TOWNSHIP OF ESQUIMALT STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: July 14, 2025 Report No. P&R-25-008
TO: Council
FROM: Steve Knoke Director Parks and Recreation
SUBJECT: UBCM Strategic Priorities Fund Grant Application - Esquimalt High Turf Field
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That Council endorse the submission of an application for the 2025 UBCM Strategic Priorities Fund for the Esquimalt High Turf Field project, design and construction of a lit artificial turf field located at Esquimalt High School, in which the Township of Esquimalt will provide overall grant management and will manage or support any project cost overruns.
Body
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This report is intended to provide Council information on the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Strategic Priorities Fund (SPF) and requests direction from Council to endorse a Township of Esquimalt application for the Esquimalt Lit Artificial Turf Field. The grant submission deadline is September 12, 2025.
BACKGROUND:
Staff received direction from Council on June 5, 2023 to further develop a project to deliver a community artificial turf field with lighting located at Esquimalt High School that will be owned by School District 61 (SD61) and operated by the Township of Esquimalt (TOE). Staff have continued to work with SD61 on this project by developing a business case, asset management plan and a draft joint use agreement. An opportunity to source capital funding for this project is now available through SPF. The chart below summarizes the current steps in the proposed turf field project and highlights the major question on capital funding and options to pursue grant funding.
ANALYSIS:
The SPF-Capital Infrastructure stream provides grant funding specifically targeted for the capital costs of local government infrastructure projects that are large in scale, regional in impact, or innovative and support the national objectives of productivity and economic growth, a clean environment and strong cities and comm...
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