Image: Supplied by Recreation Excellence / Chilliwack City Council voted Tuesday (Aug. 16) to replace Recreation Excellence with the YMCA of Greater Vancouver as the operator of its two leisure centres and outdoor Rotary Pool.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Leisure Centre

Chilliwack City Council selects YMCA of Greater Vancouver as next leisure centre, Rotary Pool operator through 2027

Aug 16, 2022 | 3:14 PM

CHILLIWACK — Despite concerns from a vociferous online group over privatized management of the city’s two municipal leisure centres and outdoor Rotary Pool, Chilliwack City Council voted Tuesday to award a five-year contract to the YMCA of Greater Vancouver to run two leisure centres and an outdoor pool.

Following a transition period, it is anticipated that the YMCA will take over operations of the Cheam Leisure Centre and Chilliwack Landing Leisure Centre in mid-September, according to a statement from the City of Chilliwack.

“Across Canada there have been challenges for recreation facility operators that no one was immune to, and the effects will continue with us for a while,” Chilliwack mayor Ken Popove said. “Training to become a lifeguard is a serious investment of time and money, and while there is no quick-fix for this issue, we are excited about the YMCA’s vision for these facilities and their track record of success.”

Over the last two years, a variety of health orders from the Provincial Health Officer caused challenges for municipal recreation services. Limited training and recertification opportunities for lifeguards due to health restrictions, restricted hours, and staff seeking stable employment elsewhere during the pandemic, have all contributed to lifeguard and swim instructor shortages across Canada.

According to a statement from the City, the YMCA of Greater Vancouver has been operating in Chilliwack for over 50 years and, in addition to their own facilities, they operate municipal recreation facilities in a number of other Lower Mainland communities. The YMCA’s proposal for the operation of Chilliwack’s leisure centres was evaluated based on six technical criteria (corporate and management experience; proposed key facility management personnel; employee recruitment, training, retention and wage strategies; proposed facility programming; proposed facility maintenance strategies; and proposed community engagement) and scored the highest of the submissions.

AbbyPD

Police respond to stabbing, two fires in Abbotsford

12h ago

Black Dog

Led Zeppelin tribute act comes to Chilliwack

13h ago

Environment Canada says strong winds are coming to parts of B.C. starting on Monday.

14h ago

As per the request for proposals, the YMCA will pay lifeguards and swim instructors the $22 and $20 rates as determined by Chilliwack City Council earlier this year.

While the YMCA will manage these civic facilities, the operation will be independent of the local YMCA. Facility drop-in and membership rates for civic facilities are set by council through the Parks, Recreation and Culture Bylaw, therefore there will be no change in these rates under the new management. YMCA memberships will not be required to access programs and services at the leisure centres or the Rotary Pool.

The existing management contract for the leisure centres and the Rotary Pool expired during the COVID-19 pandemic, so the request for proposals was delayed until there was more certainty for prospective leisure centre operators, the statement noted.

According to a staff report from Ryan Mulligan, director of recreation and culture for the City of Chilliwack, the five-year bid from YMCA came in at $10,027,777 versus a much higher five-year bid of $13,163,288.04 from Recreation Excellence. A six-member evaluation team examined key components in the request for proposal paperwork and considered such technical criteria as proposed programming, facility maintenance strategies, community engagement, key facility management personnel, corporate and management experience and references, financial implications, and employee recruitment, training, retention and wage strategies.

YMCA registered a proposal score of 85.7 points, while Recreation Excellent recorded a much lower score of 55.7 points.

The city staff report indicates the City of Chilliwack hired an independent consultant to explore the cost of running all three venues if the city itself managed and operated the facilities. The consultant came back with an estimated cost of $13.5 million to operate all three over a five-year span.

Glen Savard, director of finance for the City of Chilliwack, noted in the staff report that this projected $10 million bid from YMCA is greater than what was anticipated or planned. As a result, the costs as outlined in the proposal will be incorporated into the city’s financial plan and a tax increase will be required in 2023.
Recreation Excellence has operated Chilliwack’s leisure centres since September 2015.

A tax increase of well over 1 per cent would have been required if the city operated the pools itself. A few councillors indicated at its meeting Tuesday that the City did not have the required expertise necessary to operate the leisure centres.