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TO: |
Mayor and Members of Council |
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FROM: |
Mark Ingwersen,
Manager of Parks Maintenance |
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PREPARED BY: |
Karen
Boniface, Parks Planner |
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DATE OF MEETING: |
2004-Mar-08 |
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SUBJECT: |
Markham
Beautification - Friends of a Park/Adopt-a-Park |
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RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the report “Markham
Beautification – Friends of a Park/Adopt-a-Park” be received;
AND THAT Option 2. “Provide funding from the Town (maximum
$500/group) for specific amenities within the park as approved by the Parks
Maintenance Section, including benches, trees/plant material or any other
amenities that meet current standards and/or policies” be approved.
AND THAT funding is provided for in
the 2003 Parks Maintenance Capital Budget account 59-5350-5262-005 for “Markham
Beautification – Friends of a Park/Adopt-a-Park” in the amount of $20,000.
PURPOSE:
To provide staff comments and
recommendations on the proposed Enhanced/New Program – “Markham Beautification
– Friends of a Park/Adopt-a-Park” brought forward through the 2003 budget
process.
BACKGROUND:
Adopt-a-Park was initiated in the early 1990’s
to promote community participation in the stewardship of their local parks and
green spaces. Groups are encouraged to
conduct a minimum of two clean ups a year, and the Town provides a sign of
recognition, bags and gloves and picks up the filled garbage bags. In 2002, twenty-three groups adopted
twenty-five areas.
The Town also promotes Pitch-In week, in which
fifty groups conducted clean ups in the spring of 2002. Pitch-In Canada, a national organization, has
been a partner in this program and has supplied specially printed Pitch-In
bags, which further raises awareness. In
order to accommodate scheduling, the clean up times have been expanded to
include the entire months of April and May.
Clean ups are also recognized and promoted on a watershed basis through
the Greater Toronto Area by the Festive Earth Society.
Under the current programs any group is welcome
and is encouraged to conduct clean ups at any time of the year.
In 2002, five groups, many of which also
conducted clean ups, also coordinated and participated in community
naturalization plantings. These groups
worked closely with the Parks Department and funded the cost of plantings
through various funding sources outside of the Town, such as TD Canada Trust
Friends of the Environment Foundation,
OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:
The proposal from the 2003 Budget Review
Committee was for 5 groups in each of the 8 Wards (for a total of 40 groups) to
receive a maximum of $500 each in funding on a first come first served
basis. Each group adopting a park would
submit their request prior to July 1st. The Parks Department will approve requests
that propose park improvements that fall within existing policies and
guidelines. Any funds uncommitted after
July 1st will be directed to group requests that may be above and
beyond the five requests allowed per Ward, again on a first come first served
basis.
Staff when reviewing this proposal considered
the following program implementation options:
1. Continue existing Adopt-a-Park,
Pitch-In and Community Planting programs with groups receiving funding from
outside sources for community plantings.
The
advantages of this option are that it would be in keeping with Town’s current
practices, and the current program would continue to promote community
stewardship at no cost to the Town. This
program works for corporations, community groups and staff.
The
disadvantage is that many of the current groups are restricted to cleanups only
due to lack of funding for other initiatives.
2. Provide funding from the Town
(maximum $500/group) for specific amenities within the park as approved by the
Parks Department, including benches, trees/plant material or any other
amenities that meet current standards and/or policies.
Groups adopting a park would receive funds to
be spent on specific park amenities with visible, long term benefits to the
park, such as benches, trees and other plant material approved and supplied by
the Parks Department.
The
advantage of this option is that it ensures that there is community commitment
to stewardship. Town approved amenities ensures consistency and feasible long
term maintenance.
The disadvantage of this option is that better
organized community groups have an advantage in accessing the funds. Parks in need of extra amenities that do not
have an organized community group willing to adopt would not receive new
amenities.
This would empower local groups to improve
their park while allowing for discretionary spending (i.e. 20%, up to $100) to
use for refreshments or other event costs, while the remaining amount (i.e.
$400) would be spent on park projects proposed by the group.
The advantage of this option is that it
empowers local groups to make changes in their local parks and will promote
“community spirit”.
The disadvantage of this option is that the funds
may not provide visible results to the park and community. Projects may not meet current
policies/guidelines and funds may be used for items that do not provide long
term benefits to the community.
In all cases, local groups would be required to
adopt the park under the terms of the current “Adopt-a-Park” program (Attached
as Appendix A).
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
The Parks Maintenance 2003 Capital Budget “Markham Beautification –
Friends of a Park/Adopt-a-Park” had funding set aside pending a staff report in
the amount of $20,000 (account 59-5350-5262-005). With the approval of this
report, the funding should be provided to the Parks Maintenance Section to
proceed with the program.
Any funds remaining at the end of
the calendar year would be rolled over to the following year’s capital budget.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:
Working
with the community to address parks needs, especially related to tree plantings
will improve the natural environment.
ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS:
None
ENGAGE 21ST CONSIDERATIONS:
Infrastructure management will be
taken into consideration while working in partnership with the community and
their needs.
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:
None.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment
A “Adopt-A-Park Memorandum of Understanding”.
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Peter Loukes, P. Eng. Director, Operations and Asset Management |
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Jim Sales, Commissioner of Community & Fire Services |
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Q:\Envsrv\PARKS\Reports\2004\Adopt-a-Park0903.doc
