Corporate NO: F015 Report COUNCIL DATE: April 24, 2006 FINANCE COMMITTEE TO: Finance Committee DATE: April 19, 2006 FROM: SUBJECT: General Manager, Finance, Technology & HR; General Manager, Parks, Recreation and Culture Request for Lighting at Bolivar Park FILE: 6140-20/B RECOMMENDATION That Council: 1. Receive this report as information. 2. Approve a park development capital project to provide field lighting of Bolivar Park Ball Diamonds 1 and 2, in the amount of $542,000 to be funded from anticipated 2006 one-time operating savings. INTENT The intent of this report is to describe options for the installation of field lights at Bolivar Park in advance of the summer of 2006 and to recommend a funding strategy for the project. BACKGROUND The Bolivar Slo-Pitch Society (the Society) appeared before the Finance Committee of Council in early 2006 to request that a project to provide lighting for Bolivar Park be considered in the 2006 Capital Budget. Following this, at the Regular Council meeting of January 30, 2006, Council directed staff to continue to look at options for Bolivar Park and work toward the installation of lights, before the summer of 2006. On April 10, staff provided a report to the Finance Committee of Council (attached as Appendix 1) that outlined the costs and other issues associated with the request. Staff were then directed to prepare a report outlining options for funding the installation of lights at Bolivar Park in advance of the summer of 2006.
- 2 - Staff have met with Society representatives to better understand their needs for hosting significant tournaments in 2006 and to explore whether there were diamonds in other parks that might meet their needs as an interim measure while the lighting was being pursued. The Society stated that their tournament program relies on ball diamonds that are in close proximity to Bolivar Park. Cloverdale Athletic Park, with its lighted softball diamonds, was considered by the Society to be too far for tournament participants to practically travel to during events, and the outfields do not have permanent fencing. The use of other parks were discussed, but dismissed by the Society for a variety of reasons. Currently, the City has the following lit softball diamonds: Cloverdale Athletic Park 2, Newton Athletic Park 1 and Softball City 4. As well, there are the following lit baseball diamonds: Whalley Athletic Park 1 and South Surrey Athletic Park 2. These diamonds are used primarily for youth athletics and are not designed to adequately satisfy the needs of adult slo-pitch. It should be noted that lit sports fields are a very desirable amenity in the athletic community. The Society stated that they would prefer to have all diamonds lighted in 2006, but would be prepared to accept a phased approach to installation of the lighting, with Diamonds 1 and 2 lighted in 2006, and Diamonds 3 and 4 lighted before the spring of 2007. This would allow the Society to host significant tournaments in July through September of 2006, and to host an international tournament in the summer of 2007. They emphasized that the lights would have to be in place by the July long weekend of 2006 in order to meet tournament needs. DISCUSSION Costs The estimated cost for the entire lighting project (four diamonds) is $987,000. In a phased approach, Phase 1 has been estimated to cost $542,000, and would consist of: installation of all necessary hydro fixtures; providing parking lot lighting for night games; lighting of ball diamonds 1 and 2. Phase 2 would cost $445,000 (2006 dollars) and would provide ducting and lighting for Ball Diamonds 3 and 4. Funding Options As noted in the April 10 report to the Finance Committee, there are presently no capital funds available for the lighting project. The following provides an overview of several options for Council s consideration. Option 1. Defer work on the Cloverdale Multi-purpose Recreation Centre
- 3 - In this option, $987,000 in funding that was identified in the Five-year Financial Plan for the Multi-purpose Recreation Centre in Cloverdale would be used instead for the Bolivar Park lighting project. This would delay the development of the Recreation Centre, and is not recommended by staff. Option 2. Borrow Project Capital from the Legacy Fund In this option, $987,000 would be borrowed from the Legacy Fund upon Council approval, and in keeping with Council Policy, would be repaid. The source of funds for repayment would be sought from (in order): i) mid-year savings, based on the 2006 Second Quarter Financial Review; ii) should the Second Quarter Financial Review not show sufficient funding availability, 2006 year-end savings would be sought; and iii) should 2006 year-end saving not be sufficient, the project would be budgeted for repayment from 2007 Capital. Staff have concerns about being able to complete all of the work by the end of June 2006, given the current construction climate. Staff does not recommend this option. Option 3. Anticipated One-Time 2006 Operating Savings In this option, $542,000 would be funded from anticipated 2006 one-time operating savings to complete Phase 1. Phase 2, valued at approximately $445,000 (2006 dollars), would be given consideration for the 2007 Capital program. Staff recommend this option, as it provides for a Phase 1 project that has a reasonable likelihood of being achieved in the time frame required by the Society. With the growth of Surrey and the ongoing development of sport in the community, the demand for additional amenities has been building over the past few years. Appendix 2 lists some of the outdoor athletic facilities that have been identified as in demand. In the past five years, the following fields have been added to the park asset inventory to assist in meeting community needs: 3 synthetic turf fields 4 soccer grass fields 1 rugby field 1 cricket field 4 softball diamonds In 2006, the City is constructing three synthetic turf fields, and will begin construction of a two grass field complex that will be ready for use in 2007.
- 4 - CONCLUSION Council has asked that staff report back with options for the funding and development of field lighting at Bolivar Park, in advance of the 2006 summer season. Staff have met with the Society to explore options for the hosting of successful summer tournaments, and have determined that the optimal solution is to provide field lighting in a phased approach. Staff recommend lighting Diamonds 1 and 2 in 2006, with funding from the anticipated 2006 one-time operating savings. Phase 2 lighting for Diamonds 3 and 4 will be given consideration, along with other parks capital requests, in the 2007 budget process. Vivienne Wilke, CGA, General Manager, Finance, Technology & Human Resources Laurie Cavan, General Manager, Parks, Recreation and Culture LC:dlg Attachments
- 5 - Appendix 1 Corporate Report No. F 013
Appendix 2 Outdoor Athletic Facilities That Have Been Identified as Needed, But Which Have Not Been Funded Through Capital Development of youth softball diamonds in South Surrey, lighted fields would assist in meeting demand. Infrastructure improvements at youth baseball facilities in older parks (Unwin Park, Lionel Courchene Park, Moffat Park, Whalley Athletic Park). Additional synthetic turf fields in Newton. Additional athletic fields and support facilities for Newton Athletic Park. Development of additional cricket ovals and cricket practice facilities. Development of improved rugby facilities in South Surrey. Development of casual use sportsfields (for use by individuals that do not wish to participate in organized sports). Development of indoor/covered synthetic turf sportsfields to augment and replace existing gravel practice fields. Tennis courts, both covered and outdoors, throughout Surrey. Soccer Fields at Kennedy Park.