South East Calgary Recreation Society

City of Calgary Finds Funding Solution For 4 Recreation Facilities

2012-02-09T09:29:00.002-07:00

Here is a copy of Mayor Nenshi's press release from earlier this week, with respect to the finding announcement for 4 new recreation facilities in Calgary.

City Council agrees on funding solution for four new recreation centres

Solution allows for immediate development of Northwest, Great Plains, Quarry Park, and Seton recreation facilities

Today, Calgary City Council approved a new financing strategy that ensures four new recreation facilities in Calgary’s southeast and northwest will be built—without any impact to property taxes. This follows the withdrawal of $100 million by the federal government through PPP Canada.

“I am so happy that we will soon be able to build these critically-needed facilities,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi. “I also want to thank my Council colleagues and City Administration for this creative solution.”

The recreation centres will be funded through a reallocation of existing money in the Community and Recreation Levy as well as a portion of the City’s GST rebate. No existing funded projects will be affected.

“City Council is committed to building these facilities for Calgarians within the original scope, wherever feasible,” said Alderman Gord Lowe.

Work is underway to determine design details, construction start and completion dates, method of delivery (P3 or traditional), and refined costing for the recreation facilities. Administration will report to Council about its progress in June 2012. Details regarding facility costing cannot be shared at this time due to confidentiality required for the procurement process.

“These new facilities will be amazing—and much-needed—spaces to play, learn, grow and connect for all Calgarians,” said Alderman Shane Keating. “Each facility is a critical component in developing healthy, vibrant and complete communities.”
The original can be seen on the Mayor's blog at http://blog.calgarymayor.ca/2012/02/media-release-funding-solution-for-4.html

November 2011 Update

2011-10-29T15:19:00.000-06:00

This past September, community members in northwest and southeast Calgary were asked for their feedback on the amenities that are being recommended for four new recreation facilities coming to Calgary. One will be built in the far northwest and three in the southeast.

The Northwest facility and the Seton facility in the southeast will be the two larger regional recreation centres. Both will include competition and play water, ice surfaces, indoor fields, racket courts, fitness centres, libraries with theatre space, multi-purpose space, outdoor courts, skateboard parks, as well as opportunities for day care, food services, artist studios, and physio/medical clinics. The northwest would also include two outdoor artificial turf fields subject to site capacity.

Of the two smaller facilities in the southeast, Great Plains is envisioned as a team-based sports facility focusing on ice hockey, ringette, lacrosse and ball hockey. Amenities will include hockey rinks, dry pads, fitness centre and multi-purpose space.

The Quarry Park site will be a community recreation facility serving the local area residents and employees in adjacent business parks. There will swimming, a full court gym, a fitness centre, multi-purpose space, library, child minding and food services.

Feedback was collected from citizen in September both through an online form and two public open houses. The response both online and in-person was good. The vast majority of input from members of the public was positive and supportive of recommended facility components and program elements - At least three quarters of participants who provided feedback about the northwest (78%) and southeast (76%) facilities agreed that the facility components and program elements would meet the recreation and leisure needs of the community. For a more detailed breakdown of recommendations and the results of community feedback visit Calgary.ca/newreccentres.

　

About South East Calgary Recreation Society (SECRS)

SECRS (pronounced " seekers ") is a volunteer organization made up of dedicated residents of SE Calgary and its communities.

SECRS has been formed to play the role of the Community Advisory Group (CAG), and is the official group recognized by the City of Calgary to play this role.

SECRS is dedicated to working collaboratively with the City of Calgary.

SECRS will act in an advisory capacity through the recreation facility development process to meet the cultural, recreational and sport needs of the residents of SE Calgary.

SECRS will be inclusive of organizations representing recreation, sport and cultural interest, including but not limited to communities, the Calgary Sport Council (CSC), and the Calgary Arts Development Authority (CADA).

SECRS will assist with community engagement and communication.

Please refer to the SECRS Site for additional. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us, and we would be more than happy to provide feedback.

For further information please contact:

South East Calgary Recreation Society (SECRS)

E-mail: secrs1@gmail.com

Related Web Sites:

Website: http://www.secrsinfo.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/secrs

September 2011 Update: Community Input On New Recreation Facilities

2011-08-15T12:46:00.000-06:00

Community Input on New Recreation Facilities

Plans for the development of four new recreation facilities in Calgary continue to take shape. Each site will have amenities designed to meet the specific needs of their area. Citizen engagement is a critical part of this process and your input, into what should be included in these facilities, is being sought.
Community engagement sessions are being held in both the northwest and the southeast. Please attend and provide your thoughts.

Southeast Session:

Tuesday, September 13 @ 6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. at the Deerfoot Inn (1000 11500 - 35 Street S.E.)

Northwest Session:

Thursday, September 15 @ 6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. at the Silver Springs Community Centre (5720 Silver Ridge Drive N.W.)

Also a feedback form has been posted online at www.calgary.ca/newreccentres This form will be available online from September 2 – 16. Please visit the site and provide your thoughts.
Amenities being considered for the northwest site include: lap and play pools, indoor ice, gymnasia, multi-purpose space, indoor tracks, art centre, fitness area and library.
For the regional facility being planned for Seton possible amenities include: lap pool and play pool, indoor ice, library, gymnasia, multi-purpose space, indoor track, arts centre and fitness area.
The Great Plans centre could include: multi-pad indoor arenas, fitness area, and multi-purpose rooms.

The Quarry Park centre could include: gymnasia, multi-purpose room, and fitness area.

These information sessions are open to everyone to attend! We hope to see you there!

For further information please contact:

South East Calgary Recreation Society (SECRS)

E-mail: secrs1@gmail.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/secrs

SECRS Community Update April/May 2011

2011-04-07T08:04:00.001-06:00

RECREATION FACILITY DEVELOPMENT

Update- APRIL/MAY 2011

Pieces are falling into place for the development of four new recreation centres in Calgary. The focus currently is getting the funding lined up for these four facilities to be developed as a bundle. The projected cost for all four facilities (one in the northwest and three in the southeast) is estimated at $400 million.
The City of Calgary currently has $150 million in funding ear-marked for these projects. The City, with the help of the South East Calgary Recreation Society (SECRS) and the NW Community Advisory Group, has been conducting an analysis to determine the best way to cover the remaining costs. The goal is to get these facilities built as soon as possible, while remaining financially responsible to the citizens of Calgary.
In March, Council agreed to direct $42 million annually to community infrastructure. The recreation facilities are on The City’s infrastructure investment priority list. How this money will be allocated will be discussed at a committee of Council in June with recommendations going to Council in July.

There are some exciting possibilities for the project. The City of Calgary is exploring using a private-public partnership (P3) model to get the bundle of four recreation centres built. Analysis is being conducted that anticipates securing a private partner that is responsible for the construction of the facilities, building operations, maintenance and lifecycle. A programmer(s), profit or not-for-profit, would take responsibility for recreation programming which includes recreation, sport and cultural programs and services.

The full financing strategy and partner model will be presented to a committee of Council in June.
About South East Calgary Recreation Society (SECRS)

• SECRS (pronounced “ seekers “) is a volunteer organization made up of dedicated residents of SE Calgary and its communities.
• SECRS has been formed to play the role of the Community Advisory Group (CAG), and is the official group recognized by the City of Calgary to play this role.

• SECRS is dedicated to working collaboratively with the City of Calgary.
• SECRS will act in an advisory capacity through the recreation facility development process to meet the cultural, recreational and sport needs of the residents of SE Calgary.

• SECRS will be inclusive of organizations representing recreation, sport and cultural interest, including but not limited to communities, the Calgary Sport Council (CSC), and the Calgary Arts Development Authority (CADA).

• SECRS will assist with community engagement and communication.
Please refer to the SECRS Site for additional. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us, and we would be more than happy to provide feedback.

For further information please contact:
South East Calgary Recreation Society (SECRS)

E-mail: secrs1@gmail.com
Related Web Sites:
Website: http://www.secrsinfo.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/secrs

SECRS Update: SE Calgary Regional Recreation Centre: Facility Amenities and Site Analysis

2011-03-24T08:51:00.000-06:00

We are pleased to attach a copy of the City of Calgary's SE Calgary Regional Recreation Centre: Facility Amenities and Site Analysis presentation document for anyone that would like to review it. This report was from 2009 but includes a wealth of information for the public.

We invite everyone to read the document, which is attached by clicking the link here.

Please feel free to email us if you have any questions.

SECRS Calgary Recreation Facilities Update March 2011

2011-03-14T21:11:00.001-06:00

March 2011

P3 possibility to get Calgary New Recreation Centres

A P3 model sees partners constructing and operating the facilities. The great benefit is the possibility of getting construction started sooner, but a detailed analysis is taking place to ensure this direction makes financial sense, in the long-run, for the citizens of Calgary. Administration will report back to Council in June with the results of their analysis in order for Council to decide if, in fact, a P3 model is the best way to go for these projects.

Each site would have amenities designed to meet the specific needs of their area based on research, market analysis and citizen engagement.

Amenities being considered for the northwest site include: 25 or 50 meter lap and play pools, indoor Ice gymnasia, multi-purpose space, indoor tracks, outdoor fields/diamonds, outdoor tracks, outdoor rinks art center, fitness area and library.

For the larger regional facility being planned for Seton possible amenities include: 25 or 50 meter lap pool and play pool, indoor ice, library gymnasia, multi-purpose space, indoor track, outdoor fields/diamonds, outdoor tracks, outdoor rinks, racquet facilities, arts centre and fitness area.

The Great Plans centre could include: multi-pad indoor/outdoor arenas, gymnasia, a fitness centre, and multi-purpose rooms.

The Quarry Park centre could include: a 25 or 50 meter lap pool, gymnasia, multi-purpose room, fitness area and an indoor running track.

The projected cost for all four facilities is $400 million. The City of Calgary currently has $150 million in funding allocated to these projects. The remaining cost would be sought through a private partner and fund raising initiatives.

About South East Calgary Recreation Society (SECRS)

• SECRS (pronounced “ seekers “) is a volunteer organization made up of dedicated residents of SE Calgary.

• SECRS has been formed to play the role of the Community Advisory Group (CAG).

• SECRS is dedicated to working collaboratively with the City.

• SECRS will act in an advisory capacity through the recreation facility development process to meet the cultural, recreational and sport needs of the southeast residents.

• SECRS will be inclusive of organizations representing recreation, sport and cultural interest, including but not limited to communities, the Calgary Sport Council (CSC), and the Calgary Arts Development Authority (CADA).

• SECRS will assist with community engagement and communication.

For further information please contact:

South East Calgary Recreation Society (SECRS)

E-mail: secrs1@gmail.com

Related Web Sites:

WebSite: http://www.secrsinfo.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/secrs

SECRS February 2, 2011 Update

2011-02-03T10:21:00.000-07:00

Recreation Facility Development Update:
In January Calgary City Council made a landmark decision to continue exploring the opportunity for a P3 funding model for the development of four new recreation facilities in order to get them built sooner to meet the growing recreation of Calgarians. Three facilities will be located in southeast Calgary and the fourth will be located in the northwest.
This decision was motivated by the opportunity to secure a grant from the federal government through the Crown Corporation – PPP Canada – which has recommended that up to $83 million be allocated to these four projects. The projected cost is $400 million for all four facilities. The City of Calgary currently has $150 million in funding allocated to these projects.

Although The City is pursuing a P3 model, further analysis is taking place to ensure this direction makes sense financially. The City is continuing to analyse the numbers and will report back to Council in June with the results. That’s when Council will decide if, in fact, a P3 model is the best way to go for these projects.
The type of model being proposed is innovative, even in the P3 environment. The P3 model being explored would seek a private partner to construct the facilities and be responsible for construction, building operations, maintenance and lifecycle. A second partner (profit or not-for-profit) will be in charge of programming and responsible for recreation, sport and cultural programs and services in the facility and to ensure community need is met.
Facilities will be affordable and accessible to Calgarians. Project partners will be required to align with City policies such as the Public Use and Accessibility Policies that guide user fees.

The southeast sites are located at:

Great Plains - 5749 76 Avenue SE

Quarry Park- 108 Quarry Park Rd SE

Seton- 18150 56 St SE

The facilities for the sites can include the following recreation components:

Great Plains Recreation Facility

Recommended Facility Amenities Potential Activities:

Multi-pad indoor/outdoor arenas Indoor sheets: pleasure skating, hockey, figure skating, lacrosse, soccer, ringette, etc. Indoor arenas would operate year round.
Gymnasia Drop in & programs for all ages & adult leagues
Fitness centre cardio, weight training & exercise programs

Multi-purpose rooms For meetings, art programs, dance, music, drama, etc.

Quarry Park Site

Recommended Facility Amenities Potential Activities:

Aquatics-25 or 50 meter Competitive, flat water training (lanes), teaching pool - play water is not recommended
Gymnasia- Large/medium/small Practice, instruction, dry sport, multi sport, court sports, basketball, multicultural activities, performance spaces, dance, etc
Multi-purpose room Instruction, dance, drama, music, art, meeting, fitness, multicultural activities, performance spaces, gathering places, etc
Fitness Area Fitness classes, weight training, fitness testing
Indoor Running Track Training, instruction

Seton Regional Recreation Facility

Recommended Facility Amenities Potential Activities:

Aquatics-25 or 50 meter and play pool Competitive, flat water training (lanes), teaching pool, play water
Indoor Ice Arenas* Ice sheets: pleasure skating, hockey, figure skating, recreational, competitive, lacrosse, soccer, ringette, etc
Library** Community hub, educational activities

Gymnasia- Large/medium/small Dry sport, multi sport, badminton, basketball, multicultural activities, performance spaces, dance, etc

Multi-purpose room Dance, drama, music, art, meeting, fitness, multicultural activities, performance spaces, gathering places, etc

Indoor Track Running, walking
Outdoor field-Diamonds ABC Baseball, softball
Outdoor field-Rectangular ABC Soccer, football, rugby, field lacrosse
Outdoor Tracks Track, running, walking
Outdoor Rinks Pleasure skating

Racquet Facility – outdoor tennis Tennis

Racquet Facility - indoor Tennis, racquetball, squash
Major Community Arts Centre Presentation space, artist space
Small Community Arts Centre Presentation space, artist space
Fitness Area Fitness classes, weight training

About South East Calgary Recreation Society (SECRS)

• SECRS (pronounced “ seekers “) is a volunteer organization made up of dedicated residents of SE Calgary.

• SECRS has been formed to play the role of the Community Advisory Group (CAG)
• SECRS is dedicated to working collaboratively with the City.
• SECRS will act in an advisory capacity through the recreation facility development process to meet the cultural, recreational and sport needs of the southeast residents.
• SECRS will be inclusive of organizations representing recreation, sport and cultural interest, including but not limited to communities, the Calgary Sport Council (CSC), and the Calgary Arts Development Authority (CADA).
• SECRS will assist with community engagement and communication.
For further information please contact:
South East Calgary Recreation Society (SECRS)

E-mail: secrs1@gmail.com

Related Web Sites:

Webpage: http://www.secrs.ca

Blogsite: http://www.secrsinfo.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/secrs

January 24, 2011 Update- City of Calgary to Explore P3 Benefits for Recreation Centre Developments

2011-01-25T09:06:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update:

Over the past few weeks, the City of Calgary has been exploring different funding possibilities for Calgary's future recreation facilities, including partnering with PPP Canada ( a Crown Corporation). We were pleased to see that by a unanimous decision of council, administration was directed to continue and complete its critical analysis of a P3 financing model, and to report by June. This is a very positive step in moving towards the full review of all of the funding options available and meeting the future recreation needs of all Calgarians.

Here is a news article today from the Calgary Herald.....

http://www.calgaryherald.com/Council+approves+centres/4160877/story.html

We will be posting more updates as they become available.

SECRS Update December 2010

2011-01-02T19:04:00.000-07:00

Southeast Recreation Facilities Update

South East Calgary Recreation Society (SECRS)

December, 2010

The City of Calgary has dedicated $70 million for the planning, development and construction of a regional recreation facility at the Seton site. The City is also exploring options for further development of recreation opportunities in the southeast are at the Quarry Park and Great Plains sites.

CURRENT STATUS

Over the last several months, the City has undertaken an extensive review and evaluation of numerous financing options available to the City for recreation service delivery. A full menu of options that include non profit to private models will be presented to City Council for review early in the New Year. The development of additional recreation facilities in southeast Calgary are being explored at Quarry Park and Great Plains which are closely tied to the anchor regional recreation facility at the Seton site.
Progress continues to be made, and the SECRS (South East Community Recreation Society – pronounced SEEKERS) Group is working closely with the City to ensure the needs of our area are being met. Our role is to inform residents and key stakeholders on the development of recreation facilities in our quadrant and engage them in the process. SECRS is committed to ensuring it provides effective feedback to the City as part of the process.

WHAT IS A CAG?

• A CAG is a Community Advisory Group.

• SECRS (South East Calgary Recreation Society) is the recognized CAG by the City of Calgary for SE Calgary. Similar CAG groups exist in other parts of the City for those efforts (e.g. NW Calgary).

• SECRS will act in an advisory capacity through the recreation facility development process to meet the cultural, recreational and sport needs of the southeast residents.

• SECRS is dedicated to working collaboratively with the City.

• SECRS will work to engage and communicate with residents and stakeholders through the process.

• SECRS will be inclusive of organizations representing recreation, sport and cultural interest, including but not limited to communities, the Calgary Sport Council (CSC), and the Calgary Arts Development Authority (CADA).

WE VALUE YOUR INPUT !

Please feel free to contact SECRS at info@secrs.ca if you have any questions and to provide input. For more information and updates on the projects, please refer to http://www.secrs.ca or http://www.secrsinfo.com. We look forward to hearing from you !

City of Calgary Infrastructure Links

2010-03-31T08:51:00.001-06:00

The City of Calgary maintains a website that details planned/proposed/approved capital projects in our city. The link can be found here: http://www.calgaryinfrastructure.ca/Projects.html

As a matter of interest, we thought we would share some details from that link! Here is a snapshot of the recreation facilities outline:

SE Calgary Recreation Centre

NW Calgary Regional Recreation Centre

Genesis Wellness Centre ( Formerly NECC)

I hope this is of interest and feel free to email us if you have any questions!

Thanks,

Shane Byciuk
secrs1@gmail.com

SECRS February 2010 Update!

2010-02-08T10:24:00.000-07:00

SECRS Update February 2010

SOUTHEAST RECREATION EXPRESSION OF INTEREST PROCESS BEGINS

The South East Calgary Recreation Society is pleased to advise all stakeholders that public organizations and private entities are now being sought to partner with The City of Calgary to design, build, finance and/or operate and maintain the proposed new recreation facilities in southeast Calgary. This is being done through an Expression of Interest (EOI) process that commenced at the beginning of February and will remain open for four weeks. The objective of this phase of the project is to develop a proposed operating model for the recreation facility or facilities that will be built. The City will be continuing to follow the process outlined in the MSI Guidelines as well as explore the potential of public-private partnership (P3) opportunities. City Council has provided direction to explore public-private partnership opportunities as a creative and innovative approach to delivery of the new recreation facilities. All potential partners are encouraged to respond to the EOI opportunity.

The Expression of Interest is followed by a Strategic Assessment and Value for Money. Once these steps are completed a Request for Qualifications and Request for Proposals will be initiated. More information on the Public-Private Partnerships (P3) Policy can be found at http://www.calgary.ca/.

The P3 Policy approach, to determine partner models, is being explored given the amount of infrastructure required for the new recreation facilities to be built in both southeast and northwest Calgary, and the opportunity for multiple site development. The P3 Policy also includes adhering to City policies that maintain the public good and interests of Calgarians and sound principles that allow for a fair and transparent process and evaluation.

Please visit our website (www.secrs.ca) or our blog spot (www.secrsinfo.com) for more information and continuing updates on this SE Recreation Project.

Background on SECRS:

The South East Calgary Recreation Society (SECRS) was formed to act as the Community Advisory Group (CAG) recognized by The City of Calgary to assist it with the development of cultural, recreational and sports facilities for the southeast districts of Riverbend, Douglasdale/Glen, McKenzie Lake, McKenzie Towne, New Brighton, Copperfield, Cranston, Auburn Bay, Shepard and upcoming new developments in the area.
Our vision is to develop a long-term recreation master plan that includes:

1. Providing the highest quality recreational, cultural and sports opportunities. In addition to fitness and leisure activities, we aspire to create hubs of activity that serve as community centres.

2. Complementing existing programs and infrastructure including:
· The Trico Centre and its renovations and the twinning of the existing ice surfaces that are underway,
· The South Fish Creek Recreation Centre and its two additional sheets of ice that are planned, and
· The tournament quality outdoor athletic fields planned at New Brighton.

3. Providing for the eventual addition of at least two large regional recreation facilities in the southeast.

November Update: Community Open House November 26

2009-11-13T09:33:00.000-07:00

Everyone Is welcome! We hope to see you there!

SECRS- October Update

2009-10-14T08:06:00.000-06:00

SECRS Update

The South East Calgary Recreation Society (SECRS) was formed to act as the Community Advisory Group (CAG) recognized by the City of Calgary to assist it with the development of cultural, recreational and sports facilities for the southeast districts of Riverbend, Douglasdale/Glen, McKenzie Lake, McKenzie Towne, New Brighton, Copperfield, Cranston, Auburn Bay, Shepard and upcoming new developments in the area.

Our vision is to develop a long-term recreation master plan that includes:

1. Providing the highest quality recreational, cultural and sports opportunities. In addition to fitness and leisure activities, we aspire to create hubs of activity that serve as community centres.

2. Complementing existing programs and infrastructure including:

The Trico Centre and its renovations and the twinning of the existing ice surfaces that are underway, the South Fish Creek Recreation Centre and its two additional sheets of ice that are planned, and the tournament quality outdoor athletic fields planned at New Brighton.

3. Providing for the eventual addition of at least two large regional recreation facilities in the southeast.

Over the past year, SECRS and the City have collaboratively completed the review and synthesis of the results from the Recreation Gap Analysis, the 10 year Sport Facility Development and Enhancement Strategy, the Art Spaces Strategy and the Calgary Children’s Initiative, to create a outline of the needs of the SE communities. This was the first stage of a five stage process to bring regional recreational facilities to the residents of our area.

The second stage of the process is to develop a proposed operating model for the facility or facilities that will be built in the SE. This second phase involves identifying organizations that are interested in partnering with the City to be facility operators and/or program providers. This will be done by an Expression of Interest process that is currently slated to begin in December.

In tandem with the completion of the first stage, the City conducted and completed a land inventory and site selection analysis in the SE.
SECRS will be hosting a community information session in November which will include a presentation by the City on the site selection process. Please visit our website (www.secrs.ca) or our blog spot (www.secrsinfo.ca) for more information and details of that upcoming meeting

The full document can also be seen here.

Welcome to SECRS!

2009-09-09T09:30:00.001-06:00

Welcome to SECRS!

What is SECRS?

SECRS has been formed to play the role of the Community Advisory Group who will work in collaboration with The City of Calgary to develop the new regional recreation centre.
Our purpose is to:

Assist The City in reviewing the Recreation Amenities Gap Analysis results and incorporate the key findings into the design and development of the regional recreation centre.
Assist with community engagement and communication.

Act in an advisory capacity through the process of needs identification, stakeholder recognition, program development, design and construction and into operations.

How can you get involved? Contact us by email at secrs1@gmail.com

Who Are We?

2009-09-09T08:57:00.005-06:00

We are you — people who live, work, play and volunteer in the South East Calgary communities earmarked for a new regional recreation centre.

We are SECRS (seekers) and we strive to be actively involved in the consultation, development and construction of the new regional recreation centre for South East Calgary.
We come from a wide range of backgrounds, skills and perspectives, but we share one common goal—to ensure that the new regional recreation centre meets the cultural, recreation, and sport needs of the citizens of South East Calgary.

Get involved! Contact us today!

Terms of Reference Guide

2009-09-09T08:55:00.002-06:00

As members of SECRS, we use the following TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR) as a general guide regarding our vision and purpose Please review/click on the document below for more information.

SECRS- Terms of Reference