Community collaboration about capital projects

1. Suggested direction by Council that priority will be given to city projects based on making the best and widest use of the public amenities we already have, except where obvious disparities exist between communities (e.g. a neighbourhood has no playground equipment in its park, or no existing building that could be adapted as a community gathering place, etc.) 

2. At present, the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Capital Projects section is funded by a percentage of capital projects cost.  This puts the department in a conflict of interest position – meeting the payroll will be best assured by large, expensive projects, rather than smaller projects of repair and on-going maintenance.

Suggested direction by Council that:

The department will be funded from the city's operating budget.

3. Presently, the city plans capital projects on a 10 year basis.  Much of this planning for parks and public amenities involves across-the-board spending, without adequate reference to what is actually needed or appropriate for the different local neighbourhoods.  To avoid the current waste of money, the unnecessary spending and unsatisfactory project plans with insufficient community reference or input,

Suggested direction by Council that: 

- the city will announce all up-coming capital projects planned for the next 2 years in the local communities where projects are planned, and give its citizens opportunities for collaboration, in the following ways:

a) by signs at the locations of the proposed projects including this information:

- a description of the proposed project

- proposed date when the project is to begin and timeline

- why the project is being proposed, including any legal or liability considerations, with a link to the legal opinions and hard data

- cost estimate in budget

- dates when local projects and city-wide projects will be considered by Council or Council committee, opportunities for delegations and participation

b) Councillor's newsletters for each ward (or alternatively, city newsletters per ward)

c) posted on city website per ward and city wide, together with links to location maps, etc.

d) 60 day comment period at:

- bulletin board at location where people can post their comments

- on city website, section devoted to local city governance

e) 30 day advance notice of all city meetings and Council meetings

f) any information from the Lobbying register that may affect the project