Committee of the Whole Meeting Report

By Carol Gordon

The District of Invermere Committee of the Whole was held on May 8, at 3 p.m. in the Municipal Office.

In attendance were: Mayor Gerry Taft and Councillors: Paul Denchuk, Al Miller and Justin Atterbury.

Staff present: Chris Prosser, Chief Administrative Officer.

Gallery: 14 people

DELEGATIONS:

Columbia Valley Centre Operations Committee 

Jim Bonnie provided a report of the (Columbia Valley Centre) Operations Advisory Working Group on the terms of reference and the next steps. Others members present included: Pam Meunier and Kathryn Gowling.

Excerpts from the Terms of Reference – Operations Advisory Working Group:

“The Operations Advisory Working Group is intended to provide advisory services to council as it relates to programming and marketing of the facility and other duties as assigned by council.

“Any recommendation of the Operations Advisory Working Group is not binding upon the district until it is approved by separate resolution of district council. All decisions related to the operations of the community facility shall rest with the elected council. All marketing and programming plans shall be approved by council through the formal resolution process and annual financial planning processes.

“District of Invermere shall appoint members of the Operations Advisory Working Group by resolution. A public call for members shall be advertised. There will be up to nine members, which two will be representatives from council. The committee may be less than nine if council determines that there are no qualified candidates to appoint. Members shall be appointed for a two – year-term.

“Meetings will be scheduled minimum every two months with quarterly reporting to council required.”

Jim Bonnie reported: “What you have in front of you is a product of a year and a half of discussions.”

He added that it outlines the Advisory Committees recommendations on “the direction to go.”

Pam Meunier commented: “The next part of the journey will be to scope out the Terms of Reference and make sure the administration is comfortable with the functions of the committee and to cautiously move forward.”

Councillor Denchuk: “I think I see it as a driving force to make things happen.”

Councillor Miller: “That certainly was the intention of it from the get go to make sure it’s managed in the best way it can.”

Councillor Miller thanked the committee “for having put in a lot of time and effort. I thought they really went through it in a very good manner and spent a lot of time and research and seeing it first-hand I just want to thank them for that.”

Council passed a recommendation of adopting the Terms of Reference to come back to council.

Valley Fitness Centre asks for donation of old community hall property

A delegation from the Valley Fitness Centre (VFC) included: Rob McAuley, Teresa Rogal, Taylor Tosczak, Helen Breau and Joanne Bragg.

In a letter to council and the District of Invermere, VFC stated:

“In the past four years, the VFC membership has experienced steady growth, to the point that the current facility can no longer provide adequate space for the fitness equipment required to provide comprehensive physical wellness, training opportunities and activities.

In order to best serve the community and the VFC membership, it was decided at a recent workshop, it is best for the VFC to remain centrally located in the district, whereby the now vacant property of the former community centre, owned by the District of Invermere, was identified as being a most suitable location.

The Fitness Society Board of Directors is requesting your opinion and consideration regarding this location as a potential future site for the VFC, thus paving the way to building a new facility that would serve the community for years to come.

…the VFS is not in a financial position to purchase land required for its new facility alongside building costs. It is thereby asking council if it would consider generously donating the property as a gift to the community.”

In his presentation, Rob McAuley said, “We are a non profit society. Our mandate is to promote community participation and awareness of fitness and recreation, maintain a facility that would accommodate these activities, and offer instruction and assistance for individuals, groups and families who wish to participate in these activities. The Valley Fitness Society is the governing body of the operation portion of the Valley Fitness Centre.”

He added: “We’re growing like crazy. To sustain ourselves over the next 30 years we’re looking at either getting a new space or redeveloping the existing space (6,200 square feet). The ideal option (given the aging building) is getting a new space.”

He then said that: “After looking at a lot of your documents, your Imagine Invermere, your Sustainability Plan (also available of Invermere Public Library)” he sees the possibility of partnering “ with the district, with other organizations, not-for-profits, NGOs, user groups and revitalizing the space where the old community hall is. He sees it as a natural fit for “ourselves, users and the community itself.”

Topics covered in discussion between council and the VFC delegation included:../…app/Contents/your Sustainability Plan

The model being proposed;

The size of the old community hall property and whether it would be large enough to accommodate the proposed project;

Other location options (e.g. an addition to the new Columbia Valley Centre);

The possibility of incorporating additional housing into the plan;

Needs of some of the other community organizations (e.g. gymnastics, martial arts) that could be incorporated into the plan;

Parking needs;

Funding possibilities;

Feedback in the community consultation process regarding the preferred use of that land;

Possible building design to address needs;

Possible cost of building;

The possible time frame for the project;

A new Invermere council in the fall;

The advantage of the project being initiated by a community group;

A new building will provide community sports organizations an opportunity to grow;

Build in phases;

Revitalizing the downtown core, enhancing it as a hub and as a walking community;

Taking the Akisqnuk new Recreation Centre into consideration;

Council setting an intention related to this project before the end of their term.

Councillor Denchuk told the delegation: “I am super excited that you’ve put some work into this and are bringing this forward to us. I think it’s very much needed in the downtown core. I totally support something like this on that site.”

He added: “Everybody (other organizations) is bursting at the seams. It’s time for us to move on indoor rec in the valley, specifically in our community in the downtown core. Make it accessible for our kids with after school programs, and they could just walk here. It’s an amazing spot for sure.”

Councillor Miller said: “It’s great having this initial discussion and I think all of us are certainly excited to see something done at some point. How we get there, is yet to be determined.”

Mayor Taft: “As far as an initial discussion, hopefully this was positive. I don’t think anyone is raising any real concerns. It’s more a case of continuing the dialogue and maybe at some point we can organize a little site visit, maybe a healthy fitness walk and look at a couple of things and keep the dialogue going.”

Coun. Denchuk: “Before October (local election) be sure to reach out to those other groups, whether it be gymnastics or dance or martial arts. Make sure you all get together and have those conversations and see if you can find some partnerships and some synergy.”

ADMINISTRATION:

Groundswell Fee for Service

Groundswell Network Society in a letter to council stated:

“Based on a Fee for Service arrangement, negotiated annually since 2012, with the Groundswell Network Society, I am submitting this letter and request for consideration of ongoing collaboration through fee for service $15,000, paid by the District of Invermere, to Groundswell Network Society, for 2018.”

The current amount in the district’s budget for Groundswell is $ 12,500.00. Council agreed to invite Katrina Kellner, Director of Partnerships & Development, Groundswell, to make a presentation.

Carlisle Group

In a letter from Mary Rayner, Manager of Financial Reporting, Carlisle Group, requested their balance owing to the District of Invermere be reduced.

Council decided to defer the decision until they received further information.

Athalmer Planning

Chris Prosser, chief administrative officer, provided council with an update.

His letter to council stated:

“Firstly, we do need to sit down together and review the map boundaries to ensure we are discussing the same area so we can develop a terms of reference and scope. This scope development is key to helping us complete the FCM grant applications and defining the Athalmer Neighborhood Plan Boundaries.

Secondly, some FCM grant streams have come out to support this process, especially focused on the engineering side. We are preparing grant applications for the Corridor Review for Laurier, sewer capacity assessment for the vacuum system and water service feasibility and have slowed down work on the engineering pending these grants.”

Council approved applying “for the grant and holding off on the consultation side of things for now.”

Abel Creek Conservation Plan

CAO Prosser asked council for direction on the fish habitat issues that Ben Mitchell-Banks, on behalf of the Lake Windermere District Rod & Gun Club,  brought to council’s attention during the last council meeting.

For further information see: Local Conservation Fund Feature: Enabling Abel Creek.

Movies in the Mountains – Outdoor Movie Equipment

Council discussed with CAO Prosser the purchasing of equipment for the outdoor summer Movies in the Mountains. A vote to be taken at the Regular Meeting of council that upcoming evening.

The next District of Invermere regular meeting is June 26

The District of Invermere council meets monthly throughout the year in the council chambers of the Municipal Office (914 – 8th Avenue, Invermere) unless otherwise indicated.

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