City of Toronto: The Public Good of Recreation
Wednesday May 9th, 2018
Framework for Recreation in Canada Forum 2018
Regina, Saskatchewan
Presented by: Howie Dayton
Director Community Recreation, City of Toronto
Presentation Overview
o The BIG Question
o Ontario policy Framework
o Strategic Policy Alignment-the “culture of a city”
o The City of Toronto’s Approach to Affordable Access
o Impacts, Investments and Outcomes
o Trends
o Challenges and Lessons Learned
o Group discussion
o Q&A
Is Recreation a
Public Good?
The BIG Question
Former Mayor, Hazel McCallion. City of Mississauga
- Provincial Policy Framework: Every One Playshttp://www.prontario.org/index.php/ci_id/3681.htm
Everyone has access to affordable recreation in their community in order to enjoy health and social benefits and to improve their prospects for a better future.
More than any other service, recreation has the ability to reach all citizens, and to bring people together in a non-threatening, pleasurable atmosphere. However, a rebalancing of recreation is necessary if it is to strategically address the barriers and constraints to participation faced by some people, and to celebrate the rich diversity of Canada’s population
- A Framework for Recreation in Canada 2015 Pathways to Wellbeing
“
Council Priorities
City of Toronto
Embedded Culture that supports Affordability, Equity, Access
Need for equitable access
31 Neighbourhood Improvement
Areas
26.3% of children live
below poverty
Community services/facilities difficult to access
Limitedresources
available to racialized/
marginalized communities
20.2% resident are below the Low Income
Measure
VISION:
Every Torontonian has better access to quality recreation
programs in their community.
Recreation Service Plan
Systems Approach
Free Leisure Swim
Focus on large groups,
Primary Programs
Low cost / Free access to community
space
Welcome Policy
39
Free Centres
Subsidized fee based programs
Free Leisure Drop-in
Programs for children,
youth, and older adults
75% Of all Recreation programs offered are free
$8.8 million Welcome Policy funding (92,800 Welcome Policy registration)
70%Visits are to free programs (7.4 million visits annually)
31%Of the Recreation operating budget is
recovered through User Fees. Fee based
programs highly subsidized
Investment
23% increase in
unique clients
31,000
additional
registrations
annually
75% of
registrations
within 3.4km
Fill rate at Free
Centres 90%+
Outcome – Free Centre Expansion
Welcome Policy down by 16%
Increase of 300,000 Leisure Program hours
80% of all programs are Primary
Community use of space at 30%
Interesting Trends
Unable to adjust
Services
Technology
GrowthWaitlist
Management Practice
Ensuring local access
Challenges
Recreation Service Plan has:
Increased local access to affordable programs
Next…
Access and inclusion for marginalized populations
20 year Parks and Facilities Master Plan
Supply versus demand-3 year Growth Plan
Policy levers to optimize access-waitlists and local access to free programs
Implement new technology solutions
Summary
• Does your organization/ municipality address affordability?
• What challenges related to access do your residences have?
• What would it take to address those challenges?
Table Topics