Recreation Annual Report 2011
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Onward/ By 2020, Calgary communities are resilient, complete and connected.
Table of Contents 1. FOCUSING SERVICES TO MEET CITIZENS’ NEEDS
1
2. MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER
3
3. MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF RECREATION
4
4. YEAR IN REVIEW
4.1
FOSTERING GREAT PUBLIC SPACES AND PROGRAMS
4.2
ENCOURAGING ACTIVE, CREATIVE AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLES
4.3
PROVIDING AND PROMOTING PUBLIC SAFETY
4.4
FOSTERING A COMMUNITY THAT CARES
4.5
PROVIDING SERVICES THAT CALGARIANS RELY ON
4.6
BUILDING AND STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS
4.7
FOSTERING A POSITIVE AND INNOVATIVE WORKPLACE
6 6 14 19 22 25 28 31
5. 2011 FINANCIAL SUMMARY 6. LOOKING AHEAD
34 36
© 2012 The City of Calgary Recreation The information contained in this report is the property of The City of Calgary Recreation business unit and is copyrighted. All rights reserved. No part of this report may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the written consent of The City of Calgary. The City of Calgary provides this information in good faith, but provides no warranty nor accepts any liability arising from incorrect, incomplete or misleading information or its improper use. Information is maintained on a regular basis. For more information regarding copyright or The City of Calgary Recreation contact 3-1-1.
1
Focusing Services to Meet Citizens’ Needs
Recreation is focused on the citizen. The planning and delivery of recreation opportunities to meet the diverse needs of Calgarians requires ongoing citizen engagement, research and consultation with key stakeholders.
In 2011, Recreation initiated the transformation of our organizational structure and culture. This new structure will better position Recreation to achieve the goals and objectives of the Recreation Master Plan.
Recreation Annual Report 2011 1
Each year Recreation gathers information from a number of sources to help us understand how we are doing. The annual City of Calgary Citizen Satisfaction survey gives Calgarians an opportunity to provide input on Recreation’s performance of programs and services. Other information sources include ongoing program evaluations and one on one engagement with our customers. We take input seriously and use it to identify citizen needs and expectations to develop programs and services.
Long term planning for Recreation is incorporated in the Council approved Recreation Master Plan: 2010-2020. This plan is the culmination of extensive consultation with citizens and stakeholders and will serve as a guiding framework for Recreation over the next decade. It speaks to Calgary’s changing dynamics and to how Calgarians define complete communities.
2011 Citizen Satisfaction Survey Calgarians are satisfied with Recreation’s programs (91% satisfaction rate). Calgarian’s satisfaction with City-operated Recreation facilities remains high (91% satisfaction rate).
Satisfaction with City-Operated Facilities Continued its Upward Trend in 2011
Calgarian’s Satisfaction with CityOperated Programs Continues to Grow
% OF Calgarians
92
% OF Calgarians
92
84
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
84
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2
Message from the General Manager
Dear Council, Citizens and City Colleagues, Improving the quality of life in Calgary is at the heart of everything we do in Community Services & Protective Services. We deliver a broad array of social, recreation, leisure and public art programs and services that encourage active lifestyles, inclusive communities and vibrant neighbourhoods for all citizens. We protect, preserve and restore public safety through the programs and services of the Calgary Fire Department, 9-1-1, bylaw education and enforcement, and emergency and disaster response systems.
Citizens have told us they value things like libraries, recreation facilities, culture and sport facilities, and fire services. We have listened. And we are responding. On July 25, 2011, City Council created a long-term sustainable funding pool to address both new and existing community infrastructure needs. Their foresight
The community investment fund will allocate $252 million into tangible and useful community improvements over the next six years on things like libraries, recreation centres, swimming pools, arenas, athletic fields, parks, playgrounds and emergency services. While projects vary in scope, size and cost, every single one of them directly helps create more livable communities. I look forward to sharing more information with you on these projects in 2012! We are proud to share with you the major accomplishments and milestones we have highlighted in our 2011 Annual Reports. Thank you to all the employees of our department who work in Calgary neighbourhoods every day to make our city vibrant, healthy, safe and caring.
Erika Hargesheimer General Manager Community Services & Protective Services The City of Calgary
Recreation Annual Report 2011 3
We do all this with a staff of 5,200 hard-working, dedicated employees, in partnership with community agencies, community and social recreation partnerships, civic partners and a network of provincial and federal departments and emergency management agencies. And we do so with the needs and priorities of citizens in mind.
to create this fund demonstrates The City’s commitment to safe, sustainable and vibrant neighbourhoods for all Calgarians.
3
Message from the Director of Recreation
It is my honour to present Recreation’s 2011 Annual Report. I submit this report on behalf of all Recreation staff who are dedicated to providing products and services that create healthy active and vibrant complete communities for all Calgarians. I trust that this annual report demonstrates the breadth and scope of our work in the effort to enrich the lives of Calgarians every day.
The Recreation Master Plan charts the course for how we are going to grow and adapt as a business unit to continue to meet the needs and expectations of our citizens. In 2011 Recreation continued to work towards the goals outlined in The Master plan, including a shift in focus from a functional program delivery approach of programs and services, to a community focused delivery model.
Calgarians have clearly told us, over and over again, that The City of Calgary’s role in delivering recreation is important and highly regarded. Results from the 2011 Citizen Satisfaction Survey show City-operated recreation facilities like aquatics and fitness facilities, leisure centres, arenas, athletic parks and golf courses are viewed as important by 89 per cent of Calgarians, and 91 per cent are satisfied with the quality being offered. That is up from 2010!
To address the growing need for Recreation infrastructure in Calgary, Recreation made great progress in 2011. Intensive community engagement and planning work took place towards the development of four new recreation facilities in Calgary. The Genesis Centre of Community Wellness was completed in 2011 providing another much-needed community gathering place.
We are thrilled with these results especially in light of the growing expectations of our citizens. According to Ipsos Reid’s Citizen Perceptions & Expectations Research, Calgarians under age 35 have increased expectations of The City of Calgary. It is up to The City to create an enjoyable, vibrant community where recreation is readily accessible and of the highest quality. Hunger for activity, creativity and vibrancy is something we want to foster and feed in our city and our communities.
This is an exciting and rewarding time to work in Recreation. I hope you’ll join me in appreciation of the outstanding work that our staff does each and every day to bring the benefits of recreation into the lives of so many Calgarians and communities.
Kurt Hanson, Director of Recreation
VISION: An active, creative and vibrant Calgary
4
MISSION: Enriching Calgarians Lives through recreation MANDATE: Develop and manage a comprehensive recreation service delivery continuum.
RECREATION’S DIVISIONS Arts & Culture
•
Aquatics & Fitness
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Arenas, Athletic Parks & Sport Development
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Business Services
•
Golf Courses
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Office of the Capital
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Southland Leisure Centre
•
Strategic Planning & Policy
•
Village Square Leisure Centre
Recreation Annual Report 2011 5
•
4.1
Year in Review: Fostering Great Public Spaces and Programs
WARD 3
WARD 2
WARD 3
WARD 2 WARD 4
WARD 1 WARD 4
WARD 5
WARD 1
WARD 7 WARD 5 WARD 7
WARD 6
WARD 10
WARD 8 WARD 6
WARD 10
WARD 8
WARD 9 WARD 11
WARD 9 WARD 11
12 Aquatic Centres 12 Arenas (19 ice surfaces) 2 Art Centres 11 Athletic Parks 6 Golf Locations (8 Courses) 2 Leisure Centres 1 Sailing School
WARD 13
WARD 14 WARD 14 WARD 13
Recreation Annual Report 2011 7
City of Calgary Recreation Facilities WARD 12 WARD 12
Kilometers
Kilometers 0 1 2 0
1
2
4
4
Recreation fosters great public spaces by offering and facilitating a wide variety of leisure, sport, art and cultural opportunities across Calgary.
4.1 Capital Investments:
Sport Facility Renewal Program
Investing in communities is an integral part of what makes a great city. Recreation was instrumental on a number of capital projects that enable us to meet our mandate and contribute to the vision of an active, creative and vibrant Calgary.
The Sport Facility Renewal project (funded by MSI) allows $40 million for the upgrade and expansion of existing sport facilities in Calgary over six years. In 2011, 13 projects from across the city were approved for a total of $12.7 million in funding. Once completed, these projects will improve the landscape for sport users throughout Calgary by maintaining existing sport infrastructure, repurposing current facilities to accommodate multisport opportunities, and renovating aging infrastructure to better accommodate changing sport and citizen needs.
There are a number of funding sources for Capital projects that include the Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) funding program, the Sports Facility Renewal Program and a new Community Investment Fund.
Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) The Provincial Government has committed up to $3.3 billion in funding to The City of Calgary as part of its Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) funding program. City Council allocated an investment of up to $330 million for recreation and sport infrastructure and $165 million in Cultural infrastructure. A number of these projects will be completed over several years.
Community Investment Fund City Council created a Community Investment Fund in 2011 which will see The City invest $252 million into capital community improvement over the next six years, including those of partner organizations. With over 200 formal and diverse partner relationships, this increase in capital funding will assist partner organizations to address lifecycle needs and to upgrade their facilities so they can continue to provide programs and services in safe and healthy environments.
Funded Capital Projects The projects listed below include those that were funded in 2011 and projects that are underway. They include a mix of new facilities to accommodate Calgary’s growth and upgrades to pre-existing facilities to meet the needs of Calgarians in all neighbourhoods new and old.
Recreation
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Subway Soccer Centre
•
West Hillhurst Community Association
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Foothills Athletic Park
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Winsport
•
Mount Pleasant Community Association
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Southland Leisure Centre
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Calgary Board of Education
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Richmond Green Golf Course
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Ernest Manning Artificial Turf
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Frank McCool Arena
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New Brighton Athletic Park
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Genesis Centre of Community Wellness
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Ernie Starr Memorial Arena
•
Acadia Community Association
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Henry Viney Arena
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Calgary Curling Club
•
Optimist Athletic Park
•
Calgary Soccer Federation
Community Partners
•
Crowchild Twin Arenas Society
•
South Fish Creek Recreation Complex
•
Huntington Hills Community Association
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Talisman Centre
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Millican-Ogden Community Association
•
Northeast Sportsplex Society
Culture Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame
•
Folk Festival Hall
•
Nickle Arts Museum (Nickle Galleries)
•
Mount Royal Conservatory
•
National Music Centre
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Alberta Creative Hub
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King Edward School Arts Incubator
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Calgary Centre for Performing Arts
Recreation Annual Report 2011 9
•
4.1 Capital Highlights Foothills Athletic Park Upgrade
Going Green at Southland
The Foothills Athletic Park upgrade provides Calgary track and field athletes and schools a world class outdoor athletics amenity. The enhancement includes an upgraded 400-meter track, four longjump pits, a throwing cage and accessible spectator stands. The refurbishment places Calgary among the top cities in the country within this facility category. The construction was completed in June for the 2011 Canadian Track & Field Championships. This site will also host the 2012 Canadian Olympic Track & Field Trials.
Mayor Nenshi unveiled the Solar Thermal energy project at Southland Leisure Centre in 2011. ISO solar panels were installed on the roof which allows the facility to heat water for the pool, sinks and showers with solar thermal energy.
Southland Leisure Centre Arenas The Joseph Kryczka and Ed Whalen arenas at Southland Leisure Centre closed in April 2011 and re-opened in October after undergoing extensive renovations. Cooling piping, concrete slabs, boards and glass were all replaced, and new flooring was installed in the players’ boxes and spectator areas. Previously completed upgrades included installing new energy-efficient lighting and renovating the washrooms.
The City of Calgary’s Energy Management Office, a division of Infrastructure and Information Management Services, partnered with Recreation and Enmax on this green initiative. This pilot project was partially funded by the province through the Municipal Sustainability Initiative.
Southland Leisure Centre’s New Kinderroom Play Structure The Kinder Room Play Structure was replaced at Southland Leisure Centre in November 2011. This space is in extreme demand for both programs and birthday parties and is utilized extensively throughout the year. The original structure was 10 years old and in need of repair. The feedback has been outstanding!
additional multi-purpose room was installed and adopted as a fifth dressing room. New Brighton Athletic Park The funding for this outdoor park serving southeast Calgary was approved by Council in 2011. The Park will primarily serve organized sport with four rectangular multi-use fields that can accommodate several sports. Construction of the facility will commence in 2012.
Golf Courses
Frank McCool Arena The renovation of Frank McCool Arena’s exterior took place in late summer of 2011 and included: new exterior siding, perimeter lighting, parapet flashing, and front entrance concrete apron. Also, in partnership with Lowe’s the arena bowl lighting was upgraded to energy saving lamps, interior painting was renewed, and an
South Fish Creek Recreation Complex The opening of two additional ice surfaces at South Fish Creek has added much needed public ice for Calgarians. Construction was completed in late 2011. Talisman Centre Construction on the Talisman Centre roof replacement project was completed in spring of 2011. This multi-use recreational facility now features new fabric and insulation that will improve energy efficiency to provide significant cost savings.
Recreation Annual Report 2011 11
Richmond Green Golf Course re-opened in 2011 following a two-year closure for Water Services infrastructure upgrades. Players returned to a “refreshed” look including some new greens, cart paths, and additional trees and shrubs.
Subway Soccer Centre
Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame
Recreation continues to work with the Calgary Soccer Federation on improving soccer amenities in the city. In fall 2011, construction started on three artificial turf fields at the Subway Soccer Centre in Southeast Calgary. Our commitment to the long term success of the Subway Soccer Centre will extend into 2012 as we work with the Calgary Soccer Federation to re-open the main annex portion.
Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame opened on July 1, 2011 at Canada Olympic Park. The Hall works to promote the importance of sport to Canadian culture, families and communities by sharing the compelling stories of outstanding achievements in Canadian Sport.
Winsport – Grand Opening In 2011, Winsport Canada officially opened to the public. The City’s financial investment funded two of their four arenas. We are proud to have helped support Winsport in their mission of providing ‘worldclass winter sport facilities through a sustainable business model where Canadian athletes of all abilities can discover, develop and excel.’
Genesis Centre of Community Wellness
The use of artificial turf is beneficial from both a user’s perspective and The City’s. Artificial turf technology is shock-absorbent which provides safer play conditions for users. Artificial turf also facilitates more availability and playtime for citizens. This factor is especially important in Calgary where we are subject to inclement weather that can drastically minimize playtime and sport seasons. The Ernest Manning Artificial Turf field was made possible through the West LRT project and the relocation of Ernest Manning High School. A first ever partnership of its nature between The Calgary Board of Education and The City of Calgary solidified the project and the fields will officially be opened in June 2012.
Calgary’s newest Recreation facility was completed in late 2011. This $120 million project had solid support from the community and public and private sectors, and urgently needed sport, recreation, wellness and cultural services to the residents of northeast Calgary. Genesis hosts the Calgary Public Library, the YMCA, various human services and indoor playfields. The construction of two outdoor soccer fields will commence in the spring of 2012.
Recreation Annual Report 2011 13
Ernest Manning Artificial Turf
Year in Review: Encouraging Active, Creative and Healthy Lifestyles
4.2
2011 Citizen Participation & Activities •
Drop in/Pass Admissions: 1,947,754
•
Registered Program Participants: 86,130
•
Programs Offered: 12,741
•
Registered Program Hours: 87,784
•
Day Camp Participants: 8,161
•
Rounds of Golf Played: 246,673
•
70% of golf customers booked tee times online in 2011
•
outh attending Calgary AfterSchool Programs in City of Y Calgary Facilities: 2,627
•
Participants in Swimming Lessons: 48,975
•
Online Registrations: 30,468
•
Calgary.ca/Recreation visits: 1,442,540
•
Online Recreation Program Guide visits: 237,444
Facility Rentals Recreation provides facility booking services for thousands of facilities and open spaces on behalf of Recreation, Parks, Calgary Board of Education and the Calgary Separate School Board. For Recreation spaces, over 90,000 hours were booked to almost 1,600 groups ranging from large sport organization to community groups. Recreation booked an additional 430,000 hours on behalf of Parks, Calgary Board of Education and Calgary Catholic School District.
Free Golf Kids Events In 2011 Golf Courses hosted Family Golf Nights at McCall Lake Par 3 and Richmond Green where juniors golfed for free. In addition, for the ninth year, those same courses played host to Take a Kid to the Course week where juniors golfed for free July 5-11.
Youth Nights Both Village Square and Southland Leisure Centre hosted successful youth nights throughout the school year. Youth nights give students exclusive access to pool and gymnasium facilities from 7:3010:00 p.m. on Friday nights. Southland Leisure Centre broke an attendance record on Friday, June 24 at the Youth in Action Video Dance year-end party with 734 youth in attendance.
The City of Calgary is the first and only city in Canada to have a Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do it! (MEND) program. The program is offered at Village Square Leisure Centre in partnership with Alberta Health Services. MEND aims to create a world where kids are fitter, healthier and happier so they grow up without health issues linked to obesity, such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
Southland Leisure Centre opened an exciting new activity centre, where video games meet exercise. Users move in a virtual world by simply using their bodies as the controllers of the game. Gaming experiences are physical and fun for all ages. The XRkade® is designed to create positive active gaming experiences for youth, birthday parties, fitness classes, team building, older adult fitness, school programs as well as general public drop-in.
Public Art Program: Great Art. Great City. The City recognizes that public art makes an important contribution to Calgary’s vibrant culture, one that helps us understand ourselves in the context of our city while serving to record our history. The Public Art Program is responsible for implementing the Public Art Policy which guides the acquisition and management of The City’s visual art collections. The Policy provides a sustainable and responsive funding strategy for public art and allocates one per cent
Recreation Annual Report 2011 15
Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do it! (MEND)
New XRkade® Active Gaming Centre Opens at Southland Leisure Centre
of city funding for capital building projects over $1 million. Public art is integrated into the urban landscape and supports the Council priority, to provide and maintain great public places. In 2011, the Public Art Program supported 22 calls to artists for projects throughout Calgary that resulted in 72 commissions.
Art in the Park Six original murals painted by local artists were installed at Shaw Millennium Park in 2011. This ambitious project was in response to citizens’ desire for more visual interest at the park and to reflect the site’s growing popularity as a festival and event venue. Citizen Input Drive
Calgary’s Public Art Collection includes works commissioned through the Public Art capital funding strategy as well as the Civic Art Collection, a fine art collection consisting of approximately 1,000 pieces, many of which have been donated. There are currently 365 works of art from the Civic Art Collection on exhibit at over 60 sites across Calgary. Painted Utility Boxes The Painted Utility Box program, implemented through The City of Calgary Roads division, promotes a vibrant public realm while helping to deter vandalism. The 55 traffic signal boxes painted by local artists have resulted in a 91 per cent reduction in graffiti.
In 2011, the ”public” in public art was restated by asking key stakeholders and citizens to share thoughts, ideas and feedback on how to make the most of public art in Calgary. A half-day town hall and an aggressive citizen input effort driven by social media helped identify audiences, themes and programming opportunities for the future.
Festivals & Events Calgary is one of the most active and animated communities in the country. In 2011, festival and event activities included three international, two national and 113 community based celebrations, 22 parades, 41 festivals, 13 city wide street events and over 81 runs, walks and cycling events. Based on this a total of 270 event in 2011, Calgary has become one of the most publicly animated cities in Canada.
2011 Royal Tour Canada was given the distinct honour of hosting the first international tour by Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, which included their July 6-8 visit to Calgary. The City provided support for the Royal visit to ensure the safety of all Calgarians and visitors with minimal impact to normal operations while maintaining Calgary’s positive international reputation. New Year’s
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) AGM In March of 2011, The City had the opportunity to showcase Calgary businesses and projects to IDB delegates from 48 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The City’s contribution included a joint Mayor’s Municipal Program on pursuing urban sustainability in the Americas with the launch of Sustainable Cities for the 21st Century roundtable session. An evening at Jack Singer Concert Hall was
Calgary was proud to be selected Western Canada’s 2011 host city for Citytv’s first ever western national New Year’s Eve bash broadcast. The festivities spilled over to New Years day in partnership with Citytv and Hockey Canada, the host community for the International World Junior’s Hockey Tournament. “Hockey in Calgary Day” on January 1, 2012 also launched the year-long celebration of Recreation’s centennial year.
Recreation Annual Report 2011 17
Recreation provides leadership and support for all festivals and events in Calgary that require City land or resources. This work aligns with Council’s priority to create complete communities.
another highlight, providing guests with entertainment that reflects Calgary’s diverse music and dance community.
World Junior Hockey Championships Significant work was invested in 2011 by the Calgary’s Event Services team to assist in the coordinating of a full range of services to support the International World Junior Hockey Tournament from January 2-9, 2012, the most successful event in the history of that tournament. 2011 Canadian National Track And Field Championships The Calgary Track Council in partnership with The City of Calgary hosted the 2011 Canadian Track and Field Championships from June 25-28, at Foothills Athletic Park. This collaborative approach delivered a first class event for the citizens of Calgary. The event increased participation in the sport of athletics (track and field) and created a greater awareness of the benefits of activity to a public audience.
4.3
Year in Review: Providing and Promoting Public Safety
Swimming is a Life Skill
As part of the three-year corporate-wide auditing cycle, Recreation continued to implement recommendations from the 2010 external audit in preparation for a 2012 Internal Audit. These audits allow The City to maintain its Certificate of Recognition.
Education and awareness in water safety is the most effective way to prevent water-related injuries. The City of Calgary believes that the ability to swim is a basic life skill. In 2011, 48,975 people participated in swimming lessons.
Recreation continued to implement recommendations from previous COR Audits (2010) which resulted in a 25% improvement in the Business Unit Lost Time Accidents. (36 in 2010, 27 in 2011).
In addition to swimming lessons, The City, through its Junior Lifesaving Clubs of Calgary, helped children develop skills based on personal bests in swimming, lifesaving, fitness, knowledge, leadership and teamwork. In 2011, Junior Lifesaving Club had 1,605 participants from ages 8-15.
The City of Calgary’s Envirosystem (ISO 14001) Recreation continues to be a proactive leader and environmental steward through compliance to environmental legislation, conservation and prevention of pollution, and continual improvement. Recreation successfully completed an ISO 14001 Surveillance Audit in 2011 and continued to maintain good standing with the City’s Envirosystem, our ISO 14001-registered Environmental Management System.
Lifesaving Awards The City of Calgary Recreation was awarded a number of trophies in recognition of delivering Lifesaving programs, including: Terry Cavanagh Junior Lifeguard Award, Paul (Skip) Hayden Canadian Swim Patrol Award, Anne Resek Swim For Life Award, William (Bill) Patton First Aid Award, Marlin Moore National Lifeguard Award, and the Jordan Neave Swim to Survive Memorial Award. Representatives
Recreation Annual Report 2011 19
Health & Safety Certificate of Recognition
from The City of Calgary attended the 2011 Affiliate Recognition Awards presentation in June and accepted the awards on behalf of the many Recreation staff who contributed to these achievements.
Staff Training Recreation is committed to providing high quality programs. To that end, the High Five™ program has been implemented into all our programming.
Reservoir Safety Recreation‘s Glenmore Reservoir Services and Fire and Water Services work together to manage activities in and around the reservoir, which serves three main purposes. •
To supply drinking water to Calgarians
•
o provide flood control and downstream management of the T Elbow River
•
To facilitate recreational boating
The requirement to temporarily close the Glenmore Reservoir to recreational users in June 2011, due to hazardous conditions created by the high river flow, drew citizen attention to the importance of safety on the reservoir.
High Five™ is a quality Canadian assurance framework that strives for healthy development for children and youth (aged 6-12) participating in sport and recreation programs. Staff training is the essential component in integrating High Five™ principles in everyday operations. In 2011, 169 staff were trained.
Thank you for teaching me how to do the front crawl. I had a lot of fun swimming! Also it was so fun jumping off the diving board. Recreation Annual Report 2011 21
Sincerely, Amanda
4.4
Year in Review: Fostering a Community that Cares
Fee Assistance Program In 2011, the Fee Assistance Program offered 25,076 low income Calgarians subsidized access to City of Calgary registered recreation programs, aquatic and fitness facilities, leisure centres and golf courses. Village Square Leisure Centre is the most popular choice for fee assistance clients. Golf Courses provided 140 green fees to fee assistance customers and provided 547 Junior Golf Subsidy Programs. Golf Course Operations do not receive fee assistance subsidy dollars for registered recreation programs or green fees. Instead, funds donated through an annual fundraising golf tournament in partnership with Pioneer Group, MSL Land Services and Focus Corporation provide the sole funding for the Junior Golf Subsidy program. In 2011, the Fee Assistance program worked with 11 partner facilities who accepted City identification as proof of eligibility to receive the reduced rate. Through this collaboration, low income Calgarians had more access to many recreation opportunities. Recreation is grateful to work with these organizations to encourage sport participation for all citizens.
City of Calgary Recreation and Partner Facilities
2011
City of Calgary Facilities
62,963 admissions
Calgary Public Library
not available
Calgary Zoo
30,689 admissions
Cardel Place
1,289 admissions
Fort Calgary
163 admissions, 7 programs
Heritage Park
3,968 admissions
Rotary Challenger Park
not available
Silver Springs Outdoor Pool
124 admissions, 7 programs
South Fish Creek Recreation Assoc.
70 admissions, 206 Programs
Talisman Centre
3,457 admissions
Vecova
1,410 admissions, 38 memberships, 69 programs
YMCA
1,740 admissions
Calgary AfterSchool
The Fee Assistance Program partnered with the Calgary Public Library to provide additional opportunities and access to quality recreational venues, arts and cultural events with the Arts & Recreation Pass. The Arts & Recreation Passes can currently be accessed at Village Square, Forest Lawn, Bowness, Thornhill and Glenmore Square Calgary Public Library locations and exchanged for free tickets to various events happening in our vibrant city.
Calgary After School’s goal is to provide Calgary children and youth with positive, structured and affordable activities during critical after-school hours. 2011 saw encouraging indications that Calgary AfterSchool is being embraced by families. In 2011, 2,627 individual youth (more than double last year) participated in Recreation Calgary AfterSchool programs, resulting in 32,829 visits to the seven program locations.
Canadian Tire Jumpstart
Accessibility and Inclusivity
In 2011, the Fee Assistance Program received $59,963 from Canadian Tire‘s Jumpstart Charity, providing funding for a total of 1,209 economically disadvantaged children to participate in City of Calgary recreation programs. Canadian Tire Jumpstart also funded the Jumpstart Fun Bus, a recreational program for Calgary Housing youth.
The City of Calgary continues to provide a price adjustment on admissions for People with Disabilities with Aides with the Recreation Aide Policy. This policy has allowed people with disabilities, who require support to participate in recreation programs and services, to bring an Aide at no extra cost.
Recreation Annual Report 2011 23
Arts & Recreation Pass
Putting Action and Resources Behind the City’s Commitment to Inclusion Summer 2011 was the third year that Recreation Inclusion Leaders were hired at Village Square and Southland Leisure Centres as part of the Inclusive Community Activities with No Barriers (ICAN) partnership developed with Between Friends Club to increase the skills and knowledge of day camp staff in the area of inclusive programming. The young people we support experience a variety of challenges ranging from ADHD, ODD, Asperger’s, Learning Disability, Autism, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome as well as Anxiety Disorder (separation anxiety), behavioural concerns and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Inclusion Leaders provided direction, support and leadership on adaptive programming and behaviour management for 186 participants at Village Square Leisure Centre and 77 participants at Southland Leisure Centre, for a total of 263 participants who required extra support due to disabilities or behavioural challenges.
Inn From the Cold For the fourth consecutive year, Calgary Recreation provided day camp spaces to children from Inn from the Cold. This agency provides shelter, resources and support to homeless families in Calgary. Participation doubled in 2011 with 87 children being given reserved spots in day camps at Southland and Village Square Leisure Centres, aquatics and fitness centres and Wildflower Art Centre.
Enriching Lives with the Asrab Village Square Leisure Centre in partnership with the Alberta Sport Recreation Association for the Blind (ASRAB) provided recreation opportunities including learn to skate, swimming and yoga for visually impaired Calgarians.
Year in Review: Providing Services that Calgarians Rely On
4.5
A growing number of Calgarians view City-operated recreation facilities as important to their quality of life. In 2011, 89 per cent of Calgarians indicated these facilities are important, up from 85 per cent in 2007.
Growing Number of Calgarians View City-Operated Facilities as Important
A growing number of Calgarians value City-operated recreation programs. In 2011, 78 per cent of Calgarians view City programs to be important, a five per cent increase from 2007 (73 per cent).
Growing Number of Calgarians View City-Operated Programs as Important 78
% OF Calgarians
Recreation Annual Report 2011 25
% OF Calgarians
90
80
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
70
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Our Digital World Recreation recognizes that our world is increasingly defined by a network of communities that form digital global villages. Citizens are connected and communicating; collaborating both formally (31-1 service requests, email and telephone) as well spontaneously (Facebook, blog, Twitter). In 2011, we continued to work to improve our online presence by: •
aunching the second version of the Online Recreation L Program Guide
•
aunching Recreation’s Facebook page (quickly growing to L more than 1,500 likes)
Recreation also participated in The City’s development of a new calgary.ca, which effectively: •
educed our web foot print from 1,100 pages to just over 300 R to ensure content is relevant and easy to find
•
elivered a new way of updating our facility schedules on the D web, seven days a week, without the need for staff to be retrained
•
reated a process for Recreation programs to be profiled C through an automated feed, without the need for manual intervention. This feed is now accessible on 17 Calgary.ca pages as well as our very popular Facebook page.
Awards 2011 Recreation for the Disabled (Aabrd) Legacy Award Village Square Leisure Centre was the 2011 recipient of the Alberta Advisory Board on Recreation for the Disabled (AABRD) Legacy Award, which recognizes achievements by individuals, communities, and organizations that strive to advance integrated recreation opportunities.
2011 – 2012 Calgary Herald Reader’s Choice Winners – Best Swimming Facility Southland Leisure Centre – Gold Village Square Leisure Centre – Secondary Winner 2011 Calgary’s Child Magazine’s Parents’ Choice Awards
Best Preschooler Programs - City of Calgary Recreation Best Programs for School Age Children - City of Calgary Recreation Best Teen Programs - City of Calgary Recreation Best Children’s Day Camp - City of Calgary Recreation Best Swimming Pool - Southland Leisure Centre Honourable Mention - Village Square Leisure centre Best Family Fitness Facility - City of Calgary Leisure Centre
Recreation Annual Report 2011 27
Each fall, Calgary’s Child Magazine hosts their popular Parent’s Choice Awards. This provides the opportunity for more than 150,000 readers to vote for their family favourites. This year Recreation was recognized in a number of areas:
Building and Strengthening Partnerships
4.6
Community partnerships, made up of both Recreation and Civic Partners (see below), support Recreation in its development and delivery of facilities, products and services in sport, fitness, arts, culture, festivals, events and leisure activities. Partnerships help build community leadership, leverage financial and in-kind support, contribute to The City reaching its strategic goals, and provide a way for Calgarians to shape programs and services that reflect emerging needs and desires. Input and action from Calgarians through partnerships helps ensure that our communities are liveable, sustainable and complete. Recreation Partners
•
Federation of Calgary Communities
•
Social Recreation Organizations
•
Vecova
Civic Partners •
Aerospace Museum
•
Calgary Arts Development Authority
•
Calgary Economic Development
•
Calgary Sport Tourism Authority
•
Calgary Public Library
•
Calgary Outdoor Swimming Pool Association
•
Calgary Technologies Inc.
•
Calgary Rotary Challenger Park
•
Calgary TELUS Convention Centre
•
Community Associations
•
Calgary Zoological Society
•
acility Operators (e.g. Genesis Centre, South Fish Creek, F Cardel Place, Westside Recreation Centre)
•
EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts
•
Fort Calgary Preservation Society
•
Heritage Park Society
•
Parks Foundation, Calgary
•
Sport Calgary
•
Talisman Centre
•
Tourism Calgary
•
TELUS Spark
algary Public Library received a funding commitment from C Council and declared a site location for the New Central Library in the East Village as well as their inclusion in the planning of the new regional recreational centres.
•
arks Foundation completed the East Calgary Greenway, P Phase I of a larger project that will connect parks and pathways throughout Calgary.
•
alisman Centre reopened after a shutdown to replace the T facility’s 27 year-old roof and to make extensive facility enhancements.
•
ELUS World of Science opened their new facility, TELUS T Spark, the first science centre in Canada of the 21st century.
2011 Highlights of Partner Accomplishments •
algary Zoo welcomed 1,164,129 visitors and put the C finishing touches on the Penguin Plunge exhibit.
•
algary Arts Development Authority launched cSPACE, a C non-profit real estate enterprise dedicated to developing creative workspaces for artists across Calgary. cSPACE secured the former King Edward School as the site for a new inner-city arts hub.
Engaging Partners in Budget Process Partners actively participated in The City’s Business Planning & Budget Coordination process for 2012-2014. Civic and Recreation Partners provided business plans and budgets with information on their plans, priorities, opportunities and challenges for the next three
Recreation Annual Report 2011 29
•
years. Partners indicated how their work aligned with City Council priorities, how they measure the success of their efforts, ways in which they are working to increase efficiency in their operations and their success in leveraging City contributions through donations, earned revenue, volunteerism and in-kind support.
We share a vision in advocating sport and its strong correlation to active living and a vibrant city. One example of this shared vision is the popular All Sport – One Day event which welcomes children ages 6-12 to an entire day of sport discovery. In 2011 over 1,500 children attended this free event.
Sport Calgary
Calgary Sport Tourism
Sports play a significant role in the recreation continuum. As such, The City of Calgary Recreation and in particular, the Sport Development team, diligently works to maintain strong ties with Sport Calgary and all sports organizations. The division of Arenas, Athletic Parks & Sport Development continues to work and partner with Sport Calgary on a number of initiatives that strengthen the sport community.
Recreation continues to have a strong working relationship with Calgary Sport Tourism, recognizing that in addition to the health benefits offered by sport, there are substantial economic benefits as well. Alignment with Calgary Sport Tourism has resulted in a number of successful events including the Track and Field Trials (2011/12), World Junior Hockey, and the upcoming Plus 55 Alberta Games in 2013.
4.7
Fostering a Positive and Innovative Workplace
Our Workforce and Enhancing Employee Competence Through Training Recreation is a large and diverse business unit, offering many products and services and operating over 50 facilities that provide quality customer service seven days a week, 364 days a year. With 1,700 employees, Recreation‘s workforce is one of the largest in The Corporation.
Each year, the Corporate Employee Survey provides a measure of how each business unit in the Corporation is doing in providing a healthy, productive, safe and engaging workplace. The results are used by management to determine areas where successes are reflected, and also to indicate where improvements might be made.
Recreation staff designed, developed and implemented an in-house customer service initiative, On-Stage. Our front-line employees created a cultural framework to enhance customer service, premised on the idea that a positive workplace and strong relationships results in excellent customer service. On-Stage is entirely employee-driven and focuses on 4 fundamentals that are integral to the provision of recreation services: Clean, Safe, Fun and Friendly. This initiative has received rave reviews from employees at all levels of the organization.
Recreation Annual Report 2011 31
Employee Satisfaction
An employee satisfaction index combines eight separate survey indicators to provide an overall measure of satisfaction which can be tracked over time. The 2011 index score is down 6.5 points from last year. This can be attributed to some of the organizational changes Recreation is making. It is worth noting that the Recreation score continues to exceed City-wide and Community Services & Protective Services (CSPS) scores and is significantly higher than the baseline score of 117.5 in 2005.
Employee Satisfaction Index
In 2011, 69 per cent of Recreation employees indicated they are satisfied with the overall quality of their work life, down slightly from 72 per cent in 2010, but up substantially from 2007 when just 62 per cent reported being satisfied.
150
120
Cut the Red Tape 90
0
2005
2006
2007
City-wide
2008
2009
CSPS
2010
2011
Recreation
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
100
99.5
101.5
108.5
113.6
118.4
119.5
CSPS
104.4
99.7
88.3
88.6
100.2
102.6
111.8
Recreation
117.5
124.9
122.7
129
142
141.9
135.4
City-wide
Aquatics & Fitness staff submitted a Cut the Red Tape initiative which involved improving customer service by increasing the number of staff trained on Class (Recreation Registration Software), our program registration system. This suggestion was implemented and 40 additional Aquatics & Fitness staff were trained on the registration component. Further, two additional cash registers were installed at Thornhill and Killarney Aquatic Centres. These enhancements will improve the division’s ability to meet customer needs, particularly on evenings and weekends. The Mayor visited Killarney on November 4, where he toured the facility and spoke to the staff in order to learn more about how this initiative improves service to citizens.
Build – Build Understanding in Leadership Development Recreation’s Learning & Development team coordinates a comprehensive certificate training program offered to staff in Community Services & Protective Services.
With such a large and diverse workforce, keeping staff informed and engaged in the activities of the business unit is an important focus of Strengthening the Workplace initiatives. We have several methods to communicate to our workforce including our business unit newsletter, What‘s Up What‘s Happening?, which contains news from across the business unit, including awards, events, accomplishments, staff profiles, programs and partnerships. It is published and distributed to all employees three times per year. Once a year Recreation puts on an event for staff leaders. This year the Recreation Leadership Symposium (RLS) was held at Heritage Park. This all-day event is an opportunity for our employees to collaborate, re-energize and learn about best recreation practices and to hear from the Recreation Director.
Recreation Annual Report 2011 33
The BUILD program focuses on leadership as an incredibly complex and varied topic, encompassing everything from interpersonal relationships to corporate strategy. As members and leaders of teams, we need to know how to maximize our employee’s involvement and engagement. This program is based on developing the professional, rather than technical, skills that staff require to be more successful in their workplaces. In 2011, there were 194 participants in the eight courses offered.
Keeping Staff Informed and Engaged
5
2011 Financial Summary
Earned Revenue
$12,000,000
$10,000,000
Admissions Passes
$8,000,000
Programs Rentals
$6,000,000
$4,000,000
$ 2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
For every dollar of The City’s residential property tax bill*, 43 cents is collected on behalf of the province. Of the 57 cents collected for the municipality, The City spends 13 cents on Community Services & Protective Services, as follows:
Proportion of Tax Dollar by Business Unit
Provincial Government 43 cents
Recreation 1.5 cents
Municipal Services & Programs 57 cents
ABS 0.4 cents
CNS 0.1 cents
Fire 6.5 cents
Parks 2.8 cents
PSC 0.7 cents
*Based on the combined current municipal and provincial property tax rates as independently determined by each level of government.
Recreation Annual Report 2011 35
57 per cent
Looking Ahead
6
New Recreation Facility Development In 2011 Recreation continued its exciting work on the planning and development of four new recreation facilities for Calgary – one in the far northwest and three in the southeast. These facilities will provide Calgarians with a wide range of opportunities – from team sports to individual artistic expression; from family play time to individual fitness goals. As a neighbourhood gathering place to connect with family, friends and neighbours, recreation facilities are the social fabric of our community and well-being. The four new centres will be located at: •
Rocky Ridge Recreation Facility - 11300 Rocky Ridge Rd. N.W.
•
Seton Recreation Facility - 18150 56th St. S.E.
•
Quarry Park Recreation Facility - 108 Quarry Park Rd. S.E.
•
Great Plains Recreation Facility - 5749 76th Ave. S.E.
Extensive stakeholder engagement and research culminated in a program amenities and market assessment which recommended the
specific amenity mix for each of the four facilities. Recreation also engaged the northwest and southeast Community Advisory Groups, Sport Calgary and Calgary Arts Development Authority. As a result of this research and engagement, these new recreation centres will be designed to meet specific needs within their area, as well as support the overall recreation system in the city. They will include amenities such as libraries, pools, arenas, gyms and art spaces. Land acquisition, site assessments, land use and servicing also continued to prepare the sites for development. Planning continues for all four sites and the finance strategy will be going forward to Council for approval in January 2012.
Transforming Recreation Recreation is aligning with the Transforming Government initiative, seeking to fundamentally change how it thinks about citizens and responding to their needs. This includes how Recreation delivers services, and how it allocates resources. The focus shifts from a functional program approach, to a community focused model, from thinking about what is being delivered, to who it is being delivered for – citizens and communities. This aligns with the Recreation master plan and will allow Recreation to increase responsiveness to the community.
Meeting Skate Park Needs
Recreation 2012 Centennial Recreation is celebrating a landmark achievement in 2012 – our centennial. Recreation has grown from a playground committee in 1912, to having more than 1,700 employees in over 50 facilities. For 100 years, Recreation has been the architect responsible for Calgary’s extraordinary recreational landscape. Recreation will
Calgary 2012 Calgary was successful in its bid to be recognized as the Culture Capital of Canada 2012. The Cultural Capitals of Canada program is administered federally by the department of Canadian Heritage. The objective of the program is to stimulate sustained community support for arts and culture. It recognizes and supports Canadian communities that have a record of harnessing the many benefits of arts and culture in community life. It is through this program that Recreation hopes to leverage further opportunities to showcase Calgary’s culturally rich and diverse environment.
Recreation Annual Report 2011 37
In 2011, Recreation took responsibility for delivering the Community Mobile Skate Park program. The program was hosted in 12 communities and serviced a total of 3,756 participants over a two-month period. Seventeen skateboard competitions took place through the Mobile Skate Park program, alongside 23 sets of “Got Skills” skateboard lessons. To help meet the needs of Calgary’s growing skateboard community, the Calgary Skateboard Amenities Strategy was developed and approved by Council. This guiding document will allow Recreation to move forward on implementing the strategy, address the growing gap, and vastly enrich our recreational landscape. The Calgary Skateboard Amenities Strategy won a National Citation Award for Planning & Analysis.
commemorate 2012 through celebrating our role as Calgary’s largest provider of accessible, affordable, quality sport, fitness, culture and leisure activities in Calgary.
Recreation Annual Report 2011
2012-0230