Transcript Slide 1

Westmeath and District Recreational Association
Strategic Planning Initiative
Meeting # 6
September 26, 2011
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Discussion Topics
 Facility Management 101
 Strategic and long-term planning
 Master planning
 Operational budgeting
 Recreational trends now and in the future
 Funding
 Tips and tricks
Q & A
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Facility Management 101
 Understand your business “Who are we and why are we
here?”
 Understand who your customers are?
 Understand your costs and liabilities?
 Real costs or true costs of doing business/providing service
 Business approach – try not to get personal, its about dollars
and cents (sense)
 Legal responsibilities that come with your business - ORFA
 Whether volunteer or paid staff, still providing a service to
the community
 Level of responsibility/expectation by residents for sound
and safe facility. No facility – no service!!
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Strategic and Long Term Planning
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“Fail to plan – plan to fail”
“Plan the work and work the plan”
Informed decision-making
Planning future costs and expenses – no surprises
Begin with high level planning – needs of the community,
needs of facility/infrastructure
Work towards long term detailed plans – operating and
capital plans over 5-10 years.
Paint a picture of where you are currently and where you
will need to be long-term
Set goals – annual workplans
Establish objectives (projects)
Accountability
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Master Planning
 Petawawa Parks and Recreation example
 Answer questions like:
 what services should we be providing?
 Are our facilities adequate now and in the future?
 Trends/demographics/ cultural shifts?
 Answer to questions like “who are we?”
 Vision, mission statement and value system
 Where we are at, where we want to be and how do we get
there.
 Broad look (high level) at all aspects of your business
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Operational Budgeting
 Detailed budgeting key to success
 Plan operating budget over a number of years – watch
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for trends
Measure your business – cost per….
Understand true costs vs. subsidized cost
Rates determined by balance of acceptable rate of
subsidization and market analysis.
Work with user groups – understand each others
business and challenges
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Recreational Trends
Now and in the Future
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Aging population
Economy
Information technology
Decreasing youth populations
Active older adult population boom
Volunteerism shifts
Family dynamic
Movement to non-structured leisure pursuits
Active transportation/ trails/ non-motorized
Active and healthy lifestyles
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Funding
 Tax base – becoming more reliant/ Ratepayers taxed-
out
 Grants – expectation to cover portion of costs
 Many types
 Specialized
 Applications differ, sometimes quite onerous
 Ontario Trillium Foundation – capital needs
 Loans – debt financing becoming more of a reality
 Fundraising – becoming more challenging
 Typical scenario – combination of above.
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Tips & Tricks
 Federal and Provincial agendas – accessibility, health
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sector, decaying infrastructure, aging population
Know your grant agency friends
Business is about relationships
Think outside the box – more than ever
Don’t be afraid to be creative
Leadership is critical – ME generation, NIMBY’s
Know your limitations – don’t promise what you cannot
deliver. Understand abilities and resources
Know your business and be prepared to defend your
decisions/ actions. Manage your risks.
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Thank-you
Q&A
Kelly Williams
Manager of Parks and Recreation
Town of Petawawa
[email protected]
613-687-5678 ext. 25
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