With the next round of budgeting being prepared for presentation to municipal representatives, West Shore Parks and Recreation Society chair Rob Martin is enthusiastic about where the organization is heading.
B次元官网网址淲e have a very functional board right now,B次元官网网址� says Martin, a Colwood city councillor who will oversee tomorrowB次元官网网址檚 (Jan. 22) inaugural 15-member board meeting in the Kinsmen Fieldhouse.
B次元官网网址淭here have been challenges in the past due to differences of opinions in terms of where our vision should be, but right now everyone seems to be on the same page, so we can really make progress.B次元官网网址�
Some of that progress involves more surfaces for the areaB次元官网网址檚 soccer and rugby teams.
B次元官网网址淭he University (of Victoria) needed the field space that Velox Rugby was using there, so Velox is relocating to our fields and will now call field 1 home, which is great,B次元官网网址� he says. As part of that arrangement, West Shore Parks and Rec. is adding an artificial turf on the infield of the velodrome track.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not enough surface to have full, high-level matches on,B次元官网网址� Martin says, B次元官网网址渂ut itB次元官网网址檒l be great for (youth soccer games) and for a practice area.B次元官网网址�
The society has also partnered with the Sooke School District, paying to install a second field at the new Royal Bay secondary slated to open this fall.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an excellent arrangement,B次元官网网址� Martin says. B次元官网网址淒uring school hours, Royal Bay will have access to both fields, and after school hours, weB次元官网网址檒l have access to both fields. When you add it all up, including the new surface in the velodrome, we essentially have an extra two and-a-half surfaces to schedule things on.B次元官网网址�
Juan de Fuca soccer will move over to Royal Bay from West Shore Parks and Recreation with Velox taking over the field.
Martin is also happy with the partnership with Rock the Shores festival producer Atomique Productions, which he hopes will provide the region with more arts and culture events in 2015.
B次元官网网址淭hey brought Sam Roberts to The Q Centre a few months ago, so weB次元官网网址檙e hoping we can get some more mid-sized acts like that. Shows for between 2,000 and 5,000 people."
One of the main challenges Martin sees moving forward as an organization B次元官网网址� and itB次元官网网址檚 a nice problem to have B次元官网网址� is that participation levels are increasing.
He says a few of their facilities are almost at capacity with expanded community interest, and expansion is both costly and controversial.
Because of the way the organizationB次元官网网址檚 governance works B次元官网网址� funding comes from the five West Shore municipalities plus Electoral Area E, and each partner has veto power B次元官网网址� everything the society does has to be approved unanimously, which will be the challenge when the new budget is presented.
B次元官网网址淚 think weB次元官网网址檝e managed to create something thatB次元官网网址檚 fair for everyone, and all the municipalities have been very supportive of what weB次元官网网址檝e been doing,B次元官网网址� says Martin, adding he hopes the budget moves forward smoothly.
The board meeting, open to the public, starts at 7 p.m. and includes the election of the chair, vice-chair and finance committee chair, and appointment to the various committees.
Check out what else West Shore Parks and Recreation is up to by visiting westshorerecreation.ca.
