Parks and Recreation Master Plan

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As part of the 2022 capital budget deliberations, City Council allocated funding for a Parks and Recreation Master Plan. The Master Plan will guide the development, delivery, and continuous improvement of parks, sport, culture, and recreation programs, services, and facilities. Yorkton is a dynamic city and the needs and demands of the community are shifting. The Master Plan is an important tool helping the municipality proactively manage these critically important public services.

Consultant

The City has engaged a consultant to work with an internal steering committee consisting of Administration representation to co-ordinate a public consultant and engagement process, reporting, provide recommendation as well as develop a long term vision and strategic direction for Parks and Recreation in Yorkton with a timeline of 15 years. 

RC Strategies were awarded as the successful firm to complete this work. RC Strategies will work with the Steering Committee to engage stakeholder and the community for feedback in order to develop the City of Yorkton's Parks and Recreation Master Plan.

 Process

The consultant is currently working with Administration on Phase 2 and 3 of the project. 

 

 Master Plan Process

 Project Timeline

The overall project has an anticipated completion date of April 2023. A formal presentation to City Council on findings and recommendations will be made once the report is completed.

 Project Schedule

Community Engagement

Because of the importance of this Master Plan, it is necessary to gather information from residents in a manner that enables the findings to be considered representative of the city. As such, the methods presented in this plan will ensure everyone’s voice is heard. Opportunities to gather the perspectives of consumers, providers, and others impacted are built into the engagement plan. Together these inputs will ensure the strategy is developed with a thorough understanding of community perspectives, while ensuring equity in how people experience sports, park, and recreation in Yorkton.

All participants will be welcome to participate in engagement activities. While the methods have been set, flexibility exists to accommodate as many people as possible regardless of their circumstances. While there are limitations of time and resources, efforts will be made to ensure the program of engagement is as inclusive as it can be. Considerations will be given to all manner of diversity. Additionally, the engagement will adhere to the intents of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

The following is a list of different community engagement opportunities that residents will have a chance to participate in: 

Internal Interviews

Internal interviews within the City of Yorkton organization will be conducted through the consultants. Interviews will be conducted with the following groups:

  • Recreation and Community Services department staff
  • Steering Committee members
  • City Council Members
  • Recreation and Community Services Advisory Committee

The purpose is to gain insight into community needs for parks and recreation services and facilities while also provided the perspective of those servicing the broad community. This will provide some context for community engagement and information in regards to recreation, leisure and sport in Yorkton.

Pop Up Engagement Events & Open House

There will be Pop Up Events hosted throughout the summer and early fall to get early engagement of the project. The purpose is to inform the public of the project and how the process will work. The consultants will be able to gather some of the top of mind thoughts about parks and recreation in Yorkton and to get those individuals thinking.

The following dates have been scheduled for Pop-Up Events in Yorkton and will be updated as needed:

  • Tuesday, July 19th: Yorkton Public Library
  • Wednesday, July 20th - Friday, July 22nd: Gallagher Centre
  • Thursday, August 22nd: Weinmaster Park
  • Thursday, August 18th: Yorkton Public Library
  • Wednesday, September 7th: Gallagher Centre - City Wide Registration Night

Household Survey

In early September, households in Yorkton can expect a postcard in their mailbox. The postcard will include information in regards to a survey that can only be accessed through the code provided on the postcard. The information received from the survey will include household's satisfaction of parks, sport, culture and recreation opportunities, values of these services, participation rates, future needs and personal preferences.

In September, keep an eye out for a the postcard and have your say in regards to parks and recreation in Yorkton. 

Master Plan Postcard Image

Resident Survey
This survey will be open to all residents who did not receive an access code. The resident survey will be available after the household survey has closed. All questions will be the same as the coded survey. Access to the survey will be made available on the City of Yorkton website and promoted through various communication methods.

Youth Survey

A survey will be developed that will be directed towards the youth in the community. Youth in Yorkton will be asked to provide their thoughts on parks, recreation, sport and leisure.

While the household survey may consider the thoughts of youth, this survey will get the perspective and input directly from them. The survey will ask about their participation in parks, sport, culture and recreation programs and services. The survey will also touch on the barriers to participation and what services need to be developed to meet the needs of the youth in Yorkton.

The youth survey will be scheduled to be administered in September 2022.

Community Group Survey

The consultants will be looking at getting input from organized user groups and those groups and entities who use parks, sport, culture and recreation facilities to deliver their programming. The information that is wanted will be desired program and support amenities, need for facility enhancements and additions, challenges and barriers being experienced, trends in participation, assessment of services levels, potential utilization, potential partnerships and the willingness to pay.

Groups will receive access to the survey through hard copies or online. The City of Yorkton will be inviting groups to participate when the opportunity is made available. 

Stakeholder & Community Group Interviews & Meetings

Meeting with stakeholders and community groups is intended to gather insight about parks, sport, culture and recreation provision from the perspective in the community beyond the typical sport and recreation organizations. Meetings with stakeholders will be scheduled in the fall of 2022.

 

Take the Survey!

The City of Yorkton is developing a Parks and Recreation Master Plan to ensure these important quality of life services meet the changing needs of residents. The Master Plan will guide the development, delivery and improvement of parks and recreation programs, services and facilities.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Your input is important and will help the City better understand needs, trends, and perspectives on future priorities.

There is no access code required to take this survey!

Take Me to the Survey!

The deadline to complete the survey is November 6, 2022.

Physical copies of the survey are available at the Gallagher Centre, Yorkton Public Library and City Hall.

 Steering Committee

 A Steering Committee has been established that will:

  1. Communicate regularly with the consultants to interpret the project requirements and deliverables
  2. Review progress on the project and provide input and feedback to the consultants on an ongoing basis
  3. Ensure appropriate communication with users, the public and City Council throughout the project.

Steering Committee Members consist of:

  • Darcy McLeod, Director of Recreation and Community Services
  • Taylor Morrison, Gallagher Centre General Manager
  • Julia Schofer, Program Services Manager
  • Lisa Washington, Manager of Community, Culture and Heritage