ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: October 03, 2002
Author/Local: Mark Vulliamy 257-8461

RTS NO. 03007

CC File No. 1611

Council: October 8, 2002

TO:	City Council
FROM:	General Manager of Parks and Recreation
SUBJECT:	Park Board Capital Plan 2003 - 2005

RECOMMENDATION

THAT Council approve the 2003 -2005 Park Board Capital Plan, including City-wide DCL and `Other' allocations, to a total $45,500,000 as outlined in Appendix I to this report.

POLICY

Council has final approval over the Capital Plan for all civic departments and boards.

BACKGROUND

At its meeting on October 1, 2002, City Council approved the 2003 - 2005 Capital Plan, with a total allocation of $45.5 million for Parks capital projects. This allocation breaks down into three categories, according to the source of funds:

Capital Plan:	$25,950,000.
DCLs:	$9,200,000.
Other Funding	$10,350,000.

Council's decision endorses (1) the $35.5 million `Capital Plan,' `DCL,' and `Other allocations to the Park Board recommended in June 2002 by the City Corporate Management Team and the Capital Plan Staff Review Group, and (2) four additional special provisions recommended by staff to address the following projects:
· Sunset Community Centre replacement: $3.0 million from the $20 million "pool" of funding approved by Council for projects that receive the majority of their funding from cost sharing provided by senior governments or other outside sources.
· Playing Field renewal: $3.0 million from city wide DCLs to build two new synthetic turf fields.
· Queen Elizabeth Reservoir Restoration: $2.0 million from Waterworks capital to reconstruct the reservoir deck plaza.
· Stanley Park Seawall: $2.0 million from park-designated Bayshore redevelopment funds for a program of seawall reinforcement and stabilization, along with pedestrian/cycle path separation.

DISCUSSION

The proposed 2003 - 2005 capital expenditures outlined in this report modify the draft Capital Plan submitted by Park Board in March of this year by deferring some projects, consolidating others and, in some cases, by making use of alternate funding sources consistent with the fiscal envelope and allocation decisions made by Council. These revisions to the draft plan also respond constructively to inputs received during the Board's public consultation process and maintain an approximate balance between park and facility oriented programs. The overall program as it is now outlined will enable the Board to achieve the following key objectives:
· Stay on target for recreation facility renewal, through the complete rebuilds or replacements of two community centres and one indoor pool, and address major maintenance priorities;
· Contribute to two partner-initiated fund raising projects to improve other buildings in the Park Board inventory (at VanDusen Gardens and Malkin Bowl);
· Complete major improvements to at least six neighbourhood parks, along with minor upgrading at several other locations;
· Develop two new synthetic turf fields, to increase the City's supply from three to five, and continue the program of upgrading of natural turf fields;
· Address the next phase of Hastings Park restoration;
· Restore the reservoir rooftop plaza in Queen Elizabeth Park; and
· Stabilize the Stanley Park seawall and enhance its user capacity.

In addition, street tree planting, forest regeneration, neighbourhood matching funds, and other long term plans and initiatives will be maintained at the level of past Capital Plans.

At a special meeting on October 3, 2002, Park Board approved its Capital Plan for 2003 -2005 as is now before Council, and detailed in Appendix I to this report.

SUMMARY

Council is asked to approve the 2003 - 2005 Park Board Capital Plan with allocations from City-wide DCL and other funding to a combined total of $45.5 million, described in Appendix I, consistent with the envelope approved by Council at its October 1, 2002 meeting.

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Link to Appendix I

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver