TAMRMS#: B06
7.2
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City of St. Albert-Town of Morinville Recreation Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework
Presented by: Trevor Duley, Manager, Government Relations & Diane Enger, Director, Recreation and Parks
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RECOMMENDED MOTION(S)
recommendation
That the Recreation Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework with the Town of Morinville be approved.
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PURPOSE OF REPORT
Corporate Initiative 4.7 seeks to leverage intermunicipal relationships to build economies of scale, specific to recreation assets. Aligned with this concept, the City of St. Albert and Town of Morinville have collaborated to establish an Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework (ICF) specific to Recreation. Given that both municipalities are growing, are in ever closer proximity to one another, and have shared pressures and opportunities regarding current and future recreation service provision, this ICF provides a foundation for partnership moving forward and provides structure for ongoing collaboration.
ALIGNMENT TO PRIORITIES IN COUNCIL’S STRATEGIC PLAN
Strategic Priority #4: Infrastructure Investment: Identify, build and/or enhance needed critical or strategic infrastructure and identify and implement associated optimal business and operating models and lifecycle strategies.
Corporate Initiative 4.7: Leverage intermunicipal relationships to build economies of scale and establish cost-sharing arrangements relative to the construction of new City recreation/cultural capital assets.
ALIGNMENT TO LEVELS OF SERVICE DELIVERY
N/A
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL DIRECTION OR MANDATORY STATUTORY PROVISION
Section 708.28 of the Municipal Government Act provides municipal growth management board members the flexibility to complete voluntary intermunicipal collaboration frameworks for matters not addressed in the regional Growth Plan or Servicing Plan.
On January 20, 2020 Council passed the following:
(CB-20-005)
That the Recreation Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework with City of Edmonton be approved.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework (ICF) outlines a process, method and accountability structure for the City of St. Albert and Town of Morinville to explore opportunities for joint recreation service-delivery, funding, and/or planning in the future. This ICF is largely modeled from the one completed between the City of Edmonton and City of St. Albert in early 2020. The ICF includes the following components:
- Objectives: to enhance collaboration; explore more cost-effective service delivery and partnership options in the future; and enhance the quality of recreation services available in the region
- Working Group Governance: shortly after approval of the ICF, appropriate staff from both municipalities will confirm a Workplan and Terms of Reference to achieve the objectives identified within the Framework. Preliminary work has initiated on this already, and includes items such as:
- Communities Amenities Site Planning
- Ice Surface for St. Albert User Groups
- Morinville Leisure Centre Lands Plan
- Facility and Program Cross Marketing
- Program Synergies
- Service Inventory: includes pertinent schedules of facilities broadly classified as "recreation"
- Analysis Tool: provides criteria to identify municipal, intermunicipal and regional facilities/services
- Commitment to collect and share recreation data
The ICF does not commit the partners to cost-sharing; it commits the partners to share information and connect with one another and seek partnership opportunities when it makes sense to.
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS OR ENGAGEMENT
Public Engagement is not required and was not undertaken as part of the ICF process. City of St. Albert and Town of Morinville representatives have been working since June 2021 to complete this Framework through productive intermunicipal discussions.
Town of Morinville Council is set to deliberate this item on September 14, 2021.
IMPLICATIONS OF RECOMMENDATION(S)
Financial:
None at this time.
Legal / Risk:
While the ICF between the City of St. Albert and Town of Morinville is voluntary, it follows the requirements contained within the Municipal Government Act respecting ICFs.
Program or Service:
None at this time.
Organizational:
Subject to the ratification of the ICF, and associated Working Group Terms of Reference and Workplan, Administration will meet with staff from Town of Morinville to implement the ICF. In the past, discussions have occurred in a more ad hoc manner; this change is not anticipated to require additional resources.
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED
If Council does not wish to support the recommendation, the following alternatives could be considered:
Alternative 1. Council could suggest that the Town of Morinville incorporate changes to the ICF.
Alternative 2. Council could refer this item back to Administration for further refinement.
Alternative 3. Council could do nothing.
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Report Date: September 13, 2021
Author(s): Trevor Duley and Diane Enger
Department: Office of the CAO & Recreation and Parks
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer: Kerry Hilts
Chief Administrative Officer: Kevin Scoble