PARKS Annual Report 2011
calgary.ca | call 3-1-1
Onward/ By 2020, Calgary communities are resilient, complete and connected.
Table of Contents 1. Message from the General Manager
2
2. MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
4
3. 2011 Highlights
6
4. FOSTERING GREAT PUBLIC SPACES AND PROGRAMS
14
5. ENCOURAGING ACTIVE, CREATIVE AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLES
16
6. Fostering a Community that Cares
18
7. Providing and Promoting Public Safety
20
8. Providing Services that Calgarians Value and Rely Upon
22
9. 2011 Financial Information Summary
29
10. Parks by the numbers in 2011 11. LOOKING AHEAD
32 34
Parks Annual Report 2011 1
1
Message from the general Manager
Dear Council, Citizens and City Colleagues, Improving the quality of life in Calgary is at the heart of everything we do in Community services & Protective services. We deliver a broad array of social, recreation, leisure and public art programs and services that encourage active lifestyles, inclusive communities and vibrant neighbourhoods for all citizens. We protect, preserve and restore public safety through the programs and services of the Calgary fire Department, 9-1-1, bylaw education and enforcement, and emergency and disaster response systems. We do all this with a staff of 5,200 hard-working, dedicated employees, in partnership with community agencies, community and social recreation partnerships, civic partners and a network of provincial and federal departments and emergency management agencies. and we do so with the needs and priorities of citizens in mind.
Citizens have told us they value things like libraries, recreation facilities, culture and sport facilities, and fire services. We have listened. and we are responding. on July 25, 2011, City Council created a long-term sustainable funding pool to address both new and existing community infrastructure needs. their foresight to create this fund demonstrates the City’s commitment to safe, sustainable and vibrant neighbourhoods for all Calgarians. the community investment fund will allocate $252 million into tangible and useful community improvements over the next six years on things like libraries, recreation centres, swimming pools, arenas, athletic fields, parks, playgrounds and emergency services. While projects vary in scope, size and cost, every single one of them directly helps create more livable communities. I look forward to sharing more information with you on these projects in 2012!
We are proud to share with you the major accomplishments and milestones we have highlighted in our 2011 annual reports. thank you to all the employees of our department who work in Calgary neighbourhoods every day to make our city vibrant, healthy, safe and caring.
erika hargesheimer Parks annual report 2011 3
general Manager Community services & Protective services the City of Calgary
2
Message from the Director
on behalf of all Parks staff, I hope you enjoy the 2011 Parks annual report. the City of Calgary Parks’ focus every day is providing great parks for our citizens to enjoy. as Parks staff, we take pride in our work and are passionate about what we do. the pride and passion is reflected in the awards that Parks staff earned in 2011. the awards span several disciplines and topics for our staff and project partners, including recognition for ralph klein Park – the newest jewel in Calgary’s park areas system. also earning awards were, projects including improvements to Central Memorial Park, nose hill Park and reader rock garden as well as the results of our public sector partnerships to re-use water, battle invasive weeds and beautify Calgary. our dedication to providing great public spaces is also illustrated in our consistently high citizen satisfaction survey scores. again this year, 93 per cent of citizens reported being very or somewhat satisfied with Calgary’s parks and other open spaces and 91 per cent expressing satisfaction with our pathway system.
our role as stewards of Calgary’s public parks and open spaces requires staff with a wide range of disciplines – from arborists, planners, biologists, community liaisons, horticulturalists, geospatial technicians, summer labourers, entomologists, public educators to landscape architects. the list goes on. What our diverse staff share in common is an appreciation for how much Calgarians love their parks. Whether it’s exercising, enjoying nature, taking your children to the playground, walking your dog or rolling along our river pathways, Calgarians have a wide variety of accessible, high-quality public open spaces to recreate and relax. healthy parks are good for the health of our citizens and our communities. they contribute to the high quality of life Calgarians are blessed with. the City of Calgary Parks maintains and/or stewards almost 12 per cent of all the parkland within our city limits. You can quickly find these open spaces on our new interactive Parks map located at: www.cocnmp.com/parks. Just click on the map and scroll, and you’re on your way to planning your next outing.
In 2012, I encourage you to explore three or four parks across Calgary that you never have before. on behalf of all Parks staff, we’re very confident that you’ll love this wonderful city even more after you do.
anne Charlton, M.l. arch, Csla Director of Parks Parks Parks annual report report 2011 2011 annual 5 5
3
2011 highlights
Ralph Klein Park former Mayor and Premier ralph klein joined Mayor nenshi in June to officially open a park that is much more than a park. ralph klein Park is now a year-round home to leading edge environmental education programs, storm water management, research, conservation, wetland viewing stations, interpretive trails and a variety of wildlife (including many, many of our fine feathered friends). this new 30-hectare public open space was funded through the enmax legacy Parks program. It is located within a 200-hectare wetland south of glenmore trail and off of 84th street s.e. the wetland’s natural vegetation is employed to treat storm water before it is discharged into the Bow river. as well, the park’s environmental education and ethics Centre features energy conserving strategies and design concepts, such as the use of alternate energy sources for building heating and the use of green technology and construction materials.
Parks annual report 2011 7
This park and the Environmental Education and Ethics Centre are remarkable places for Calgarians to enjoy. The integration of wetlands, storm water treatment, nature enjoyment, environmental education, and public art provides a truly unique experience and makes Ralph Klein Park an instant treasure for all Calgarians. – Mayor Naheed Nenshi
Encana EcoAction School It didn’t take long at all for a new Parks educational program to be a powerful influence on our city’s next generation of environmental stewards. encana ecoaction school was launched in february 2011 as a partnership between encana, Parks and Campus Calgary. students arrive at ralph klein Park for a fun week of hands-on art and science projects and, in the process, gain a deep appreciation of the importance of being good environmental stewards.
to ensure each week is a success, Parks works closely with individual classroom teachers in advance of their visits to plan how to personalize the programs to meet those students’ needs and provide the teachers with a professional development opportunity. encana ecoaction school is already earning rave reviews from students as well as their parents and teachers. In fact, many classes that completed their week visit in the winter made plans for a return visit in spring.
Thank you…I had an awesome experience. I learned so much and I had a fantastic time and I will help take care of the earth like you taught me to! – Grade 2 student, Nellie McClung School
Parks annual report 2011 9
The week was like no other experience I had ever had. I felt very privileged to have been able to have gone on this trip. You and the other staff did an amazing job facilitating the school over the week. You were always trying to pull more ideas out of the children. You also respected each child’s thoughts and spoke to them by name. The park itself is a great place of discovery of science and art at the same time. ... Our culture is consumed by technology so to get back to the basics of quietness, sketching and using our senses to explore our environment in our fast paced society is much needed. – Parent of Grade 4 student, Coventry Hills School
Can we write a poem or journal in our books about our week at RKP on the bus ride home? I want to write a poem about how much I’m going to miss it. Can I bring my family to visit? I can? Cool. I’m so coming back. – Grade 3 student, West Springs School
Parks annual report 2011 11
This was an amazing week. I can’t believe it’s over. My students and I really want to come back in the spring as they have made such a connection to this place. We are going to use this experience to kick start our recycling program. We can be the leaders, take the initiative and see how much we can reduce our own garbage footprint at school. – Grade 4 teacher, Coventry Hills School
Awards for Parks in 2011 The Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators presented The City of Calgary with its 2011 National Municipal Environment Award for The City of Calgary Fire Training Water Re-use Project. The Fire Training Water Re-use project was a collaboration of the Calgary Fire Department, Parks and ATCO. The Fire Training Water Re-use Project merged three components into a one-of-a-kind initiative: water capture and diversion from the storm water system; the re-use of the captured water; and, practical use in real training scenarios at ATCO Village, a street-like setting of vacant singlefamily homes. Parks was recognized in the Illuminating Engineering Society Awards program. Reader Rock Garden won the Paul Waterbury Award in the Outdoor Lighting Design category. The award recognized the integration of lighting into the complex environment of the historic garden where preservation and celebration of the garden was the primary objective. The restoration of Central Memorial Park won the 2011 Alberta Recreation and Parks and Association Parks Excellence Award. The
award citation states: “Central Memorial Park is an outdoor place enriched with activity due to the addition of amenities full of historic and cultural programming functions. The City of Calgary deserves to receive the Parks Excellence Award in recognition of providing top quality park enhancements while still maintaining a culture of community pride and development.” As part of the 2011 National Edition of Communities in Bloom program, Parks received a five-bloom rating in the Circle of Excellence Category for its open space leadership and stewardship in making Calgary an attractive place to live. At the 2011 Mayor’s Urban Design Awards program, the creation of the Environmental Education and Ethics Centre at Ralph Klein Park won the award in the City Edge Developments category and the Memorial Drive Pathway Improvements won in the Approved or Adopted Urban Designs category. The Central Memorial Park Restoration was given an honourable mention in the Community Initiatives category.
the Calgary and area governmental Weed Committee, an intergovernmental partnership spearheaded by Parks’ Integrated Pest Management team, received the 2011 Dow agro-sciences award for environmental stewardship for the early Detection rapid response (eDrr) program.
the environmental education and ethics Centre at ralph klein Park was awarded the 2011 sustainable architecture & Buildings award. the award citation states:
Parks annual report 2011 13
the Calgary landscape planning and environmental design firm, o2 Planning and Design, working with Parks, won the Canadian society of landscape architects 2011 regional honours award in the category of landscape Management for the nose hill Park/trail and Pathway Plan. this category recognizes plans and techniques for the restoration, conservation, enhancement or maintenance of a natural or human-made landscape that have been applied on site for at least one full year.
Designed as a constructed wetland for storm water management and as a public environmental education centre, the project is an extraordinary and beautiful example of the integration of landscape design and architecture. The building reads lightly on the site in a manner that reflects the conservation mandate of the organization while also giving the citizens of Calgary a worthwhile experience. Energy performance is modelled to be 50 per cent better than a building designed under the National Model Energy Code.
4
fostering great Public spaces and Programs
Calgary Soldiers’ Memorial the Calgary highlanders and Parks were joined by local veterans and distinguished visitors in april to unveil the Calgary soldiers’ Memorial. the new memorial (located on Memorial Drive and 10th street n.W.) is a tribute to the sacrifice and service of soldiers serving with Calgary’s army reserve regiments in World War I, World War II and afghanistan. the names of over 3,000 soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice while fighting for the freedom and security of their fellow Canadians are listed on large stone tablets. the memorial is part of Phase 2 the landscape of Memory, a Park’s capital project that is rejuvenating and improving the pathways and green spaces along Memorial Drive.
Reader Rock Garden from 1913 – 1942, Parks superintendent William roland reader transformed a bare hillside into an internationally acclaimed garden. seven decades later, reader rock garden is blooming into a lush paradise for all Calgarians to enjoy. In 2011, Parks continued on
increasing the diversity of the plant inventory, including 48 new species of annuals and perennials. Interest from endowment funds to improve the garden from the friends of reader rock garden society also helped increase native, alpine and rock garden plants. as well, the café at reader rock garden re-opened last fall with a new restaurant vendor. located in the reconstructed reader house’s the main floor, the cafe offers a relaxing, picturesque venue for lunches or special events, with approximately 40 seats, plus 15 more on the veranda.
Skating at Prince’s Island Park It had always been a hot spot for Calgarians to gather in the summer months, but not so much in the winter. that was until a successful pilot project two winters ago that allows Calgarians to enjoy the tranquil beauty of an outdoor skate on the lagoon at Prince’s Island. the pilot project has been a success over the past two winters despite the dynamic challenges provided by shifting river ice and fluctuating weather extremes. Dedicated Parks staff and an artificial dam typically used for construction projects were two big reasons
for the success of the project. Calgarians also enjoyed outdoor skating opportunities last winter at olympic Plaza, Bowness Park, Prairie Winds Park and Big Marlborough Park.
Engaging Citizens
Parks annual report 2011 15
Public consultation and working with communities are a regular part of Parks’ day-to-day operations and major projects. last year, Parks had success with its first-ever online public engagement sessions for a park design and management plan for river Park, sandy Beach and Britannia slopes. In total, 513 citizens registered and provided 669 comments during the two, two-week-long moderated online engagement sessions. the online consultation web site also attracted almost 3,000 unique web visits. other major public engagement initiatives for Parks in 2011 included plans for: sien lok Park, the Carl safran school site, Poetic Park Plaza, Urban forestry, Cultural landscapes and seven new and/or fenced off-leash areas.
5
encouraging active, Creative and healthy lifestyles
Pathways and Bikeways App Parks, in collaboration with transportation Planning, introduced a free pathways and bikeways mobile application in 2011 to help Calgarians better navigate our city’s vast pathways and bikeways network. the “app” features include pathway and bikeways maps, detour routes/closures, safety messages, information about parks and links to twitter and facebook. the “app” provides a no-cost, convenient and environmentally friendly option for smart phonesavvy Calgarians. In 2012, the free hardcopy, online and app will be updated to include the latest additions to the pathways and bikeways network.
Nature School Calgary students are connecting with nature at the Inglewood Bird sanctuary thanks to a partnership between Parks, Campus Calgary, Petro-Canada and, more recently, suncor energy Inc. With its launch 15 years ago, nature school has provided 168 teachers and 3,700 students with a memorable and meaningful week-long active learning experience. the Inglewood Bird sanctuary is a
federal migratory bird monitoring station and special protection natural environment. located centrally in a city of a million people, the Inglewood Bird sanctuary provides a unique and convenient ‘classroom’ for citizens of all ages to examine, explore and make connections with nature, including more than 270 species of birds. Be sure to check out the wide variety of other nature programs available for families and individuals hosted by the Inglewood Bird sanctuary.
Parks annual report 2011 17
What really impressed me is how much my grandson, who has ADHD, thrived in that environment. He normally only writes a sentence or two in his journal but that week at Nature School he wrote 38 pages. He enjoyed every minute and asked so many questions!� – Grandparent of a Nature School student.
6
fostering a Community that Cares
Pathway and River Cleanup a pair of fuzzy handcuffs, pellet gun, button collection, toy pig and 1950s license plate were some of the more unusual items found amongst 10,000 pounds of garbage collected at the 44th annual Pathway and river Cleanup. Parks hosted about 2,000 volunteers who picked up and bagged garbage along the Bow and elbow rivers, nose Creek, the glenmore reservoir and other local waterways. In just the last five years alone, almost 74,000 pounds of garbage has been removed as part of this popular, feel-good community event. that’s a ton of trash (37 tons to be exact)! the 2011 event was sponsored by tim hortons, stantec, ConocoPhillips, Calgary area outdoor Council, Waste Management and the alberta Beverage Container recycling Corporation.
Community Gardens In just a few years, the number of community gardens across Calgary has bloomed quickly. a great success story can be found in Brentwood, where 35 beds offered a bountiful harvest of perennials, flowers and veggies in 2011. after launching in 2010 thanks to dedicated local volunteers, and help from Parks and the Calgary
horticultural society, the garden has become much more than just a hotbed for fruit trees, berries, marigolds, sunflowers, herbs, beets, carrots, etc. It’s also a new community hub, bringing citizens of all ages together for community building events such as: story thyme at the garden (in partnership with the Calgary Public library), the annual harvest supper and a seniors tea. Be sure to check out the Brentwood Community gardening group’s entertaining success story on Youtube.
Sponsored Programs sponsors play a key role in helping Parks implement its environmental education initiatives. Parks currently has 19 active sponsors providing almost $1.2 million to promote environmental stewardship to Calgarians. Partnered programs include: •
nature school at Inglewood Bird sanctuary (suncor)
•
ecoaction school at ralph klein Park (encana)
•
Mud Between My toes (Conoco Phillips)
•
Urban ecology (spectra energy)
Parks annual report 2011 19
7
Providing and Promoting Public safety
Clean to the Core Improving the daily experience of people living, working and visiting the Centre City is a big priority for the City of Calgary and its Clean to the Core initiative. safe and attractive public spaces, such as parks and plazas, can make a big contribution towards a safer city core. a Centre City Citizen Perception survey in 2011 showed that progress is being made over the past few years. specifically, residents who live or work in Centre City are visiting the area more often to eat lunch, attend a sporting event and use river pathways than in 2009. as well, 88 per cent were satisfied with Centre City parks and 92 per cent felt safe visiting these parks during the day.
cities, a review of policies and standards, a physical inspection of all the pathways and recommendations for improvements. overall, the review found that 90 per cent of citizens felt very or somewhat safe on Calgary pathways, nevertheless key recommendations included: •
establishing new funding levels to address pathway lifecycle replacement and conducting preventive maintenance to extend the lifespan of pathway sections.
•
Improving and/or reviewing planning and design on pathway widths, setbacks, lighting, hill grades and more.
•
Increasing annual snow and ice removal from 157 km to 300 km.
Pathway Safety Review
•
Increasing public education and pathway bylaw enforcement.
With more than 700 km of pathways in Calgary and increasing usage of them by a growing variety of user groups, safety is a key consideration in pathway planning and operations. In 2011, a Pathway safety review was presented to Council, which approved the recommendations and implementation funding for 2012-14. the review included public engagement, best practice research of other
P.U.P.P.Y. spreading diseases, attracting coyotes and contaminating waterways are a few of the serious health, safety and environmental consequences that can result when dog owners don’t pick up rover’s business. In response, Pick Up Pooch’s Poop Yourself
(P.U.P.P.Y.) was launched in partnership by Parks and animal & Bylaw services to educate off-leash area users on the negative health and safety implications of dog droppings left in parks, green spaces and off-leash areas to wildlife, humans and pets. this new public education program featured City staff and Parks volunteers heading out to four of the busiest off-leash areas in the city throughout 2011 to engage citizens about what they can do to increase responsible pet ownership and park stewardship skills in their community. Watch for more P.U.P.P.Y. events in 2012.
the results are in: improved water quality, an estimated seven million liters of water per year saved and two-to-three times more citizens enjoying park amenities. that is the impressive aftermath of the retrofitted Canmore Park and rotary Park wading pools, which reopened last summer just in time for a heat wave. Previously, both pools were fill-and-dump systems, requiring twice-daily filling and dumping (down the sewer) during the summer. now both pools
Parks annual report 2011 21
Spray Parks
feature a vastly more efficient on site system that filters, treats and re-uses water on a regular basis. the retrofits were funded by the City of Calgary and the government of Canada.
Providing services that Calgarians Value and rely Upon
8
Parks Operations
•
2,567 hectares of mowed Park space.
With more than 5,000 parcels of land across Calgary, Parks operations staff are stationed across the city. as well, specialized Parks staff travel across the city where their expertise is needed. over the spring and summer months, additional seasonal staff are hired to perform park maintenance, including mowing, playground inspections and repair, litter pick up, shrub bed work, irrigation work, washroom cleaning and maintenance of equipment and park infrastructure. as well, operations staff work collaboratively with citizens and communities on a wide variety of projects ranging from supporting festivals, to initiating community gardens, to addressing 3-1-1 inquiries.
•
Parks maintains 1,048 playground sites.
highlights in 2011 include: •
Move to a broader seven-day operations schedule.
•
Implementation of the off-leash area improvements, including public consultation on seven new and/or fenced off-leash areas.
•
Parks operations staff maintain a wide variety of sport infrastructure for Calgarians, including 735 playfields, 424 ball diamonds, six cricket pitches, 66 tennis court locations and more.
Parks Planning and Development as Calgary continues to rapidly grow, so does our parkland and pathway system. Besides residential housing, new subdivisions include new neighbourhood parks, playgrounds, pathways and school sites. Parks works with developers to ensure natural landscape and watershed features are preserved and recreational amenities are provided. In addition to planning new public open spaces, Parks Planning and Development works on lifecycle upgrades and design improvements to existing sites, such as those funded by the enmax legacy Parks Program and other capital funding programs. highlights in 2011 include: •
Implementing Phase 2 of the extensive Devonian gardens renovations.
•
Phase 2 of community consultation of the river Park/sandy
Beach/Britannia slopes design development plan and Council approval of the plan. Commissioning and public opening of ralph klein Park.
•
Unveiling of the Calgary soldiers Memorial.
•
Community consultation and design plan for improvements for sien lok Park (located in Chinatown), Carl safran Park and Poetic Park Plaza.
•
funding to begin construction to rejuvenate and improve Bowness Park.
Collaborate with the community.
•
resource to manage and measure the asset.
In addition, Urban forestry has a corporate role, administering and ensuring compliance with the tree Protection Bylaw (23M2002) and the street Bylaw (20M88). these bylaws strive to preserve, enhance and protect city owned trees. highlights in 2011 include: •
Parks Urban forestry was asked to engage and report back on citizens’ views and understanding of the urban forest. about 1,700 Calgarians were engaged on the topic through focus groups, online surveys and a stakeholder meeting.
•
the City’s Pine Creek nursery continued to maintain its Clean Plants Certification passing external and internal audits.
•
Parks Urban forestry celebrated Canada’s first national tree Day with Calgarians on sept. 21, 2011, and planted a tree at the historic fort Calgary site.
Urban Forestry Urban forestry continues to implement the Parks Urban forest strategic Plan. this plan provides the strategic direction for the growth, sustainability, preservation and enhancement of Calgary’s urban forest through the following goals: •
achieve and maintain safe, healthy trees.
Parks annual report 2011 23
•
•
Water Management Parks is committed to providing a sustainable model for water management that promotes water and soil conservation and guides future decision-making around water usage in Calgary’s parks. Highlights in 2011 include: •
ontinued the move toward irrigation based on quantity C rather than time.
•
entral Control staff implemented an improved interface and C automated reporting system as part of the irrigation control and management software.
•
ontinued making improvements to the telemetry side of the C irrigation control system.
•
ontinued to expand the automated water management C control system.
•
arks applied 25 per cent less water than in 2009 thereby P reducing our impact on Calgary’s water resources.
•
arks Water Management helped the Calgary Fire Department P commission their new water reuse system at the Fire Training Academy and will transition to the role of system monitor in 2012.
•
arks Water Management attended to 13,789 service P requests issued by both the 3-1-1 system and the automated irrigation control system.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Parks is committed to protecting biodiversity, the environment, the value of public infrastructure, and, the health and safety of our citizens by utilizing IPM principles and sound horticultural practices to keep pest populations under control. An ongoing review of best practices, current science, and staff training is used to ensure all actions taken to control pest populations meet legislative requirements, protect the environment and safeguard the health and safety of citizens. Employing these practices and methods, combined with Parks commitment to supporting our corporate partners, ensures The City of Calgary has the safest and most effective pest control with the least impact on Calgary’s environment.
weed minimization. Further evaluation of these strategies is planned for 2012.
IPM provides a framework for the development of alternative practices and target-specific pest control methods. Highlights in 2011 include: Ongoing engagement of retail industry (6 garden centres and 46 stores from 14 national chains) aimed at risk mitigation of invasive plant sales and partnerships to increase invasive plant species awareness.
•
The concept of Invasive-Free Certification for retailers was piloted in 2011. Green Gate Garden Centre and Canadian Tire (Country Hills location) were participants.
•
Naturalization initiative: community engagement and in some cases rehabilitation work was conducted at 14 sites resulting in approximately 24 hectares of parks space being naturalized in 2010 and 2011.
•
Soil biology trials (conducted at Inland Athletic Park) have yielded improved plant health and aesthetic measures in concert with significant improvements in soil biology and
Five new sites were added in the biological release and monitoring program. The total is now 23.
•
I njection of 687 trees treated for Elm Scale in 2011. This is the culmination of a seven-year management strategy that treated over 31,000 elms.
•
Removal of more than 23 tonnes of invasive plants in the Early Detection Rapid Response program.
•
The Healthy Yards Program, which promotes environmental best practices for residential yards, had: 950 active participants, 1,100 Healthy Yard DVDs distributed, 80,000 YouTube views of the Healthy Yards videos and about 6,000 web site visits.
Parks Annual Report 2011 25
•
•
Cemeteries
Pathways
Calgary’s municipal cemeteries are governed by Parks. Cemeteries are comprised of Queen’s Park, Queen’s Park Mausoleum and the four centrally located historically significant cultural heritage cemeteries: Union, Burnsland, Chinese and St. Mary’s.
Parks is implementing the recommendations for improving safety on pathway systems that were outlined in the Pathway Safety Review Report 2011. Highlights in 2011 include:
Highlights in 2011 include:
•
The creation of a Calgary Pathways & Bikeway Mobile App – a free download from the App Store.
•
The printing of the 2012 version of the Calgary Pathways & Bikeway Map – free for pickup at all City Recreation facilities.
Lifecycle replacement and upgrade of engraved section markers throughout cemeteries.
•
The line painting of more than 142 kilometres of regional pathways.
emeteries held community activities such as offering C free flowers on Mother’s Day (Mums for Moms), Father’s Day (Daises for Dad) as well as supported religious-based memorial celebrations, volunteer and service group cemetery beautification projects, Remembrance Day ceremonies and free cemetery tours.
•
The revision to our minimum width requirements for local pathways from 2.0 meters to 2.5 meters (as per the 2011 negotiations for the 2012 Development Guidelines and Standards Specifications – Landscape Construction).
•
Lifecycling of: Nose Creek Pathway from Memorial Drive north to Laycock Park, Bow River pathway from Inglewood
•
lanning for the development of the new City cemetery P property in the southeast.
•
1,400 interments.
•
•
Bird Sanctuary to Alyth Bridge, Confederation Park pathways and an additional three kilometres of pathways in various locations.
in the world to sign the Durban Commitment for Biodiversity (the third city in Canada after Edmonton and Montreal). •
Natural Areas Management
Highlights in 2011: •
The City of Calgary has joined Local Action for Biodiversity, an international partnership of conservation organizations and local authorities worldwide that are committed to working towards effective policy and action to protect biodiversity. In 2011, Parks began working on a status report for Calgary to better protect biodiversity in our growing city and laying the groundwork for The City of Calgary to become the 43rd City
Environmental Education and Initiatives The Environmental Education and Initiatives portfolio in Parks promotes ecological literacy and action so that citizens are better able to understand and appreciate their surroundings and be stewards for the environment. Highlights in 2011 include: •
orking with Animal & Bylaw Services, Parks launched the W P.UP.P.Y. program to educated pet owners on the importance of picking up after their dogs and the negative implications
Parks Annual Report 2011 27
Almost half of all parks in Calgary are natural environment parks. These parks require specialized management because of the vital role natural areas play in supporting biodiversity and habitat for wildlife and native vegetation. Natural areas staff work on a variety of projects, ranging from trail design, to restorations projects, and addressing emerging threats to natural areas, such as invasive weeds.
The Laycock Park wetland compensation project received funding from Council. This will be the first wetland compensation project done under The City’s Wetland Conservation Plan, which requires no net loss of significant wetlands to development. The project will restore the riparian wetlands along Nose Creek.
that not doing so can have on the health, safety and environment of their communities. •
orking with Urban Forestry, Parks delivered the W NeighbourWoods program to promote the value of trees in our communities and the role citizens can play in growing our urban forest.
•
Organizing volunteer programs for citizens and various groups to take action for the betterment of our parks. Events included Green Initiatives, Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-up, River and Pathway Clean-up, P.U.P.P.Y. event days and Pitch-In Canada.
•
Facilitating community stewardship programs by training and equipping community volunteers to perform actions in parks on a regular schedule. Programs included: Adopt-a-Rink, Adopt-a-Park, Community Stewardship for Biodiversity and gardening.
•
Recruiting and training Citizen Science volunteers to collect data that can be analysed and used by Parks. Programs included: Inglewood Bird Sanctuary Stewards (bird tracking) and Calgary Bird Banding Society.
•
Recruiting and training volunteers to deliver educational programs such as Park Interpreter Program, Cemetery Tours, Inglewood Bird Sanctuary Exhibit Hosts and Geocaching.
financial Information summary
9
Parks 2011 Operations (000’s) 2011
%
Managing & Growing the Parks System
2,874
4
Parks Operations - Central
8,616
11
Parks Operations - Suburban
39,882
53
City Wide Parks Services
24,040
32
Total
75,412
100%
Parks annual report 2011 29
Lines of Business
Parks 2011 Capital Analysis (000’s) Capital Program
2011 Budget
%
Legacy Parks
8,512
21
Parks and Natural Areas
26,576
64
Pathways
6,386
15
Total
41,474
100
Parks budget in 2011 was $75.4 million, a $1.4 million increase from 2010 (these figures exclude Cemeteries and Strategic Services). Parks capital budget in 2011 is $41.5 million, a $12.9 million decrease from 2010. To tackle the challenges of balancing budgets in a rapidly growing city, Parks started a service review and realignment in 2008. The first phase (2008-2010) of the realignment involved creating Parks
portfolios, defining our citywide and centralized services, and adjusting division and district boundaries. In the current phase, Parks continues to implement productivity gains and cost-saving initiatives to meet its budget and service challenges of the next decade. For example, Parks is implementing a larger seven-day parks operation schedule to save money on over-time costs and reduce the number fleet vehicles. Parks is also reorganizing its 16 operational districts into eight zones in 2012. Also, Parks began a pilot project in 2011 for general community parks maintenance and irrigation operations this year to benchmark City and private sector costs and quality. The goal of the pilot project is to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness in meeting citizen needs in community park maintenance. For every dollar of The City residential property tax bill*, 43 cents is collected on behalf of the province. Of the 57 cents collected for the municipality, The City spends 13 cents on Community Services and Protective Services, as follows:
Proportion of Tax Dollar by Business Unit Provincial Government 43 Municipal Services & Programs 57 Community & Neighbourhood Services 0.1 Parks 2.8
Animal & Bylaw Services 0.4 Calgary Fire Department 6.5 Public Safety & Communication (9-1-1) 0.7 *B ased on the combined current municipal and provincial property tax rates as independently determined by each level of government.
Parks Annual Report 2011 31
Recreation 1.5
10
Parks by the numbers in 2011
9,923 hectares of land is maintained and/or stewarded by Parks as of December 2011, almost 12 per cent of all land within Calgary.
445,000 trees (approximately) on municipal land are maintained by Parks (40 per cent are street trees)
2,567 hectares of park space was mowed by Parks in 2011.
3,200 trees were planted throughout the City (in addition to supporting planting partnerships and Parks’ neighbourWoods program)
24,077 students participated in 989 Parks environmental education programs in 2011, an increase of 3,078 students from the previous year 48,968 volunteer hours were donated by 8,072 citizens to carry out a variety of Park programs and initiatives 10,000 pounds of garbage was removed in one day from the banks of our waterways and pathways by 2,000 volunteers as part in the 44th annual river and Pathway Cleanup
10,000 urban forestry requests came through 3-1-1 in 2011, including 1,900 urgent calls 400,000 seedlings have been distributed to date by Parks as part of arbour Day celebrations 687 elm trees were treated for elm scale in 2011 (adding up to 31,000 over the past seven years)
235 hectares is the estimate of new parkland Parks will be adding to its inventory from 2012-2014
1,100 healthy Yards program DVDs were distributed to Calgarians 80,000 Youtube views for Parks’ healthy Yards videos that provide environmentally friendly lawn and garden care tips
340 flat headstones at Union Cemetery were cleaned up in one day of fresh air and exercise by 24 office employees from a local company that volunteered for Parks
93 per cent of Calgarians surveyed in the 2011 Citizen satisfaction survey expressed satisfaction with Calgary’s parks and open space system
13,789 is the number of water management service requests by 3-1-1 and Parks’ automated irrigation control system
91 per cent expressed satisfaction with our pathway system 1,048 playgrounds are maintained by the City of Calgary Parks
23 tonnes of invasive plants were removed from municipal parkland
Parks annual report 2011 33
1,400 interments were performed at City of Calgary cemeteries
11
looking ahead
Parks 2040 Plan: Stakeholder Engagement Process Stakeholder Input May - July 2012
Listen
Stakeholder Review Nov - Dec 2012
What We Heard You Say August 2012
Parks 2040 1st Draft
Stakeholder Feedback Sept - Oct 2012
*Time lines subject to revision as required.
Parks 2040 2nd Draft
Plan to Council May 2013
Committee and Council Presentations May 2013
Parks 2040 Plan In 2012, Parks will be engaging stakeholders and the public to develop a visionary 30-year plan for a sustainable, efficient and effective open space system. It will be a milestone point moving to deliver on Parks’ pieces of imagineCalgarY. a preliminary step in developing this long-term plan is capturing the input of Calgarians on what kind of parks and open spaces they want and envision by year 2040.
Alignment In addition to public input, the Parks 2040 plan will be guided by – and build upon – previous long-term planning and policy initiatives in our city. these existing long-range plans include: imagineCalgarY – In 2005, more than 18,000 Calgarians provided their input to help produce a long-range urban sustainability plan for the community. Completed in 2006, the Plan is a 100-year vision that reflects the diversity of aspirations and interests of Calgarians for the future. It also includes a series of ten 30-year business planning targets to help the City of Calgary and other local organizations reach the city of the future that Calgarians want.
•
the 2020 sustainability Direction – this strategic plan identifies what must happen at the City of Calgary over the next 10 years to attain the imagineCalgarY 100-year vision. the 2020 sustainability Direction links imagineCalgarY’s long-term vision and plan to the City’s 3-year business plans
engagement will begin in May 2012. Parks will gather input via: internal and external stakeholder workshops, focus groups with citizens, telephone and online surveys and 3-1-1. once presented to Council for approval and finalized in 2013, the Parks 2040 Plan will serve as the foundation for future City of Calgary Parks business plans.
Parks annual report 2011 35
•
and budgets. The 3-year business plans and budgets act as reference points in moving to the 10-year horizon. This provides a logical place in time to meet community needs and expectations, and establish the capacity to deliver on these results. •
unicipal Development Plan and Calgary Transportation Plan M – Together, these documents provide a long-term strategy for a more sustainable city through the integration of land use and mobility policies. The MDP is a 30-year plan for managing growth and change, public investment and land use approvals. The CTP provides policy direction on Calgary’s transportation system. Together, the two plans are aligned with imagineCALGARY and form an integrated land use and mobility plan for Calgary. The CTP and MDP expand on the previous City planning policies contained in the Go Plan (1995) and the Calgary Plan (1998).
•
Open Space Plan – This 2002 plan represents a single, comprehensive and integrated source of City policy on open space. The plan also provides future planning directions for Calgary’s parks and open space system. It provides the foundation for additional specific policies, plans and procedures that are used to guide day-to-day decision making in operations such as park planning, urban forestry, natural areas and more.
Parks Annual Report 2011 37
PARKS Annual Report 2011
2012-0230