indoor recreation facility plan
Planning for the Future
The District and the City of North Vancouver regard recreation as an essential component of improving our quality of life, supporting health and wellness, and contributing to our sense of community. The North Vancouver Recreation Commission's mandate is to meet these objectives by providing a wide range of recreational opportunities that meet the needs of residents regardless of age, gender, ability or economic status. North Vancouver is one of Canada's most active and healthy communities and its residents value a healthy lifestyle through recreation. This is evidenced by over 3.5 million visits to recreational facilities each year.
Many of North Vancouver's recreation facilities and structures have aged to the point that reinvestment and replacement is needed.
Developing a 20-Year Vision for Indoor Recreation Facilities
In 2006, the North Vancouver Recreation Commission on behalf of the City and District of North Vancouver began a comprehensive research study to:
- Assess current recreation facilities and services
- Identify future community needs
- Develop a facility plan for addressing future community needs.
The research project, conducted by Professional Environmental Recreation Consultants (PERC), included a recreation needs assessment, a review of existing facility conditions, analysis of changing demographic and social trends, extensive community input including stakeholder and recreation group meetings, and a resident survey.
Public Input
In April 2007, the consultant's draft indoor recreation facility plan recommendations were made available to the public on the North Vancouver Recreation Commission, the District of North Vancouver and the City of North Vancouver's website's, in the North Shore News and at all Recreation Centre front desks.
The consultant's recommendations were also presented for public and stakeholder input in May and June of 2007. This public input process included a number of open houses at recreation facilities and at a local shopping mall, as well as online and mail-in feedback opportunities. Since that time, the Recreation Commission has received and reviewed additional feedback and input from residents and stakeholders.
Recommendations for Indoor Recreation Facilities
In May 2008, the Recreation Commission forwarded a report to District and City Councils outlining its recommendations for indoor recreation facilities in North Vancouver. These recommendations were developed after reviewing the consultant's reports, staff analysis and public and stakeholder input.
These recommendations provide a sustainable and integrated plan for indoor recreation facilities for the next 20 years and were developed using the following principles:
- Future facility decisions will be based on projected community needs, not wants.
- Services will be distributed as equitably as possible throughout North Vancouver City and District.
- Recommendations will be consistent with the City's and District's sustainability goals.
- Utilization of community assets and facilities will be maximized.
- Facility decisions for the City and the District will be integrated.
Next Steps - The planning continues
Upon receiving the Commission's recommendations in 2008, both District and City Councils referred the report to their respective municipal staff for review and directed that a Joint Steering Committee be set up.
In the fall of 2010, the Recreation Facility Plan Steering Committee recommended to Councils that the following four priority facility projects be included in the City and District's five year planning processes:
1. Replacement/consolidation of William Griffin & Delbrook Community Recreation Centres (District)
2. Expansion of Grant Connell Indoor Tennis Centre (District)
3. Replacement of Harry Jerome Recreation Complex including Memorial and Mickey McDougall
facilities (City)
4. Addition of one new sheet of ice in addition to the existing sheets at the Canlan Ice Sports facility (District)
Both City and District Councils approved the recommendations and planning is underway.
Replacement/Consolidation of William Griffin & Delbrook Community Recreation Centres
The facility plan's recommendation is to consolidate the William Griffin and Delbrook Community Recreation Centres. A review of the William Griffin/Delbrook consolidation project has been completed. The 2007 Facility Plan recommended a community recreation centre with the following components:
- fitness area
- gymnasium
- arts and crafts studios
- youth centre
- seniors' centre
- dance and martial arts floor
- pre-school program centre
- mulit-purpose space
- welcoming foyer
- support spaces
Work in 2010 on site location and program opportunities suggested that the Centre should be approximately 81,000 sq. ft. and that the following space and program components should be considered for inclusion:
- A swimming pool
- Administrative space
- Community services
- Racquetball/squash courts, and
- Commercial revenue generating opportunities such as food services or professional health services appropriate for a community recreation centre
In October and November 2011, consultants gathered input from stakeholders to review the core program spaces and confirm specific space requirements in order to proceed with detailed building design and costing.
Status & Next Steps:
This project has been included in the District's capital plan. A draft program and space plan will be prepared for further review and public consultation in early 2012. The program and space plan will form the basis for detailed building design and costing.
Expansion of Grant Connell Tennis Centre
A business case for expanding the Grant Connell Indoor Tennis Centre was completed in spring 2010. Based on this business case, the Recreation Commission recommended to the District of North Vancouver Council that six additional courts be added to the existing facility.
Status & Next Steps:
This project has been included in the District's capital plan and work has commenced on this project. Six indoor courts are planned to be added to the existing facility for a total of twelve courts when all is completed. The preliminary design phase is expected to be completed by November, 2011.
Harry Jerome Recreation Complex (including Memorial and Mickey McDougall facilities)
The City of North Vancouver is in the planning process for redevelopment of the Harry Jerome Recreation Complex. Visit the Harry Jerome Recreation Complex page on the City's website for updates.
Addition of One New Ice Sheet at Canlan Ice Sports Facility
The Indoor Recreation Facility plan recommended that a total of six ice sheets is needed in North Vancouver (currently there are five). Currently there are five ice sheets in North Vancouver. The recommended plan is to:
- Include one sheet of ice at the redeveloped Harry Jerome facility
- Maintain a single sheet of ice as part of the Karen Magnussen Community Recreation Centre
- Support an additional sheet of ice at Canlan Ice Sports which would increase the number of ice sheets at the facility to four.
Status & Next Steps:
Canlan Ice Sports' proposal to build an additional ice sheet is under consideration by the District of North Vancouver.
Document Links
The following documents are available in PDF format to view and print online.
| Document Name | File Size |
| William Griffin / Delbrook Community Recreation Centre Consolidation Project - Program & Space Plan Questionnaire | ( PDF 100KB) |
| Commission Report to City & District Councils: Recreation Needs Assessment and Indoor Recreation Facility Plan - March 2008 | ( |
| Recreation Needs Assessment - Executive Summary | ( |
| Recreation Needs Assessment - Full Report | ( |
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| PERC's Facility Recommendations - Executive Summary | ( |
| PERC's Facility Recommendations - Full Report | ( |
| Media Advisory - April 17, 2007 North Vancouver Recreation Commission Media Advisory April 17 | ( |
| District Facility Condition Audit Executive Summary - 2003 Note: This document was posted on June 15, 2007 |
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Key Contacts
Community Enquiries
Leslie June, Manager, Recreation & Community Services
Email or call 604-983-6305
Media Enquiries
Anne Rodgers, Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Email or call 604-983-6347
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