Brennan Park Fields and Lands Master Plan

The Brennan Park Fields & Lands Master Plan was adopted by Council December 21, 2021. Thank you to the community and in particular the many user groups who gave of their time and energy to inform the plan.

View the Master Plan.

Purpose

The master plan for Brennan Park (the surrounding fields and land to the recreation centre) will accommodate a range of community needs and activities over time. Community discussion began in spring 2018 with residents and user groups sharing their vision for the future of the surrounding Brennan Park fields and lands, and what they value most about the whole site.

Development of the master plan incorporated those ideas received and engaged residents and user groups on a recommended course of action.

Project Timeline

• October -  November 2019: Meet with stakeholders to develop and review process
• February 2020: Stakeholder meeting #1
• March 12, 2020: Stakeholder meeting #2
• June 23, 2020: Draft Brennan Park Fields and Lands Master Plan reviewed by Council
• September – October 2020: Share draft plan with community for input
• Spring 2020: Council reviewed a draft Brennan Park Fields & Lands Master Plan that was developed in collaboration with the sports and recreation groups that currently use the lands.
• May 25, 2021: Council reviewed the draft plan and asked for more clarification details to come back to Council
• October – November 2021: District staff engaged with stakeholders to refine the draft plan
• December 14, 2021: Updated draft Brennan Park Fields and Lands Master Plan presented to Council for endorsement
• December 21, 2021: Master Plan adopted.

Background

Brennan Park Fields & Lands (from Centennial Way to Finch Drive) was made possible by the fundraising and hard work of volunteers and community groups and has evolved as community needs have arisen. As the land available for recreation use is limited, it is necessary to have clear direction to guide long-term decision-making on where and what facilities should be accommodated in Brennan Park.

The Parks and Recreation Master Plan from 2012/13 involved significant public engagement and laid out a path for the future of both the Recreation Centre and surrounding parkland. This plan provides a solid foundation for a community discussion to determine whether the findings are still valid five years later and after 14% growth in our community (change between the census populations of 2011 and 2016).

Brennan Park Fields & Lands Master Plan Phase 1 was completed in 2018 and through comprehensive community engagement a Vision and Values was created to guide decision making for the field and lands at Brennan Park.

Vision

Brennan Park fields and surrounding park lands is a welcoming and inclusive multi-use gathering place that brings the community together, promotes active and healthy living and is a fun, safe and playful hub for Squamish.

Values

The Values identified by the community in Phase 1:

1. Affordable programs and services: Any services and programs offered by the District of Squamish and partners must be affordable.
2. Inclusion and accessibility: The District and partners will continue to improve existing facilities and new facilities will have a high level of accessibility.
3. Healthy communities and individuals: Existing facilities will be improved and new facilities will be developed to maximize the health of the community.
4. Shared use of facilities: To maximize space and reduce costs, existing and new facilities must be accessible to multiple community groups and demographics.
5. Consideration of the natural environment: The District and partners will place a high value on considering the natural environment when developing new facilities and improving existing ones.

Other values for consideration brought forward by the community in regards to Brennan Park Fields & Lands Master Plan are financial responsibility, social partnerships and collaboration, and commercial partnerships.

Constraints:

Financial Realities: The planning process will consider ideas on what Brennan Park surrounding fields and park land should look like, while keeping in mind the financial realities and follow the guiding principles laid out in the Real Estate and Facilities Master Plan.

The financial reality is there are significant facility upgrades required throughout the District (Fire Halls, Recreation Centre, Municipal Hall, Operations Centre etc.). As such, recreation facility upgrades cannot be funded through taxation alone and any new projects will need to be funded with contributions from grants, fees, fundraising and sponsorship. Financial impacts to the community will be brought back for discussion prior to any financial investment decision.

Floodplain Management Bylaw: This pertains to floodplain construction requirements.

Development Permit Area 2: This pertains to maintaining the integrity of critical floodways through the community.

Sponsored Crown Grant: The provincial government transferred the ownership of the Brennan Park land to the District of Squamish with caveats restricting usage or disposition.

Outcomes of Stakeholder Meeting #1:

Stakeholder Themes:

• We are all here for our own groups but we are all here because we are involved in all these activities as well.
• Booking systems; field allocation should be optimized (i.e. represented as a math problem).
• It makes sense that certain groups should work together to improve facilities.
• Made sense that certain groups worked together, even if I didn’t have a connection personally.
• Everyone’s goal is unified, even though we had personal (sport or group) agendas to being here.
• Lots of consensus already.

Summary:

Consensus achieved on:

• Understanding/agreement of Vison, Values, & Constraints.
• Courts area
• Recreation Centre area
• Zone B (Follow up needed with Equestrian Riders Association regarding outdoor space).
• Zone A
  • Follow up needed:
    • Event Area - Deeper Dive: How to make it work? (Squamish Days Loggers Sports Association, Equestrian Riders Association and Arts Council).
    • Bubble Area (existing campground) - Deeper Dive: What should it look like? - Groups will need to self identify who needs to be there.
    • ACTION: another working group / conversation. You will need to self identify who needs to be there.
  • The next steps are to draft the master plan, share the plan with the group, then move forward to sharing it with council and the public.
  • Clear expectations to share this with your boards. Share the process, build advocates and advocate how everyone needs to recognize the bigger picture (not just the needs of your own group).

Click here to see the maps created by the the stakeholder working groups.

Outcomes of Stakeholder Meeting #2:

Participants split into two groups and developed maps with a focus on a “Loggers Sports & Events Area” and a “Bubble Zone & Bike Area”.

• Consensus was achieved and very similar maps were developed by both groups (see maps)
• Consensus was achieved on the following stakeholder recommendations:
  • Enter into partnership with public and private agencies to develop facilities and deliver recreation, sport, and arts, culture and events programming
  • Partnerships must fit within the Vision/Values of Brennan Park (e.g. accessible to the community and not a private club or have exclusive customers and must add social value)
  • Partnerships should be long-term to provide the partner with the ability to fundraise or create a feasible business model
  • Before entering into a long term partnership (i.e. Lease or License) a business plan with Key Performance Indicators must be submitted to the District describing how the Vision/Values will be met and what developments will occur on the site (i.e. new stands for Loggers Sports)
  • Private Partnerships must provide social value and lease or rent should go into a Recreation Infrastructure Improvement Fund
    • If rent/lease is not paid at market rate, a social value of equal worth must be provided to the community (i.e. reduced program rates, accessibility programs, public facility development such as washrooms, club house etc….)
  • Condense Loggers Sports & Events Area footprint but leave where it is
    • Add Arts, Culture & Events membership to Loggers Sport Board
  • Create Bubble Zone location on existing campsite
  • Allow small bubble for shared use of equestrian and loggers sports (other?) on SW corner of existing Logger Sports Grounds
  • Reduce Equestrian footprint and locate in SE corner of existing lease and part of Logger Sports (i.e. bubble maybe shared Clubhouse)
  • Create events only parking & camping site at areas north of and on existing Equestrian site. This site to be a long term field expansion area 20 year+
  • Community groups to work together to fundraise shared Clubhouse and washrooms
  • Add washrooms to central/shared locations
  • Expand BMX Grounds
  • SORCA Bike Park to stay for 20 years
  • Upon receiving acceptable business plans enter into partnerships (i.e. 25 year leases)
    • Public
      • SORCA
      • BMX
      • Loggers Sports & Arts, Culture, Events (Loggers Sports & Events Grounds)
      • Equestrian
    • Private
      • Bike Bubble
      • Indoor Field Bubble

Click here to see the maps created by the the second stakeholder working groups.