Report to/Rapport au:
Agriculture and Rural
Affairs Committee
Comité de l'agriculture et des questions rurales
and/et
Community and Protective Services Committee
Comité des services communautaires et de protection
and Council/et au Conseil
13 November 2008 / le 13 novembre 2008
Submitted by/Soumis par:
Steve Kanellakos, Deputy City Manager /
Directeur municipal adjoint
City Operations / Opérations municipales
Contact Person/Personne ressource : Aaron Burry, Director/Directeur
Parks and
Recreation/Parcs et Loisir
(613)
580-2424 x 23666, Aaron.Burry@ottawa.ca
SUBJECT:
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OBJET :
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PARTENARIAT
POUR UN TERRAIN DE SPORT ET ACQUISITION DE TERRAINS |
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and Community and Protective Services Committee recommend Council:
1. Authorize the Deputy City Manager of City Operations to finalize the sports field partnership agreement for the acquisition of lands and its development to be known as George Nelms Sports Park at 5650 Mitch Owens Drive, based on the framework in Document 1.
2. That upon signing of the sports field agreement, Real Estate Services be authorized to proceed with the acquisition, and report back to the appropriate Standing Committee for finalization.
RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité de l'agriculture et des questions rurales et le Comité des
services communautaires et de protection recommandent au Conseil :
1. d’autoriser le directeur municipal adjoint des Opérations municipales à finaliser l’entente de partenariat pour un terrain de sport en vue de l’acquisition de terrains et l’aménagement de ceux-ci, devant porter l’appellation Parc sportif George-Nelms et être situés au 5650, promenade Mitch-Owens, en fonction du cadre énoncé dans le document 1.
2. d’autoriser les Services immobiliers à
procéder à l’acquisition dès la signature de l’entente sur le terrain de sport
et à faire rapport au comité permanent compétent pour finalisation.
BACKGROUND
In January 2004, City Council approved a Sportsfield Strategy that included a multi-pronged approach to increase the number of sportsfields to meet user needs and demand in a manner, which is cost effective, and time efficient. The proposal meets two (2) of the key tools as detailed in the Sportsfield Strategy:
(1) Framework for Addressing Current and Future Sportsfield Needs d) Develop multi-field complexes which provide supporting amenities more cost-effectively, and serve as tournament venues; and
(2) Secure partnerships with School Boards, user groups and the private sector.
Manotick Land Developments (MLD), now known as Centaurus Partnership (CP), is a local community-based partnership, affiliated with a not-for-profit sport organization (Ottawa South United Soccer). The partnership was formed in order to advance the inventory of soccer fields available for use by soccer groups in the south section of the city. MLD/CP purchased 32 acres of land on Mitch Owens Drive, adjacent to St.Marks High School for the purpose of developing an outdoor sportsfield complex, with the ultimate goal of seeing six (6) soccer fields developed and associated amenities such as a parking lot and a fieldhouse for use by local soccer groups. See Documents 2 and 3. Ottawa South United Soccer (OSU) serves the southern area of the new City, encompassing the former Osgoode Rideau Soccer Association and South Nepean Soccer Clubs. OSU has over 6,300 playing members from ages 4 to 60+. Similar to many other local clubs, applications for membership are being rejected due to insufficient soccer fields available for use.
DISCUSSION
At the time of their initial Site Plan Application (2006), due to the anticipated increase in traffic generated by the site, a slip around was required for left-turning vehicles on Mitch Owens Drive. Under the sportsfield partnership, Parks and Recreation approved the financial contribution of $60,000 towards this requirement. Once the site is developed, including sportsfields #3, 4, 5 and 6, a full turning lane will be required.
Realizing this project was quickly becoming a larger endeavour than originally envisioned, MLD/CP approached the Parks and Recreation Branch exploring various forms of partnership that may be open to them in realizing the project, i.e. donation of the land with a Federal tax credit returned to the owners; seeing the partners develop some of the fields; and/or the City developing the hard and/or soft infrastructure.
Parks and Recreation has a keen interest in seeing this type of development as they are aware of the projected growth in the area that will see vacant pieces of land (prior to purchase) used for residential development. This partnership is supported by Parks and Recreation's City-wide Allocations Unit as currently, the east end of the city is serviced by a multi field tournament facility at Millenium Park and the west is serviced by Walter Baker Park. Ottawa South United has used Stonebridge on the Jock Park as their tournament facility in the past, along with other locations, but has since had to limit their use at this facility due to parking restraints. A facility off Mitch Owens Drive with multi field complexes would be beneficial for regular and tournament use as well as help relieve the pressures at Stonebridge on the Jock Park.
Additionally, the Branch has limited financial resources and little ability to commit future capital budget items in terms of actual deadlines for financial contributions. As a result, a long-term approach taken by Parks and Recreation is to assure the site remains a sportsfield venue and over-time, develop it to its maximum potential. Hence, the framework as proposed in document 1 balances the community's need for fields and infrastructure and the Branch's ability to contribute.
Progress to-date
MLD/CP, with their own resources actioned the site plan, completed the development of the first two fields, parking lot and are in the final stages of preparing the slip around. Since the necessary equipment was on-site for the first two fields, the entire site was graded and the balance of the fields seeded.
RURAL IMPLICATIONS
Rural residents of the south will be the primary beneficiary of this new sportsfield complex.
CONSULTATION
The ward councillor is aware and supportive of this partnership.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Funding up to $975,000 is available in the Parks and Recreation capital budget. Any residual balance required for the sportsfield acquisition will come out of Parkland Reserve Fund.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 - Partnership Framework
Document 2 - Proposed Site
Document 3 – Proposed Sportsfield Development
DISPOSITION
The Parks and Recreation Branch with the assistance of Legal and Real Estate Services will implement Council's direction.
Introduction and Background
This document addresses the partnership and acquisition by the City of Ottawa of a 32 acre site on Mitch Owens Drive to the west of St Mark High School that is under development as an outdoor soccer facility comprising six full sized soccer fields, along with the associated access and parking amenities. The Centaurus Partnership (CP) acquired the site and financed the conversion of the raw land into a significant recreational asset that will assist in meeting the increasing demand for soccer field resources. The City of Ottawa has been approached under the Sportsfield partnership strategy by the owners with an offer to have the facility become part of the inventory of recreational lands, owned and eventually operated by the City. The favourable terms and conditions governing the transfer of the ownership of this significant recreational resource into public hands are set out herein.
Land Acquisition
The City of Ottawa (CO) to purchase the 32-acre property at an agreed upon Fair Market Value from Manotick Land Developments (MLD/CP) for the purpose of sportsfield development and issue a permit for use (i.e. occupancy permit, consent to enter) until site is ready to be used through the City’s Allocations of Sports field permits.
Value Exchange
The CO will acquire the land at a mutually agreed upon Fair Market Value. The acquisition value will be satisfied through a combination of a cash payment and a donation receipt for income tax purposes. The current owners (CP) have agreed in principle to accept a 2-1 split; with two-thirds representing a cash payment and one third being settled by issuing a tax receipt. The FMV will be supported by independent appraisals prepared by appropriately qualified appraisers, which will address both the raw land value as well as the improvements already made to the site to create an active recreational facility.
Soccer Field Development
MLD/CP will complete phase 1 of the development (2 fields, initial parking lot and required slip around) and prepare the other four fields in a “ready to go condition”, with confirmation of CO’s contribution of $60,000 towards the slip around. Ottawa South United (OSU) to get exclusive use of the two fields, at no cost for a 15 year period, provided OSU maintains the two fields.
CO will be responsible for all costs associated with the development of the remaining four fields and maintenance. CO is not in a position to commit to a time frame for the development and operationalization at this time or in the immediate future. Should CP and/or OSU wish to apply through the Branch’s Major Capital Partnership Program and if successful, the partnership would cost share the capital cost 50-50. The CO recognizes OSU’s geographic servicing of the surrounding communities for soccer and sporting purposes and will allocated the four fields per our Allocation Policy but will not grant exclusive use to OSU.
Future Development
The CO will once again attempt to engage the Ottawa Carleton Catholic School Board to determine if there are any potential synergies that may be beneficial with adjoining St Mark’s property when it is in a financial position to initiate phase 2 of the development.
Other
The CO will submit and support through the Commemorative Naming Policy, naming of the site “George Nelms Sports Park – Parc sportif George Nelms”. Should OSU wish to recognize specific OSU soccer club trustees through a raised bronze plaque, CO fully supports on condition the plaque is bilingual (bilingualism policy) and is paid for by CP and/or OSU.
The CO cannot commit/guarantee that the facility will remain a sports park in perpetuity, as requested by the current owners as a condition of sale. However, having been properly re-zoned to parkland, past experience has shown it to be extremely difficult to secure Council support to eliminate a City-owned parkland, especially if the site continues to be used for its intended purpose.
Document 2-Proposed Site
