1 BACKGROUND
The Town of Lacombe is situated in central Alberta, almost mid-way between the province’s two largest centers – Edmonton and Calgary. It is a growing community of 8,500 residents and, with the City of Red Deer just minutes away, shares a vibrant economic region serving the agricultural, oil and gas and manufacturing industries.
Lacombe is one of Alberta’s oldest centers and is proud of it. Unique Edwardian buildings, decorative lighting and tree-lined avenues entice many an entrepreneur to Lacombe. And, while heritage preservation has, and will continue to be, a key attribute, the Town is poised to make communication and advanced technology as major building blocks for the future.
Growth is imminent. Quality living environment, low costs and location combine to attract new industries and with a positive economic forecast for the Province in general, Lacombe is preparing to meet this challenge head on.
Future community planning in all aspects is the order of the day. New subdivision applications await approvals and town officials have begun pre-planning service infrastructure to support an additional three thousand residents by the year 2005, Alberta’s Centennial year.
“Lacombe Place” is heralded as a major initiative and a worthwhile Centennial Project in building Lacombe’s future. It represents a planned approach to meeting the leisure needs of both present and future residents with a multi-use leisure center. This project was originally planned as a solution to replace the aging Lacombe Memorial Center, a multi-use social program and banquet hall in the heart of downtown. While this remains a major objective, the Committee struck to plan out the project has shown foresight in expanding the vision to include a much broader approach to planning that includes a look at all future indoor leisure facility needs. Thus, the planning assignment is to create a model facility for the future that responds to both current and future leisure facility needs and which builds a strong consensus worthy of public support and funding.
In the fall of 1999, Beardon Engineering Consultants Limited were retained to prepare a leisure facility needs assessment, facility concept plan and facility model. The results of the leisure facility needs assessment are contained herein.
2 STUDY PURPOSE and OBJECTIVES
Study Purpose:
To prepare a feasibility analysis that will provide a review of public needs, and market considerations for Lacombe and area that will take of advantage of opportunities that may be incorporated into the design of “Lacombe Place: A Centennial Project”.
Study Objectives:
To determine the need and overall municipal acceptance of “Lacombe Place: A Centennial Project” through an analysis of community service levels, user group demand, trends in related facilities, community acceptance and affordability.
To identify a capital development plan outlining capital sources, shared responsibility, taxation impacts, phasing and debt retirement.
To provide financial feasibility recommendations with five-year operations projections and predicted annual revenue and expense streams.
2.1 Study Methods
To assess and examine existing programs; to examine present facility use and to determine need priorities, the following research methods were implemented:
· A telephone survey was completed for the purpose of developing a framework for designing the broader resident survey and to provide an information base for future focus group and public participation activities.
· A community user group survey, coupled with individual interviews was implemented. Information was collected for the purpose of determining the size and scope of facility requirements, the future disposition of the Lacombe Memorial Centre, and attitudes toward community fundraising.
· A review of existing background documents reflecting recreation and cultural use in the community and their trends affecting participation in activities.
· A physical assessment of existing facilities in Lacombe and area to determine existing market conditions and future facility demands.
2.2 Public Comment
The resident survey revealed broad support for the development of a new community facility in the Town. There is consensus that the Lacombe Memorial Centre no longer adequately serves the needs of the Town as it continues to grow. The following graphs 2.1 and 2.2 indicate that the most important facilities to develop include, fitness/wellness areas, a community hall, and performing arts facilities. These graphs present similar results for questions that were asked in different ways. Graph 2.1 reflects responses from a pre-determined set of choices. Graph 2.2 reflects responses from an open ended question. In terms of development priorities, space for social and banquet facilities, and major show facilities are strongly prevalent.
Graph 2.1
Graph 2.2
Graph 2.3 provides those facilities that are currently the most important to respondents. The Lacombe Memorial Centre shows up as an important element of the community and confirms the importance of Community and Social Banquet spaces to the community.
Graph 2.3
2.3 User Group Comment
A part of the community feedback process from
stakeholders included the circulation of surveys for input from community
organizations that are current and continuing users of facilities. Twenty-three
organizations representing over 3000 users completed surveys. This represents
35% of the population of Lacombe. These surveys, in combination with specific
user group meetings, represent a significant portion of the public that are
involved in activities supported by community facilities.
2.3.1 Participation, Location, and Membership
The organizations surveyed displayed County involvement of community programs at 31.2% with the Town at 63.6% and other areas representing 5.2%. Membership was predicted to be stable for 11 organizations, with 10 organizations predicting increases from 10 to 100%.
TABLE 2.1
Participation, Location,
Membership
|
Organization |
Participants /
Members |
Location |
Membership |
|||
|
|
|
Town |
County |
Other |
Stable |
Increase |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Action Group |
150 |
85 |
10 |
5 |
|
X |
|
Black Magic Twirlers |
25 |
10 |
85 |
5 |
X |
|
|
Community Health Center |
N/R |
N/R |
|
|
|
X |
|
Golf Club |
330+ |
40 |
30 |
30 |
X |
|
|
Gymnastics Club |
60 |
85 |
15 |
|
|
X |
|
Handicraft and Lapidary Club |
40 |
20 |
80 |
|
|
X |
|
Highland Dance |
30 |
50 |
50 |
|
X |
|
|
Horseshoe Club |
15 |
50 |
50 |
|
|
X |
|
Karate Club |
100 |
85 |
15 |
|
X |
|
|
Life Long Learning |
200 |
80 |
20 |
|
X |
|
|
Public Library |
1300 |
47 |
53 |
|
|
X |
|
Light Horse Assn |
70 |
20 |
30 |
50 |
X |
|
|
Lions Community Band |
24 |
71 |
29 |
|
X |
|
|
Minor Hockey |
300 |
68 |
32 |
|
|
X |
|
Music Festival |
10 |
80 |
20 |
|
|
X |
|
Rebekah Lodge |
7 |
99 |
1 |
|
X |
|
|
Rotary Club |
50 |
70 |
30 |
|
X |
|
|
!st Scouts |
60 |
90 |
10 |
|
X |
|
|
Bocci Club |
40 |
73 |
25 |
2 |
|
X |
|
Seniors Club |
300 |
50 |
40 |
10 |
|
X |
|
Tae Kwon Do |
40 |
100 |
|
|
X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTALS |
3151 |
63.6 |
31.2 |
5.2 |
11 |
10 |
2.3.2 User Group Facility Needs
The organizations responding to these series of questions
indicated usage of over 5,500 hours. While all said these facilities were
adequate each indicated that there growth in membership or program development was limited by either larger space needs, or
more available program time. The
Lacombe Memorial Centre has reached its program threshold and is currently
having difficulty meeting existing expectations. Eighty percent of the
organizations responding indicated that their existing space was too small to
accommodate program use at peak participation times. Requests
from organizations regarding their ideal facility were similar in nature and
can be accommodated in a multi-use environment.
TABLE 2.2
Facility “A” Needs
|
Organization |
Facility |
Purpose |
Hours/Session |
Additional Hours |
|
Action Group |
LMC |
Xmas party |
16 |
|
|
Black Magic Twirlers |
Blackfalds School |
Baton Lessons |
120 |
120 |
|
Community Health Centre |
Kozy Korner |
Flu Clinics |
16 |
|
|
Golf and Country Club |
Dining |
Food |
|
|
|
Gymnastics Club |
J.S. McCormick School |
Food/Classes |
230 |
100 |
|
Handicraft & Lapidary Guild |
LMC |
Workshop |
650 |
|
|
Karate Club |
Elementary/Nelson School |
Training |
240 |
|
|
Life Long Learning |
Parkland Library |
Instruction |
140 |
|
|
Public Library |
Library |
Programs |
2236 |
300 |
|
Light Horse Assn. |
Kin Centre |
Annual Mtg/Awards |
10 |
|
|
Lions Band |
Jr. High Band Room |
Practice |
70 |
|
|
Minor Hockey |
Ice Arena |
Games/Practice |
1500 |
500 |
|
Music Festival |
LMC |
Dinner Theatre |
50 |
50 |
|
Bocci Club |
Christian School Gym |
Tournament |
40 |
25 |
|
Tae Kwon Do |
McCormick School |
Training |
300 |
|
TABLE 2.3
Facility “B” Needs
|
Organization |
Facility |
Purpose |
Hours/Session |
Program
Need |
|
Action Group |
Meeting Room |
Training |
96 |
96 |
|
Community Health Centre |
Agricultural Building |
Meetings |
16 |
|
|
Golf and Country Club |
Proshop |
Tee times |
|
|
|
Life Long Learning |
Lacombe CHS |
Instruction |
100 |
|
|
Minor Hockey |
Ice Arena / Lobby |
Meetings |
80 |
|
TABLE 2.4
Facility “C” Needs
|
Organization |
Facility |
Purpose |
Hours/Session |
Program
Need |
|
Minor Hockey |
LMC |
Awards |
5 |
|
2.4 Summary of User Group Survey and Interviews
There is clearly broad support for the development of a new facility to meet community demand in Lacombe. The most often used term was “multi-use”. There is consensus that the Lacombe Memorial Centre can no longer serve the existing needs of the Town and area. Future growth projections, and projected community organization growth indicates the need for a larger facility to be developed to keep pace with anticipated municipal growth.
Respondents in the interviews offered a number of suggestions relative to the future disposition of the Lacombe Memorial Centre; these included
· The destruction of the facility and turning the space into an anchor for downtown re-development for a commercial theme.
· The development of an urban park.
· Develop the facility appropriate for a museum
· Donate the facility to the Royal Canadian Legion.
· Retrofit the Memorial Centre; with the intent of developing a day care facility, with after school care provision.
All those interviewed indicated that any future for the Lacombe Memorial Centre is unlikely, given the implication of a new facility being built. The economic viability of the new facility was questioned by each organization. There was universal concern expressed regarding the capital commitment organizations would have to make to its success. There was consensus that a well-planned fundraising program could be implemented successfully. Most groups are predicting their membership and participation numbers to increase more or less at the same rates as those predicted by the municipality for resident growth.
Community organizations, the Chamber of Commerce, and Economic Development all expressed strong support for the development of a new facility and are prepared to participate and/or conduct fundraising initiatives on its behalf. Each group expressed a need to develop a game plan for this initiative with specific targets for each sector. There was some discussion as the most appropriate operating structure, with almost unanimity as to the Town being the owner and responsible for operations.
3 POPULATION GROWTH AND TRENDS IN THE MARKETPLACE
3.1 Lacombe Population Growth and Demographics
Facilities that are built today will exist and support the activities of residents forty years from now. And, while the prediction of what people will be doing in their leisure time, twenty or even ten years from now is speculative to say the least, the design of today’s facilities for future generations must adhere to a number of factors and assumptions that will shape the future of Lacombe. Barring any major unforeseen, economically induced population increases that might occur as a result of large-scale industries moving in, there is the expectation that Lacombe will experience a good share of the growth expected within the Central Alberta region. This, largely attributed to its current size as an urban center and its capability to provide a wider array of urban services in, what will soon be, a small city.
Lacombe’s proximity to Red Deer, where annual growth rates are predicted to be beyond provincial averages, suggests that in-migration to the Red Deer region as a whole will position Lacombe as a choice of residence for those who work in Red Deer, but seek the amenities of living in a smaller center. Of course, there are also those who will move to Lacombe and maintain employment in the growing retail, agricultural and petroleum based service industries. Table 3.1 below provides Lacombe’s population projections for the next thirty-year period based upon a low, medium and high projection. With expansion occurring at Nova Corp’s Joffre gas plant, a positive economic climate for Alberta and a growth rate in Lacombe that has averaged 2.3% over the last yen year period; the high projection of close to 3.5% annual growth is a likely scenario for at least the next five year period. This prediction is also supported by recent activity towards new residential area structure planning and corporate boundary expansion in the Community.
It is very likely that Lacombe will reach 12,000 residents within the next ten-year period – a 40% increase from the current 8,500. Of interest is that Lacombe grew by 15.6% between 1991 and 1996 compared to an Alberta average of 5.9% (Stats Canada).
TABLE 3.1
Lacombe Population
Highlights
|
Historical Population |
|||||||
|
|
1971 |
1976 |
1981 |
1986 |
1991 |
1996 |
1999 |
|
|
3,435 |
3,890 |
5,590 |
6,080 |
6,935 |
8,015 |
8,517 |
|
Average Annual Percent
Change Annual Percent Change = (new pop / old pop)Ù (1 / number of yrs) – 1 |
|||||||
|
|
|
1971–1999 |
1976–1999 |
1981–1999 |
1986–1999 |
1991–1999 |
1996–1999 |
|
|
|
3.296% |
2.466% |
2.367% |
2.627% |
2.602% |
2.046% |
|
Projections Projection = current pop x (1+annual percent)Ù number of years |
|||||||
|
|
1999 |
2004 |
2009 |
2014 |
2019 |
2024 |
2029 |
|
1.0% |
8,517 |
8,951 |
9,408 |
9,888 |
10,392 |
10,922 |
11,480 |
|
1.5% |
8,517 |
9,175 |
9,884 |
10,648 |
11,471 |
12,358 |
13,313 |
|
2.0% |
8,517 |
9,403 |
10,382 |
11,463 |
12,656 |
13,973 |
15,427 |
|
2.5% |
8,517 |
9,636 |
10,902 |
12,335 |
13,956 |
15,790 |
17,865 |
|
3.0% |
8,517 |
9,874 |
11,446 |
13,269 |
15,383 |
15,790 |
17,865 |
|
3.5% |
8,517 |
10,116 |
12,014 |
14,269 |
16,947 |
20,128 |
23,905 |
|
4.0% |
8,517 |
10,362 |
12,607 |
15,339 |
18,662 |
22,705 |
27,624 |
|
Low |
|||||||
|
2.046% |
8,517 |
9,425 |
10,429 |
11,540 |
12,770 |
14,130 |
15,636 |
|
Medium |
|||||||
|
2.627% |
8,517 |
9,696 |
11,038 |
12,566 |
14,305 |
16,285 |
18,539 |
|
High |
|||||||
|
3.466% |
8,517 |
10,099 |
11,975 |
14,199 |
16,836 |
19,963 |
23,670 |
Also of significance is the fact that leisure facilities located in Lacombe also cater to a regional market district comprised of Lacombe County residents (living on farms and villages) and residents from adjacent towns like Blackfalds and Bentley. This represents an estimated 3,000 additional leisure facility users now and at a low growth rate of 2.5%, a fringe market of 4,000 within the next ten years.
In summary, population growth will advance the leisure market for Lacombe facilities from its current level of approximately 11,500 to approximately 16,000 by the year 2005 and perhaps 20,000 by 2010.
Population make up by age (Table 3.2) suggests that there has been slight increases over the past two years in young and middle aged adults (20 to 50), stable to slight increases in youth and a slight decrease in pre-school aged children. The last two years has shown a slight drop in the percentage of seniors aged 65 and over.
The next ten years will likely see increases in young to middle-aged residents and increases in seniors. The average age of Lacombe residents is close to 35.6 compared to an Alberta average of 33.7 (Stats Can).
TABLE 3.2
Population Comparison 1997
& 1999
|
Age Group |
1997 Percentage |
1999 Percentage |
||
|
90+ |
84 |
1.06% |
85 |
1.00% |
|
85-89 |
127 |
1.60% |
128 |
1.50% |
|
80-84 |
203 |
2.56% |
205 |
2.41% |
|
75-79 |
266 |
3.35% |
271 |
3.18% |
|
70-74 |
306 |
3.85% |
286 |
3.36% |
|
65-69 |
278 |
3.50% |
273 |
3.21% |
|
60-64 |
260 |
3.27% |
250 |
2.94% |
|
55-59 |
264 |
3.33% |
361 |
4.24% |
|
50-54 |
396 |
4.99% |
407 |
4.78% |
|
45-49 |
482 |
6.07% |
572 |
6.72% |
|
40-44 |
625 |
7.87% |
691 |
8.11% |
|
35-39 |
691 |
8.70% |
746 |
8.76% |
|
30-34 |
580 |
7.31% |
515 |
6.05% |
|
25-29 |
428 |
5.39% |
491 |
5.76% |
|
20-24 |
405 |
5.10% |
470 |
5.52% |
|
15-19 |
612 |
7.71% |
665 |
7.81% |
|
10-14 |
662 |
8.34% |
714 |
8.38% |
|
5-9 |
660 |
8.31% |
708 |
8.31% |
|
0-4 |
483 |
6.08% |
487 |
5.72% |
|
Missing |
127 |
1.60% |
192 |
2.25% |
|
Total |
7,939 |
100% |
8,517 |
100% |
The average age will continue to climb albeit at lower rates than that expected in smaller rural Alberta centers. While growth in the service sector will see young families moving in, this may very well be offset by older adults moving from rural locations into the community to retire. Much of the latter depends upon the advance of adult living and seniors housing and the medical support services in the community.
The impacts of these trends to leisure facility development is well documented within the Lacombe Recreation and Culture Needs Assessment completed in 1996 wherein prescribed changes to the leisure service delivery system call for a shift in emphasis towards adult program opportunities. While demands for additional minor sports focused facilities like ice arenas are ever present and must be monitored closely as population increases, there is a current and future need to improve public cultural and social facilities to support the desires of an adult majority. Increased space for larger functions and better quality space to replace the Lacombe Memorial Centre form a part of this demand.
Trends in leisure service delivery by municipalities are also undergoing rapid change. The move from provider to enabler is well entrenched as a philosophy of local government and although facility demands continue to rise, the actual development of public leisure resources has been postponed by an inability to capitalize and operate facilities with available public tax dollars. In addition, municipal decision makers are reluctant to raise user fees to levels that would permit reasonable levels of recovery. This has prompted local governments to seek partnerships with the private sector and not-for-profit sector in all aspects of leisure facility development. “Affordable access’ is a reoccurring phrase of Lacombe user groups who have enjoyed relatively low user rates for the Lacombe Memorial Centre and are concerned about the ability to gain affordable access if new facilities were built. In this regard, “partnerships” will likely become a pre-requisite to achieving new facilities and maintaining access at price levels that residents can afford. Another pre-requisite will be multi-use function that best occurs as a result of a partnership approach, but creates a synergy of use and a concentration of users that in itself creates value added opportunities to improve revenue for the public and private sector alike.
3.2 Trends in the Marketplace
While the basis for the proposed “Lacombe Place” project is a replacement of the activities and programs now supported at the Lacombe Memorial Centre, there is evidence from both project research (see survey results) that indicated demands for fitness / wellness facilities and performing arts venues as well. And, although the expression of these resources came from less than 20% of survey respondents, there must be an appreciation in planning for a larger market of 20,000 strong by the year 2010 and up to 25,000 plus over the life of any facility that is built today.
Performing Arts venues and quality fitness/wellness facilities require threshold-sized markets to operate efficiently in the public sector (Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove caters to a market of approximately 25,000 and recovers 50% of the cost through user fees).
Trends for indoor ice facilities show continued participation even though minor sports registrations will likely experience declines. This trend is a result of continued involvement of young and middle aged adults in ice sports and growth in female hockey. At current populations, two indoor arenas will adequately serve the community up to a local population of 10,000 residents. Once the population approaches 15,000 people, it is likely that approximately 7% or 1,000 residents will be dedicated arena users and demands will reach 4,800 annual prime time hours during the ice season (one surface will support 1,600 prime time hours). At present minor hockey uses 1,500 annual hours and has expressed demand for an additional 500 hours. This, combined with adult recreation, commercial users and figure skating provides an indication that ice demands will indeed grow.
Indoor soccer will emerge as a demand in Alberta’s smaller urban centers as the growth in interest spills over from Red Deer, Edmonton and Calgary. It is not prevalent as yet in Lacombe, but facility demand will predictably become an issue of future decision makers and long-term facility development must be considered.
4 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT and POSITIONING FOR GROWTH
Lacombe has made a calculated decision to accept growth and in doing so, carefully approves new residential subdivisions in balance with commercial and industrial subdivisions. In addition, the business community along with the economic development department have developed an exciting vision for a major tourism and economic generator that builds upon the assets of the region and strengthens Lacombe as a unique destination in Alberta’s Heartland.
The vision is one of a major agricultural and/or petro-chemical interpretive center and conference facility that will cater to a variety of markets including: tourists, the agri-academic community, the petro-chemical industry and the small to mid sized conference market. This attraction and its complimentary development fits a demanded market niche for value added agriculture, tele-conferencing facilities, meeting facilities for the local oil and gas sector and a host venue for numerous local service clubs, businesses and agencies that are affiliates for larger province-wide and national organizations.
This “vision” and the associated facility amenities that will no doubt expand over time can be regarded as a tremendous opportunity for collaborative planning of public facilities like the proposed “Lacombe Centre”. In this regard, there are definite synergies between the two projects that include but are not limited to banquet / social gathering space, fitness wellness facilities, accommodation, food and beverage and, in the long term, performing arts and arena facilities. Proximity of facilities, if not combined under one roof, will no doubt enhance these synergies and create a complimentary public leisure and tourism zone that will attract complimentary private development and thus improved economics.
5 FACILITY DEVELOPMENT SYNERGIES
Public leisure facilities, like the Lacombe Memorial Centre, were built in an era when capital funding was easier to come by. Provincial government matching grant programs and annual operation grants supported the development of local leisure resources that served residents at reasonably low cost – at least up to the present.
New infrastructure today will only occur as a result of a greater share of local tax dollars and fundraising with less support from granting agencies. Because of this, communities throughout Alberta are creating new ways to fund needed development. Single purpose facilities are giving way to multi-use and multi-dimensional leisure resources that support public programming in concert with private sector retail and marketing opportunities. Arenas are being built with attached libraries, food courts, retail malls and day care services.
In Lacombe, residents have made it very clear that they support the “Lacombe Centre” project as long as it can be developed without a significant increase in tax dollars and as long as public use is affordable. Based upon both short and long term demands for large scale social / banquet facilities, quality fitness areas, performing arts spaces and arenas, this would become a challenge with the resources at hand. However, through a well planned strategy of staging the development of traditional public program spaces along with the targeted economic infrastructure goals of agricultural interpretive facilities, convention services and hospitality / tourism resources; the project begins to appear most viable.
It becomes a simple case of meeting the costs of partially subsidized public program spaces, with profit dollars from more commercialized activities like food courts, industry sector conventions and the business meeting market.
In this regard, Lacombe is positioning itself for the small to mid-sized meeting, convention market with special emphasis on the petro-chemical, agri-food, technology and high-speed communications market. For the Lacombe public, this means that:
1. Social/banquet facilities designed to replace activities now occurring at the LMC, will also be designed with the touring convention market, and will provide flexibility in catering to both small and large group functions.
2. Any auditoriums built for performing arts functions will also be designed to accommodate seminar presentations and workshop gatherings.
3. Future arenas will be designed to accommodate trade shows and convention activities.
4. Meeting rooms that are booked by Lacombe user groups during weekdays will be available for business meetings and retreats on weekends and some weekdays. They will be equipped with quality audio-visual and high speed communication resources
5. Fitness / wellness facilities, while focusing upon the Lacombe family fitness market, will also cater to tourists and business travelers.
6. Local groups and organizations will have greater, more diverse markets for planned fundraisers and craft sales, since the weekend travelling market will increase on a year round basis. This, of course, will improve merchandizing opportunities within the downtown and for all hospitality support services within the Town.
