PERIOD REPORT
DATE: January 27, 2025 Report No. P&R-25-002
TO: Dan Horan, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Steve Knoke, Parks and Recreation Director
SUBJECT:TITLEParks and Recreation Third - 2024 Period Report
Body
The following is a report on the activities pertaining to the Parks and Recreation Department from September 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024.
I. DIVISION ACHIEVEMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
1. Parks Services
Parks Highlights
• New playground and new pathways installed at Anderson Park next to the community garden.
• Greenshores for Shoreline Development project broke ground in September.
• Significant planting of new plant material at Greenshores completed.
• Garden renovations of the Municipal Hall roof and Saxe Pt Lookout completed.
• Purchased electric cart for horticultural team in Saxe Point Park.
• Removed old swing set in Gorge Park, installed new one adjacent to playground.
• Supported municipal events (Ribfest, Celebration of Lights, Remembrance Day).
• Prepped sea can in gorge park for public art project.
• Primed and painted 137 posts along walkway in Esquimalt Gorge Park.
• Installed new pathways in Gorge Park and Anderson Park.
• Successfully received SPARC grant for installation of accessible swingset in 2025.
• Work began on electrical upgrade and EV charging project at Parks HQ.
• Supported Engineering dept in the restoration boulevards throughout the Township
• New irrigation installed in Memorial Park and Saxe Pt.
• Supported GWAS with ongoing improvement projects in Salt Marsh in Gorge Park.
• Partnered with SD61 and Esquimalt Fire for controlled burn for cultural purposes in Highrock Park.
Publicly Owned Trees
• Trees pruned - 54
• Trees removed - 19
• Trees planted - Blvd trees - 37, Natural area trees - 76
• Total trees planted - 113
Privately Owned Trees (tree permit/developments)
• Trees approved for removal - 21
• Trees denied for removal - 6
• Trees approved for pruning - 12
• No permit required (not protected tree) - 5
• Total number of tree cutting permits waiting for more information or cancelled - 2
• Total tree cutting permits applied for - 29
Invasive Removal
• Total cubic meters of invasive plants removed - 25
• Total square meters of invasive plants removed from park land - 180
Park Bookings
• Saxe Point Park - 11 (9 weddings, 2 picnics)
• Esquimalt Gorge Park - 9 (6 weddings, 3 picnic)
• Bullen Field - 6 (4 sports user groups, 1 special event, 1 camp)
• Memorial Park - 5 (4 picnic, 1 school)
• E-Trailer - 3 (2 block party and 1 special event)
2. Facility Maintenance
Maintenance staff continue to work on the overall cleanliness of all our facilities, continually aiming for a higher standard. Work continues to occur on asset management and long-term capital planning.
Sports Centre
The Sports Centre HVAC project was completed, and the following equipment was commissioned into service:
• New dehumidifier for the hockey arena.
• New condenser unit.
• New glycol compressor cooling unit.
• The pickleball courts were removed and stored safely for next season.
• The Maintenance Department has started to use a contractor who specializes in the preventive maintenance of our UV disinfection equipment for pool water, as this equipment is specialized and critical to pool operations. This will reduce costly repairs and allow for long.
• Curling ice was installed, in preparation of another curling season.
• Repairs were completed to the south wall of the curling rink.
• The Christmas tree lights and decorations were set up for the holiday season.
• Maintenance supported, and completed the setups and take downs, for Township events including RibFest, Celebration of Lights, and the Farmers Market.
Recreation Centre
The annual maintenance period, pool shutdown, was extremely busy this year. Staff completed a long list of work including:
• Sauna completely rebuilt from floor to ceiling.
• Tots filter internal coating reapplied and new laterals, sand and gravel installed.
• Main pool filter, drained, repaired, and new sand and gravel installed.
• New butterfly valves installed on the hot tub.
• Grouting and repair work done throughout the entire pool deck.
• Main pool basin repaired and re-tiled where needed.
• Main pool floor drain valve installed.
• Boiler room floor drains cut out and replaced.
• All changerooms painted throughout.
• Painted all seating areas and touched up all internal walls within the pool.
• The Dectron AHU unit floor was replaced (Pool Air Handling Unit).
• The doors to the private rooms in the family changeroom were modified for accessibility and safety.
• All AHUs in the building were serviced.
• The boiler room sump pump was replaced.
• The Christmas tree lights and village were set up for the holiday season.
Gorge Park Pavilion
• The Upper Hall was re-painted.
• All AHUs in the building were serviced.
• The pond was drained and winterized.
• A new pond filter was installed.
• A heating unit was installed in the enclosed loading/storage bay.
• A new washer and dryer was installed.
• A locking system was installed on all cabinet doors in both serverys.
3. Recreation Services
Marketing and Registration
|
Pass Sale for this period |
2023 |
2024 |
|
10 Admission |
679 |
889 |
|
25 Admission |
328 |
328 |
|
1 Month |
305 |
312 |
|
3 Month |
297 |
318 |
|
6 Month |
149 |
148 |
|
Annual |
453 |
485 |
• Additionally, we sold 41 Regional Passes during this period compared to 33 in 2023.
• Esquimalt Parks & Recreation social media platforms continue to have a strong following; 4,185 followers on Twitter (down from 4, 252 last period), 7,472 on Facebook (up from 6,875 last period) and 2,653 on Instagram (up from 2, 396 last period).
Fitness
• Registration for Fitness Programs for Children, Youth and Adults was 762 participants. This is up 93 from the 2023 3rd period.
• From September - December 2024, the weightroom had 34,350 drop-ins. This is up 6,999 from the 2023 3rd period.
• Drop- in Sports had 2,581 drop-ins, up 802 compared to the 2023 3rd period
• 36 youth participated in the Regional Weightroom Orientation, educating them on safety in the weightroom, as well as gym etiquette and some basic fitness knowledge. This is on par with the 2023 3rd period which had 34 Youth participants.
• 2024 was the first Ultra (Slow) Triathlon hosted by Esquimalt Recreation. 43 participants challenged themselves to complete 42.2 kms of running, 4kms of swimming, and 180 kms of biking in the month of October. A social event was held in the Archie Browning Lounge at the end of the month to provide an opportunity for participants to meet each other and build community.
• Fitness continued the holiday initiative created in 2022, “12 Days of Fitmas” to increase awareness of Esquimalt Rec’s drop-in fitness classes. Over 50 people participated, with 12 people completing the challenge of attending 12 Fitness classes in 2 weeks.
Arts, Culture, Social & Special Interest Programs
• Music Together - 65 registrations vs 57 in the same time period of 2023.
• Creative Dance & Dance Together - 16 registrations down from 26 in the same period of 2023.
• Comics & Storytelling - 14 registrations which is consistent with 2023.
• Adult Japanese Language - 18 registrations
• NEW Beginners Watercolour - 14 registrations
• Added a third day of Music Together at the RC and saw an additional 32 registrations.
• Introduced NEW Adult Sewing Classes and saw 21 registrations.
• Brought back a popular kids art class - Mixed Media and saw 67 registrations.
• Drop-in attendance numbers maintained strong for the 50+ Weekly Drop-in Programs, including:
o Conversation Café
o Mah Jong
o Bridge - 3 times a week
o Musica Jam - had 90+ people attend their holiday sing along in December
o Mexican Train Dominoes
o Ukulele Club
o Kint & Crochet
o Writer’s Group
o Euchre
o Scrabble
o Cribbage
o Painting
Child, Youth and Family Services
• After school care was full with 78/78 participants. Before school care had an average of 54/78 children over the school year.
• We increased Winter camp registration from one camp to two camps, increasing our participant capacity average from 19 in 2023 to 30 in 2024.
• Winter camp 2024 offered 6 days compared to only 4 days in 2023.
• Esquimalt Licensed Preschool ran with 10 children in our Mon/Wed/Fri class. We continued under our increased childcare hours of 9am - 1pm.
• The Japanese Immersion program ran weekly at the Gorge Park Pavillion with an average of 3 participants.
• Puddle Jumpers Outdoor Preschool did not run this season.
• Childminding did not run this season due to lack of staffing.
• Everyone Welcome Playgroup with ENH ran each Thursday with an average of 7 participants.
Children’s Programs
• Kindergym Birthday Parties were fully booked with a waitlist on each Saturday/Sunday from September-December 2024.
• Child soccer ran for ages 3-5yrs with 10 participants on average; 6-8yrs full with 12 participants and 9-12yrs with 7 participants on average.
• KATS Tennis free program ran at almost full capacity in both 5-8yr and 9-11yr programs.
• The new Rhythmic Gymnastics program ran at full capacity with 12/12 participants.
• Home Alone class ran in October and November at full capacity with 20/20 participants.
• At L’ecole Brodeur, the Vic City Basketball program ran three programs weekly at near capacity, the Badi-star badminton program ran weekly with an average of 14/20 participants, and the Rock Water Aikido program ran five programs weekly for children, youth and adults.
• MIJO Taekwondo ran 5 programs for preschool, children, youth and adults at the Rec Centre.
Youth Programs
• Teen Night programs continued to run Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights with Saturday nights being our most popular evening. Thursdays on averaged 20 youth participants, Fridays averaged 55 youth participants, and Saturdays averaged 70 youth participants. Saturday teen nights have significantly increased compared to the spring of 2024 report of 20-40 youth participants.
• LGBTQ+ Social Night continues to run every Tuesday Night in the Teen Centre from 7:00-9:00 pm. We have seen a slight increase in numbers from the last report. Has increased to 17 youth on average.
• Wednesday Afterschool Drop-in youth group runs every Wednesday after school from 3-5 PM averaging 11 youth.
Aquatics
• 8 new auxiliary lifeguards/swim instructors were hired, bringing our staffing levels to 85 staff. Up from 75 staff in 2023.
• Swimming lessons were provided to 782 participants, up from 621 in 2023.
• 68 candidates took part in advanced aquatics training courses, down from 105 in 2023. 1 less course was run, but the reduced numbers are mostly due to lower registration in courses that did run.
• Waterfit classes averaged 32 participants, which is similar to the 30 average participants in 2023.
• The pool continued full hours of operation (119 hours a week).
• The pool was rented out to 6 regular groups for swim clubs, sport training and free diving courses. This is the same as 2023.
Arena and Curling Programs
• The Introduction to Hockey program continues to see strong participation among children aged 5 to 12, consistently maintaining full classes of 10 participants. This year, we observed a notable increase in interest, with five individuals on the waitlist. In comparison, the 2023 third-quarter report showed full classes with no waitlist.
• Our Noon Hour Drop-In Hockey program continues to be popular with 578 participants, up from 37 participants from the 2023 3rd period report.
• Our Learn to Skate program had 61 total participants and 8 private skating lessons. This is down 6 participants from the 2023 3rd period report.
• Our weekend Everyone Welcome Skates had 125 participants, up 15 compared to 2023 3rd period.
• Cougars Pond Hockey had 109 participants, up 78 compared to 2023 3rd period.
• Our Halloween Skate, on October 26th, was well attended with over 200 people in attendance.
• The Stick & Puck Hockey program had 105 participants, up 30 compared to 2023 3rd report.
• The Lion’s Skate with Santa was held on Saturday December 7th, with approximately 300 people in attendance. We welcomed back Santa on the ice and Elsa, and Anna.
• The Esquimalt Curling Club, in collaboration with the Recreation Department, launched a successful Learn to Curl program for adults, which quickly filled to capacity with 24 participants. The program received positive feedback, and staff are now exploring options to expand offerings for 2025.
• Over the holiday break, we offered 16 fully booked private holiday skate sessions, where participants enjoyed skating to the sounds of the holiday music with family and friends.
• Curling ice rental hours have increased by 122.75 hours during this period, bringing the total to 1,085.50 hours of curling activity, along with an additional 16 hours from private bookings.
• A new wheelchair curling league was offered this September with good participation, ranging between 5 - 10 curlers each week.
• Arena ice rentals remain highly popular, attracting a diverse range of user groups. Each day, the ice is used by a variety of participants, including the Victoria Cougars, minor and adult hockey leagues, ringette teams, speed-skating, and private bookings.
Community Development and Events
• Ribfest returned to Bullen Field in 2024. The event consisted of live entertainment and food + beverage vendors. Esquimalt Parks and Recreation hosted the Kid zone, offering free activities such as a photobooth, bouncy castle, crafts, lawn games, and facepainting. This year had the largest attendance to date.
• Story Fest returned to Esquimalt Town Square on September 21, 2024. This event was in partnership with the Greater Victoria Public Library and the Esquimalt Lion’s Club. We hosted 9 performers and 6 community groups throughout the day. The Lion’s Club offered a by donation BBQ, and we received a generous donation of over 200 books by 1000x5 community literacy group.
• The Township Community Arts Council hosted Lantern Fest at Esquimalt Gorge Park on October 4th. The Pavilion and park were decorated with lanterns and puppets created by local artists. The event included live music, a lantern procession, and food trucks. Leading up to the event, the Recreation team partnered with Township Community Arts Council to run a Do-it-Yourself Lantern Workshop along with a Pop-up lantern repair station in the Recreation Centre.
• We hosted the Senior’s Appreciation Tea on October 2 with 74 participants in attendance, up from 64 in 2023. Seniors were invited for tea, coffee, and light snacks, served by Esquimalt Fire, VicPD, Esquimalt Neighbourhood House and the Recreation staff team. Macaulay school choir and the Esquimalt Ukulele Club performed for this event.
• The VicPD hosted 2 pop-up info stations in the Recreation Centre Atrium on Oct 8th and Oct 28th. They covered topics such as Bike Safety and Halloween & Pedestrian Safety.
• On October 29th, we hosted a Free Community Halloween Skate at Archie Browning Sports Centre. Kids who came in full costume got in for free. The skate was well attended with over 150 people.
• The Esquimalt Lions and Esquimalt Fire Rescue Services hosted the Halloween Spooktacular at the Fire Hall, featuring trick-or-treating, a bouncy castle, photo booth, crafts, and a movie. The Lions ran a by-donation BBQ, serving over 700 hot dogs to attendees.
• On Nov 11th, a Remembrance Day ceremony was held in Memorial Park run by CFB.
• The Holiday Celebration Lunch was held on December 6th, with 86 attendees, marking an increase from 75 in 2023. To enhance accessibility, the Esquimalt Neighbourhood House generously sponsored 10 tickets for community members. The event featured a locally sourced menu, catered by an Esquimalt-based provider, with volunteers assisting in serving food and beverages, including the Mayor, members of Council, Esquimalt Fire, Esquimalt Neighbourhood House, Esquimalt Recreation Team, and VicPD. The entertainment included a performance by the Macaulay School Choir and the Esquimalt Ukulele Club, adding to the festive atmosphere. Country Grocer made a generous donation of the event’s centerpieces, and the Esquimalt Neighbourhood House contributed three 10-admission punch passes for the raffle. At the conclusion of the event, winners were drawn for all donated items, adding an extra touch of excitement for attendees.
• Esquimalt Parks and Recreation hosted the 11th Annual Christmas Tree Village, featuring 26 decorated trees in the Recreation Centre atrium and Sports Centre lobby. Voting took place online via the Esquimalt Parks and Recreation Facebook page and in person at the Rec Centre. The People’s Choice Award went to Garderie Saute Mouton.
• The Celebration of Lights parade took place on Sunday, December 1st. The event began with performances by students from Macaulay and Brodeur schools, hosted by Ali Gaul and Grace Martin, followed by the parade. Afterward, attendees enjoyed a visit with Santa, hot chocolate, hot dogs, popcorn, and live entertainment. The parade featured around 25 entries, and approximately 1,000 people participated in the after-parade activities.
• Two holiday events were held at the Recreation Centre on December 14th. During the day, families had the chance to take photos with Santa, and in the evening, the Jolly Jingle Story Mingle featured songs and stories. Hosts Ali and Grace entertained over 15 families at the even.
Gorge Park Pavilion
• During this period, there were 298 bookings in the Pavilion including weddings, holiday parties, conferences, corporate events, community parties, church group gatherings, wedding anniversaries, birthday parties, and celebrations of life.
• Our most popular booking is for the Upper Hall. With it’s beautiful beamed high ceilings and gorgeous view of the Gorge waterway, it’s the sought after venue for many.
• Several special events took place at the Pavilion in the fall including the Vancouver Island Fitness Conference, the Head & Tail of the Gorge Regatta and a Winter Bazaar put on by the Fernwood Makers Party with over 110 vendors that attracted 3000 people.
• In addition, we have had 54 parking lot bookings with Abstract who is doing construction across Tillicum.
• Some improvements that have been made include a heater for the loading dock that was installed and a washer and dryer were purchased and will be installed early this year.
• The word continues to be spread about the Township of Esquimalt’s beautiful Gorge Park Pavilion and we continue to receive a high number of inquiries each week.
II. COMMITTEES
The Environmental, Parks and Recreation Committee met on Wednesday September 25th, 2024.