Thunder Bay Recreation and Facilities Master Plan: Community Centres Update and Service Level Review

Thank you to everyone who has participated in the Community Centre public engagement surveys and meetings. Your feedback will help guide updates to the Community Centres elements of the Recreation and Facilities Master Plan and Service Level Review.

ABOUT

The City of Thunder Bay is undertaking a Community Centres Update and Service Level Review to better understand how residents and user groups utilize Community Centres (rent space, participate in programs, activities and events, etc.) and their future priorities.

Take the survey below to help inform decisions around improvements to, and investment in, these neighbourhood Community Centres:

1. Current River Community Centre - 450 Dewe Ave.
2. North End Community Centre - 954 Huron Ave.
3. North McIntyre Rec Centre - 2051 Government Road
4. Oliver Road Community Centre - 563 Oliver Rd.
5. South Neebing Community Centre - 1841 Mountain Rd.
6. Vickers Heights Community Centre - 1695 Broadway Ave.
7. Volunteer Pool Community Centre - 180 Martha St.
8. West Arthur Community Centre - 1914 West Arthur St.
9. West Thunder Community Centre - 915 Edward St. S.

The City of Thunder Bay retained Sierra Planning and Management to conduct an update and service level review of the Community Centres. The process looks at how the Community Centres are operated, services provided, quality of the buildings, and how all of this is expected to change in the future.

The Community Centres review will consider implications of potential enhancements to existing Centres and City recreation hubs, as recommended in the 2017 Recreation Master Plan. It will also inform proposed future service levels for Community Centres as required in the City’s Asset Management Plan.

Engagement activities will include an online public survey, an online survey of Community Centre user groups and consultations with Community Centre Boards and City staff. Please register to stay updated and to participate in the public survey.

BACKGROUND

Scope of the Community Centres Update and Service Level Review

The scope of this review is the nine (9) Community Centres that the City of Thunder Bay oversees.

1. Current River Community Centre (Dewe Ave.)
2. North End Community Centre (Huron Ave.)
3. Oliver Road Community Centre (Oliver Rd.)
4. South Neebing Community Centre (Mountain Rd.)
5. Vickers Heights Community Centre (Broadway Ave.)
6. West Arthur Community Centre (Arthur St. W.) (operated by City of Thunder Bay)
7. West Thunder Community Centre (Edward St. S.)
8. Volunteer Pool (Martha St.)
9. North McIntyre Recreation Centre (owned by North McIntyre Recreation Centre Inc.).

Who is Who in Running the Community Centres

Seven Community Centres are operated by Community Centre Boards, incorporated as not-for-profit organizations. Several centres have their own office staff, part-time staff, rink attendants, cleaners, and hospitality staff. City Facility Services and Parks & Open Space staff are also involved in capital upgrades, maintenance and grounds keeping.

West Arthur Community Centre (WACC) and Volunteer Pool Community Centre are operated directly by the City’s Recreation & Culture Division. There is one dedicated full-time position for Community Centres, the Community Program Coordinator – Community Centres, Sport & Community Development Section. This position manages WACC with input from an Advisory Committee and serves as the City liaison for all Community Centres.

Other staff across various Sections dedicate a portion of their time to Community Centres:

• Cultural Development, Community Programming & Events Section staff handle programming, marketing and rental staffing at WACC. This team also assists all centres with their youth and older adult programming and marketing.
• Older Adults Section staff delivery older adult programming at WACC.
• Aquatics, Wellness, Children & Youth Section staff operate Volunteer Pool Community Centre.
• Facility Services and Parks & Open Space staff are also involved in capital upgrades, maintenance and grounds keeping.

Community Centre Boards, volunteers, and staff are responsible for:

1. The day-to-day operation of the centres;

2. Personnel and payroll;

3. Rental bookings;

4. Programming activities and events;

5. Volunteer management;

6. Fundraising; and

7. Marketing.

The City is responsible for:

1. Facility maintenance and repairs;

2. Utilities;

3. Snowplowing;

4. Advertising in The Key; and

5. An annual Operating Grant to the centres to assist with telephone, accounting and general liability insurance costs, and a Rink Grant to assist the semi-rural centres with the operation of outdoor rinks.