The city has a guide that will take its parks and recreation department into the next 12 years or so after council voted Monday to adopt a new parks and recreation master plan.

Before joining the rest of council in voting in favour of adopting the plan, Coun. Rob Fendrick praised the plan’s “benefits-based approach” which contributes to citizens’ well-being.

“This is serious business,” Fendrick said.

Work on the 70-page plan began last December. It included a variety of public consultation initiatives with consultants RC Strategies and PERC bringing forward four strategic directions.

“With a 12-year horizon, this plan sets the strategic direction for the city with respect to how it delivers and partners around parks and recreation infrastructure and service,” it was highlighted in the report.

The four strategic directions include:

• prioritizing resources toward parks and recreation opportunities that promote access, inclusion and broad participation;

• maintaining existing service levels by reinvesting in existing facilities and innovating to meet demands;

• strengthening the capacity of, and relationships with, user groups and partners; and

• harnessing the potential of parks, open spaces, arts and culture to enrich and build pride in the community.

The list of 20 actions is under those directions include:

• continue to utilize a combination of direct and indirect delivery methods to provide recreation and leisure opportunities;

• continue to identify and address financial and related barriers to recreation;

• work to further animate outdoor parks and outdoor spaces by increasing both structured and spontaneous opportunities;

• continue to provide and support recreation opportunities that promote physical literacy and foster participation throughout all stages of life. The opportunity “mix” needs to ensure that children, youth, adults and seniors at all ability levels are accommodated;

• strengthen and expand cross-sectoral relationships, collaborations and partnerships;

• improve communications with, and reporting to, user groups and the public;

• work with partners and stakeholders to develop a city strategy for arts, culture, and heritage;

• build capacity to fully assume a leadership and management role for the city’s regional parks;

• work co-operatively and collaboratively with territorial and local First Nation governments around areas of mutual interest;

• work creatively and co-operatively to address space and facility limitations;

• continue to integrate parks and recreation considerations into city planning and development initiatives;

• review, update and/or develop city policy and supporting initiatives to optimize cost recovery and diversify funding for parks and recreation;

• implement a more robust life-cycle budgeting program;

• develop and implement a facility refurbishment plan for the Robert Service Campground;

• update the trails master plan;

• update the cemeteries master plan;

• undertake regular assessments of parks and recreation assets and use the results to inform capital planning and life-cycle replacement;

• continue to work with non-profit groups, community associations and residents to ensure that neighborhood park spaces and local trail networks are developed and maintained to an optimum standard;

• base future capital investment for parks and recreation infrastructure on tools and protocols that will continue to ensure that decision making is transparent, informed and focused on maximizing the overall public benefit achieved through investment; and

• where possible, prioritize integrating future capital projects into existing facilities and spaces (as opposed to developing new stand-alone facilities and sites).