Community and Cultural Affairs Minister Gail Shea received a report today which highlights the need for a strategic approach to plan for the Island's sports facilities requirements for the future.
The "Sport Facility Requirements on Prince Edward Island" report (terms of reference follow) was released at a news conference at Glen Stewart School in Stratford. The report was prepared by CBCL Consulting Engineers.
Minister Shea noted the report, which provides recommendations to government, addresses the sport facility needs of the province in the context of demographic changes projected to occur over the next 25 years.
"We would like to thank the authors of the report and all the members of the community who provided public input," said Minister Shea. "While our government studies the report, we wish to ensure communities across the island that our government endorses a planned approach to our future facilities requirements."
Key findings in the report include: a need to change facilities investment and management priorities in the face of anticipated demographic patterns and participation rates; a need to institute a cost effective management regime that will ensure that existing facilities are used to their highest and best use, and for the benefit of the greatest number of users; and a need to view facility management, including investments in new or rehabilitated facilities, from a regional as opposed to a community or local perspective.
Additional recommendations include: greater emphasis on maintenance of existing facilities rather than providing new ones; implementation of a "Life Cycle Planning" analysis to determine where to focus resources to meet the changing needs of Islanders; the role of inter-community co-operation to support certain types of facilities; and greater emphasis on multi-purpose facilities. A multi-stakeholder steering committee worked with CBCL Consulting Engineers in developing the report and recommendations. In addition to government representatives, the committee consisted of representatives from Sport PEI, the PEI School Athletic Association, Federation of PEI Municipalities, PEI Recreation and Facilities Association and a member at large.
Dave MacNeill, Executive Director of Sport PEI and co-chair of the steering committee, said that the report responds to government's terms of reference for the study and will assist government to develop a long term, strategic approach to facility management.
"By taking an inventory of our facilities and considering our future needs, we will be able to plan effectively for the future," said MacNeill. "This report represents a thorough review of facilities requirements and needs for the next 25 years."
Brodie McMurrer, an athlete and student from Stratford, stressed that the right types of investment decisions made today will ensure that future generations' facility requirements are addressed in a planned approach.
"I am pleased to hear that government is prepared to review this report and consider the recommendations put forward," said Mr. McMurrer.
Minister Shea said the Department of Community and Culture Affairs will review the complete study and report back to the Legislature with a plan of action later this year.
Copies of the facilities report are available from Island Information Service at 368- 4000.
For more information contact: Harry Holman, Director of Culture, Heritage, Recreation and Sport at (902)368-4784, or Dave MacNeill, Executive Director of Sport PEI at (902) 368-4110.
TERMS OF REFERENCE
SPORT FACILITY REQUIREMENTS ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
- To prepare long-term projections of likely requirements for sport and recreation facilities for the Province, including the 2009 Canada Games. Consideration should be given to both industry-wide trends in this field as well as provincial demographics and preferences.
- To propose criteria and standards for consideration by the Province in responding to requests for financial assistance in the construction of regional sport and recreation facilities.
- To propose criteria for determining when specific facilities may be designated as a provincial facility, with on-going government participation in funding and operations, and also to ensure an appropriate client entity to manage such facilities.
- To identify best practices relating to capital and operational funding for sport facilities as they presently exist elsewhere, including public-private partnerships.