Results of public engagement about the concept of a joint recreation facility between Collingwood and The Blue Mountains indicate there is broad public support and interest in the concept.
On Oct. 30, the councils of Collingwood and The Blue Mountains held a joint meeting to receive an update about the results of public engagement on the idea of some form of cooperation between the two communities on recreation and library services.
Members of the two councils gathered in their home council chambers to receive the report delivered by the project consultants - Colliers Project Leaders.
“There was a fair bit of excitement about this idea,” consultant Kate Graham explained. “Generally, we heard support for the collaborative nature of this exercise.”
The process to study the feasibility of a joint recreation facility began in June and the consultants conducted a wide array of public engagement sessions through the latter part of the summer and the early fall.
Engagement efforts included: a survey that generated 3,500 responses, including 151 responses from youth, attendance at seven in-person community events/gatherings, six virtual focus groups and the consultants also met with eight individual groups to discuss the concept. Colliers also interviewed local leaders and both library boards.
Graham explained that five key themes emerged during the engagement process.
“These are things we heard loud and clear across both communities,” she said.
The main themes that developed through the engagement process were:
- There is widespread, deep support for adding recreation amenities in all categories in both towns and a high expectation to deliver.
- Rapid population growth has produced practical constraints for facilities and programs, with concern that continued growth without a long-range plan to invest will add to the capacity issues.
- Residents prefer a multi-use space over single-use solutions – but the location will really matter.
- Generally, residents support collaborative efforts – including between municipalities and other partners – if it means that community needs can be met faster and more efficiently.
- Importantly, strategic consideration for what a future facility (or facilities) are trying to accomplish will maximize community benefits.
Graham said the survey revealed a 5:1 ratio of support for a multi-use facility, a general openness from the public to invest in new facilities and that the location of any facility will be very important. She also said there is public support for the communities to collaborate and said the public has a strong interest in seeing quick and efficient progress should the project continue.
“We learned a lot from listening to residents and community leaders,” said Graham.
The Colliers consultants praised the staff of both towns for their efforts to provide information and support during the public engagement process.
Next steps in the project are to deliver a final report to both councils in mid-December. The consultants will also continue to examine the input received from the public and lessons learned from other communities. They will also begin to explore the financial and governance options should the two towns decide to proceed.
Collingwood councillor Kathy Jeffery asked how the responses to the survey broke down between the two towns. Graham explained that the responses were approximately two-thirds from Collingwood and one-third from The Blue Mountains.
Collingwood Mayor Yvonne Hamlin requested that the final report include the survey results sorted by each community.
“I think at the end of the day both councils will want to know, in particular, what is important in their own communities,” she said.
The Blue Mountains Mayor Andrea Matrosovs asked if the consultants planned to meet with the two library boards to present the results of the public engagement.
Colliers project lead Dean Plater said that could happen.
“There will be lots of time for dialogue,” he said.
