks could be designed in a manner that can accommodate house league or practice sports field programming and also be used for neighbourhood use such as tossing a Frisbee or playing pick‐up soccer (yet the field would not have to be designed or maintained to elite standards of play).

Inactivity & Obesity Canada is facing a national health care crisis caused by a combination of physical inactivity, increased time in front of the television, computer screens and video games and poor eating decisions within most populations across the country. The combined effect of these unhealthy lifestyle choices has resulted in a dramatic rise in the number of obese and inactive Canadians. While historically these conditions were restricted to adults, it is now becoming increasingly apparent that young Canadians are not active enough to sustain adequate health levels over their lifetime. In fact, there is an increasing body of evidence that suggests that for the first time in history, the current younger generation will not have the longevity or quality of life enjoyed by their parents. Federal, provincial and municipal governments are responding to this issue by developing strategies to increase awareness about opportunities for greater participation in regular physical activity, as well as to encourage individuals to make wise food choices. The notion of being physically active and maintaining healthy weights through proper diet has become main stream. Lambton Shores has recognized the growing movement that has been initiated by senior levels of government as well as organizations with a mandate to promote and/or support healthy living behaviours. At the very least, it will be important to be aligned with existing initiatives that can help to encourage residents to eat healthy, be physical active or to participate in recreation and sports endeavours. The Municipality can make a meaningful difference in the lifestyle choices of the residents over time; as a first step, it is recommended that the Municipality undertake the preparation of a Physical Activity Strategy that provides guidance and a plan of action to increase physical activity levels throughout Lambton Shores.

Targeting Key Markets

Children & Youth According to Statistics Canada data from the 2006 Census, there were 870 children between the ages of 0 and 9 and 1,310 youth between the ages of 10 and 19, respectively representing 8% and 12% of the total population in Lambton Shores. Although the number of individuals in this cohort have largely declined over the past decade, it is still imperative to ensure that Lambton Shores’ children and youth are provided with ample leisure opportunities to facilitate healthy social and


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physical development in their formative years. The facilitation of positive choices through the provision of spaces (both indoor and outdoor) is seen as a core component of healthy development of local youth. According to the Play Works Partnership, which is a collection of youth‐oriented agencies, the benefits of providing opportunities for youth to take chances and make decisions can develop and facilitate: • • • • • •

respect for their peers; a sense of belonging; personal growth and development; enthusiasm and fun; pride, enhanced self‐esteem and self‐image; and development of creative problem‐solving skills.

The Grand Bend Youth Centre (GBYC) is owned by the Municipality and leased to the local Optimist Club, who are the largest leisure programmer for youth outside of the school system. The GBYC has a kitchen, television with video games, computers, and lounge space which allow the organization to fulfill its mission “to promote and encourage recreation programs for all ages within Lambton County while creating everlasting relationships with peers, volunteers and staff.” According to the GBYC’s website, the following programs were offered through the summer: watercolour painting class, road trips, scrapbooking, summer camps, drop‐in basketball, and dance classes (off‐site). In the recent past, the Optimist Club of Ausable Port Franks provided weekly programming for local youth at the Port Franks Community Centre (on the second floor). The youth centre is no longer operating due to unsustained enrolment, but remains a potential opportunity for future utilization if warranted by need/demand given the unstructured activities that can be provided indoors and outdoors (i.e. the former ping pong, foosball, air hockey, hang‐out space, etc. that were offered as well as the existing park, soccer field, open space, and tennis courts). Due to the nature of youth‐oriented programming, it is widely recognized that no one organization alone can address the social, physical, emotional and health‐related needs of children and youth. The GBYC lists a number of partners in the community including the Municipality of Lambton Shores, the Lawrence House Centre for the Arts, Southwestern Ontario in Motion, Sand Hills Golf, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of South Huron, the Grand Bend Optimist Club, and the United Way of Sarnia/Lambton. As discussed through Strategic Direction #2 and Strategic Direction #6, the Municipality should take a leadership role in coordinating the various youth‐related organizations in the community to ensure that program and service gaps can be minimized to the greatest extent possible; the Municipality’s greatest contribution is seen as one of a community facilitator, particularly with respect to the delivery of recreation and leisure services since that has been part of the core municipal mandate (albeit, historically it has been through facility provision). It is recommended that the Municipality pursue discussions with the YMCA to investigate the provision of high quality leisure programs, given the YMCA’s familiarity and expertise with youth throughout the province, and build upon the existing relationship already in place within the community.


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In particular, the Municipality can facilitate higher quality through leadership in engaging youth to participate in the creation and delivery of related programming. Youth engagement is one of the single most important factors in the provision of meaningful services and encouraging youth to pursue positive lifestyle choices. As with adults, youth simply want to have a voice that is heard and respected, and it is this feedback that most accurately informs decision‐makers about the needs of local youth. Simply put, empowered youth are engaged youth. If youth are unaware of the opportunities that exist, the potential benefits are negated. Making youth aware of facilities, programs and services made available through the Grand Bend Optimist Youth Centre, the Municipality, and its community partners needs to be a priority to ensure that these youth have the ability to benefit from them. As discussed in Strategic Direction #6 of this Master Plan, it is recommended that the Municipality pay particular attention to its marketing methods for reaching youth – the utilization of social networking methods (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, myspace, etc.) as well as targeting the schools for print advertising – and ensure that it remains current and respectful of youth. In addition, word‐of‐mouth advertising is a particularly useful method as youth will often tell friends about what’s ‘cool’, which may entice others to attend as well. While the Grand Bend Youth Centre is an important source of programming, it largely is intended to serve the community of Grand Bend. Unfortunately, the GBYC cannot be seen as a facility that serves the needs of other settlement areas such as Forest or Thedford, largely because children and youth are a market that does not have reliable access to transportation choices, thus limiting their ability to travel over distances beyond a walking or bicycling threshold. Furthermore, it is not a pragmatic approach to construct and operate a dedicated youth centre in each settlement area (due to costs, insufficient and declining youth populations in some communities, and the fact that youth services are best located using a ‘hub’ approach such as at a multi‐use community centre or a park such as Lions Park in Grand Bend which co‐locates a number of youth‐oriented activities). It will be important, therefore, to look at the ability of community halls such as Kimball Hall or The Shores in Forest, or the Village Complex or The Legacy Centre in Thedford as outreach/satellite locations in which to provide children and youth programs. Furthermore, looking to strategic school sites to service the outlying areas may also be an option to consider in conjunction with the local Boards of Education while discussions could be held with the YMCA to build on the existing relationship and consider programming for younger age groups. With respect to programming, an inventory of local programs provided through the community was undertaken as part of the master planning process and a noticeable gap was observed in serving the youth market (i.e., 10 to 19 years of age). While there seems to be opportunities for social awareness and interaction (e.g. through Scouts, Girl Guides, etc.) and organized recreational activities (e.g. minor sports, horseback riding, etc.), gap areas were observed for non‐programmed, drop‐in types of activities especially pertaining to arts and culture. These represent an opportunity for the Municipality to reconcile, either collaboratively with its local partners (i.e., community development) or through direct provision by bolstering programming out of local gymnasiums or other appropriate municipal facilities. For example, the Municipality could facilitate or offer educational programs such as creative writing or leadership courses (potentially in partnership with the YMCA, school boards or other educational groups) and arts and culture programming such as drawing, sculpting or music classes (potentially collaborating with the GBYC who already offer some arts programs). In fact, it is believed that the best approach would be to solidify the GBYC’s position as the hub for youth programming within Lambton Shores, but that the Municipality also consider providing some youth programming to fill the perceived gap (both at the GBYC and at


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outreach locations). This may be as simple as providing more drop‐in hours at the gyms or offering arts and crafts classes at the multi‐purpose rooms located throughout the Municipality. The Optimist Club of Ausable Port Franks Youth Centre, although currently dormant, has offered youth programming in the past and may be considered as a possible site for future youth programming. The Municipality should also continue to work with the County, Libraries, and the community to provide spaces in its facilities that are suitable for early childhood development opportunities (which largely target the 0 to 6 age group). The inclusion of a daycare and library branch at The Legacy Centre is viewed as a successful approach that represents best practices in co‐locating complimentary partner space. The Municipality could take this one step further by designing spaces within its community centres that allow for drop‐in child supervision while a caregiver uses the facility (this approach would work best at a facility such as The Shores); this removes a barrier to participation for the caregiver (if they do not have access to babysitting services) and also introduces children to leisure activities at a very young age.

Older Adults The Municipality of Lambton Shores currently has one dedicated seniors’ centre in Arkona (presently leased to the Arkona Seniors), which has a multi‐purpose room with a capacity of 60 people as well as a small kitchen facility. In addition, older adult and seniors’ organizations make use of other municipal meeting spaces, such as the Port Franks Community Centre, The Shores Recreation Centre, the Village Complex and The Legacy Centre. Organizations also make use of non‐municipal facilities, including the local Community Health Centres and the Grand Bend Legion Hall. Between 2006 and 2026, the number of Canadian seniors is expected to increase from 4.3 million to 9.8 million.5 Many members of the ‘Baby Boomer’ demographic (generally between the ages of 45 and 64) are quickly reaching retirement age, contributing to a significant ‘greying’ of the population and placing greater demand on programs and activities aimed at older adults. This generation may be shifting away from traditional seniors’ activities and towards more active recreation, seeking quality wellness and active living opportunities. The ‘new senior’ will typically be wealthier and more physically active than those in previous generations; activities of interest may include swimming, yoga, pilates, fitness, walking, and even more rigorous activities, such as hockey. As ‘new seniors’ reach a point where they physically cannot participate in the more intensive activities, there will still be some that reflect the historical interests for seniors such as card playing and carpet bowling, but this will represent a small portion of the total senior population. Although population projections specific to Lambton Shores are not available at this time, the provincial and nationwide trend is that the number of seniors and older adults will increase greatly in the near future and there will be greater demand for services for this age group (based more on ability than age). The Municipality of Lambton Shores has an active older adult population, and is home to four seniors clubs: the Grand Bend Golden Agers Club (offering shuffleboard, cards and a monthly luncheon); Arkona Seniors Club (offering shuffleboard, line dancing, and pot lucks); Port Franks Seniors Club 5

CBC News. (2007). Boomers to reshape what it means to be a senior. Available online at www.cbc.ca.


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(offering cards, shuffleboard, badminton, bus trips, a Christmas party, and executive meetings); the Forest Legion (providing space for shuffleboard, cards, etc.); and Thedford Senior Citizens Association (offering cards, pot lucks, and assistance to less fortunate families). Furthermore, a number of the community organizations that submitted stakeholder group surveys for this Study reported that their memberships are largely comprised of older adults and seniors (e.g., Healthy Lifestyle Exercise Program Port Franks, Thedford Bosanquet Shuffleboard Club, Caring Quilters of Lambton Shores, Grand Bend and Area Horticultural Society, Sunset Cinema Social Film Group, and West Coast Lions Club of Grand Bend). Both the Grand Bend and North Lambton Community Health Centres also offer programs geared specifically to the seniors market (e.g., cooking classes, exercise programs, coffee, dinners, etc.). Collectively, it appears that the Municipality (through the provision of space) and the community (through the provision of programs and services) are serving the needs of local older adults and seniors quite well. The household survey sample rated their level of satisfaction as being the highest for older adults and seniors, relative to programs targeting other age groups. The sample, however, also felt as room exists for improvement by ranking investment in seniors centres as one of their highest priority areas (behind only trails and youth centres). Furthermore, it is not cost‐effective or efficient for the Municipality to construct and operate a dedicated seniors’ centre in each settlement area, despite the fact that a segment of older adults and seniors potentially have a barrier to participation in the form of limited transportation options. As such, the ability of existing community centres and halls to integrate a wider range of older adult and seniors programming needs to be explored by enhancing existing assets to be more flexible and accommodate more types of use. Using this decentralized, outreach model to facilitate services to older adults is deemed to be the ideal approach; for example, the inclusion of a sink in a multi‐purpose room makes it suitable for arts and crafts programs, a wood floor (in lieu of a concrete floor) can reduce the impact of active living programs (e.g., aerobics, dance, etc.) on participants’ joints, and flexible space that can be set up with chairs and tables or left wide open is preferred to maximize possible programming opportunities. This continued provision of multi‐purpose spaces that can be utilized by seniors and older adults should consider the types of programs that are currently offered as well as those that may be suitable for this population to ensure that the spaces are appropriate. For example, the Municipality should build upon the consultation undertaken for this Master Plan and existing relationships with seniors’ groups to ensure that their needs are being considered and addressed wherever possible. The stakeholder group surveys received from seniors’ organizations for this Master Plan will serve as an excellent resource. A program inventory was compiled for this Master Plan which examined the opportunities available through non‐ municipal providers within the Municipality; opportunities were categorized by type and by age group served. Analysis of the program inventory reveals that seniors seem to be well served with respect to special interest (e.g., gardening, cards, etc.), service groups and professional associations (e.g., Probus groups, Rotary Club, Optimist Club, etc.). Some possible gap areas include educational opportunities (e.g., computer use instruction, life skills for older adults, etc.) and physical activities. The Grand Bend and Area and North Lambton Community Health Centres, Healthy Lifestyle Exercise Program of Port Franks, Forest Curling and Social Club and the Thedford Shuffleboard Club provide senior‐specific physical activity programming, but opportunities exist for wide‐reaching programs that will provide basic active living opportunities for seniors and older adults, such as stretching, yoga, badminton, walking, swimming (perhaps in partnership with one of the hotel/resorts in town with an indoor pool), etc. It is recommended the Municipality consult with local seniors and older


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adults to determine what programs these age cohorts would like to see offered by the Municipality to supplement available non‐municipal opportunities.

Indoor Recreation Facilities The Municipality of Lambton Shores has a number of recreational facilities that serve its community. Two new multi‐use centres have recently been developed (The Shores and the soon‐to‐be‐opened Legacy Centre) and are augmented by other minor facilities, as listed below. •

The Legacy Centre – the former Thedford‐Bosanquet Community Centre is undergoing a major renovation and expansion that is slated for completion in early 2011. The facility’s existing full‐sized ice surface will be complemented by new change rooms, a new hall, a leased daycare centre and a public library branch. In addition, outdoor facilities will include two unlit baseball diamonds, a lawn mower race track, and playground equipment.

•

The Shores Recreation Centre ‐ contains an NHL‐sized ice surface encircled by spectator seating and a walking track, full‐sized gymnasium, two board rooms, a Wellness Centre operated by the YMCA, and administrative space.

•

Forest Community Centre & Arena – the arena has been decommissioned though the Municipality leases a portion of the space to the Forest Curling & Social Club, which includes four ice sheets as well as washrooms, lounge area, bar, kitchen and change rooms. Kimball Hall is leased to the Optimist Club of Forest, and contains a community hall (capacity 400) with a kitchen and stage, as well as a separate small meeting room (capacity 15).

•

Arkona Community Centre – contains a community room (capacity 50) and a meeting room (capacity 30), and houses the Arkona Library. In addition, the grounds include playground equipment and a sitting area.

•

Grand Bend Recreation Centre – This facility is co‐located with Grand Bend Public School, and shares the 200‐person capacity gym with the school. The community room (capacity 40) contains a small kitchen, and the facility also houses the Grand Bend Public Library.

•

Port Franks Community Centre – This Community Centre has two multi‐purpose spaces (which can be combined to form one large hall) consisting of the Optimist Hall and the West Wing with respective capacities of 240 and 149, and each of which includes its own kitchen area. The Port Franks Public Library is co‐located

Map 1: Distribution of Community Centres & Halls


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at this facility, as are two tennis courts, playground equipment, a soccer field, a skateboard park, and a practice ball diamond (the latter which is recommended for replacement with a splash pad and green space by this Master Plan). The Optimist Club of Ausable Port Franks leases the upper portion of the this facility, which contains a meeting space with a kitchen, and an area that has been designated as a youth centre (although the Youth Centre is not currently operating due to low enrolment). •

Thedford Village Complex – This facility contains a meeting room (capacity 70) and kitchen, and is adjacent to the Thedford Village Green which includes an accessible playground and a gazebo.

While the construction of multi‐use, multi‐generational community centres such as The Shores and The Legacy Centre represent best practice in facility design (largely due to operational efficiencies incurred by the Municipality and convenience afforded to patrons through “one stop shopping”), a number of municipalities are amalgamating existing single‐focused facilities into their multi‐use complexes. In Lambton Shores, where the population is dispersed over a large geographic area, the amalgamation of existing facilities into a large complex is not as pragmatic compared to a largely urban municipality whose population would travel much shorter distances (and/or are supported by transit). While it is not best practice to continue to build single‐focus municipal facilities, the Municipality should continue to operate its community halls to ensure that opportunities (albeit more limited) are available in its rural and smaller urban settlement areas. Throughout the needs assessments carried out as part of the Master Plan, it was found that the recent addition of The Shores and upgrade of The Legacy centre have been sufficient to meet community needs over the next ten years. As such, no new major indoor recreational infrastructure is recommended. Through consultations, some desires were expressed for an indoor aquatic facility, however, the provision of such a facility cannot be justified at present time due to the significant cost involved with construction and operation relative to the small and dispersed population base, as well as competition with three indoor pools at private properties. In fact, public access (albeit at varying degrees) is allowed at the Rock Glen Family Resort (which allows the resort’s fitness club members to use its indoor pool), the Pine Dale Motor Inn (which has an indoor saltwater pool offering swimming lessons and Aquafit classes to the general public at a cost of $5 per person per visit) and the Forest Golf & Country Hotel (whose pool can be rented for public use). On a similar note, some of the consultations revealed a perceived demand for an additional community meeting space (possibly an arts centre) in Grand Bend; while this Master Plan generally discourages the provision of single purpose facilities, the Municipality should evaluate the feasibility of a multi‐use, arts‐oriented facility through a more detailed business planning and market justification exercise to determine capital and ongoing operating costs in relation to the Municipality’s ability to fund such a facility, as well as determine opportunities in which to partner with the local community (see Strategic Direction #8 for more on this topic). As alluded to in the assessments of youth and older adult needs, the small community halls are well positioned to serve as outreach/satellite programming locations provided they are enhanced in a manner that allows for quality services to be


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offered. The community search conference revealed a desire of some groups to make the existing single‐purpose facilities, such as community halls, more flexible to allow for broader programming opportunities (e.g. addition of a wood sprung floor to reduce the impact of aerobic activities for older adults. Several groups suggested improvements to existing single‐ purpose facilities, including improved audio/visual capability, improved heating and cooling and efficiency, enhancement of barrier‐free elements, etc. Lastly, the former Forest Community Centre & Arena represents a potential opportunity for adaptive reuse. The construction of The Shores has largely resulted in the Forest Arena becoming surplus, however, the facility is still used by the Forest Curling & Social Club, Kimball Hall is rented for community meetings and small events, and the adjacent park complexes are still very much active for field sports and the lawn bowling club. Unfortunately, the Forest Arena is not deemed to be operationally efficient and can be considered to be underutilized in terms of its overall square footage. The Municipality should continue to examine ways to bolster use of the community centre in a manner that can benefit the local and surrounding communities; through the master planning process, consultations with the Curling Club indicate that they are willing to contribute capital towards enhancing their portion of the facility, while the Rotary Club has floated the idea of converting the former arena into an indoor skateboard park. Prior to confirming these types of uses, the Municipality will be required to undertake a detailed feasibility study and business plan for improving the Forest Community Centre & Arena to determine whether structural and functional improvements can be cost‐effectively undertaken versus decommissioning the site as a whole (which would require discussion with the Curling Club, who are presently the only permanent tenant of the facility). Please note that a comprehensive analysis of indoor recreation facility needs is provided under separate cover in the Master Plan’s Technical Report.

Outdoor Recreation Facilities The Municipality provides a wide range of outdoor recreational facilities, a number of which have been considered through the master planning process including: • • • • • • •

Sports Fields (e.g. soccer fields, ball diamonds, etc.); Hard Surface Courts (e.g. basketball and tennis courts); Playgrounds; Splash Pads; Skateboard Parks; BMX and Mountain Bike Parks; and Boat Launches.


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The Municipality of Lambton Shores also includes a number of other specialized and/or passive outdoor recreation facilities, including lawn bowling greens, a lawnmower track, bocce courts, covered pavilions, concession stands, and picnic areas. While the Master Plan cannot cover the entire spectrum of recreational infrastructure and activities (it instead focuses on core services that form the traditional mandate of most recreation departments), the Municipality should be prepared to evaluate demand for new and emerging requests on a case‐by‐case basis. As part of these analyses, the Municipality should consider (at a minimum) who the potential Map 2: Distribution of Soccer Fields users may be, costs of provision and operation, possible locations, partnership opportunities, and the ability of existing facilities to accommodate/adapt to integrating non‐traditional activities. Please note that a comprehensive analysis of outdoor recreation facility needs is provided under separate cover in the Master Plan’s Technical Report.

Sports Fields The Municipality has a total of seven soccer fields, the majority of which (five) are located at Klondyke Park. Due to its low equipment costs, international appeal, and high fitness requirements, soccer is a very popular sport amongst today’s younger generations. Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada (2006) found that less than half of all Canadian children are active enough to achieve optimal growth and development. The 2010 Canadian Health Measures Survey, recently released by Statistics Canada, reports that the number of overweight and obese Canadians tripled (quadrupled in some age groups) between 1981 and 2009. These statistics provide rationale for promoting physical activity among the residents of Lambton Shores, with soccer being an excellent low‐cost activity that requires little equipment. The household survey undertaken for this Master Plan found that 16% of respondent households had participated in soccer within the past twelve months, ranking it eleventh out of twenty activities queried. Typically, soccer field needs are assessed using market‐driven standards that consider the number of participants using local fields. Unfortunately, local soccer groups have not chosen to participate in the master planning process so their needs are unclear. Due to the limited input by soccer organizations, it is assumed that they are satisfied with the existing supply, and a target of 1 soccer field per 2,000 residents has been employed to assess future need. Application of this target would suggest that a total of seven fields are required at present (suggesting that current needs are being met) and by the end of the master planning period, a total of eight fields would be required; this would imply that one additional soccer field should be developed by the year 2020. Although not a municipal facility, the Taxandria Falcons Soccer Club has recently constructed three soccer


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fields in Arkona. The Municipality of Lambton Shores provided some funding for this project, as these fields will in part serve its residents, although these fields are not included in the inventory as the Municipality has no control over their scheduling. The preferred soccer field development strategy would be to develop the new field at Klondyke Park, given this park’s function as a sports field complex and availability of land Map 3: Distribution of Ball Diamonds there. Furthermore, it is recommended that the Municipality install lighting at this field (or on an existing field) at Klondyke Park in order to accommodate a greater degree of evening play (thereby increasing the utilization capacity of the field) and better meeting the needs of adult and rep level leagues. Prior to any new field developments and improvements, the Municipality should develop a Sports Field Allocation Policy and associated sports field permitting process (as recommended in Strategic Direction #1) so that it can equitably allocate access to sports fields based upon input and annual registration/participation data provided by user groups. With regard to ball diamonds, there are a total of seven such facilities, of which five are lit (note: this excludes the Port Franks Community Centre diamond which is not programmed for organized use). For the purposes of this Master Plan, each lit diamond is assumed to allow 50% more playable hours (due to evening use) than an unlit equivalent; therefore, the effective supply of ball diamonds is considered to be 9.5 (as the 5 lit diamonds are assumed to be equivalent to 7.5 unlit fields). In Lambton Shores, ball has generally appeared to mirror provincial trends that show declining registrations (particularly in youth programs), though there are variations as there are indications that interest is growing in communities such as Grand Bend. The household survey undertaken for this Master Plan found that 17% of households participated in ball, ranking ninth out of twenty activity types queried. Through a combination of experience in other communities, industry standards, and the aging of the Municipality’s population, a provision target of 1 ball diamond per 100 registered players is employed to determine current and future needs. With approximately 600 players registered with local ball groups, a total of six ball diamonds would be required, which indicates a surplus of facilities, though this surplus is partially attributed to the fact that the geographically expansive Municipality needs to ensure adequate distribution of these facilities throughout Lambton Shores. Given the current participation rate in ball, the projected ten year increase in registration is expected to generate demand for about half a diamond which means the existing supply is deemed to be able to accommodate future needs (in terms of capacity, or available hours). A cause for concern, however, is that the majority of diamonds in Lambton Shores are either not accessible to the majority of the


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playing population or are not of sufficient size/quality to accommodate highly competitive or adult leagues. For example, the diamond at Lions Park in Grand Bend is well utilized but is of insufficient size to accommodate more powerful players who can easily hit the ball beyond the outfield fence (posing a safety concern to adjacent residences as well as the onsite skateboard park and playground set). When ball in Grand Bend grows sustainably over the long‐term – particularly in the older age groups and adult play – the existing diamond at Grand Bend Lions Park will not be suitable; local groups would require access to a ball diamond that is of sufficient size and quality, something that cannot be achieved within Lions Park. Should local ball groups wish to diversify their programming beyond the youth market, relocation of the Lions Park diamond is recommended to an alternative site so that ball programs can continue to grow. Any diamond relocation should ensure that the potential exists to add additional diamonds (if warranted by future need), as suggested by best practices that group multiple sports fields within a complex format. In keeping with this plan, the Municipality should explore options to construct a new ball diamond that is designed in consultation with the Grand Bend Baseball Project; the most plausible option would be to position Klondyke Park as the primary venue for ball in Grand Bend, as this represents the most fiscally‐ responsible approach both in terms of land acquisition (the Municipality already owns it, thus negating the need to acquire lands which are potentially expensive) and sustainable operations that would create economies of scale for the Municipality (e.g., mutual electrical and water systems, centralizing maintenance, etc.). As such, the Municipality should construct one hardball diamond (to replace the Lions Park field) in the short‐term while leaving sufficient space to construct additional diamonds (e.g., for softball) which may be needed in the future. Furthermore, consolidation of ball diamonds within this sports field complex will generate efficiencies in program delivery for user groups (e.g., better ability to host tournaments and skill development clinics, accommodate a range of ages and levels of play, ability to create a clubhouse with concessions and storage, etc.). Based upon this course of action, the Municipality should decommission the diamond at Lions Park and naturalize the land as unstructured open space for neighbourhood/community use. If, however, Council decides to maintain the Grand Bend Lions Park diamond at its current location, use should be relegated to children and youth house league programs. Improvements to the diamond should be also be made to address its limitations and mitigate any impacts on the surrounding land uses (e.g., the homes to the north). As a result of any continued use of Lions Park for ball, adult programs would need to be accommodated outside of the Grand Bend area, potentially at existing diamonds in Forest or Thedford which are the only diamonds large enough to accommodate competitive or adult‐level play. Should Lions Park diamond be maintained, it is strongly emphasized that no new diamonds (i.e. at Klondyke Park or another location) be developed during the master planning period as the surplus capacity of ball diamonds would be exacerbated and result in an unsustainable base for the Municipality to maintain. Additionally, the Municipality should consider repurposing another diamond elsewhere in Lambton Shores to reduce inefficiencies associated with its surplus. Preferably, a repurposed diamond is one that is underutilized or does not effectively meet the needs of organized users, and its fate should be determined after consulting with the community and appropriate user groups; for example, the diamond at the Port Franks Community Centre could be repurposed as a splash pad and other non‐programmed space to serve the local community.


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Hard Surface Courts There are a total of seven municipally operated tennis courts (located at the Port Franks Community Centre, Esli Dodge Conservation Area, and at Whyte Park in Forest) and two municipally operated full‐size basketball courts (located at the Arkona Community Centre and Lions Park in Grand Bend) distributed across Lambton Shores. There is also a hard surface court that is being developed by the Port Franks Map 4: Distribution of Basketball & Tennis Courts Yacht Club with the support of the Municipality. With regard to tennis, trends research is generally inconclusive as it pertains to participation. Some trends suggest that the aging Baby Boom generation could fuel demand for the sport due to their interest in active living opportunities, while some studies have found that tennis is not a growth sport. Experience also suggests that the interest in tennis varies greatly between municipalities and can be influenced by the existing level of service and ethnic composition. The unstructured and unprogrammed nature of tennis may bode well for future participation as the sport can be accommodated within a busy lifestyle; for this reason, courts that players can walk to are preferred as are multi‐court venues (two or more hard surface courts) due to the increased maintenance efficiencies. In addition, some tennis organizations in the province have taken a proactive approach to increasing participation through programs aimed at children and youth. In Lambton Shores, 8% of the household survey sample reported participation in tennis, ranking seventeenth out of twenty listed activities. On the other hand, basketball is generally considered to be a growth sport, especially among youth. Demand for outdoor basketball courts has been found to be high in many communities as the courts are easily incorporated into neighbourhood‐level parks, thus allowing pedestrian or bicycle access (which are the primary modes of transportation among youth). In the case of Lambton Shores, however, the results of the household survey showed that participation in basketball ranked second to last in terms of both participation and desired investment in the facility (though it is noted that adults constituted the vast majority of the survey sample). Despite this, basketball courts are consistently identified by youth as being a favoured recreational facility and provide opportunities for spontaneous, informal play. It should be noted that the Municipality’s supply of outdoor basketball courts is supplemented by courts and hoops provided at most, if not all, elementary schools. As a non‐programmed neighbourhood/community level amenity, the utilization of a population‐based provision target and consideration of geographic distribution can assist in planning for future needs based upon forecasted population growth for hard surface


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courts. The provision target of 1 tennis court per 5,000 residents is based upon experience in other communities, the existing level of interest in tennis and industry standards. The target would suggest that approximately three tennis courts are presently required to serve the existing population of 14,119 and the ten‐year forecasted population of 15,516. In the case of basketball, a standard of 1 basketball court per 800 youth (ages 10 to 19, representing the primary users of these courts) has been applied which suggests the need for two courts would be sufficient to satisfy needs over the master planning period. As such, the existing supply of both tennis and basketball courts are deemed to meet needs to the year 2020 based upon application of these provision targets alone. However, equally as important as these provision targets is geographic distribution of hard surface courts. These are facilities that are generally considered to be walk‐to and neighbourhood‐level amenities (particularly basketball and multi‐ use courts, the latter which can also accommodate activities such as ball hockey). As shown in the preceding graphic, Grand Bend does not have a tennis court despite having the largest population base within Lambton Shores, while Thedford is neither served by any form of hard surface court. In addition, Forest has many outdoor basketball hoops that are located at schools, supplementing the municipal supply with respect to geographic distribution. As such, the Municipality should provide hard surface courts in true gap areas that are not amply covered by school courts and should also consider the provision of multi‐use courts as a new template when designing parks. Should future demand dictate need for a basketball court in Forest, Whyte Park could be considered as an appropriate location as a basketball hoop could be added to the existing court. It should also be noted that the Port Franks Yacht Club is in the process of developing a hard surface court, with the assistance of the Municipality, beside the existing cement pad adjacent to its pavilion; this court will help supplement the fully municipal supply in Port Franks.

Children’s Play Areas The Municipality has 8 traditional and 5 creative play structures located at a total of 13 parks, with each community within the Lambton Shores having at least one play structure. It should be noted that elementary schools may also provide play structures that may be used by residents during off hours and days upon which the school is closed; these facilities are not included in the municipal inventory. Playgrounds serve as a neighbourhood level amenity which can provide opportunities for early childhood leisure. Adherence to Canadian Standards Association (CSA) guidelines for design and safety is of key importance in the provision of play structures, which has resulted in a move from traditional steel design to creative play structures that include softer surfaces, creative and cognitive stimuli and/or barrier free components for children with special needs. The Municipality has three accessible playgrounds (Grand Bend Beach, Thedford Village Green, and Klondyke Park), with the recently opened Thedford Village Green playground being the newest. The Municipality has a trained playground inspector who ensures the equipment is safe; maintenance and replacement efforts are undertaken when necessary. It is recommended that any new play structures conform to CSA guidelines for construction and maintenance and include accessible features wherever possible; the Municipality should also continue its inspection and replacement program.


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Municipal playgrounds are generally considered ‘walk‐to’ facilities in that they are usually located within a 10‐minute walk or 800 metres of all built‐up areas, and should not be impeded by major pedestrian barriers such as railway lines, waterways or major roads/highways. This 800‐metre distance should be interpreted as a maximum, and is supported through the Official Plan, which states that children’s play structures may be provided at neighbourhood parks, which are to be “centrally located within a Neighbourhood and accessible to pedestrians.” This provides access to all residents regardless of transportation concerns. Application of the service Map 5: Distribution of Playgrounds radius shows very good coverage across Lambton Shores with its existing play structure supply, with the exception of one gap area southeast of the intersection of Main Street and King Street in Forest. The gap area is created because these roads are main arteries that are not easily crossed by young children, the primary users of play structures; although there are not any municipal play structures within the gap area, there is a large creative play structure at Kinnwood Elementary School at the corner of Morris and MacDonald Streets. This play structure should be accessible by the general public outside of school hours and provides some level of service to residents of the gap area. The Municipality also operates a children’s splash pad at the Grand Bend Beach, consisting of a number of waterplay elements. The cost‐effective nature of waterplay templates (e.g., splash and spray pad) have shifted municipal focus across the province away from the provision of outdoor swimming pools and wading pools (which can require significant and unsustainable financial investment for construction, maintenance and ongoing operation for an annual operating season of up to three months). Wading pools are also not seen as being cost‐efficient or beneficial to a large proportion of families because of the limited age range they serve (generally 7 and under) and the need for lifeguards. Splash pad facilities, on the other hand, generally require a smaller capital investment in construction (depending upon the design and size), and are often used by toddlers and school‐aged children. The real savings are achieved, however, by removal of direct staffing costs (no lifeguards, no staff required to test and treat water as there is no standing water, etc.). The needs assessment utilizes an age‐specific service target since splash pads are typically used by children of 14 years or younger; a service level target of 1 splash pad per 5,000 children (ages 0‐14) is recommended. Based upon application of the target, the existing splash pad in Grand Bend is deemed to adequately meet the needs of the Municipality though it is important to recognize that the facility is used heavily by visitors and that additional waterplay facilities can be justified based upon geographic distribution throughout Lambton Shores. To address geographic distribution, some municipalities offer cooling features (such as “misters”) in underserviced areas to ensure that all children have access to a basic form of waterplay. It is recommended that the Municipality provide cooling features in at least one existing park in each of Arkona, Forest and Thedford,


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possibly at the Arkona Community Centre Park, Rotary Civic Square and Legacy Centre Park (respectively). Furthermore, the Municipality should strongly consider the provision of a splash pad (design and scale to be confirmed through subsequent planning) at the Port Franks Community Centre through repurposing the existing ball diamond as discussed earlier in this section. A splash pad is deemed to be a congruent use in relation to the rest of the park given the site’s focus as a family destination, particularly among children, youth (who use the skateboard park) and adults.

Non‐Programmed Park Spaces Time‐pressed individuals are seeking areas where they can enjoy park uses at their own convenience. Informal play fields have been observed to be popular, particularly at the neighbourhood‐level for activities such as pickup field sports, frisbee, playing musical instruments, card playing, kite flying, sunbathing, etc. In terms of picnicking, the Municipality provides picnic tables at a number of parks which offer a venue for gatherings. Picnicking has been observed to be a use that is re‐emerging in popularity, largely driven by the desire for family leisure opportunities and ethnic diversification (picnicking has been observed to be a popular leisure activity for many newcomers to Canada). The key to the success of unstructured recreational areas is the flexibility that is afforded for the types of uses that can be pursued. These types of parks can bring people together to participate in physical activity, showcase cultural diversity through festivals and special events (e.g. Art in the Park). Larger parks are ideally suited to contain unstructured areas for recreation, although a neighbourhood park is also a place for unorganized activities, albeit at a smaller scale. Similarly, the provision of spaces capable of hosting festivals, special events or other gatherings at a neighbourhood or community level should be encouraged, as appropriate, through park design. These programmable open spaces provide a tremendous opportunity to deliver events that foster a sense of community pride and interaction, generate low cost opportunities and contribute to the overall quality of life of local residents. Such spaces need to be supported by appropriate amenities and servicing such as hydro, washrooms, staging areas, etc.


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Strategic Direction #7 – Actions & Implementation Topic Area Inclusive Facilities and Services

Stream


Suggested Timing

FMS

7‐1. In conjunction with local service providers, place a high priority on programs aimed at reducing financial barriers to participation, including barriers for transportation and equipment.

Ongoing

FMS

7‐2. Develop an Access Policy for Low Income Residents to ensure that there are mechanisms in place to reduce/eliminate costs for those residents in financial need.

Short‐Term

FMS

7‐3. Continually inventory the mix of programs to ensure that there is a balance of no cost/low cost programs and services which are accessible to residents.

Ongoing

Resource Implications Staff Time and Financial Resources, the degree of which will need to be determined through business planning. Staff Time to develop policy, budgetary implications to be determined through future business planning. Staff Time and Financial Resources, the degree of which will need to be determined through business planning. (note: also see Strategic Direction #5, Action 5‐1)

7‐4. Foster the development of existing, new and emerging sport, cultural and recreational activities that may be popular with under‐ represented populations and ensure that these opportunities are available to all Lambton Shores’ residents.

Ongoing

FMS

7‐5. Work with community groups and stakeholders to expand their ability to include all residents regardless of their backgrounds

Ongoing

Staff Time

FMS

7‐6. Ensure that all facilities, amenities and services are designed in line with provincial accessibility legislation and according to the Municipality’s accessibility standards (with input provided by the Accessibility Committee for Lambton Shores, as necessary).

Ongoing


CRFS

7‐7. The Municipality should continue to consult with its local older adult and seniors representatives as a means to enhance existing relationships, understand local needs and preferences as they evolve over time, and determine any programming gaps that the Municipality can address through community development or direct provision.

Ongoing

Staff Time and Financial Resources, the degree of which will need to be determined through business planning.

CRFS

7‐8. The Municipality should continue to make space available in each of its community centres and halls for the provision of older adult and seniors programming by local organizations.

Ongoing


FMS

Older Adults & Seniors



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Topic Area Children’s Facilities & Services

Stream

Strategic Direction 7: Actions 7‐9. The Municipality should adopt a provision standard of 1 play structure within 800 metres of all built‐up areas; this radius should not cross major barriers, including at‐grade railways, waterways or highways.

Ongoing

CRFS

7‐10. The Municipality should continue its playground inspection and replacement program, while ensuring that all new play structures conform to CSA guidelines for construction and maintenance, and include barrier‐free/accessible features wherever possible.

Ongoing

CRFS

7‐11. To address the need for outdoor aquatics, the Municipality should:

Short‐Term (Port Franks)

CRFS

• Repurpose the ball diamond at the Port Franks Community Centre to a splash pad and associated non‐programmed space; and • integrate basic cooling features into at least one existing playground in Thedford, Forest and Arkona. Youth Facilities & Services

Suggested Timing

Medium‐Term (Thedford) Long‐Term (Arkona) Ongoing

FMS

7‐13. The Municipality should work with community partners to strengthen programs and services available to children and youth in Lambton Shores. At a minimum, this should include holding discussions with the YMCA and local youth centres with regard to enhancing leisure programming being delivered to the community.

Ongoing

CRFS

7‐14. The Municipality should engage in consultation with youth (who are traditionally primary users) to gauge interest in the provision of this BMX / mountain bike park. This endeavour should only be undertaken if a suitable partner can be secured for assistance with items such as fundraising, maintenance, construction, etc.

Medium‐Term


Standard Creative Playground Unit $200,000

7‐12. As a means to ensure that a range of non‐programmed and/or organized activities are available to youth across Lambton Shores, the Municipality should provide appropriate supports to community‐based providers in establishing the Grand Bend Youth Centre and the Lions Park complex as a centralized hub for youth‐oriented services while finding ways to facilitate outreach/satellite programming at other appropriate venues throughout the Municipality.

CRFS



Major Splash Pad Capital Cost: $300,000 (depending on size/scale) Minor Splash Pad Capital Cost: $150,000

Staff Time


BMX / Mountain Bike Park Capital Cost: $250,000 (depending on size/scale)

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Topic Area

Stream CRFS

Strategic Direction 7: Actions 7‐15. The Municipality should construct minor skateboard parks and basic “skate zones” in appropriate locations to complement the existing major skateboard parks in Grand Bend and Port Franks. Minor skateboard parks are small‐scale facilities and can consist of modular components (i.e. they do not have to be concrete construction) while skate zones are intended to be singular features (e.g. a curb or rail) integrated into park designs. As part of this Action, the Municipality should consider:

Suggested Timing


Short‐Term (Forest)

Minor Skateboard Park $50,000 depending upon size and scale of design

Medium‐Term (Thedford & Arkona)

• constructing a minor skateboard park in Forest consisting of selected portable skateboard park elements (e.g., rails, fun boxes, small ramps, etc.) which could be set up within a park (potentially Rotary Civic Square) during the summer months and moved indoors during the winter (at appropriate times, when an existing facility is not being used for other activities); • investigating the provision of skate zones at neighbourhood parks throughout Lambton Shores, with specific emphasis on the communities of Thedford and Arkona; • consulting with local youth and the skateboarding community regarding the design and location of all future skateboard parks and/or improvements to existing skateboard parks; and • working with the local community to fundraise a portion of capital and/or operating investments required to provide or improve skateboard parks.


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Topic Area Community Centres & Halls

Stream CRFS

Strategic Direction 7: Actions 7‐16. No new community centres, including arenas, fitness centres, gymnasiums, and indoor aquatics facilities are recommended over the master planning period. Instead, the Municipality’s focus should be placed on evaluating its existing supply of community centres and halls, in consultation with local stakeholders, for the ability of these facilities to accommodate a broader range of activities such as those for active living, arts and cultural uses, or enhanced meeting space. As part of this process, the Municipality should also investigate:


Resource Implications Staff Time and Financial Resources, the degree of which will need to be determined through business planning.

• partnership opportunities to improve the facilities; • appropriate programs that may be offered at the facilities in order to offset any existing gaps in service delivery; • the addition of certain enhancements (such as portable stage, sound system, sound absorption panels, etc.) to make gymnasiums at The Shores and/or the Grand Bend Recreation Centre more suitable for arts and cultural programs; and • the addition of a sprung wood floor at one or more of its community centres to provide more appealing and flexible spaces. Forest Community Centre & Arena

CRFS

Sports Fields

CRFS

7‐17. The Municipality should undertake a comprehensive feasibility study and business plan to determine potential uses that are appropriate for the Forest Community Centre & Arena, and the costs required to position this facility to deliver its desired programming. This will require consultations with the Forest Curling & Social Club, field sport groups using the adjacent parks, and other appropriate representatives of the Forest community.

Short‐Term

7‐18. The Municipality should continue its practice of co‐locating multiple sports fields at individual sites to create sports field complexes. In this way, both user groups and the Municipality are able to attain economies of scale and efficiencies in program delivery, while also creating centralized hubs for high quality sport and recreation activities in Lambton Shores.

Ongoing


Consultant Fees $80,000 (assuming planning, architectural and/or engineering analyses)

Efficiencies and cost savings associated with mutual lighting, irrigation and drainage system as well as centralized maintenance operations.

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Topic Area

Stream CRFS

CRFS

Hard Surface Courts

CRFS


Suggested Timing

7‐19. The Municipality should construct one lit soccer field at Klondyke Park. Prior to its development, a Sports Field Allocation Policy and formalized permitting system should be in place whereby the Municipality is annually provided with registration lists of soccer field user groups.

Short‐Term

7‐20. The Municipality should work with local ball groups to determine the type(s) of diamond(s) required to sustain and grow their programs in Lambton Shores. If existing diamonds in Lambton Shores are found to not adequately meet the needs of organized users, a process should be undertaken to replace or repurpose any diamond deemed to be underutilized provided that the number of proposed replacement diamonds does not exacerbate the Municipality’s existing surplus of diamonds. As an example, if the Municipality and local ball users wish to provide competitive and adult‐level programming in Grand Bend (recognizing the limitations of the Lions Park diamond to provide this level of service), a new diamond should be considered at an appropriate location, such as Klondyke Park, and subsequently the land associated with the existing ball diamond in Lions Park should be repurposed as non‐programmed open space for community use.

Short‐Term

7‐21. The Municipality should address geographic gaps in distribution of hard surface courts by: • providing hard surface courts, including multi‐use courts (which combine uses such as basketball, tennis, ball hockey, etc.), in newly developing residential areas; • providing tennis courts in Grand Bend (potentially at Lions Park, given decommissioning of the diamond), Thedford (potentially at the Legacy Centre) and Arkona (possibly by converting the court at the Community Centre into a multi‐use court);

Resource Implications Major Lit Soccer Field with Irrigation/Drainage Capital Cost: $500,000 (note: also see Strategic Direction #1, Action 1‐7)

Major Lit Ball Diamond with Irrigation/Drainage Capital Cost: $500,000

Short‐Term (Basketball Court in Thedford)

Hard Surface Court Capital Cost:$100,000

Medium‐Term (Tennis Court in Grand Bend) Long‐Term (Multi‐Use Court in Arkona)

• developing a basketball court in Thedford (preferably co‐located with the proposed tennis court); and • Maintain the relationship with the Port Franks Yacht Club with respect to the hard surface court it is currently developing.


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STRATEGIC DIRECTION #8: Embracing the Arts, Culture & Heritage

The Municipality will work to showcase Lambton Shores’ vibrant arts, culture and heritage to our residents and visitors through collaboration and interpretation efforts. Although the Municipality of Lambton Shores does not directly own or operate any specific cultural facilities, there are a number of museums, galleries, and theatres within its communities, many of which receive financial, administrative, and/or promotional assistance from the Municipality. Furthermore, a number of Lambton County library branches are co‐located with municipal facilities (e.g. in Port Franks, Grand Bend). This section outlines the importance of culture and the need for arts and culture policies, provides a summary of existing non‐municipal cultural facilities and their contributions to the community, and details the suggestions and needs expressed through consultation methods undertaken for this Master Plan. It is expected that this Strategic Direction will serve as a tool in the formalization of the Municipality’s involvement in the cultural fabric of its communities, and Lambton Shores as a whole.

The Importance of Culture In recent years, the emergence of the ‘Creative City’ phenomenon has caused many municipalities to focus more intently on the concepts of arts and culture. The benefits of arts, culture and heritage to a community, both intrinsic and extrinsic, have been widely heralded through numerous studies, and include: encouragement of social interaction; stimulation of creativity and personal thought; contributions to economic development and tourism; the facilitation of healthy lifestyles and understanding of others; etc. In addition, Statistics Canada found that between 1999 and 2004, average household expenditures on cultural goods and services (including: visual arts; performing arts; written media; film, video and music; photography; broadcasting; heritage; library; and other, including collector’s items) rose 12.4%6. Canadian households spent an average of $1,450 on cultural goods and services in 2004, representing 2.9% of overall household expenditures. This percentage is slightly lower than the 3.1% seen in the 1999 survey.

ARTS, CULTURE & HERITAGE THE TERM ‘CULTURE’ INCLUDES THE ARTS, CULTURAL INDUSTRIES AND HERITAGE RESOURCES. THE ARTS INCLUDE MUSIC, THEATRE, DANCE, VISUAL ART, MEDIA ARTS AND LITERATURE. THE CULTURAL INDUSTRIES INCLUDE FILM, TELEVISION, MUSIC RECORDING, PUBLISHING AND MULTIMEDIA. HERITAGE RESOURCES INCLUDE ORAL TRADITIONS, CULTURAL LANDSCAPES, ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES, STRUCTURES, ARTEFACTS AND ASSOCIATED RECORDS.

6

Statistics Canada. (2009). What Canadian households spend on culture goods and services. Available at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/87-004-x/2003004/4112754-eng.htm.


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As such, household spending on culture is increasing at a slower rate than overall household spending, but still represents a large amount of overall dollars spent within Canada each year. In fact, Statistics Canada’s Survey of Household Spending found that in 2003, Canadians spent over $22 billion on cultural goods and services. The Conference Board of Canada estimated that the economic impact of Canada’s culture sector was $84.6 billion in 2007, representing 7.4% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)7. This figure includes all direct, indirect, and induced impacts, which, as an example, may refer to a couple buying tickets to a show (direct economic impact), purchasing dinner at a local restaurant before the show (indirect), and the magazine the waiter at dinner purchases with his or her tips from the evening (induced). The importance of culture in our economy is apparent and seems to be increasing in actual dollars spent, even if not as a percentage of overall spending.

The Existing Cultural Landscape Lambton Shores is home to a number of cultural facilities, and while the Municipality does not own any outright, it has made contributions to specific cultural facilities; it also provides promotional and administrative support to cultural groups, programs and facilities as deemed appropriate by municipal staff and community partners. These cultural facilities include (but are not limited to): Arkona Lions Museum (which houses many local artefacts of the Municipality’s rich archaeological history); Grand Bend Arts Centre; Forest Lambton Museum; Lambton Heritage Museum; Huron Country Playhouse & Playhouse II; and Kiwanis Kineto Theatre. In addition, there are a number of privately owned and operated galleries, studios and shops, while the local library branches also serve as a portal for creative activities. The household survey conducted for this Master Plan yielded some interesting insights into local arts and cultural topics, with 60% of the sample stating they are able to participate in cultural activities as often as they would like, though 18% reported not having enough time to participate in these activities and 7% stated a lack of desired facilities or programs were available. Furthermore, the sample suggested that they most frequently left Lambton Shores in pursuit of theatre‐ related activities and programs. The household survey, however, did rank cultural facilities such as museums, theatres and art galleries as being the lowest category in terms both importance to the sample and their satisfaction with cultural facilities (relative to others such as recreation facilities, parks and natural areas, etc.). Other consultation methods, however, revealed that residents are generally pleased with the arts and cultural events that are available within the Municipality, but suggested the following areas for improvement, including: • • • • •

increasing the affordability of cultural programs; providing more concerts and festivals; utilizing service clubs and other partners (e.g. local museums) to share the risk for delivering more programs; improving communication between communities; and creating a Culture and Heritage Committee.

7

Conference Board of Canada. (2008). Valuing Culture: Measuring and Understanding Canada’s Creative Economy. Available at: http://www.conferenceboard.ca/documents.aspx?DID=2671.


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Policy Support for Arts, Culture & Heritage The Municipality of Lambton Shores does not currently have any policies that deal specifically with arts and culture programs, facilities, installations, spending, etc. An example of a specific policy could deal with public art, which includes sculptures (such as the sphere at Sphere Park), paintings or other visual art displayed within municipally‐owned and operated facilities, commissioned murals on the side of municipal facilities (e.g., Grand Bend Beach), etc. This ‘Public Art Policy’ would outline the benefits of public art , contain provisions for public art as elements of municipal spaces, define a process through which public art is selected, and articulate the importance of recognizing local artists. In this way, the Municipality formalizes a process of community‐building with the local visual arts community and in turn creates opportunities in which local artists can be celebrated and supported. As an example, the City of Toronto has its Percent for Public Art Program, which recommends that a “minimum of one percent of the gross construction cost of each significant development be contributed to public art.” This program is administered by the City’s Planning Department and “works with the private sector to secure public art contributions through development review, Official Plan amendments and re‐zonings.” The program allows for on‐site contributions (wherein the developer commissions art work to be constructed on the building site), off‐site contributions (wherein the contribution is held in the City’s Public Art Reserve Fund to be used in conjunction with other such contributions), or any combination of the two options. The Municipality’s Official Plan does not make specific reference to arts or culture, but does address natural heritage which is discussed in Strategic Direction #9. In addition, the Municipality’s 2010 draft operating and capital budget does not address culture explicitly, although it is assumed to be generically included within ‘General Recreation’ line item. To recognize the importance of the arts, culture and heritage sectors in municipal policy, it is recommended that the Municipality examine ways to strengthen appropriate parts of its Official Plan, as part of the ongoing comprehensive review process, in order to further recognize the great importance of arts, culture and heritage; where applicable, references specific to arts and culture should be incorporated therein. To make any policies implementable, the Municipality will need to support them through tools such as a funding strategy that targets investment in the creative industries to maintain and expand the cultural infrastructure through initiatives such as supporting community organizations, provision and maintenance of public art, and possibly the development/delivery of arts and cultural programs should gaps exist in current programming provided by community groups. The Provincial Creative Communities Prosperity Fund (through the Ministry of Culture) is an example of a source of external funding and the Municipality should continually explore such initiatives, in collaboration with its arts and cultural community, to strengthen applications and potentially leverage needed resources into the local arts and cultural sector.


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Lastly, the Municipality may wish to enhance its current public awareness efforts (also see Strategic Direction #6) through a marketing plan that is specific to arts, culture and heritage opportunities within Lambton Shores. The existing Leisure Guide provides a wealth of information on available opportunities, both municipally and non‐municipally offered; this document could serve as a point of departure for a targeted marketing plan that will allow a greater number of residents and visitors to benefit from the arts, culture and heritage assets the Municipality has to offer.

Arts & Cultural Space Requirements Throughout consultations, a key theme emerged that stated additional arts and cultural space is required in the Municipality, with a number of people identifying a particular deficiency of such space in the Grand Bend Area. Arts and cultural spaces are specialized areas that require consideration of amenities such as studio and/or workshop space, stages, sinks, storage, etc. depending upon the category of activities taking place (e.g. visual, performance, media or literary arts). To facilitate community‐level participation in arts and cultural activities, while also maximizing municipal efficiencies such as cost and offering ‘one‐stop shopping’ amenities, the Municipality should first look to its existing community centres and halls to determine the ability of these facilities to accommodate the arts. The creation of these flexible spaces, as advocated throughout this Master Plan, are particularly effective to allow activities to take place to serve some of the Municipality’s more rural‐oriented communities and could include enhancing facilities such as Kimball Hall or space within The Shores Recreation Centre (to serve Forest), space within The Legacy Centre or the Village Complex (to serve Thedford), or the Arkona Community Centre. Similarly, a process to evaluate community‐based facilities (e.g. Legion buildings, museums and galleries, arts centres, etc.) should be undertaken to determine if existing infrastructure can accommodate local needs prior to deciding whether to undertake the construction of a new facility. Heritage buildings also present an excellent opportunity if they can be cost‐ effectively re‐adapted to accommodate leisure programming. Cultural heritage resources contribute to a sense of community, provide continuity between the past and the present, and can serve as ambient, inspirational places for recreation and cultural activities. The Ontario Heritage Act gives the Municipality the authority to protect buildings of historical or architectural significance. There are a number of properties in Lambton Shores which are designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. Heritage designations can help to preserve the essence of an area, increase the intrinsic and/or monetary value of a property, and protect examples of historic architectural styles. Designations can assist in recognizing and enforcing the cultural value of, and community appreciation for, heritage properties while providing protection against inappropriate treatment. Enhancing arts and cultural opportunities should also be considered in partnership with the community (according to principles set forth in Strategic Directions #2 and #3 of this Master Plan). As mentioned, there are a number of community‐ based arts and cultural stakeholders who provide services to the community, but could also bolster their internal capacity to deliver programming with some assistance (possibly in line with community development principles articulated in Strategic Direction #5). Through consultations, numerous arts and cultural stakeholders have indicated a willingness to


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work with the Municipality to find creative solutions that maximize the benefits for the community and the groups themselves. For example, the Lambton Heritage Museum has offered numerous suggestions as how to better utilize its spaces and services, including working hand‐in‐hand with the Municipality to promote local history and knowledge through programming, special events and incorporating interpretive features throughout the parks and trails system. Similarly, the Grand Bend Arts Centre has expressed a willingness to partner with the Municipality to deliver programs, provided that space can be developed, while an existing relationship is already in place with the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority that permits certain arts and cultural programming at Esli Dodge Conservation Area. It is suggested that the Municipality, in consultation with the local arts and culture sector, begin a process to map existing assets (i.e. both municipal and community‐based facilities) and better define space requirements. This approach is deemed the most appropriate way in which to address arts and cultural needs in a manner that is fiscally‐responsible and would ideally culminate in the preparation of a Feasibility Study that can determine interest, need, type of space, potential partnerships and costs of a new or upgraded facility at a more comprehensive level than is appropriate for a Master Planning exercise. This Study should also consider regional competition in attracting events and productions (e.g. the Grand Theatre or John Labatt Centre in London, facilities in Sarnia or Kitchener‐Waterloo, etc.), which would suggest at a preliminary level that any focus of local arts and cultural centre would be on smaller‐scale, community‐level undertakings. Lastly, it is important that arts and cultural activities are not only relegated to the indoors and thus it is important to provide outdoor venues for such pursuits. The Municipality’s parks system provides a scenic, inspirational and opportune locations for events such as concerts, ‘Art in the Park’, or casual cultural uses. Already, outdoor cultural activities are programmed at Esli Dodge Conservation Area (albeit at a scale that is congruent with conservation objectives) and building off this type of use poses potential for the Municipality and its partners. While a number of residents and stakeholder groups providing feedback into this Master Plan have suggested improving the capacity of Esli Dodge to accommodate events, this would require infrastructure‐related improvements (such as built structures, a stage cover, water and electricity, etc.) which needs to be discussed further with the Conservation Authority. Nonetheless, it illustrates the point that for an outdoor venue to be successful in delivering high quality arts and cultural programming, the park itself requires the necessary supports. At a more neighbourhood scale, the Municipality should continue to develop outdoor civic spaces that encourage social gatherings and special events (e.g. Rotary Civic Square in Forest which contains a circle that is conducive for smaller‐scale performances or events). The demand and support for community events was apparent from the consultation process and residents appear to greatly value special events and gatherings delivered by the Municipality. Outdoor civic spaces (particularly gardens and horticultural displays) could also form important parts of a nature‐based tourism infrastructure whereby residents and non‐residents alike are drawn to destinations offering opportunities for family leisure or personal reflection and enjoyment. Outdoor areas such as parks, plazas, etc. provide an opportunity to offer a differentiated experience in the summer months, as well as facilitating participation in unstructured cultural activities. Spaces such as outdoor amphitheatres, stages, band shells, arts venues, dance areas, etc. can accommodate programmed and unprogrammed usage and can effectively complement the Municipality’s natural areas.


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Strategic Direction #8 – Actions & Implementation Topic Area Arts, Culture & Heritage Policy

Arts & Cultural Space

Stream


Suggested Timing


8‐1. Create an Arts, Culture & Heritage Committee to provide citizen‐based guidance on local matters pertaining to the arts and cultural sector in Lambton Shores.

Short‐Term

Staff Time to form and organize a citizen‐based advisory committee.

8‐2. The Municipality should draft a Public Art Policy that outlines the benefits of public art, a process through which public art is selected, and the importance of recognizing local artists.

Short‐Term

Staff Time to develop policy.

CRFS

8‐3. The Municipality, through its Official Plan Review, should examine ways to strengthen appropriate parts of the Official Plan to further recognize the great importance of arts, culture and heritage; where applicable, references specific to arts, culture and heritage should be incorporated therein.

Short‐Term

Staff Time to develop appropriate policies within the Official Plan, as part of the comprehensive review.

CRFS

8‐4. Work with the local arts and culture community to seek creative ways of funding local initiatives, specifically through the creation of a funding strategy that targets investment in the creative industries.

Ongoing

CRFS

8‐5. In consultation with the local arts and culture sector, evaluate the existing supply of appropriate municipal and community‐based facilities through a comprehensive asset mapping exercise and determine their ability to be enhanced to better accommodate arts and cultural programming.

CRFS

8‐6. The Municipality should undertake a feasibility study to more accurately determine the interest, need, potential partnerships, and if deemed appropriate, potential sites for arts and cultural space.

Medium‐Term

PTBO

8‐7. The Municipality should enter discussions with the St. Clair Conservation Authority to determine the feasibility of a partnership for enhancing the Forest Amphitheatre at Esli Dodge Conservation Area, particularly through the construction of a stage cover.

Short‐Term

PTBO

8‐8. Ensure parks and outdoor civic spaces are designed in a manner that facilitates arts and cultural activities, as appropriate, while also providing interpretation opportunities associated with cultural and natural heritage throughout the parks and trails system.

CRFS


Short‐Term

Staff Time to develop funding strategy.

Staff Time to review facilities.

Consultant Fees $60,000

Ongoing

Staff Time to liaise with St. Clair Conservation Authority.

Variable financial resources depending upon the type and scale of designs/developments which are implemented.

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Topic Area Promoting Local Heritage

Stream CRFS

Strategic Direction 8: Actions 8‐9. Work with local heritage representatives to integrate and promote historical knowledge from Aboriginal and post‐European settlement eras throughout the parks, recreation and leisure services system. Opportunities to utilize heritage buildings, if appropriate, should also be considered for the delivery of recreation and cultural programming.


Resource Implications Staff Time and potential financial resources that may be associated with integration and/or utilization of heritage resources in the delivery of parks, facilities and services.


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STRATEGIC DIRECTION #9: A Functional and Sustainable Parks System Lambton Shores will seek to develop its parks and trails system to provide appropriate opportunities for active and passive forms of recreation in consideration of best practices in environmental management which enhance ecological function and sustainable contributions. The Municipality’s current parkland and open space supplies, policies, acquisition methods, and future parkland requirements are examined in this section. Parks provide the land base that supports many recreation amenities and their continued provision and enhancement is required in order to achieve the vision and recommendations of Recreation and Leisure Services Master Plan.

Parkland Classification System Defining a hierarchy within a parks and open space system is important to directing many aspects of intended park usage, such as size, form, function and/or amenity. Primary considerations of the parks system as a whole include (but are not limited to): • •

Planning the appropriate function and use for each park; Achieving a satisfactory distribution and quantity of parks to provide access to residents and maintain the integrity of the natural heritage system; and Ensuring a high degree of “walkability” or ability to access parks by other forms of active transportation.

• The Municipality’s Official Plan (2001) contains a parkland hierarchy consisting of three primary park typologies, consisting of Major Parks, Community Parks and Neighbourhood Parks. •

Major Parks are intended to provide a broad range of active and passive recreational opportunities, and will: incorporate environmentally significant natural areas wherever feasible; provide large open areas which can facilitate active sports activities; provide for low intensity passive recreational activities easily accessible to residents throughout the Municipality; and be located on or near an Arterial Road or Collector Road wherever possible.

•

Community Parks will provide indoor and outdoor recreation facilities serving several residential neighbourhoods within the Municipality, provide a focal point for community activities, and will: provide for active recreational activities predominantly; be accessible to the neighbourhood and where possible subdivision plans should incorporate walkways to new or existing parks; incorporate elements of the natural environment wherever


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feasible; be located on a Collector or Arterial Road; and be integrated with a school playing field if possible, where shared use of parkland can be facilitated. •

Neighbourhood Parks will generally consist of small children’s play facilities at the neighbourhood level and greenbelt areas that serve individual neighbourhoods within a community, and will: be centrally located within a Neighbourhood and accessible to pedestrians; provide opportunities for minor recreational activities; provide opportunities for passive enjoyment of the environment; be located in conjunction with an elementary school, where feasible, in which case no physical barriers shall be created to separate complementary facilities; and be located on a Collector or Local Road.

The Municipality presently owns and maintains a supply of nearly 48 hectares of parkland, and leases 7.7 hectares at the Esli Dodge Conservation Area. A benchmark used to evaluate the service level of parkland is the number of hectares per 1,000 residents, thus factoring in the municipal supply (owned and leased) the actual rate of provision is 3.9 hectares per 1,000 residents. For the Municipality’s new Official Plan (currently being developed), maintaining the existing parkland hierarchy is acceptable, though it should be supplemented by certain new policies including: • •

Establishing a parkland provision target level of 4.0 hectares per 1,000 residents; and Establishing a spatial distribution target of providing parkland within 800 metres (or approximately 10 minutes) from all major residential areas.

The above factors will be discussed subsequently in this analysis. Furthermore, it would be useful for the updated Official Plan to provide guidance on the size of parks for each classification. For example, Major Parks are used to serve the entire Town (as well as visitors) and are ideally no less than 4 hectares in size; Community Parks, which generally serve a settlement area, are ideally no less than 2 hectares in size; and Neighbourhood Parks serving adjacent residential areas (i.e. within an 800 metre radius) are preferably no less than 1.2 hectares in size. The Municipality presently has a number of small parks/parkettes which are below 1 hectare in size. These small parks help in ‘connecting’ the parks system to the rest of the community and can align with trends that suggest parks be increasingly walkable (e.g. to better serve an aging population, and increasing walkability and placemaking objectives). Unfortunately, these parks can also be too small to provide for satisfactory leisure activity to take place within the confines of the park unless it is the only option to fill a gap or serve areas of high density. They are also much more costly to maintain on a square footage basis compared to larger parks due to the fact that they are decentralized and cannot generate economies of scale in operation. As such, the provision of parks no less than 1.2 hectares is encouraged in order to be able to provide children’s play activities as well as being able to accommodate activities for other age and interest groups, such as informal playing fields, minor skateboard or waterplay apparatus, picnic or seating areas, etc. Parks less than 1.2 hectares in size should only be


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provided if they are designed as ‘urban parks’ such as plazas, civic squares and greens whose compact, flexible and robust design better addresses leisure opportunities than the traditional parkette design. For any development of urban parks, the Municipality may have to consider alternative funding streams to cover the additional costs and weigh the benefits of small park design versus its fiscal impact through business planning and site specific analysis.

Trails System Trends research undertaken across the province suggests that walking is the second most popular leisure activity, behind only reading. Furthermore, the propensity to identify walking as a favourite leisure activity increases with age, though trails are generally flexible enough to accommodate activities for a range of resident profiles (e.g. the intensity of use on a trail can vary from walking to brisk walking to jogging or running) while also permitting unprogrammed fitness or active living opportunities for all ages. With an aging population and a number of publically accessible trails, it would appear that the Municipality of Lambton Shores has positioned itself favourably to meet the long‐term trail‐related needs of its community, though improvements will certainly need to be considered throughout the future as trail preferences and needs emerge. Presently, the following trails are accessible to the public in Lambton Shores: •

The Forest Walkway Trail is 2.7 kilometres long, beginning at the Rotary Civic Square and linking with the Esli Dodge Conservation Area.

•

The Grand Bend Rotary Trail runs along Highway 21 in Grand Bend, providing 9 kilometres of paved trail for biking, walking or running, and offers excellent opportunities to observe wildlife and various plant species.

•

The Port Franks Trail System consists of 11 kilometres of trails that extend through wetlands and forested dunes, providing opportunities for walking and hiking.

•

In addition, there are 10 nature trails and 38 kilometres of ski trails within Pinery Provincial Park, as well as trails within Rock Glen Conservation Area.

Consultations undertaken as part of the master planning process revealed the clear value that residents place on the local trails system. In Lambton Shores, the Master Plan’s household survey found that trail‐related activities such as walking and cycling/mountain biking were the two most popular activities, with the sample’s participation respectively standing at 82% and 50%. The sample also ranked the provision of unpaved and paved trails as being their highest priority for directing municipal investment. Combined with comments received from the Community Search Conference and the other public consultations, it is clear that residents want trail developments to remain a core municipal service and would like to see upgrades with regards to expansion and connectivity within the trails system. The Municipality, therefore, should continue to bolster the local trails system and work collaboratively with residents, community groups, and regional and provincial stakeholders (e.g. Conservation Authorities, Ministry of Natural Resources, neighbouring municipalities) in developing a connected and multi‐faceted network of trails. Undertaking upgrades and extensions will provide a greater level of


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connectivity within the communities of Lambton Shores, as well as offering opportunities for active transportation and wellness activities. A recent amendment to Subsection 51 (25)(b) of the Planning Act (affecting the conveyance of land for pedestrian and bicycle pathways) now permits the dedication of parkland to be used for “pedestrian pathways, bicycle pathways and public transit rights of way” as a condition of plan of subdivision approval, at the Municipality’s discretion. This amendment to the Planning Act is reflective of recent trends, as evidenced by a survey conducted by the American National Association of Homebuilders, which found that trails are the most desired feature in a community, especially in new subdivisions.8 Respondents to the survey indicated that they would choose a new community based on the type and extent of the trail system. Trails are a cost‐effective method to increase physical activity levels and support positive interaction between the community and the natural environment. In an Ontario survey, 28% of respondents stated that a lack of pleasant places to walk or bike is a barrier to participation. In addition to trails gaining in popularity, a 2005 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that “creating or enhancing access to parks led to a 26.5% increase in the percentage of people exercising more than 3 times per week.”9 The Municipality’s Official Plan has supported the development of trails through Section 16.3.2, which states: “Wherever possible, an interconnected open space system will be developed. In the event that transportation or utility corridors are no longer required for such purposes, they should be incorporated into the municipal open space system. The Municipality will encourage the cooperation and participation of public service groups and private citizens in developing such corridors as open space linkages. Consideration will be given to the potential for linking the Municipality’s open space system with those of neighbouring municipalities.” Trails are as much of a recreational facility as arenas, parks and sports fields. They are multi‐seasonal facilities, particularly if they can accommodate winter activities such as cross‐country skiing, snowshoeing, etc. and returning to designated hiking / cycling trails in the spring, summer and fall months. The Municipality should continue to place a high importance on its trail facilities by making multi‐use, multi‐seasonal trail development a high priority. The Municipality’s waterfront is an ideal location for enhancing connectivity; this undertaking would require partnerships with non‐municipal and private landowners, but would greatly enhance the lakefront for residents and visitors alike. Trails should be seen as a key facility type that promotes sustainability through the protection of areas of environmental interest and significance, encouraging physical activity and promoting active transportation opportunities (e.g., walking, biking, hiking, inline skating, cross country skiing, running, etc.). For example, provision of a variety of trail types (e.g., nature trails, soft surface and paved trails, on‐ road and boulevard trails, etc.) are all important in a leisure and active transportation trail system. Regularly evaluating ways to improve connectivity through new trail development while ensuring that existing trailways are well maintained (so that users do not avoid utilization due to poor trail conditions) should continue to be areas of focus for the Municipality. 8 9

(National Association of Homebuilders (2002). Home Buyers Survey. Available online at www.nahb.org.). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2005). Increasing Physical Activity. (p.11).


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The focus on active transportation has been increasing in recent years due to awareness of the health benefits of physical activity as well as the rising cost of transportation (driven largely by prices in energy commodities). Municipalities are attempting to incorporate active transportation infrastructure in the hopes of providing residents with a way to access employment and essential services that does not necessarily involve driving, which is particularly important in a community within which public transportation (e.g., buses) is not available. As mentioned, the provision of an interconnected walking and cycling network that serves a basic transportation need as well as a leisure purpose is beneficial for residents ranging from the everyday commuter to the grocery shopper to the park enthusiast. The convenience factor of trails is also important through the provision of trail‐related amenities such as benches, washrooms, etc. Parking at key trailheads is another important consideration, thus it is recommended that the Municipality make every effort to acquire suitable parking and amenities (e.g., washrooms, benches, etc.) at key access points. It is preferred that the Municipality avoid the acquisition of dedicated parking areas through parkland conveyances, however, in some cases this may be unavoidable. Should the Municipality find itself accepting a parkland dedication for parking areas, cash‐in‐lieu is considered the most appropriate form of conveyance. The most ideal approach to providing parking is through municipal purchase (or other appropriate acquisition methods) of lands adjacent or nearby to key trail heads, while also considering the provision of shorter trail loops in order to ensure that older adults and seniors, in particular, do not have to travel long distances to get back to their starting location (unless they want to).

Natural Heritage Areas Lambton Shores has a number of significant ecological areas, particularly riparian zones along the creek systems draining into Lake Huron. Many municipalities are making efforts to provide passive areas that incorporate native plant species, conserve woodlots, and ensuring that certain areas of new active parks remain in a natural state. With the interest in outdoor recreation, many municipalities are also designing parks to include provisions for bird watching, wildlife viewing and capitalizing on eco‐tourism opportunities. The natural heritage system is an important component of the Municipality of Lambton Shores’ open space system. The core components of the natural heritage generally consist of: • • • • • •

Significant woodlots; Wetlands and lakes; Watercourses and valleylands; Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSIs); and/or Significant areas of flora and fauna; and Areas containing endangered species (vegetation, amphibian, wildlife, etc.).

Given the natural function of the parks system, municipal parkland inherently plays a key role in the protection of natural landscapes and allows for the interpretation of key features. In recent years, the trend to integrate natural features into park settings has been increasing, as environmental protection becomes increasingly recognized by society; the


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Municipality’s Official Plan should encourage the protection and planting of native vegetation within Municipally‐owned open space areas, where appropriate. By incorporating natural heritage areas within the parks system, residents are exposed to natural features and can facilitate their awareness of key environmental topics. Furthermore, preservation of environmentally significant areas and continuing to integrate natural environment features into active parkland design will contribute greatly to the quality of life for residents and further the Municipality’s efforts in contributing towards effective sustainable development policy.

Waterfront & Beach Areas The Lake Huron shoreline is a designated as ‘Lakeshore’ land use within the Municipality’s Official Plan, with specific permitted uses and objectives. The shoreline is characterized as a “dynamic beach system...which is subject to wind and wave action and performs an important function as a natural protection against lakeshore erosion.” This has resulted in the formation of dunes and bluffs, as well as the wide expanse of beach in Grand Bend, Ipperwash and other non‐municipal beach areas. The Official Plan identifies the following permitted uses for Lakeshore lands: • • • •

Conservation; parks, public and private open space; beaches; and associated recreational activities, similar recreational uses and public works.

The Municipality is seeking to promote public accessibility to the lakeshore, while preserving its unique qualities and ensuring the long term stability of the beach area as a resource for future generations. The Official Plan promotes easements, private stewardship, public purchase and management agreements to ensure public access to the Lake Huron shoreline. Lambton Shores’ waterfront is one of the Municipality’s most valuable assets and an important part of the parks system. Continuing to acquire and avoid disposition of waterfront lands should be practiced, while enhancing the waterfront areas as a “facility” for all residents to use. Attracting and programming uses of the waterfront, however, will require careful management as any other municipal facility would. With regard to beach areas, the Municipality owns and operates the Grand Bend Beach though residents and visitors are also able to access the waterfront through the Ipperwash Beach, the Pinery Provincial Park (Crown lands), several private beaches, as well as a riverfront and waterfall at the Rock Glen Conservation Area (under the purview of the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority). In addition, the Ausable River flows through the Municipality, spilling into Lake Huron in Port Franks. The River serves as a venue for recreation by providing boat access to Lake Huron through the Port Franks Marina. Both the Marina and the Grand Bend Harbour allow access to the waterfront, with slips for both visiting and local boats, as well as public boat launches, public washrooms and other amenities. The Municipality should continue to maintain its partnership with the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority to ensure that recreation opportunities, both on and off the water, are nurtured for residents and visitors alike.


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Public consultation undertaken thus far for the Master Plan revealed a passionate interest in beach‐related topics. For example, the Master Plan’s household survey found that beaches within Lambton Shores were rated as the second most important “facility type” (compared to natural areas, trails, recreation and cultural facilities, etc.) and the second most “facility” that the sample was satisfied with. Furthermore, over half (53%) of the sample had visited the Grand Bend Beach during the past twelve months, 38% had visited the Ipperwash Beach, and 23% had visited the Pinery or another beach, respectively. The sample was most satisfied with the Pinery beach, followed by the Grand Bend Beach, an “Other” beach and lastly the Ipperwash Beach. When all respondents (including those that did not report visiting any beaches in the past twelve months) were asked what improvements, if any, should be made to beaches in Lambton Shores, the most common responses were cleanliness (particularly at Ipperwash Beach), lack of parking, better and cleaner washrooms, and more garbage pickup and garbage cans. The Community Search Conference revealed a number of suggestions for improving beach opportunities, including cleanup, transportation options, water quality testing, and governance. Given the high level of interest in the beach, and following consultation with the Municipality, it is recommended that the Municipality of Lambton Shores undertake a Research & Consultation Initiative for the Grand Bend Beach (which is the only beach under the direct purview of the Municipality) in order to determine how to enhance the beach for the enjoyment of residents and visitors, and serve the community’s needs into the future. This initiative should include an in‐depth examination of the role, uses, management practices, and potential improvements to the beach area. In addition, the Municipality should seek legal advice regarding easements and deeds that may impact Grand Bend Beach usage.

Parkland Needs As mentioned in the previous subsection, it is recommended that the Municipality set a parkland provision target of 4.0 hectares per 1,000 residents to guide the parkland acquisition process. Many municipalities employ such a standard in order to remain apprised of how much parkland is serving their residents, though the actual rate varies considerably depending upon factors such as population size and density, the geographic size of the municipality in question, and the degree of accessibility to parks and natural areas located on Crown, Conservation Authority, School Board or privately held lands. For the case of Lambton Shores, the 4.0 hectares per 1,000 Table 2: Comparison of Population by Age Cohort, Lambton Shores & Ontario, 2006 Parkland 2010 2015 2020 residents is based upon historical provision of parkland and Forecasted Population 14,119 14,927 15,516 includes both active and passive forms of parkland. The Supply* 55.4 ha 55.4 ha 55.4 ha Municipality presently owns and maintains a supply of 47.7 Parkland Provision Target 4.0 hectares per 1,000 permanent and seasonal residents hectares of parkland, resulting in a service level of 3.4 hectares per Parkland Required 56.5 ha 59.7 ha 62.1 ha 1,000 residents (assuming a current population of 14,119) though Additional Parkland Needed 1.1 ha 4.3 ha 6.7 ha after factoring in the 7.7 hectares that the Municipality leases at * Supply includes 47.7 hectares of owned parkland and 7.7 hectares of leased parkland at Esli Dodge Conservation Area


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the Esli Dodge Conservation Area, the actual rate of provision is 3.9 hectares per 1,000 residents. For the Municipality to maintain a consistent level of parkland (i.e. 4 hectares per 1,000 residents) over the master planning period, it will need to procure 6.7 hectares of additional parkland to serve 1,700 more residents forecasted to arrive in Lambton Shores. Historically, municipalities have been able to acquire parkland through the Planning Act provisions (i.e. 5% of residential and 2% of all other forms of development) at a rate of 1.2 hectares per 1,000; Map 6: Distribution of Parkland if assuming that Lambton Shores is able to acquire parkland at that rate, approximately 1.7 hectares would be conveyed to the Municipality, meaning that 5 hectares will have to be obtained by way of alternative means. It is also helpful to understand the type of parks that will be required in the future, therefore, the proposed parkland provision target should be broken down and applied to each category of parkland as follows:

Major Parks Community Parks Neighbourhood Parks Total Parkland

2.0 hectares per 1,000 residents 1.0 hectares per 1,000 residents 1.0 hectares per 1,000 residents 4.0 hectares per 1,000 residents

Application of the proposed target by park classification would loosely suggest that of the 6.7 hectares forecasted to be required by the year 2020, approximately 3 hectares should consist of Major Parks, 2 hectares should consist of Community Parks, and the balance should consist of Neighbourhood Parks. It should be noted that filling significant gap areas will be a priority, as should opportunities to expand existing parks to create “outdoor community centres” capable of accommodating a wide range of activities in established areas.

Parkland Distribution The Official Plan should encourage access to any or all types of parkland (i.e. Major, Community or Neighbourhood Parks) within an 800 metre radius (about a ten minute walk time) of major residential areas within the urban settlements, free of major pedestrian barriers such as rivers, highways and major roads, rail lines, etc. This level of coverage is deemed to provide residents with the greatest degree of accessibility to parkland while encouraging sufficient opportunity for both unstructured and/or organized leisure activities. While it may not always be possible to improve parkland supplies in existing neighbourhoods as they are already built‐out, the Municipality has a greater ability to


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acquire parkland in growing communities through the development process or land acquisition. As shown in the parkland distribution map, park coverage is reasonable across most of the urban settlements, though there are a few noticeable gaps. In Forest, there is excellent coverage of parkland throughout with the notable exception being south‐east of the Main Street and King Street intersection (though the gap is somewhat mitigated by the presence of an elementary school which offers an open area), while both parks in Arkona are located on the east side of Arkona Road. Similarly, a gap is observed in the southern neighbourhoods of Grand Bend, however, there are a number of privately owned parks in this vicinity. Due to difficulties experienced in gathering mapping data for the purposes of this Master Plan, it is recommended that the Municipality undertake a comprehensive mapping exercise of all parks and park assets. This will allow the Municipality, its stakeholders, and its residents to have a clear understanding of what the Municipality has and what might be needed. The mapping should be undertaken in such a way that the parcels of land that make up each park are identified and labelled to ensure accuracy with respect to location and size.

Parkland Acquisition Strategies

Parkland Dedication and Cash‐in‐lieu There are several provincial and municipal regulations, policies, and guidelines governing the acquisition and location of parkland, with the Planning Act and the Lambton Shores Official Plan (2001) being the primary tools for implementation. As previously stated, the Municipality is currently updating its Official Plan and thus it will be important for the Municipality to encourage cohesion between the Official Plan and the recommended updates found within this Master Plan. The Planning Act (R.S.O., 1990) establishes a framework for the dedication of parkland and possible alternatives to the dedication of land for park and recreation purposes. Municipal parkland policies contained in the Official Plan – approved pursuant to the Planning Act – enable the Municipality to require parkland dedication and identify criteria by which this land is assessed, including factors to be considered when seeking cash‐in‐lieu of parkland. The Planning Act requires that lands dedicated to the Municipality as park, or purchased by the Municipality using cash‐in‐lieu, must be used for “park or other public recreational purposes”, which not only includes land acquisition, but also the erection or repair of buildings and the acquisition of machinery. The Provincial Policy Statement (2005) issued under the Planning Act also provides direction on matters of provincial interest related to land use planning and development, including guidance on public spaces, parks and open spaces. The Lambton Shores Official Plan prescribes conveyance for park purposes in residential areas at 5% of land or 1 hectare per each 300 dwelling units proposed (or cash‐in‐lieu thereof). With respect to industrial / commercial lands, a 2% conveyance (or cash‐in‐lieu thereof) is articulated and should continue to be collected. It is recommended that when


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additional parkland is not required, cash‐in‐lieu should be collected based upon the cost of land prior to building permit(s) being issued (i.e., when land is fully serviced in order to maximize cash‐in‐lieu received). There may also be opportunities to acquire lands in the existing urban areas if commercial, industrial or institutional lands become available for sale. For example, if a local school board considers closure and sale of underutilized or aging schools, the Municipality should strongly consider the acquisition of such property for the purposes of utilizing it as parkland, or possibly capitalizing on the school facility itself for programming (e.g., gymnasium, arts space, and/or renovating to include other needed facilities). The Municipality’s Official Plan supports this idea, as it “encourages the development of agreements between the Municipality and other organizations, such as public service clubs or school boards, for the increased utilization of space and facilities such as open space, gymnasiums, or buildings, in order to serve the residents.” Of note, Subsection 51 (25)(b) of the Planning Act – affecting the conveyance of land for pedestrian and bicycle pathways – was recently amended. The Planning Act now allows the dedication of land for “pedestrian pathways, bicycle pathways and public transit rights of way” as a condition of plan of subdivision approval, at the municipality’s discretion.

Alternative Parkland Acquisition Opportunities The Municipality should consider employing a number of alternative acquisition initiatives to maintain an acceptable supply of parkland, supplemental to parkland supplies received through dedications. A few alternative acquisition measures to consider, among others, may include: • • • • • • •

municipal purchase or lease of land; land exchanges or swaps, particularly if development is to occur in natural areas highly valued by the community; off‐site conveyance of parkland; establishment of a Parks Foundation (i.e., community, corporate and/or municipal donations to be put toward parkland acquisition); reallocating surplus municipal lands to parks use; seek to purchase ‘over‐dedication’ of parkland associated with new development and/or infill areas; and partnership / joint provision of lands with community partners.

With a considerable supply of open space, as well as the demands that a growing population will require for recreational and cultural facilities and services, it is recommended that the Municipality continue with its focus on obtaining parkland for active recreational uses and social gatherings. Passive lands (e.g., woodlots, valley lands and/or hazard lands) should continue to be obtained by way of opportunity rather than through the parkland dedication process. Research suggests that environmental policies mandated through various municipal, regional and provincial channels should be sufficiently strong to protect many of these areas from development. The Municipality’s own Official Plan also provides for development restrictions if areas are classified as


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hazard and environmental protection areas (EPAs) or if they are adjacent to defined wetlands, areas of natural and scientific interest (ANSIs) and environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs). In addition, the Official Plan stipulates that lands within a hazard area or EPA that are included in any new development may not qualify for dedication.

Parkland Design & Amenities Common amenities that may be considered as part of parkland design to enhance the user experience include public washrooms, pavilions, shelters, stages / band shells, picnic areas, etc. In addition, interpretive and wayfinding signage are important elements to consider.

Design & Operational Considerations The design of active and passive parks should also incorporate elements that cater to social interaction, wellness, and individual physical activity, through features such as exercise / stretching stations, personal reflection / meditation gardens, vertical differentials along pathways (i.e., hilly terrain, stair zones with associated wheelchair ramps), etc. In selecting potential park sites, a number of factors will influence the decision‐making process including, but not limited to: • • • • • • •

topographical and geological considerations; potential to protect ecological functions, wildlife and native plant species abutting parks; location and access to the area , particularly relative to other land uses; the ability to support the desired recreational infrastructure; visibility/public frontage; role in the cultural and recreational fabric of the community; and potential for trail or natural system linkages.

New and replacement parks and trails infrastructure should continue to be designed and constructed on a cost‐effective basis, meaning that all infrastructure, elements and facilities installed should generally be selected based on locally available replacement parts and services and should utilize a standard agreed‐upon selection of component parts to support ease of maintenance and repair. Examples include the use of standard benches, playground equipment and light fixtures for which parts are readily available through local manufacturers. Any use of non‐standard materials and equipment is to be based on a full understanding and justification of the operational ramifications and cost increases that will accrue to the relevant municipal department. The provision of ‘purpose‐built’ landscapes which provide a special role to the citizen and park user are beneficial to engage the sensory and functional elements of the park. For example, providing experiential/healing gardens, customizing designs for skateboard/BMX parks, and barrier‐free playgrounds all appeal to a particular sense or ability. In addition, the inclusion


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of end users in the design of these facilities will help to promote long‐term feelings of ownership and ongoing usage patterns. Incorporation of public art into the future design of public and private spaces is encouraged in order to facilitate civic pride and create local identity at key points in the parks system. As the population grows and new facilities and services are provided, the Municipality will need to ensure that ongoing quality controls remain at satisfactory levels. The need for operating resources (e.g., staff, equipment, etc.) will be required to keep pace with added demands for a bolstered leisure delivery system. Ensuring quality is an utmost priority to ensure that residents and users are satisfied with municipal services, thereby engaging them to participate and use parks, facilities and programs. An additional design consideration is the addition of interpretive and historical signage to guide residents and visitors through the Municipality’s extensive natural heritage assets, including trails, protected areas, areas of interest (e.g., Carolinian forest, sand dunes, etc.).

Community Beautification Through consultation efforts undertaken for this Master Plan, stakeholder group surveys were received from a number of garden or horticultural organizations. From these groups, some key issues that were raised include the desire for improved naturalization and landscaping around the old Forest Arena site, wayfinding signage throughout the Municipality, and the desire for a covered stage and washroom improvements at Esli Dodge Conservation Area. These groups are all volunteer‐ run organizations that donate their time to beautify the Municipality of Lambton Shores; many are involved in the Communities in Bloom initiative, which was a partnership between 56 groups and organizations as well as countless residents and staff members in 2010. The initiative serves to unite the community through beautification and environmental stewardship. The ‘tidiness’ element of the program included staff who maintain the tidiness and safety of the Municipality’s assets (e.g., beaches, community centres, etc.); community groups that undertake clean‐ups and the ‘Trash Bash’; and commercial partners that take special interest in the condition of their business properties. It is recommended that the Municipality maintain its involvement in the Communities in Bloom initiative as a method of promoting community pride and beautification. With respect to the other suggestions and requests made by the garden and horticulture groups, the Municipality should continue to support these organizations where possible, through continuous communication and cooperative problem solving. Internal municipal park design and maintenance practices would also be able to better contribute to community beautification objectives by hiring a Horticulturist/Forester (see Strategic Direction #4) who is adequately trained, skilled and has the professional capacity to undertake required tasks.


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Safety New and existing parks should continue to be designed with patrons’ safety in mind, through the application of CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design), developed by CPTED Ontario, and other design principles. The Municipality’s existing playground replacement program should continue to be a high priority to ensure ongoing maintenance and replacement activities are conducted in a timely manner. High volume areas should be appropriately lit, limited visibility areas should be minimal in number, and neighbourhood level parks should be designed so that surrounding residents and streets have visibility into the park, thus discouraging illicit activities. Maintenance of parks and open spaces is now accepted in the industry as a key component of perceived safety in parks and in deterring inappropriate behaviour. The establishment of a citizens’ watch or ambassador program is also recommended to engage the community to help watch over parks for illegal activities, functioning similar to a Neighbourhood Watch program or community patrol. Any community‐based watch program which is to be implemented should be designed in consultation with the Police Department prior to engaging citizens to actively watch/patrol parks. When designing new parks or features within existing parks, the Municipality should work with the Ontario Provincial Police Department on certain park designs and the application of CPTED principles.

Environmental Integration In recent years, the trend to integrate natural features into park settings has been increasing, as environmental protection becomes increasingly recognized by society. The Municipality of Lambton Shores has a number of significant ecological areas, including Carolinian forest, the Ausable Gorge, freshwater coastal dunes, and a globally rare Oak Savanna ecosystem. Many municipalities are making efforts to provide passive areas that incorporate native plant species, conserve woodlots, and ensure that certain areas of new active parks remain in a natural state. With the interest in outdoor recreation, many municipalities are also designing parks to include provisions for bird watching, wildlife viewing and capitalizing on eco‐ tourism opportunities. Given the natural function of the parks system, municipal parkland inherently plays a key role in the protection of natural landscapes and allows for the interpretation of key features. By incorporating natural heritage areas within the parks system, residents are exposed to natural features and can facilitate their awareness of key environmental topics.

Accessibility, Comfort & Other Amenities Ensuring that parks are accessible will encourage a wide range of users. In this context, the term accessible can refer to spatial distribution and ability/preference of the resident using the park. For example, locating parks along trail routes, providing bicycle racks and adequate vehicular parking, providing spaces for unstructured play or gatherings, incorporating barrier free designs, etc. are considerations that will serve the needs of a broad range of users. Due to the geographic


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expanse of the Municipality of Lambton Shores, it is imperative that connectivity and active transportation are key considerations as means of promoting low cost and unprogrammed recreation opportunities. Regarding more active use parks, wherever possible, the Municipality should cluster the same type of playing fields together to increase a sense of form and function, similar to the existing Klondyke Sports Park or Coultis Park / McRae Park templates. Major Parks should also include washrooms, electrical outlets, benches and safe, pedestrian‐friendly pathways, bicycle racks, etc. The Municipality currently provides washroom facilities (permanent or portable) at a number of park sites. Washrooms are generally provided at parks where major sporting facilities (e.g., soccer fields, ball diamonds) are located and along key destinations in the trails system. The Municipality should continue to consider permanent or portable washroom facilities at heavily utilized park and trail locations as these conveniences can attract a greater use by individuals and families.

Unstructured Recreation Areas A greater emphasis should be placed on providing more informal space in new parks in order to promote unstructured and organized activities, as well as emerging interests. Time‐pressed individuals are seeking areas where they can enjoy park uses at their own convenience. Informal play fields have been observed to be popular, particularly at the neighbourhood‐ level for activities such as pickup field sports, playing musical instruments, kite flying, sunbathing, etc. The Municipality also provides picnic tables and pavilions at a number of parks (e.g., Grand Bend Lions Park) which offer a venue for gatherings. Picnicking has been observed to be a use that is re‐emerging in popularity, largely driven the desire for family leisure opportunities and ethnic diversification (picnicking has been observed to be a popular leisure activity for many newcomers to Canada). The key to the success of unstructured recreational areas is the flexibility that is afforded for the types of uses that can be pursued. These types of parks can bring people together to participate in physical activity, showcase cultural diversity through festivals and special events (e.g., Canada Day celebrations, Homemade Jam, etc.). Community Parks are ideally suited to contain unstructured areas for recreation, although a neighbourhood park is also a place for unorganized activities, albeit at a smaller scale.

Signage The provision of appropriate signage is another key component of good park and trail design. Signage is an important element in promoting recognition and stewardship in the community. Without proper and consistent signage, park users may be confused about the property’s ownership. Signage is also important as part of the tourism infrastructure that directs tourists easily to destinations and encourages them to return because of the ease of travel – they are also one of the first impressions of a site. Signs develop a sense of place and combined with good urban design, can create unique districts and foster aesthetic development and enjoyment. They also provide interpretive information that connects a user to the park and may encourage the person to take further interest in their surroundings. A good sign is clear, attractive and designed in context to its surroundings (in this case, parks and open spaces). Signs should clearly state the park’s name as


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well as an address for emergency purposes or the names of any local organization like the Lions or Optimists that helped fundraise for the park.


Stream

Parkland Acquisition

PTBO

Parkland Distribution

Strategic Direction 9: Actions 9‐1. The provision of parkland should be targeted at a rate of 4.0 hectares per 1,000 residents, further subdivided according to the type of park whereby Major Parks are encouraged at a rate of 2.0 hectares per 1,000 while Community and Neighbourhood Parks are encouraged at a rate of 1.0 hectares per 1,000 residents, respectively. This would suggest that an additional 7 hectares of parkland is required by the year 2020, of which approximately 3 hectares should constitute Major Parks, 2 hectares should consist of Community Parks and another 2 hectares would be comprised of Neighbourhood Parks.

Suggested Timing Ongoing (over master planning period)

Resource Implications Standard operational implications associated with parkland acquisition and maintenance costs.

PTBO

9‐2. The Municipality should continue to require 5% land conveyance for parkland from residential developments (or application of the 1 hectare per 300 dwelling units or cash‐in‐lieu provisions) and 2% land conveyance for parkland from industrial / commercial developments (or cash‐in‐lieu thereof). When additional parkland is not required, cash‐in‐lieu should be collected based upon the cost of land prior to building permit(s) being issued (i.e., when land is fully serviced in order to maximize cash‐in‐lieu received).

Ongoing


PTBO

9‐3. The Municipality should consider a range of alternative parkland acquisition strategies to obtain adequate parkland where limitations exist in acquisition through the development process

Ongoing


PTBO

9‐4. Continue to work with the Lambton District School Board and St. Clair Catholic District School Board in the planning and provision of joint school‐park campuses

Ongoing

Staff Time to liaise with the School Boards

PTBO

9‐5. Through the Official Plan review, the Municipality should encourage a target of providing parkland within 800 metres of major residential areas (free of major pedestrian barriers such as waterways, highways and major roads, rail lines, etc.).

Short‐Term

PTBO

9‐6. The Municipality should undertake a comprehensive digital mapping exercise of all parks and park assets in order to establish its inventory and allow for easier analysis and decision‐making with these lands.

Medium‐Term


No resource implications are anticipated as the action can be implemented within current roles, responsibilities, and workloads. Staff Time and/or Consultant Fees to establish digital mapping.

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Topic Area Trails System

Stream PTBO

PTBO


Suggested Timing


9‐7. The Municipality should undertake the development of a ‘Trails / Active Transportation Master Plan’ that establishes a comprehensive and systematic framework that defines the vision and addresses needs through long‐range planning for the local trails system.

Ongoing

Consultant Fees

9‐8. The Municipality should continue to develop its trails system as part of its core level of service, specifically with the following key objectives:

Ongoing

Standard operational implications associated with trail development and maintenance costs.

9‐9. The Municipality should pursue the enhancement of connectivity along waterfront trail systems; this undertaking would require partnerships with non‐municipal and private landowners

Ongoing

Standard operational implications associated with trail development and maintenance costs.

$50,000

• Continue to promote connectivity within the trails system, both at a municipal and regional level, to the greatest degree possible. • Promote municipal trail infrastructure for multi‐seasonal active transportation choices, as appropriate. • Prior to undertaking any trail development, the Municipality should explore partnerships with community‐based or regional organizations with an interest in the construction, maintenance or level of amenity/quality of the trail. • The Municipality should consider the usage of dedicated parkland for trails should development be occurring at an appropriate location. • The Municipality should make every effort to provide suitable parking and amenities (e.g., washrooms, benches, equine facilities, etc.) at key access points / trailheads. PTBO


Natural Heritage

PTBO

9‐10. The Municipality should continue to design parks that incorporate natural, indigenous vegetation features in order to foster an appreciation for such areas and maintain crucial ecological functions (e.g., dune grass, Carolinian forest, etc.).

Ongoing


Waterfront Lands & Beaches

PTBO

9‐11. Continue to enhance, improve and acquire parkland and/or beach areas along the Lake Huron waterfront, while ensuring that waterfront trails systems are continuous and connected to as many parks and key destinations as possible. As such, the Municipality should work with landowners along the shore to improve community access, potentially through mutually beneficial partnerships.

Ongoing

Staff Time and financial resources to be determined on an ongoing basis depending upon the extent of negotiation and acquisition pertaining to waterfront lands.


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Topic Area

Stream PTBO

Strategic Direction 9: Actions 9‐12. The Municipality should continue to program Grand Bend Beach in a similar manner as has been carried out over the past number of years until a Research and Consultation initiative specifically addressing the following is undertaken:


Resource Implications Consultant Fees $20,000 (note: also see Strategic Direction #9, Action 9‐13)

• Defining the role of the Grand Bend Beach and having regard for community stakeholders such as abutting land owners, visitors, downtown businesses, peripheral tourism businesses (e.g. hotels, restaurants, etc.) and other residents/organizations within Lambton Shores; • Determining appropriate use(s) of the Grand Bend Beach, including its capacity, capability and role of to serve as a special event venue and the feasibility of incorporating active living opportunities; • Examine best practices to municipal beach management and tourism to position Grand Bend Beach as a leader in providing world‐class beachfront experiences. • Identifying improvements or additions to existing infrastructure (washrooms, parking, lifeguard and emergency services, concessions, etc.) to meet current and projected needs, as well as the carrying capacity of the beach and constraints associated with the area (e.g. Conservation Authority regulations) to accommodate such infrastructure; • Review and make recommendations regarding the existing municipal rate structure for beach rentals; and • Determine possible partnerships for the delivery of recreation and leisure services on the Grand Bend Beach including the appropriateness of maintaining the “status quo” with respect to private sector and/or public‐private partnerships. PTBO

9‐13. The Municipality should obtain legal advice relating to the easements and deeds that may impact Grand Bend Beach usage.


Short‐Term

Legal / Consultant Fees $7,500

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Topic Area Parkland Design

Stream


Suggested Timing


PTBO

9‐14. Through the Official Plan review, the Municipality should adopt a policy that states parks should be at least 1.2 hectares in size, unless otherwise deemed appropriate (i.e. in the case of urban parks), in order to ensure that parks are able to accommodate a range of recreation and leisure activities while providing long‐term flexibility to respond to future trends in park usage and design.

Short‐Term

PTBO

9‐15. Strive to provide a parks and trail system that is comfortable, safe and interesting in a variety of ways such as:

Ongoing

Standard operational implications associated with parkland development and maintenance costs.


• Providing public washroom facilities (through a combination of permanent and portable facilities) at heavily utilized parks and key trailheads across the parks system. • Continuing to incorporate CPTED principles in park design and facilitating park ambassador programs in consultation with the local police department to encourage civic participation in keeping local parks free of undesirable behaviours, and thereby ensuring that safety concerns do not become a barrier to park usage. • Ensuring that adequate signage exists at all municipal parks, trailheads (with appropriate identification and routing information) and recreation and cultural facilities. These signs should be restored or replaced when they deteriorate.

Community Beautification

PTBO

9‐16. The Municipality should continue to provide passive outdoor facilities for the purposes of public gatherings and picnicking. Furthermore, provisions to incorporate spaces and amenities encouraging physical activity, wellness and informal use opportunities should be paramount considerations in the design of parks in order to encourage use and facilitate activity levels.

Ongoing

Minimal resource implications anticipated for this action.

PTBO

9‐17. The Municipality should maintain its involvement in the Communities in Bloom initiative, and support other appropriate methods of promoting community pride and beautification.

Ongoing



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