Report to/Rapport
au :
Health,
Recreation and Social Services Committee
Comité de la santé, des loisirs et des services sociaux
Corporate
Services and Economic Development Committee
Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique
and Council / et au Conseil
18 September 2003 / le 18 septembre 2003
Submitted by/Soumis par : Jocelyne St
Jean, General Manager/Directrice générale,
People Services/Services aux
citoyens
Contact Person/Personne ressource : Colleen
Hendrick, Director
Innovation
Development and Partnerships/Directrice, Innovation, développement et
partenariats
(613)
580-2424 x24366, colleen.hendrick@Ottawa.ca
REPORT
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. That
Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee approve, in principle, the
expenditure identified in this report and refer Recommendation 2 to Corporate
Services and Economic Development Committee.
Corporate Services and Economic Development
Committee
2. That
Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee recommend that Council
approve $15,000 towards the cost of the development of a business plan for the
continued operation of the Bill Mason and the MacSkimming Outdoor Environmental
Centres.
RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT
Comité de la santé, des loisirs et des services sociaux
1. Que le Comité de la santé,
des loisirs et des services sociaux approuve, en principe, les dépenses
précisées dans le présent rapport et qu'il adresse la recommandation 2 au
Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique.
Comité des services organisationnels
et du développement écononomique
2. Que le Comité des services organisationnels et du
développement économique recommande que le Conseil approuve une contribution de
15 000 $ à l'égard du coût d'élaboration d'un plan d'activités concernant la
poursuite des activités aux centres environnementaux en plein air Bill Mason et
Mac Skimming
BACKGROUND
On
July 17, 2003, the Health, Recreation and Social Services (HRSS) Committee
approved the following motion related to a report on the future of the Bill
Mason and the MacSkimming outdoor environmental education centres:
“That City staff
pursue with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, the Mississippi Valley
Conservation Authority, the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, the South
Nations River Conservation and other interested parties the development of a
business plan for the operation of the Outdoor Environmental Centres,
conditional on a financial commitment from these partners towards the cost of
the development of such a business plan, to be matched by the City of Ottawa,
to an upset limit of $20,000 as the City’s maximum contribution, and report
back to the Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee if an agreement
can be reached.”
This report
outlines the financial commitments of the various partners and recommends
a contribution of $15,000 from the City
to facilitate the development of the business plan.
DISCUSSION
Following the
direction provided by HRSS Committee, staff received a positive response from
partners who reaffirmed their interest in saving the environmental centres by
pledging the following financial commitments:
Partner
Financial Commitment
Ottawa-Carleton
District School Board $15,000
Friends of
Lasting Outdoor Education (FLOE) $
2,000
YMCA
$ 4,000
Conservation
Authorities $ 4,000
Sub-Total
$25,000
Recommended City
of Ottawa Contribution $15,000
Sub-Total $40,000
Estimated Cost of
Study $45,000
Shortfall to be
addressed by revisions to the TOR
$ 5,000
The partners have
pledged a total financial commitment of $25,000. Staff recommend that the City
contribute $15,000 towards the completion of the business plan study. This
recommendation is based on the need to match the contribution of the School
Board who will continue to be the owner of the two facilities, and the sponsor
of outdoor education programming on the sites. The balance of $5,000 will be
addressed by a revision to the Terms of Reference (TOR). The partners’
contribution of $25,000 would therefore represent 62.5% of the total cost of
$40,000, while the proposed City contribution of $15,000 will represent 37.5%
of the business plan cost.
The Rideau Valley
Conservation Authority has offered to host a meeting of the partners at its
Baxter Conservation facility to finalize the TOR and the contracting process in
terms of responsibility and timing.
Steering
Committee
A Steering
Committee would be formed to work with a consultant to undertake the business
plan work. This Committee would consist of one representative each from the
Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, the Conservation Authorities, the
YM/WCA, Friends of Lasting Outdoor Education (FLOE) and the City of Ottawa.
Contracting
Policy
The City’s Supply
Management Division has indicated that the City’s Purchasing By-law allows
departments to procure Professional Services under $50,000 by way of direct
appointment or RFP (Request For Proposals) by invitation. However, the
procurement process must demonstrate that pricing is fair and reasonable or
represents fair market value. The easiest way to demonstrate fair and
reasonable pricing is through a competitive process such as an RFP by
invitation.
Contracting
Approach
The MacSkimming
and Bill Mason outdoor education facilities are currently scheduled to close on
August 31, 2004. This leaves approximately twelve months to complete all
activities required to save the facilities from closure; including consultant
selection, completion of the business plan work, partnership negotiations
arising from the study and the actual implementation of the operational
measures approved by the partners. In view of these time constraints a
procurement process based on RFP by invitation will be used to select a
consultant for the study. This process will include the following steps:
o A search to identify potential
consultants in the Ottawa area.
o Circulation of the RFP document to the listed consultants by e-mail. Interested consultants will be requested to submit proposals.
o Evaluation of the proposals by the five Steering Committee members, who will recommend the selected consultant to the General Manager of People Services for final approval.
o Preparation and signing of the
necessary contract documents.
The draft
business plan report would be discussed with the steering committee prior to
being finalized. The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, the Conservation
Authorities, the YM/WCA and FLOE will subsequently strike a committee to
implement the approved recommendations of the report. A report on the
recommendations of the study will be presented to Health, Recreation and Social
Services Committee and Council for information.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
The
MacSkimming and the Bill Mason facilities are mostly designated as “Major Open
Space”, “Significant Wetlands”, and “General Rural (Natural Feature) Area” in
the new Official Plan adopted by Council in May 2003. These environmental
designations generally permit uses that do not adversely affect the natural
characteristics of the landscape and waterways. Examples include uses
associated with the scientific or educational study of the natural
characteristics of the area. Any outdoor environmental education programming
activities recommended by the business plan would have to conform to the
environmental policies of the new Official Plan.
The
Bill Mason and the MacSkimming outdoor environmental education facilities are
located within the rural area. As a result, the development and effective use
of outdoor environmental education facilities could potentially generate
tourism dollars into the rural areas of the City.
CONSULTATION
A
general public consultation on the content of this report is not considered
necessary at this time. Partners have reviewed and concurred with the contents
of this report.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The
$15,000 recommended by this report is not included in the People Services
operating budget and would require Council direction. The City’s Notice By-law requires that the budget amendment be
advertised prior to the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee
meeting where amendment is introduced.
DISPOSITION
Staff
will proceed as directed by Council.