Purpose statement
To define the process for allocating, distributing and managing playing field resources in Town of Oakville outdoor sport facilities.
Scope
This procedure applies to all groups renting or booking playing fields for the purpose of recreational, educational, athletic or social activities at Town of Oakville outdoor sport facilities during the outdoor season from May 1 to September 30.
Procedure
1. Standards of play for field uses
With consideration to recognized national or provincial standards of play, the Town has created a set of standards to guide the allocation of field time (see Schedule A). These standards reflect the local history of user groups and the specific needs of various sports and organizations and consider the implications of several factors including:
- The specific nature of the sport or activity;
- The amount of time needed for a quality program;
- The number of participants per block of field time;
- Time requirements per participant; and
- Age of participants.
The town will establish a review process to examine the time actually used by a sport or activity in relation to its standard. At the town's discretion, the review findings could result in adjustments to a selected sport or activity standard.
2. Calculation of supply
The supply of field time is the total amount of time available for rent, in the following two categories (see Schedule B):
- Preferred (Peak) Time - Monday through Friday 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm; Saturday 8:00 am to 5:59 pm and Sunday 8:00 am to 11:00 pm.
- Non-Preferred Time - Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:59 pm; and Saturday 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm.
Note: Only lit fields are open until 11:00 pm.
3. Calculation of demand
Demand for field time by user groups will be calculated by considering the actual current demand (as demonstrated by the previous season's registration of Oakville residents or substantiated demand at the time of the annual field application cut-off date) and by applying the standard of use to each group of users within an organization (see Schedule C).
The sum of all groups' demands will equal the total demand for the upcoming season.
4. Annual registration process
The registration process for fields will follow the Town of Oakville Recreation & Culture Departmental Facility Services and Allocation Priority Guidelines and Facility Rental Request process. To substantiate field requests, all groups must provide the town with up-to-date, accurate group and registrant information (e.g. non-profit status, total number of participants, breakdown of participants by level of play/activity, age and residency of participants).
5. New user groups
New groups of users may be included in the allocation of field time if it is demonstrated through the annual registration process there are sufficient participants to qualify for field time and that there is sufficient field time available. Given that new groups have the potential of reducing the number of hours available to existing users, new user groups will only be considered in cases where a program provides a service to previously unserviced segment(s) of the population or where a new program is being introduced that is not available through existing organizations.
6. Expansion of existing user groups
The town will consider the expansion of CORE and Non CORE groups only if the new participants will make use of available ‘non-preferred’ time. The allocation of this additional ‘non-preferred’ time will be assigned based on a group’s Priority Status.
The town will consider providing additional ‘preferred’ hours to accommodate growth of CORE groups only if the Priority Group has not reached its maximum cap for booking ‘preferred time’ (i.e. up to 90% of the town’s total available ‘preferred’ facility time may be booked by Youth CORE groups and up to 10% of the Town’s total available ‘preferred’ facility time may be booked by Adult CORE groups).
7. Calculation of supply-demand ratio
The number of field hours represent the total available rental supply. The supply-demand ratio is calculated by dividing total field supply by the total demand.
8. Calculation of field time allocation
In situations where demand for preferred field time or total field time exceeds supply, the allotment of each group's field time will be calculated using an allocation formula. This will ensure that all groups of the same priority status experience an equitable adjustment in allocation when there is a deficit in available field hours.
The town may also, at its discretion, prioritize the use of fields for games over practices. The allocation formula is the percentage of total demand that the group represents multiplied by the supply demand ratio (described above).
Field time will be allocated to the Halton District School Board and the Halton Catholic District School Board as per stipulations of the September 2006 Reciprocal Agreement between the Town of Oakville and the District School Boards.
9. Distribution of allocation of field time
The town aims to accommodate the time preferences of all CORE users, but when this is not possible, the town may at its discretion, schedule up to 5% of a group’s field time within ‘non-preferred times’, or a proportion that is necessary to equitably distribute ‘preferred times’ and ‘non-preferred’ times. The town will work with CORE user groups to ensure the equitable distribution of weekend vs. weekday ‘preferred’ times.
The town will also work with groups to ensure that remaining field time (i.e. time not booked by CORE groups) is equitable distributed amongst non-CORE groups (including the distribution of weekend vs. weekday ‘non-preferred’ times.
The town may, at its discretion, place a cap on the proportion of the total available ‘preferred’ field time that Youth CORE members (as a whole) may access. This will help ensure Adult CORE groups also have access to ‘preferred’ field time:
Priority Status (Cap on Booking of Total Available 'Preferred' Field Rental Time)
Youth CORE members (90%)
Adult CORE members (10%)
Facility allocations will be rounded up to the nearest quarter of an hour (e.g. 14.3 hours will be rounded down to 14.25 hours, 14.9 hours will be rounded up to 15.0 hours).
10. Use of allocated field time
Once provided field time from the town, each group is then responsible to distribute its allocation amongst various subgroups (e.g. age groups, teams, skill levels) in accordance with either established rules organization or in keeping with the principles of fairness and equity as described in this Procedure.
Definitions
CORE Members - Members of Community Organizations in Recreation and Education: a Town of Oakville Membership based program that offers not-for-profit, volunteer community groups and organizations support in delivering their services to the community.
Town of Oakville department programs: all programs and other initiatives that are organized by Town staff or provided by contractors on behalf of the municipality. Currently this includes camps, special events and special needs initiatives. This offering of programs could expand or contract as market conditions evolve or as the needs of Oakville residents change.
Youth - CORE members: Oakville volunteer-based, not-for-profit community user groups that provide services to Oakville residents (minimum of 85%) under 19 years of age.
Adult - CORE members: Oakville volunteer-based, not-for-profit user groups that provide services to Oakville residents (minimum of 85%) over 19 years of age.
Youth - non-CORE members: Oakville volunteer-based, not-for-profit community user groups that provide services to Oakville residents (minimum of 85%) under 19 years of age that are not CORE members.
Adult - Non-CORE Members: Oakville volunteer-based, not-for-profit user groups that provide services to Oakville residents (minimum of 85%) over 19 years of age that are not CORE members.
Commercial groups: Oakville-based organizations or individuals that use fields with the intent of generating positive net income (profit). At the town's discretion, not-for-profit groups may be allowed to generate net income from the use of allocated field rental time so long as the subject use aligns with the “fundamental activities” of the group. In consultation with users, the town has established a process within the CORE Policy to ensure that net income producing activities of not-for-profit groups remain consistent with the goals, objectives and guiding principles of the Allocation Procedure as well as the best interests of Oakville residents.