A number of items will be forwarded to council, out of yesterday’s Community Services Executive Committee.

New programming

Recreation is about to get a boost, according to Recreation and Culture Manager Tyler Young. He was commended by the Community Services Executive Committee for the Spring Recreator, which sees the return of summer programming. The Rec ‘n Crew, which is a summer-long series of themed, week-long day camps for kids, which take place throughout Town recreation venues, took a hiatus during Covid. Staff shortages last year forced them to be cancelled again. But this year, they’re back, and filling up fast. As of Monday morning, the popular camps were 75 per cent full, with many expecting to be waitlisted, he said. However, if the Town can attract more staff, more kids will be able to take part. The Town’s on-again, off-again swimming programs will also see some relief. Although the facility has been forced to curtail swimming lessons temporarily due to staffing shortages, the Town has two new junior life guards, who will be starting soon. Yoga lovers will also be excited for future programming, currently in the works. Young has created partnerships with local yoga instructors, which will not only reinstate yoga, but “dramatically expand” yoga programming offered by the Town.

“We’ve had some staff shortages and some bumps along the way,” said Young. “But we’ve turned the corner a bit.”

Recreation Master Plan

The Committee has accepted Recreation and Culture Manager Tyler Young’s recommendation that a Request for Proposal seeking a consulting firm to create a Recreation Master Plan go unrewarded. Instead, he has advised that the RFP be refocussed, retooled and re-posted. Young noted that the original call for submissions, which he had not authored, needed to be clearer, and provide bidders with more concrete deliverables.

According to Young, staff had received many calls with legitimate questions and concerns from consultants, as they attempted to create their proposals. The three bids which were put forward fell short of the mark, he said. Young feels retooling the RFP will attract bids closer to the Town’s objectives.

Recreation is an important part of civic life, he noted. “It ties in wellness, health and happiness. I think the RFP needs to capture that,” he said.

The Committee agreed. Although some committee members were initially concerned that changing the RFP might put off the consultants who had already submitted a bid, Young assured them that the retooling would give them a clearer picture of the Town’s needs, and help them to tweak their own bids without significant hardship.

Borderland Pride

The committee agreed to support Borderland Pride’s request for the donation of the auditorium and stage for a special Drag performance, scheduled for June 10. The performance, to be held during Pride Month, will be a fully inclusive, all ages event, featuring performers from the district and elsewhere. The request included both the auditorium and the stage, for a total donation of $813 tax included. ($566.50 for the room, $246.50 for the stage.) Borderland Pride intends to donate all proceeds from the event, including ticket sales, bar service and other fundraising activities towards the Make a Big Splash Spray Park.

The request was supported by committee members, due to the intended Spray Park donation.

“This is a win for taxpayers,” said Counc. Mike Behan.