Part 2: Parks and Recreation Planning and Strategic Plan Priorities - 06/29/2023

This section of June 29 Committee of the Whole breaks down who spoke, what was discussed, and how Council landed on key decisions. It follows the flow of the meeting and highlights the main points raised before votes were taken.

A lot of the conversation focused on long term planning, especially around recreation and the County’s strategic direction. Councillors asked questions, raised concerns, and made a few changes along the way, showing that many of these decisions are still being worked through rather than finalized.

Parks and Recreation Master Plan

Jon Hack, Principal with Sierra Planning and Management, led the presentation and answered questions throughout. He repeatedly emphasized flexibility, long term planning, and the need to design recreation systems that can adapt as demographics and interests change.

Roy Pennell (Ameliasburgh) raised concerns about trend driven recreation planning. He questioned whether focusing too heavily on current popular sports like pickleball could leave the County unprepared for future shifts in recreation demand. He also raised operational issues around community hall access, especially weekend bookings and fundraising events.

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Bill Roberts (Sophiasburgh) focused on how quickly recreation spaces evolve at the local level. He referenced ongoing changes in Sophiasburgh such as park naturalization, rink conversions, and expanded use of town halls. His questions centered on how the Master Plan would stay current as these grassroots changes continue.

John Hirsch (South Marysburgh) challenged assumptions about an aging population. He noted increased numbers of younger families moving into the County, particularly due to remote work and improved internet access, and urged that planning reflect this shift.

Kate MacNaughton (Picton) asked detailed questions about how specific and actionable the final plan would be. She pressed for clarity on whether recommendations would be site specific and how accessibility and environmental considerations would be addressed.

Sam Branderhorst (Athol) focused on partnerships with school boards. He highlighted rural areas where school properties often function as informal recreation hubs and asked how the County could better support shared use instead of duplicating facilities.

When it came time to formal action, Bill Roberts moved the motion to receive the Parks and Recreation Master Plan presentation, seconded by Sam Branderhorst. Council voted in favour and the motion carried.

Strategic Plan

The Strategic Plan discussion was led by Marcia Wallace, Chief Administrative Officer, supported by members of the senior leadership team including Arryn McNichol, Emily Cowan, Amanda Carter, and others who spoke to specific pillars.

On customer service and response times, Roy Pennell highlighted persistent phone system issues and resident frustration with getting through to staff. Phil St.-Jean (Picton), Chair, echoed concerns that residents still want to speak to real people, not just digital systems.

On public engagement, John Hirsch expressed frustration that despite multiple outreach efforts, many residents still feel disconnected from decision making. He encouraged staff to explore new and more direct engagement methods.

On budgeting and long term planning, Bill Roberts questioned whether long range forecasts were becoming less reliable due to global uncertainty. This led to a formal amendment.

Bill Roberts moved a motion to change the proposed four year budget forecast to a three year forecast starting with the 2025 budget. The motion was seconded by John Hirsch. Council voted in favour and the motion carried.

On collaboration and organizational culture, Kate MacNaughton raised concerns about staff retention, corporate culture, and internal collaboration not being clearly named as priorities. She suggested future amendments to better reflect these issues. Mayor Steve Ferguson reminded council that staff capacity is limited and that new priorities must be balanced carefully.

As time ran short, Chris Braney (Hillier) moved that the remaining Strategic Plan pillars be addressed in future Committee of the Whole meetings rather than rushed. The motion was seconded by David Harrison (North Marysburgh), and carried by council.

Finally, Brad Nieman (Bloomfield-Hallowell) moved the motion to receive the Strategic Plan update to date, seconded by Kate MacNaughton. Council voted in favour and the motion carried.

Recreation, Heritage, and Culture

During the brief discussion on recreation, heritage, and culture, Roy Pennell emphasized that the County should prioritize maintaining its own historic buildings before placing expectations on private property owners. He pointed to deferred maintenance across several municipally owned heritage sites.

Lisa Lindsay, Director of Recreation and Community Facilities, confirmed that facility condition assessments and new staffing resources were intended to address long standing maintenance gaps and improve activation of heritage spaces.

Kate MacNaughton suggested that protecting agricultural culture and landscape could be considered within this pillar at a future meeting.

What This Means for Residents

This meeting signaled that council is still in listening mode. Recreation planning is moving forward, but no final decisions have been made on new facilities, programming, or funding levels yet. Locals who use parks, halls, and recreation spaces can expect more consultation and clearer direction before changes happen.

On the strategic side, council is reshaping how the County measures service delivery, budgets, and engagement, which could affect everything from response times to how projects are prioritized in different wards. The decision to slow down and revisit major policy pillars in future meetings means residents will likely see a more deliberate, and potentially more transparent, approach to long term planning rather than quick approvals.

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Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 2:32:54. Due to the length of the meeting, our team was not able to independently review the full recording in its entirety. As a result, we relied on software-generated transcription, automated summarization, and automated recognition of speakers and participants, which may not be entirely accurate. All transcriptions, summaries, and related content are prepared by our team in good faith and on a reasonable best-efforts basis. The content is provided for general informational purposes only and is intended to support public understanding of the topics discussed. While reasonable efforts have been made to present the information accurately, automated processes may result in errors, omissions, or unintended misinterpretations. This article does not constitute an official, certified, or verbatim record of the meeting, and it should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to consult original source materials, official minutes, or recordings where available for confirmation or clarification. Questions, requests for clarification, or suggested corrections may be submitted to hello@pecconnect.ca for review and consideration.