Talking about my recreation

When Bill McDonnell talks in Nelson regarding recreation, people listen.

As an athlete, educator, coach, recreation and sports advocate, McDonnell’s resume is extensive. Hockey had its Mr. Hockey in Gordie Howe, Nelson has McDonnell.

And it was because of hockey that led McDonnell to travel west from Ontario in 1966 to attend Notre Dame University in Nelson and played goal on the varsity team.

He was and still is a regular at city council and Recreation Commission No. 5 meetings, serving on the Nelson Regional Sports Council (2005-2014) during which the council operated the Civic Arena, incorporating many interior upgrades through grant funding.

But McDonnell doesn’t lend his energy solely to pursuits of the puck. He advocates for sports and recreation as a whole, believing in the worth of athletics as a building block of community, of life and general health of society.

When he spoke at the recent Nelson recreation campus engagement public meetings late last month, he spoke from a place of experience that has learned from the mistakes of the past, but with a vision for the future.

And that future begins now. McDonnell submitted his thoughts and notes to the public engagement phase two survey — which ends this Friday at 4 p.m. — and those insights are shared below (lightly edited for grammar) in his own words.

The value of recreation

Although the public engagement sessions had a narrow “campus” mandate of facilities “vision,” I believe that it must be positioned within a larger context, not isolated as a recreation and sports issue but of individual and community health.

If one considers that science has, through reduction of diseases, lengthened life expectancy, the larger question is, how do we want to spend those extra years? As an 80-year-old, I am in that phase of life.

Hopefully, we experience healthier and more productive years, during which we remain engaged with purposeful lives. As James Scott states in his book The Longevity Imperative, society must shift the needle to a pro-active prevention approach relative to that of intervention.

There is a reminder of a former TV advertising message, advocating for the value of regular car maintenance, “You can pay me now, or pay me later.” Usually later translates into more expense.

The value of vision

As to the “vision” which the campus review wants the public to engage, firstly, what is the impact of 10 years before engaging the public? This question was repeated during the various meetings.

If the city and RDCK and recreation commission had noticed, the 2014 Master Plan and 2017 RDCK task force both recommended improved communication with the public, if not the recreation and sports sector.

A recommended advisory group could have acted as a conduit to those elected to make decisions for the public good. As was stated by the RDCK community services director, “things change;” then why kick issues down the road, where asset management now is in crisis mode?

Unfortunately, when I proposed for years for some type of public engagement, a reply was that “citizens don’t care to attend recreation commission meetings.” Thus, trust, communication and consultation become stumbling-blocks.

Key points

• Commit to retaining the campus land for recreational use — as per the 1904 land transition from the CPR to the city — resulting in the Hall Street Recreational Grounds and later to the Civic Centre Recreational Grounds — also supported in 2014 Master Plan.
• Understand and protect the heritage importance of all the components of the 1935 Civic Centre and arenas. They are important parts of Nelson’s fabric and identity. People value where they lived, where they attended school and where they played and socialized.

Moving forward considerations

1. Invoke the “the longevity imperative” model: prevention versus intervention;
2. Improve relationship building — between city, RDCK and the recreation commission — relative to the delivery of sports and recreation, then enhance such relationships with the public organizations; and
3. Build upon the 2023 Nelson ambassador, Jazmine Lowther’s, “Nelson Community and Sports -The State of Sports in Nelson” study.

Moving forward recommendations

• Staff to complete routine analysis on the state of sport in Nelson.
• Know the answer to: What are the fastest growing sports in Nelson? What are the barriers to their growth?
• How can Nelson dismantle access barriers to potential participants (such as events, access grants, accessibility)?
• Can we connect people in different ways (with volunteering events, learning events, shadowing)?
• Mentorship opportunities should be supported.
• Nelson Sports ambassador(s) compensated for their leadership, time and mentorship.

Further recommendations

1. Improve promotion regarding the “Value of Sports and Recreation.”
2. Enact 2014 recommendations of regular public engagement.
3. Recognizing that research indicates that sports and recreation organizations rely most on volunteers relative to other community sectors, the city/RDCK/recreation commission’s action should truly reflect the value of volunteer as stated in previous master plans.
4. If recommendations or vision from 2014 and 2017 are to be considered, what will be different about this master plan? Municipal and regional governments coming together to formulate an over-arching plan for recreation and sports? Lack of funding?
5. Replacing present short-term, four-year political planning cycle with long-term planning by considering assets management costs with new capital projects

Taxation

It seems that the master plan message is to be afraid of taxpayers.

With greater advocacy of the long-term benefits of healthier lives, both for individuals and common good, I feel that there would be an improved chance for increased funding to this sector.

With intervention costs — health, social, judicial — continuing to rise, we must shift resources to prevention. If research bears this out, government needs to embrace it via policy. Intergenerational conversation awareness must be improved.

The city and RDCK asset management financial plan — which will distribute cost over a larger number of taxpayers and lessen individual burden — must be improved. Although talked about at the civic and regional levels, I am not aware of a serious effort to rectify the situation.

Sustainability, accountability, leadership

• Public engagement ought to be a regular occurrence, not once every 10 years.
• Establish a recreation coordinator position; one access point for organizations.
• Establish a recreation and sports advisory committee to engage with sports and recreation organizations and complement the recreation coordinator position.

Grants

At the third recreation meeting, public suggestion to increase the efforts for sports and recreation grants received a somewhat negative response from city/RDCK staff, that operations could not rely on grants.

True, but as with the federal grant for pool repairs, repair of the Civic Centre and city council’s proclamation that they are very good at accessing grants (led by Joy Barrett), why now the reluctance?

I realize that we must have a long-term plan, and that grants are a one-time infusion, but in the case of the aquatic centre upgrades, the $4.6-million grant presented an opportunity to develop a contingency fund for future asset management.

Keeping the ball rolling

824 Front Street property

Recommend that it remains as future recreational purposes.

“The location at 824 Front Street does not fall within the commission’s current service delivery but is considered part of the commission’s strategic vision for future potential service delivery. The 2014 Recreation Masterplan considers 824 Front Street as part of the concept of a coordinated recreation campus which was one of the top three initiatives that was supported by the community.”

Recreation commission restructure

Consider a recreation commission restructure.

The political components could be: two representatives from the regional district and two representatives from the city. The fifth member would be non-political and act as the chair.

Extra points

• From its present planning staff, the city allocate a staff position for sports and recreation;
• The Recreation Commission expands its mandate to include a leadership role to its present facility managerial-based role;
• Someone assume the leadership role in promoting the value of sports and recreation to the public in general and taxpayers;
• Another leadership role is to unify the city, Area E and Area F regarding the financial support required for sustainability of recreational and sport facilities;
• Over the years, businesses, sports organizations, service clubs, KidSport and volunteers have lessened the cost of sports — especially for financially disadvantaged families — via their own funding efforts. Such assistance is a “win-win” for kids and society;
• Recognize the economic benefits to our community, in community pride and business opportunities;
• Recognize the heritage value of the Civic Centre and arena (oldest functional ice-surface in B.C.);
• Advocate for the politically silent youth voice on sports and recreation matters; and
• City-supported Nelson Youth Centre partner with the Civic Arena operation during the non-ice season.