Yesterday's 9 hour Council meeting from my perspective - problems galore. But I am glad my motion was approved to refer to a Special Council Committee of the Whole Meeting on how the $4.862 MILLION additional Gas Tax Funds will be allocated (on yesterday's Agenda as Report CNCL-21-36).
Note: a Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting permits more discussion since Council members are given more time to ask questions and make comments. At COW Council Members have up to 10 minutes with the opportunity to go around for a second or third turn. Whereas at a regular meeting, they have only 5 minutes and no other turn. (The time allotted a Council member in both cases includes the time for staff's answer.)
Oshawa Mayor and the City Treasurer, as the two signatories of the Municipal Gas Tax Agreement, received notice exactly one month ago, on March 26th, that Oshawa would be receiving this additional dollar amount (expected some time in June).
Unfortunately the City never make any public announcement about these new funds.
In fact, as a City Councillor I only learned what the amount was when I asked questions to the Treasurer at the Finance Committee meeting April 19th.
When the time came yesterday for Council to go over Report CNCL-21-36 "Federal Gas Tax Funding - Additional 2021 Allocation" the Mayor told Council that the night before he had received and was accepting this motion, which was to direct the $4.862 MILLION to the Rotary Park Redevelopment Project.
Immediately deciding to spend it all on one project without discussing other options in the report or otherwise, seemed imo short on transparency to the public.
Backstory to Rotary Pool:
In 2015, the Parks, Recreation, Library and Culture (PRLC) Facility Needs Assessment identified further investigation into the future of Rotary Pool and included the following recommendation to "Initiate a community consultation exercise with area residents to determine the feasibility of repurposing Rotary Pool to a major splash pad...or whether to undertake the requisite capital lifecycle renewal activities for Rotary Pool."
In 2017 the previous term of Council considered Report CS-17-72 Rotary Pool Feasibility Study dated Sept 25, 2017.
In 2019 the very first Report presented to this term of Council was CS-19-01 "Rotary Pool and Park Feasibility Study" dated January 4, 2019 detailed:
► Rotary Pool is in a priority neighbourhood and there has been a public outdoor pool in this park for over 60 years;
► Open 78 days a year;
► In 2018 the pool's average attendance was 70 people per day;
►Operating budget for pool and splash pad in 2018 was $105,000
►The pool and washrooms/change rooms building were in disrepair and needed to be made accessible. The planning consultant Monteith Brown's $45,000 study was Attachment 1 to the Report.
TOTAL DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION COSTS FROM THE 2019 REPORT ESTIMATED AT $8 MILLION
Breakdown of the costs to redevelop the park were listed as "Class D estimates" in Report CS-19-01:
$880,000 JUST FOR THE DESIGN phase:
• Pool, bathhouse: $636,800
• Splash pad: $93,200
• Playground: $150,000
$7,140,000 THEN FOR THE CONSTRUCTION phase:
• Pool and bathhouse: $5,310,000
• Splashpad: $590,000
• Playground: $1,240,000 (estimate does not include the potential costs associated with storm water improvements to areas located along the Oshawa Creek at Rotary and Brick by Brick Parks)
As I wrote on my Blog back then "Due to the high cost, the Commissioner of Community Services Ron Diskey agreed to arrange for Council members to inspect the bathhouse (change room and maintenance building) on Monday January 14th, before making a decision (although the committee seemed to be leaning on recommending going ahead with a new splash pad only)"
With the future of the pool uncertain in March 2019 I made a motion which Council passed "that during the hours the pool is open to the public for non-instructional programming that there be no admission charge".
In October 2019 two things happened, the City applied for an Investing in Canada Infrastructure grant to redevelop Rotary Park pursuant to the design concepts presented in the January 2019 Report; and
Council received Report-CS-19-120 which included an engineering report with details why the pool would need to be closed for the 2020 season "to address risk, liability and safety issues until a new pool and related infrastructure are constructed."
In August 2020 the City learned its application for the grant was not approved.
When Council meets for the Special Committee of the Whole meeting in May 2021 to determine how to the allocate the $4.862 MILLION additional Gas Tax Funds, the essential first decision is whether to renew the pool or consider alternatives.
Also, question: how much should current and future COVID-19 measures and protocols impact this decision?
The abandoned condition of Rotary Park Pool is detrimental both to the neighbourhood and the City. Therefore this decision must be made soon.
$425,000 is the estimate to demolish, decommission and stabilize the soil of the existing pool and bathhouse site.
However note: the City has a full time staff person responsible for securing corporate partnerships/sponsorship and fundraising. (This position recently had a retirement and fortunately a new replacement was just hired last month)
With the City's 2024 Centennial only two and a half years away there is an excellent opportunity to encourage funds with naming rights and community recognition to this park's infrastructure needs. After all, the City does issue charitable tax receipts.
Time to spread the word: what individuals, families, businesses and/or corporations are interested in supporting the Park renewal with a legacy project?
Note: a Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting permits more discussion since Council members are given more time to ask questions and make comments. At COW Council Members have up to 10 minutes with the opportunity to go around for a second or third turn. Whereas at a regular meeting, they have only 5 minutes and no other turn. (The time allotted a Council member in both cases includes the time for staff's answer.)
Oshawa Mayor and the City Treasurer, as the two signatories of the Municipal Gas Tax Agreement, received notice exactly one month ago, on March 26th, that Oshawa would be receiving this additional dollar amount (expected some time in June).
Unfortunately the City never make any public announcement about these new funds.
In fact, as a City Councillor I only learned what the amount was when I asked questions to the Treasurer at the Finance Committee meeting April 19th.
When the time came yesterday for Council to go over Report CNCL-21-36 "Federal Gas Tax Funding - Additional 2021 Allocation" the Mayor told Council that the night before he had received and was accepting this motion, which was to direct the $4.862 MILLION to the Rotary Park Redevelopment Project.
Immediately deciding to spend it all on one project without discussing other options in the report or otherwise, seemed imo short on transparency to the public.
Backstory to Rotary Pool:
In 2015, the Parks, Recreation, Library and Culture (PRLC) Facility Needs Assessment identified further investigation into the future of Rotary Pool and included the following recommendation to "Initiate a community consultation exercise with area residents to determine the feasibility of repurposing Rotary Pool to a major splash pad...or whether to undertake the requisite capital lifecycle renewal activities for Rotary Pool."
In 2017 the previous term of Council considered Report CS-17-72 Rotary Pool Feasibility Study dated Sept 25, 2017.
In 2019 the very first Report presented to this term of Council was CS-19-01 "Rotary Pool and Park Feasibility Study" dated January 4, 2019 detailed:
► Rotary Pool is in a priority neighbourhood and there has been a public outdoor pool in this park for over 60 years;
► Open 78 days a year;
► In 2018 the pool's average attendance was 70 people per day;
►Operating budget for pool and splash pad in 2018 was $105,000
►The pool and washrooms/change rooms building were in disrepair and needed to be made accessible. The planning consultant Monteith Brown's $45,000 study was Attachment 1 to the Report.
TOTAL DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION COSTS FROM THE 2019 REPORT ESTIMATED AT $8 MILLION
Breakdown of the costs to redevelop the park were listed as "Class D estimates" in Report CS-19-01:
$880,000 JUST FOR THE DESIGN phase:
• Pool, bathhouse: $636,800
• Splash pad: $93,200
• Playground: $150,000
$7,140,000 THEN FOR THE CONSTRUCTION phase:
• Pool and bathhouse: $5,310,000
• Splashpad: $590,000
• Playground: $1,240,000 (estimate does not include the potential costs associated with storm water improvements to areas located along the Oshawa Creek at Rotary and Brick by Brick Parks)
As I wrote on my Blog back then "Due to the high cost, the Commissioner of Community Services Ron Diskey agreed to arrange for Council members to inspect the bathhouse (change room and maintenance building) on Monday January 14th, before making a decision (although the committee seemed to be leaning on recommending going ahead with a new splash pad only)"
With the future of the pool uncertain in March 2019 I made a motion which Council passed "that during the hours the pool is open to the public for non-instructional programming that there be no admission charge".
In October 2019 two things happened, the City applied for an Investing in Canada Infrastructure grant to redevelop Rotary Park pursuant to the design concepts presented in the January 2019 Report; and
Council received Report-CS-19-120 which included an engineering report with details why the pool would need to be closed for the 2020 season "to address risk, liability and safety issues until a new pool and related infrastructure are constructed."
In August 2020 the City learned its application for the grant was not approved.
When Council meets for the Special Committee of the Whole meeting in May 2021 to determine how to the allocate the $4.862 MILLION additional Gas Tax Funds, the essential first decision is whether to renew the pool or consider alternatives.
Also, question: how much should current and future COVID-19 measures and protocols impact this decision?
The abandoned condition of Rotary Park Pool is detrimental both to the neighbourhood and the City. Therefore this decision must be made soon.
$425,000 is the estimate to demolish, decommission and stabilize the soil of the existing pool and bathhouse site.
However note: the City has a full time staff person responsible for securing corporate partnerships/sponsorship and fundraising. (This position recently had a retirement and fortunately a new replacement was just hired last month)
With the City's 2024 Centennial only two and a half years away there is an excellent opportunity to encourage funds with naming rights and community recognition to this park's infrastructure needs. After all, the City does issue charitable tax receipts.
Time to spread the word: what individuals, families, businesses and/or corporations are interested in supporting the Park renewal with a legacy project?
