BRAMPTONHi-

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ReportCommittee of Council

Committee of the Council of

The Corporation of the City of Brampton

Date:

File:

Subject:

Contact:

September 20, 2013

R15

Gore Meadows: Update on Major Recreation Facilities

COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL

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Brian Rutherford, Director, Business Services, Public Services

Department

905.874.3396

Overview:

• This report provides an update on the major recreation facilities planned forGore Meadows, including the current masterplan.

• In 2009, Council approved programming directions and a planning frameworkfor Gore Meadows, providing flexibility for multi-phased development over timeand as resources allow.

• Programming directions for this city-wide park contemplate large venues, withthe east portion of the site being active community space and the west portionbeing more passive open space.

• In early 2013, a community centre and library opened to serve the community.• Work is now underway on the detailed design of aquatics and fitness facilities,

scheduled to open in 2015.

• Plans for the community centre also feature an indoor sports field facility, acomponent included in the city's capital forecast for the 2014-2015 timeframe.

• In addition to the option of a city-built and operated facility, partnerships areworth considering for the indoor sports field facility.

• This report recommends a Request for an Expression of Interest (RFEI) toidentify potential partners for the proposed indoor sports field facility.

• An initial concept plan for a cricket stadium has been developed.• Given interest expressed by various cricket groups, more detailed feasibility

analysis and business planning are recommended to confirm stadium features.• Soccer, kabaddi and other sports fields are also contemplated for Gore

Meadows. Work on city-wide sports field requirements to be completed in 2014will help inform the priority and timing of detailed planning for sports fields.

• Preliminary work on the location of a special events area within Gore Meadowshas identified the east side of the park as having capacity for a large event areaas well as the site infrastructure required to support large events.

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Recommendations:

1. THAT the report from Brian Rutherford, Director, Business Services, datedSeptember 20, 2013 to the Committee of Council meeting of October 2, 2013 re:Gore Meadows: Update on Major Recreation Facilities (File R15) be received,

2. THAT the Purchasing Agent be authorized to issue a Request for Expressions ofInterest (RFEI) to identify potential partners in the indoor sports field facilityproposed for Gore Meadows, including the development, operation and financingof the facility;

3. THAT staff be directed to undertake a feasibility study and business analysis fora cricket stadium at Gore Meadows that will include the following:

a. Types and level of use (e.g., local, elite and professional)b. Anticipated level of use and event opportunitiesc. Stadium development scenarios and operational modelsd. National training and development centre needs and accommodatione. Capital and operating costsf. Facility pricing based on cost recovery options and revenue projectionsg. Funding sources (e.g., cricket organizations, sponsorships, senior levels

of government, etc.)h. Potential for ancillary uses (retail, food and beverage, etc.)

Background

In 2009, Council approved a staff report on the programming and development of GoreMeadows. The report outlined a framework for the progressive development of the park,providing flexibility for multi-phased development that can occur over time. Appendix Ais the Site Framework Plan from the 2009 staff report on BramEast Community Campus

This approach allows for the organized development ofthe parkas programming needsand priorities are confirmed, including facilities and uses that will meet city-wide needs.The framework approach also reflects the need to plan for and secure the funding andresources required for a park the size of Gore Meadows.

The 2009 staff report set out a plan for a city-wide park including large venues, with theeast portion of the site being active community space and the west portion beingpassive open space.

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The major components of the plan were outlined as follows:

Community centre and libraryCricket stadium

Soccer stadium

Multiple cricket pitches

Multiple soccer fields

Multiple ball diamonds

Outdoor tennis and basketball facility

A large outdoor public gathering space

This report provides an update on the planning and development of the major recreationfacilities in Gore Meadows.

Current Situation:

The City of Brampton continues to experience growth and development in the northeast.Secondary Plan Area 47, located immediately east of Gore Meadows, will add anestimated 22,300 persons to this area, with initial growth starting around 2017.

Gore Meadows will serve the growing communities in this area of the city as well as itsrole as a city-wide park hosting specialized facilities for the overall city.

The following section of the report presents an update on major facilities and uses setout in the 2009 staff report on the programming and development of the park.

Appendix B shows the current "masterplan" ofthe east portion of the park intended tohost most of the active recreation facilities in Gore Meadows.

Community Centre

The 2009 report contemplated a large community centre for Gore Meadows, in therange of 300,000 square feet, to be developed in phases.

The opening of the initial phase of the community centre in early 2013 was an importantstep towards meeting service and facility needs in this part of the city. The initial phaseof the communitycentre included a district library, gymnasium, meeting rooms, soccerfield and outdoor play areas (playground and sports court).

The second phase of the community centre is in the detailed design stage. Constructionis scheduled to begin in spring 2014 and completion is anticipated in late 2015.Components included in this phase are as follows:

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• Aquatics component (lane pool and leisure pool)• Fitness component (aerobics and dance area, equipment areas, track)• Additional multipurpose space (general program space for youth, adult, seniors

programs)

• Outdoor recreation features immediate to the community centre (spray pad,outdoor ice facility and related amenities)

• Extension of access road, parking, site services and other site work

Phase 3 of the community centre, an indoor sports field facility, is contemplated toinclude the following:

Indoor full size soccer field - 70m x 118m

Indoor 6 on 6 soccer fields (3 total) - 65m x 30m

60m diameter cricket pitch (an overlay on the indoor full size soccer field)

Bleacher seating for 360 spectators

8 change rooms

Washrooms

The status and size of the community centre project by the three phases outlined aboveare shown in the following table.

Project Phase Project StatusFacility

Size (sq ft)

Phase 1 Complete 73,550

Phase 2 Detailed Design 70,000

Phase 3 Proposed 157,000

Total 300,550

Indoor Sports Field Facility

The proposed indoor sports field facility reflects the popularity and demand for year-round turf for a variety of sports, especially soccer.

Indoor sports field facilities have become more common in Canadian communities,including the move to full-sized fields that support senior level play as well as the abilityto be divided up as mini-fields or support for various other sports and activities.

Based on capacity utilization and unfulfilled requests for prime-time indoor field rentals,Recreation staff consider there is sufficient demand for year-round indoor artificial turf.This is expectedto grow as local organizations continue to support the formation ofhouse league and representative teams.

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Most of the fall and winter use at the Brampton Soccer Centre is for soccer leaguegames, with a small amount of time available for other field and ball sports or practices.Prime-time use at the Soccer Centre is defined as 4 pm to 12 midnight, Monday toFriday and between 6 am and 11 pm on weekends. Over 80% of prime time is booked.About half of this time is allocated to affiliated youth groups, with community adultgroups (25%) and City of Brampton programs (12%) being the next largest users. As aresult, many requests from a variety of different field and ball sports groups cannot beaccommodated.

The proposed indoor sports field facility will add significant capacity to Brampton'sfacility system. It presents a unique opportunity to accommodate a range of sport andrecreation needs, including community level activities as well as more specialized city-wide needs. The specific requirements for the facility will need to be reviewed andconfirmed before proceeding with detailed facility design and development.

The estimated construction cost of the indoor sports field facility is $35 million. Fundingfor the indoor sports field facility has not been approved, however, it is included in theCity's capital forecast (which anticipates design work in 2014 and facility construction in2015).

Development of the community centre in Gore Meadows has been through conventionalapproaches for most City facilities, i.e., a city-developed and city-operated facility. Thisis considered a viable and appropriate approach for the indoor sports field facility and itsintegration with the preceding phases of the community centre. There have also beenseveral indications of interest from firms or individuals with respect to the potential forpartnerships in the development and operation of the indoor sports fields.

A number of municipalities have chosen to provide recreation and sports facilitiesthrough partnerships with local sports associations, the private sector, or othercommunity institutions (e.g., educational institutions).

A primary motivation to consider such partnerships is reduced capital and operatingcosts to the municipality. Partnerships can also provide other benefits (such asoperational expertise, access to broader revenue and funding sources, and the potentialto accelerate facility development).

Partnerships, of course, also involve some risks and trade-offs for a municipality,including exposure to debt incurred by partners, ownership and control of assets on citylands, potential for higher user fees, and potential for concerns with communityaccessto facilities.

One mechanism used to identify potential interest in a facility project is a Request forExpression of Interest (RFEI) which sets outthe opportunity and the goals of the project

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to potential partners. The RFEI is used to gain a better understanding of the capacity ofpotential partners in providing a service or solution to the City. A response to an RFEI isnot used to pre-qualify a potential partner or vendor and does not influence the chancesof participants from becoming the successful respondent in any subsequent opportunity.

It is recommended that an RFEI process be pursued to identify potential partners for theproposed indoor sports field facility. The RFEI will:

• inform potential respondents that the City wishes to examine the potential andoptions for the development, operation and/or financing of the indoor sports fieldfacility;

• outline the City's programming objectives and contemplated facility componentsfor the indoor sports field facility in Gore Meadows.

Submissions will be reviewed with respect to criteria that include the respondent'scapacity and experience to deliver as a potential partner in the facility.

The main steps and anticipated timeframe for the REFI are set out in the following:

Tentative RFEI Schedule

RFEI Issue Date November 25, 2013

RFEI Submission Deadline January 22, 2014

Report to Council with RFEI Outcomes February, 2014

Cricket Stadium

The 2009 staff report on programming and development framework plan for GoreMeadows included a cricket stadium with seating capacity of 1,500 people and multiplecricket pitches.

Concurrent with the development of the framework plan, Brampton was selected by theorganizing body for the 2015 Pan Am Games to host a Cricket Cultural Festival as partofthe 2015 games at a new cricket facility. Council made a numberof key decisions inresponse to this announcement, including committing to fund the municipal share of anew cricket facility at Bram East Park (now Gore Meadows) for the event.

Staff was also authorized to establish a working group (including local, provincial andnational cricket organizations) that would provide input on the design of an

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internationally accredited cricket facility, participate in planning the Cricket CulturalFestival, and pursue future opportunities to host international cricket events.

Subsequently, the organizing body for the 2015 Pan Am Games developed a differentevent and venue plan. This resulted in the elimination of the Cricket Cultural Festival aspart of the games, including any funding contribution towards the capital cost of a newcricket facility.

A concept plan for a cricket stadium in Gore Meadows had been prepared, with inputfrom Cricket Canada.

The intent of the concept plan was to establish the location of cricket facilities, providinga basis for facilities to meet community needs while having potential for upgrades andenhancements over time to support higher levels of play.

The location of the cricket facilities proposed in the concept plan are shown in thecurrent masterplan for Gore Meadows (Appendix B).

The plan is based on two dedicated cricket fields, with a main field and a secondaryfield.

The main field would be the primary venue/stadium for competitive level cricket with thefollowing features:

• Seating capacity for 5,000 spectators (1,200 in fixed seats and 3,800 people ontemporary/moveable seating)

• Informal seating on grassed berms surrounding the field• (Additional fixed or temporary seating could be provided in lieu of the grassed

berms, up to approximately 12,000 spectators)• Clubhouse with change rooms for players, washrooms for spectators and

capacity to support competitive events (e.g., official scoring, medical/testing area,etc.)

• Outdoor plaza areas

• Parking

The cost of the concept plan is estimated at $9,800,000, broken out as follows:

Facility/Project ComponentSite preparation, services, stormwatermanagementAccess roads

Parking (paved and unpaved) for 316 vehiclesHard and soft landscaping

Project Cost(Estimated)

$735,000$680,000

$1,260,000$735,000

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Main field (stadium) $525,000Secondary field $420,000Scoreboards, cricket equipment $20,000Spectator seating - fixed seating and pads fortemporary bleachers/event servicing

$1,370,000

Clubhouse $2,050,000

Sub-total construction costs $7,795,000Soft costs and contingencies $2,005,000

Total project cost $9,800,000

The concept plan features two dedicated cricket fields. At present, the majority of theCity's cricket fields occur in the form of cricket/soccer field combinations, which hasimplications for the actual availability of the fields for cricket (and vice versa for soccer)and the quality of the cricket fields. Since 2008, the City has developed 4 cricket/soccercombination fields, 1 dedicated cricket facility, and some temporary and part-sizedcricket fields to address identified needs for cricket facilities.

Given the anticipated increase in population and the demonstrated interest in cricket asa sport of choice with many of the City's existing and new residents, additionaldedicated cricket facilities would maintain momentum in responding to facility needs inBrampton. Dedicated cricket fields at Gore Meadows would also improve the overallquality of cricket facilities in Brampton.

As noted above, the cricket stadium in the concept plan includes seating for 5,000spectators in a combination of fixed seating (1,200 spectators) and temporary/moveablebleachers (3,800 spectators). Informal seating capacity is also provided on the grassedberms that partially surround the cricket field. Additional formal seating capacity couldbe achieved by replacing the bermed areas with fixed ortemporary bleachers, creatingbleacherseating capacity for approximately 12,000 spectators if this configuration werepreferred.

Since development of the concept in early 2012, staff has received input to considerupgrading the cricket stadium concept, including additional wickets, larger spectatorcapacity, private boxes, and the addition of a national training centre. Cricket Canadahas indicated their desire to work with the City as a partner and to secure funding toassist in the development of these enhancements.

At this point, it is necessary to confirm the objectives and features of the cricketstadium. Essentially, this involves reviewing the requirements for different levels ofcricket and the expectations from potential partners such as Cricket Canada. Theobjective is to develop a better understanding of the opportunities and implications

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these enhancements may present (e.g., with respect to revenues, costs, and communityusage). It is anticipated that the analysis would identify a range of stadium facilities andenhancements (from a basic community stadium to a facility with capacity and featuresfor elite play, larger competitions and sport development).

It is also important to establish the ability of Cricket Canada or other organizations tocontribute to the proposed enhancements to the cricket facilities, including a businesscase for the proposed features. This information will support recommendations on theextent, nature and timing of enhancements to cricket facilities at Gore Meadows andhelp ensure the facilities are appropriate and financially sustainable.

It is recommended that a feasibility study and business analysis for the proposed cricketstadium be completed that will include the following:

Types and level of use (e.g., local, elite and professional)

Anticipated level of use and event opportunitiesNational training and development centre needs and accommodationStadium development scenarios and operational models

Capital and short/long term operating costs

Facility pricing based on cost recovery options and revenue projectionsFunding sources (e.g., cricket organizations, sponsorships, senior levels ofgovernment, etc.)

• Potential for ancillary uses (retail, food and beverage, etc.)

The cost of this feasibility study is estimated at $35,000 and would requireapproximately 6 months to complete following consultant selection and award. Fundingfor the recommended study can be accommodated within the approved capital budgetfor the planning and development of Gore Meadows.

Other Sports Fields

The 2009 staff report on programming and development framework plan for GoreMeadows also anticipated development of a number of other sports field facilities,including a soccer stadium, multiple cricket pitches and multiple ball diamonds.

The current master plan (Appendix B) shows 3 full-size soccer fields, 5 junior fields anda kabaddi field. These fields will require more detailed planning, including reviewing themix of sports fields in response to community and city-wide priorities for sports fields aswell as site conditions and opportunities.

Soccer fields will remain one of the prioritiesfor additional sports fields in GoreMeadows. Analysis undertaken for the 2008 Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Planindicated the need for an additional 30+ senior soccer fields in the 2006-16 period to

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meet population growth and community demand for soccer. A number of theseadditional soccer fields have been provided in new community parks (e.g., 4 new seniorsoccer fields in Batsman Park). While field needs can also be addressed through othermeans (such as the partnership with the Peel District School Board on a new artificialturf field at David Suzuki Secondary School) the provision of additional fields in largerparks will play a key role in increasing the city's supply of sports fields.

A city-wide review of recreation facility needs and priorities will be undertaken in 2013and 2014 and the findings will guide the recommendations for detailed sports field plansfor Gore Meadows (including sports fields of various types and other outdoor recreationfacilities, such as tennis).

Special events area

The initial planning and concepts developed for Gore Meadows also included the needfor a large outdoor public gathering space for events. This reflects the role of GoreMeadows as a city-wide park and would help relieve pressure on other parks and publicspaces to accommodate large special events.

Preliminary work on the location of a special events area within Gore Meadows hasidentified the east side of the park as having adequate capacity for a large event areaas well as the existing or planned site infrastructure (internal roads for vehicle andtransit access, parking, proximity to buildings for event support, etc.).

The large event area shown in Appendix B is contemplated as a large natural turf area,overlaying several proposed sports fields. This area is approximately 11 acres with anevent capacity of approximately 50,000 people.

As set out in the 2009 staff report on park programming, the west side of GoreMeadows was proposed for more passive uses. The potential for picnic areas andspaces for gatherings will be reviewed as part of planning work for the west portion ofthe park, including access considerations.

Interdepartmental Comments:

Planning and Infrastructure Services: Staff in the Planning and InfrastructureServices Department has provided input in the program and facility directions outlined inthis report.

Purchasing Comments: The method of procurement for identifying potential partnersfor the proposed indoorsports field facility at Gore Meadows shall be a Request for anExpression of Interest, in accordance with the Purchasing By-law.

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Conclusion

This report provides:

• an overview of the programming directions and planning framework adopted forGore Meadows;

• an update on the progress of major recreation facilities; and

• the current master plan for Gore Meadows facilities.

The report recommends:

• a Request for Expression of Interest be initiated to assess interest and capacityof potential partners in the indoor sports field facility proposed for GoreMeadows, including development, operation and financing of the facility;

• staff report back on the potential for partnerships in the development andoperation of the proposed indoor sports field facility; and

• staff undertake more detailed feasibility analysis and business planning on theproposed cricket stadium.

This report also notes that research on future sports field requirements will becompleted in 2014, which will help inform the priority and timing of detailed planning forother sports fields and facilities in Gore Meadows as the park develops in coming years.

Julian Ratteson

Chief, Public Services

Appendices

Appendix A: Site Framework Plan from 2009 Staff Report on Bram East CommunityCampus

Appendix B: Gore Meadows Facilities Masterplan (2013)

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f4i-a Appendix A

)( Castlemore Road

Diagram A: Conceptual Site Framework

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cc Community Centre MDB Major Development Block (Stadiums)

L Library DB Development Block (Open Spaces)

P Parking — Road Network

VL Valley Land • Intersection/Entrance

H Hold Out Properties—•

Visual/Physical Connection

Site Framework Plan from 2009 Staff Report on Bram East Community Campus

LEGEND1Library,Gym,Multi-purposoHa

2Aquatics,Fitness,OutdoorIco

3IndoorSportsFioldFaclllt

4SportsGarden

a.SkatoboardPark

b.AccessiblePlayground

c.3x3BasketballCourts

d.SplashPad

o.SlopedSeatingAria

f.TennisCourt

5HeritageBuilding

6Garden

a.DonorGarden

b.CricketGarde

OutdoorEventAre

a.SmallEventArea

b.LargoEventArea

ScenicLookout

StormWaterManagementFacllty

10CricketStadium

a.PermanentSeating

(1200Seats)

b.TemporaryBleacherSeating

(3800Seats

c.BermedSeating

d.CricketClubhouse

11CricketField

a.BermedSeating

12SoccerField

a.FIFASoccerField(ArtificialTurf)

b.FIFASoccerField'(NaturalTurf)

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GOREMEADOWSFACILITIES:MASTERPLAN

AppendixB