Needs assessment for Nelson recreation, re-imagining Castlegar recreation, on the slate for 2024
By Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
What will be and what needs to be are the themes for two recreation community engagement projects slated for both Castlegar and Nelson next year.
A recreation facilities public engagement project has been approved by the Regional District of Central Kootenay board of directors for the Castlegar and District Community Complex and the Nelson Recreation Campus in 2024.
RC Strategies will lead the community engagement for the pair of public engagement projects, with “Re-imagining Recreation” in Castlegar and a needs assessment for the Nelson campus, which includes the Nelson and District Community Complex, Civic Centre and Nelson Curling Club.
“The goal of the re-imagination project is to find a clear understanding of what services and to what the level the community of Castlegar and Electoral Areas I and J want to see and are willing to financially support,” noted Trisha Davison, regional manager of Recreation and Clients Services in an RDCK staff report to the board on Dec. 14.
“As for the recreation interest of Nelson and Electoral Areas E and F, the objective of the needs assessment is to help identify a long term plan to service the recreation interests of the area recognizing the infrastructure is nearing end of life.”
Project 1: Re-imaging Recreation at the Castlegar and District Complex
With the recent announcement of the planned closure of the Pioneer Arena and the history of two failed referendums related to service enhancements at the Castlegar and District Complex, the recreation service is at a cross roads, said Davison.
So what services are needed, to what level the region wants to see services provided and if the community is willing to financially support the vision needs to be ascertained, said Davison.
Project 2: Nelson Recreation Campus study
The campus is an example of the historic co-location of recreation uses which currently include the Nelson and District Community Complex, Civic Centre and the Nelson Curling Rink, said Davison.
“While there has historically not been a collective vision for these facilities, more recently a comprehensive terms of reference document has been agreed to by all key partners,” she said in her report. “The goal of this public engagement project is conduct a needs assessment to help identify a long term plan to serve the recreational interests of the area recognizing the infrastructure is nearing end of life.
To support the community engagement project for Castlegar, a budget of $70,000 is recommended for 2024. This budget will include consulting fees ($45,000), disbursements ($8,000), advertising ($2,000) and a contingency ($5,500). Any remaining funds will be used towards future design work.
A budget of $100,000 has already been established for the Nelson Campus study project. Project costs in 2024 are anticipated to utilize approximately $55,000 of these funds. It is expected that any remaining funds will be utilized to further the work of this project after the results of the consultation project are known.
