Policy · Recreation · Ward 2 Building Recreation Responsibly Joshua Glover  |  Candidate for Councillor, Ward 2

Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.

— Jane Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great Cities

Every family in Clarington benefits from vibrant parks, arenas, pools and community centres. They are where children play, seniors stay active and neighbours come together. As Clarington grows, our recreation infrastructure will have to grow with it.

A new recreation facility carries a financial responsibility that extends well beyond construction. Once a facility opens, the municipality must staff it, operate it, maintain it and eventually renew it. Those costs continue for decades and must be understood before the initial decision to build is made.

Clarington's financial forecasts show the scale of that commitment.

The 10-Year Capital and Operating Horizon

Clarington's 2025–2034 development-related capital program for Parks and Indoor Recreation identifies approximately $338.99 million in gross capital projects.

• Development Charge Funding: Approximately $134.19 million is identified for recovery through Development Charges over the 10-year period. Other portions of the capital program, including post-period growth and non-DC shares, require other sources of financing.
• Added Operating Costs: By 2034, new parks and recreation assets are projected to add approximately $6.19 million in net annual operating costs.
• Lifecycle Renewal: By 2035, new growth-related parks and recreation assets are projected to require approximately $4.43 million annually in lifecycle renewal funding, as part of an estimated $8.72 million total annual provision across the broader Parks and Indoor Recreation program.

Development Charges help pay for infrastructure required by growth, but construction is only part of the financial commitment. Once new facilities become municipal assets, Clarington assumes the continuing responsibility to operate, maintain and ultimately renew them.

That responsibility must also be considered alongside the infrastructure we already own. Clarington's 2025 Asset Management Plan identifies an estimated average annual infrastructure gap of approximately $10.4 million for existing municipal assets. Every new facility eventually becomes an existing municipal asset, adding new operating, maintenance and renewal obligations to the infrastructure Clarington already owns.

Recreation affordability also extends to the people who use these facilities. Admissions, registrations and facility rentals are addressed separately in my Recreation Fee Reform policy. This policy addresses the other side of the equation: whether Clarington has properly accounted for the long-term cost of owning the facilities themselves.

Policy Commitments

We do not have to choose between excellent recreation facilities and an affordable Clarington. Growth, capital investment, operating costs, and lifecycle obligations must be managed as one integrated system under elected Council oversight.

When elected Councillor for Ward 2, I will advocate for:

1. Growth-Verified Recreation Investment: Major capital projects should be tied to demonstrated population growth, projected community demand, available Development Charge funding and the municipality's capacity to fund the resulting capital and operating costs. Long-term investment should follow demonstrated need and responsible financial planning.

2. Full Lifecycle Cost Disclosure: Before Council approves a major new recreation facility, residents and Council should receive the complete financial picture: construction costs, financing, projected annual operating costs, lifecycle renewal requirements, anticipated Development Charge funding and the projected impact on property taxes.

3. Fair Investment Across Clarington: New growth areas require appropriate recreation facilities, but established communities also need their existing arenas, community centres, and parks maintained and renewed. Capital planning must account for both growth-related expansion and the stewardship of existing facilities.

4. Ten-Year Operating Affordability Assessment: Before approving a major new recreation facility, require a public projection of its cumulative net municipal cost over its first ten years of operation, including staffing, utilities, maintenance, financing and lifecycle contributions. Council should see not only what a facility costs in its opening year, but what taxpayers are expected to carry over its first decade.

On October 26, vote Joshua Glover for Peace, Order, and Good Governance.