Caution required on Waterloo plan

Byline: THE RECORD

Edition: Final

Section: OPINION June 27th 2006

The City of Waterloo is on the verge of building what could be a wonderful civic complex in the west side of the city, but it should still take its time and make sure it doesn't run into unforeseen problems.

City staff have come up with an intriguing proposal that, if implemented, would see the city, the library, the YMCA and the University of Waterloo participate in a project that would be advantageous for all parties.

The university would provide land for a library branch and some sports fields. In return, the city would provide services such as roads and sewers for land the university wants to use in future. The YMCA would gain a new building and be a partner in a major project. The Waterloo Public Library would gain a well-needed branch that would be beside another highly respected institution, the YMCA.

A staff report recommending that Waterloo council endorse the project will be sent to council on July 10. If council accepts the recommendation, it could then call for an architect to start preparing plans.

The problem with this approach is that the YMCA has not agreed to participate in the complex. Clearly, the Y is interested in the project, but a display of interest is not the same as a signed agreement.

John Haddock, the Y's chief executive officer, said his organization is still studying the proposal. It also has to look into financial matters because, at this time, it does not have $6 million, which would be its share of the bill.

Haddock and the Y are wise to take their time. Understandably, they do not want the Y to enter into an agreement that could subsequently turn out to be inappropriate.

Some councillors have taken an equally cautious attitude. Coun. Jan d' Ailly, for example, said he would feel uncomfortable proceeding without an agreement. Similarly, Coun. Mark Whaley has said that all the "variables" have not been explored. The councillors have raised legitimate questions that deserve to be answered now, not later.

Mayor Herb Epp, however, said he thinks the city should proceed even without an agreement. He suggested that the city could find another partner.

On this issue, council would be better off to err on the side of caution. Waterloo has done a good job of getting beyond the financial scandal that occurred when it signed what turned out to be an unbelievably expensive agreement to build RIM Park. It doesn't need to enter another agreement until all the clauses are fully spelled out.

To be sure, this project is not quite as big as RIM Park but the price of the total package is $29 million. It is, therefore, a significant undertaking.

Waterloo should proceed with care, making sure that all the potential partners are ready, willing and able to fulfil the general plan being discussed around the Waterloo council table.

(c) 2006 The Record (Waterloo Region). All rights reserved.

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Waterloo to revisit bridge plan; Council will take a second look at building covered bridge in park

Kitchener Waterloo Record

Byline: PHILIP JALSEVAC RECORD STAFF

Edition: Final

Section: LOCAL Sept 19 2005

Waterloo city council will reconsider an earlier decision at its meeting today to install a Victorian-style bridge in Waterloo Park at a cost of nearly $200,000.

The project may still go ahead but Coun. Gary Kieswetter wants council to further consider the option to build a covered wooden bridge to reflect the community's Mennonite roots.

Earlier this week, Kieswetter got the support of fellow councillors to reconsider its decision after he was told the photo of a covered bridge included in a staff report is considerably different from what members of an Old Order Mennonite group had proposed. The bridge they envision would still be covered but more exposed to provide greater visibility in the top half on both sides.

Council was divided on the issue at the earlier meeting, with some members expressing concern about the potential for sexual assaults in an area highly travelled by university students.

More than 1,000 people cross the bridge daily.

The new bridge will replace the existing structure across Laurel Creek at the mouth of Silver Lake near the small zoo.

The open-concept, Victorian-style steel bridge is estimated to cost $195,000 while the covered bridge was pegged at $170,000.

However, staff said the wooden bridge would pose a safety risk, would be a greater target for vandalism and arson and have high maintenance costs.

They noted it could require a fire detection and sprinkler system, more security lighting, video surveillance equipment and a fire-retardant finish. Staff said the varnish finish would add about $30,000 to the cost and have a life expectancy of only five years.

In a 3-2 vote, council opted for the open bridge, partly because it was in keeping with the Victorian theme of other park buildings and features.

While there have been multiple incidents of sexual assault in Waterloo Park in the past, notably in 1996 and between 1976 and 1982, Det. Steven Schmelzle of Waterloo regional police said no sexual assaults have been reported in the park since 2001.

Still, the detective said: "It's a far safer bridge when it's open to the public. The concept of an open bridge allows it to be viewed by all people."

Coun. Ian McLean was critical of other councillors' "fear- mongering" about safety risks and Coun. Jim Bolger said he's "not buying the safety issues."

In an interview, Kieswetter, who voted in favour of the Victorian bridge, said he may not change his mind but wants to reconsider the issue in light of new information. Coun. Jan d' Ailly, who also supported the open bridge, said he's keeping an open mind on the issue.

Mayor Herb Epp is not expected to attend today's meeting, so Bolger and McLean would need only one councillor to change his vote to get approval for the covered bridge.

Council will deal with the issue in a special meeting beginning at 4:30 p.m. prior to the regular evening meeting.

(c) 2006 The Record (Waterloo Region). All rights reserved.

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$29M library, YMCA floated; City, Y consider joint recreation venture on section of UW campus

Kitchener Waterloo Record

Byline: PHILIP JALSEVAC RECORD STAFF

Edition: Final

Section: LOCAL June 13th 2006

Waterloo city staff unveiled a proposal yesterday for a combined library branch and YMCA, along with 23 acres (nine hectares) for sports fields -- all on the northwest campus of the University of Waterloo.

The ambitious $29-million project would also pave the way for the phased-in development of 87 acres (35 hectares) of university land. The library branch is scheduled to open in the spring of next year in 21,000 square feet of space.

Under the proposed plan, it would be part of a joint facility with the Kitchener-Waterloo YMCA, which plans to occupy about another 47,000 square feet, for a total building space of 68,000 square feet.

The new facility is proposed to be located at Fischer-Hallman Road and Laurelwood Drive.

The university would lease the city seven acres of land for the joint facility and another 23 acres (nine hectares) for outdoor sports fields, located some distance from the facility along the east side of Westmount Road, south of Bearinger Road.

All 30 acres (12 hectares) would be leased for $1 a year.

In return, the city would provide $9 million worth of services such as roads, watermains and sewers to 87 acres of land on the university's northwest campus. The work will would be phased in over five years.

"We're wonderfully excited to be a partner in this great project," UW president David Johnston told council last night.

In an interview, he said UW could see a doubling of its graduate students to about 5,000 from 2,500 in the next six to eight years. And he expects "a large amount" of the newly serviced land to would provide housing for those students.

The project costs include $18.2 million for the joint library and Y, $1.8 million for the sports fields and $9 million for servicing the UW lands, including that portion occupied by the joint facility.

Most of that total of $29 million would be covered by the city. However, the Y would pay $6 million toward the capital costs of the joint facility, bringing the city's actual cost closer to $23 million.

The city plans to subsidize one-third of the Y's capital costs, but it will be responsible for all of its own operating bills.

The city will remain the owner of the entire facility, with the Y leasing its space for $1 a year.

The staff report says the Y will includes such features as a four- lane swimming pool, sauna, fitness area, dance studio and exercise space, gymnasium, running track, meeting room and food service area.

The report also said an independent review of the lease arrangement with UW by consultants KPMG determined it was "a viable option" to purchasing property. Without the proposed partnerships, the same project would cost the city on its own as much as $40 million.

Before any final decision is made, staff will conduct a further "financial impact analysis."

And council insisted there be adequate public consultation.

Last night's report was to provide information.

The proposal will return to council for discussion on July 10.

Coun. Jan d' Ailly urged council not to move too quickly, even if the project might be "the best thing since sliced bread."

Other councillors were enthusiastic, particularly about the partnerships, but said they won't necessarily make a final decision at next month's meeting.

Chief administrative officer Simon Farbrother said council has the option of giving approval in principle if it wants more time to study the proposal.

(c) 2006 The Record (Waterloo Region). All rights reserved.

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Waterloo shouldn't rush into a new library agreement

Kitchener Waterloo Record

Byline: JAN D' AILLY

Edition: Final

Section: OPINION June 28th 2006

Column: SECOND OPINION

A proposal was recently floated to Waterloo city council recommending a four-way partnership between the City of Waterloo, the Waterloo Public Library, the University of Waterloo and the YMCA to build a library and recreation complex on the university's land at the corner of Fischer-Hallman Road and Laurelwood Drive.

The city would pay $9 million to develop 87 acres of land at the south end of the university's west campus in exchange for a 98-year lease on a seven-acre site for the library and recreation complex plus a 49-year lease on 23 acres of an environmental reserve which could be used for up to five sports fields. In addition, the city would contribute $5 million to $6 million to build a recreation facility which the YMCA would operate for 50 years.

Throughout the planning of the library expansion, this city council supported a joint partnership facility if it made sense. Council further said that it was willing to buy a larger than required piece of land for the library in order to accommodate a future partner, and budgeted accordingly. Council also budgeted money to build a recreation facility in 2010.

Now, on the eve of selecting a library site, council is being asked to approve a recreational facility, five sports fields, a partnership with the YMCA and the development of university lands. There are a number of significant issues that need to be addressed.

The recreation and leisure master plan is a key planning tool to identify facility and service requirements. The current master plan has not yet been started. In regard to the proposed recreation facility, there have been no formal discussions with the sports groups about what is needed, and no discussions with the City of Kitchener about overlapping or complementary requirements. There have been no policy discussions about levels of service or the outsourcing and the general provisioning of recreational services in the west end of Waterloo. There is no facilities plan. Let's get the plan in first, and then decide how to implement it.

The proposed district library branch to serve the west end should be located within that community. The library set up an evaluation grid for the selection of a library site. Nine sites were evaluated. This proposed site was not evaluated. Not only is this proposed site located at the periphery of the west-end community, it is planned as the "gateway building" to the university lands. Combined with a YMCA, this facility runs the very real risk of being a university facility rather than a community facility. Is this in the best interests of the larger community?

Looking at the numbers, this proposal does not save the city money. The university, not the city, has sole responsibility to develop its lands. With this deal, the city would pay $9 million to develop the university lands in exchange for 30 acres of land leases. This is hardly a bargain given that 23 acres are designated as environmental open space.

Furthermore, there is no commitment from the university as to what the developed lands will be used for, or when. If the city agrees to spend this kind of money to develop the university lands, it should get the university's plan first: What is to be built by the university, and when is it expected to be built?

The strategic objectives of the proposal are laudable, but there are other alternatives available to achieve the same result. Let's make sure that we understand the alternatives, and that we meet our primary objective, to approve a library site, in a timely manner. The YMCA and the university are good partners that are not going to go away. This council was elected to make sound and informed decisions, and not to rush blindly into an opportunity that looks to good to be true.

Jan d' Ailly is the councillor of Ward 1 for the City of Waterloo. Second Opinion articles reflect the views of Record readers on a variety of subjects.

(c) 2006 The Record (Waterloo Region). All rights reserved.

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YMCA not ready to sign on to library; $29 million project subject of open house tomorrow night

Kitchener Waterloo Record

Byline: PHILIP JALSEVAC RECORD STAFF

Edition: Final

Section: LOCAL June 26th 2006

Memo: Hard copy of map filed in Library under Waterloo - Planning.

While the Kitchener-Waterloo YMCA is keen on being a partner in a proposed development with the Waterloo Public Library, it can't make a formal commitment until early next year.

That appears to be one of the major stumbling blocks to the $29- million library and YMCA building proposed for the northwest campus of the University of Waterloo. Under the proposal, the university would provide about 12 hectares of land at Fischer-Hallman Road and Laurelwood Drive, with four or five sports fields skirting the east side of Westmount Road. There would be a nominal lease of $1 a year.

In return, the city has offered to spend $9 million to grade 180 73 hectares in the vicinity of the proposed building and provide services such as roads and watermains for 35 hectares.

The YMCA would be expected to kick in $6 million toward the $9 million cost of its part of the shared facility.

But without a firm commitment, some city councillors are concerned.

Coun. Jan d' Ailly said he'd be "very uncomfortable moving forward with a deal" without the Y's commitment.

He also argues the complex project -- including issues such as financing and planning -- needs more time for proper study before the city enters into any legal agreements.

"Council should be fully aware of all the facts and the implications before proceeding one step further down the road," d' Ailly said in an interview.

Similarly, Coun. Mark Whaley said "to suggest this is a done deal is absolutely premature . . . we haven't had an opportunity to probe all the variables around what this opportunity means. There's a lot of work to do."

An open house and information session on the project will be held tomorrow from 6 to 9 p.m. at Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary School in Waterloo.

A staff report that recommends going ahead with the project will go to council on July 10. If council approves, staff will select an architect who would design the joint facility by December.

There would also be an environmental assessment of the sports fields, which are on farmland on the fringe of UW's environmental reserve.

The results of that should be known by November, a staff report said.

As well, a zone change process would begin, to be completed by December. If everything goes smoothly, a legal agreement with UW could be signed by the end of the year, chief administrative officer Simon Farbrother said.

"That's ultimately council's decision," he said.

But the city still faces the thorny issue of the Y not being in a position by then to sign a separate legal agreement with the city.

"If I found out the Y is not a partner, I would want an opportunity to re-evaluate the project," Coun. Jim Bolger said. "It's potentially a very good fit for the city, but if you start to lose pieces of the equation, the overall proposal changes in complexion."

John Haddock, the chief executive officer of the Y, said his organization should have some "high level" results of a market study by July 10. But it won't know if there is enough support for the facility in terms of potential revenue until sometime in August.

If the support isn't there, the Y won't proceed any further, he said. But if there is sufficient support, the Y would need time to raise the money, either through fundraising, borrowing or a combination of both.

"We don't have $6 million sitting in a bank account waiting to spend," he said.

Haddock expects the Y will not be able to make a formal commitment until sometime between late January and the end of March of next year. Nevertheless, he remains confident the Y will eventually become a partner.

"If it makes sense, we'll figure out a way to make it happen," he said.

Coun. Gary Kieswetter is confident the YMCA will join the venture.

"I believe they're going to be there in the end. If I had any inkling that they weren't enthused, I don't believe we would have come this far."

But Kieswetter said he might ask council to defer its decision, to allow more time to study the proposal.

"July 10 doesn't have to be the day," he said.

Mayor Herb Epp, on the other hand, not only supports giving approval next month but believes the city should sign its legal agreement with UW by the end of the year even if the Y isn't ready to sign on.

"Let's assume worst-case scenario that the Y doesn't come on board," Epp said. "There may be other groups . . . we've got the land and we can work on the possibility of another partner."

Farbrother said council could also evaluate the possibility of the city building the recreation facility itself.

As things now stand, there would be no need for the city to borrow money or raise taxes to cover the cost of the project, Farbrother said. Those costs are already included in the city's 10- year capital forecast, he said.

The project includes $18.2 million for the joint facility, $1.8 million for the sports fields and $9 million for servicing the university lands, part of which would likely be used for graduate student housing. And if the Y contributes $6 million, it brings the city's cost down to $23 million.

Under the most recent timetable, Farbrother said, construction of the library would not start until the spring of 2007 and open about a year later.

A recreation facility could be added in later years and the sports fields would likely be developed in two to three years, he said.

(c) 2006 The Record (Waterloo Region). All rights reserved.

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Should we own it?; Cities like the revenue, but competitors complain

Kitchener Waterloo Record

Byline: TERRY PENDER RECORD STAFF

Edition: Final

Section: PERSPECTIVES

Memo: Ran with "COMPARISONS" which has been appended to the end of this story; Hard copy of map filed in Library under Golf April 10th 2004

One of the most popular games in Ontario is also an important source of funds for municipal governments.

Collectively, the municipal golf courses in Ontario put millions of dollars a year into city hall coffers.

The golf courses are built on flood plains, old garbage dumps, prime real estate near the heart of cities or out in the suburbs. And some cities, such as Kitchener and London, own and operate more than one.

The City of Waterloo got into the golf business in 2000 when it opened the Grey Silo Golf Course as part of RIM Park. Grey Silo was supposed to generate surplus revenues that would help pay for the other parts of the park. And while it is producing surpluses, the amounts so far are much less than expected.

While running in last fall's municipal election, current Waterloo Mayor Herb Epp promised to strike a "blue ribbon panel" to examine all aspects of the Grey Silo course, and recommend whether city council should sell it or lease it out. Currently, the city owns and operates Grey Silo.

"The only reason I have not done it is we are dealing with other issues," Epp said in an interview.

"A lot of people have spoken to me, and they are not in favour of selling it. I'm personally not in favour of selling it."

Epp holds conflicting views on the golf course.

He said he has never believed the city should own a golf course, and that he would have voted against adding one to RIM Park had he been on city council in the late 1990s. But not only does the city have a course now, it is tied in with RIM Park. Grey Silo is surrounded by walking trails and environmental preserves.

"So that puts it in a difficult category," Epp said.

The golf course and the buildings on it cost more than $8 million to build. When you factor in the interest charges on that capital expense, spread out over a 31-year financing agreement, the cost of the course is significantly more than that. But when reporting golf course expenses, the city does not include the capital and financing costs.

"If you factor in the capital costs, I think it's more true to say it's not carrying its own," Coun. Ian McLean said.

But McLean, like others on city council, is not yet prepared to give up on the golf course.

In fact McLean, an avid golfer, positively gushes about Grey Silo.

"We have a fantastic golf course," said McLean, who believes it ranks in the top 10 or 15 per cent of all courses in Ontario.

"It is a fantastic asset," he said.

Coun. Jan d' Ailly isn't so sure.

"We may have wasted dollars building the golf course, but there is nothing we can do about it now. Fees will be charged as if it is a private company to maximize revenue to help pay for RIM Park," d' Ailly said.

"We are in the golf business now whether we like it or not," said d' Ailly, chairman of the finance committee. "Right now we have to stabilize it, understand the true costs, and understand the true revenues. Once we determine our long-term strategy we can decide whether we ought to be in the business."

Until city council decides if it should remain in the golf business, Coun. Jim Bolger wants Grey Silo run as if it were a private-sector course.

"That's the impression I get the public expects of us, run Grey Silo like a business," Bolger said. "A lot of them think we shouldn't be in the golf business."

Grey Silo is a high-end, links-style course. That means it is a challenging, well-designed and handsomely constructed affair. There is bent grass from tee to green. White sand in the traps. Everything is immaculately groomed.

The floors in the clubhouse are boards salvaged from the Waterloo Memorial Arena, which was torn down to make way for the Perimeter Institute of Theoretical Physics near Silver Lake in downtown Waterloo. The large, sliding doors inside the clubhouse are made from wood reclaimed from the Seagram distillery. And the stairs are from the distillery, which was in the old industrial heart of the city.

There are more than 30 golf courses in this area. But Grey Silo's main competition consists of two other courses -- Rebel Creek and Whistle Bear.

Those are the two other high-end courses in the area that aren't restricted to private members.

During this coming golf season at Grey Silo it will cost $55 to play 18 holes on weekdays and $60 to play on Fridays and weekends. City council voted in December to increase the fees by $5. The Grey Silo weekend fees compare to $90 at both Whistle Bear and Rebel Creek.

There is rough formula for determining green fees that is widely used in the golf business. For every $1 million in costs to build the course, you should charge $10 in green fees. Using this as a guide, the Grey Silo green fees should be more than $80.

Currently, the plan is to increase the fees gradually in $5 increments until the top rate is at $70, two years from now. Once Grey Silo is attracting 35,000 rounds a season that may be increased to $80, if the market will support it.

"It will take a few years to see what the mature market is like," said Brian Detzler, the city's director of recreation and leisure services.

"We thought it would take five years to get to 35,000 rounds."

Last year about 33,000 rounds were played at Grey Silo.

"That's ahead of where we anticipated we would be after the second full year of operation," Detzler said.

While attracting more golfers, and increasing green fees, Grey Silo also wants to reduce the number of rounds played at discounted rates during weekdays and at twilight. This is known as increasing the yield rate per golfer. The objective is to get from each player, on average, 72 per cent of the maximum rate.

"At maturity we want to build on that yield rate. We want to better that," Detzler said.

Grey Silo also wants to see each golfer spend more money, whether it's in the clubhouse on food and drinks, or on gear at the pro shop. To that end, a new marketing plan was released this week.

"The yield has been increasing. Are we on the right track? According to KPMG we are," Detzler said. KPMG, an accounting firm, is also the city's golf consultant for the course.

Detzler has heard all the arguments against a municipality providing golf when so many private-sector operators are already in the market.

"A municipality is to provide a wide range of services. A municipality should provide services that are needed, wanted and required in the community. For all of those reasons put together, it was a good decision (to build Grey Silo)," Detzler said.

Unlike nearly all other recreation programs, the objective with the golf course is to have user fees pay for all of the operating expenses, and provide surpluses that can be used to subsidize other recreation programs.

After two full seasons, Grey Silo reported a surplus of $186,948, but that's without taking into account financing costs to building the course.

The Rockway and Doon courses operated by the City of Kitchener don't have the same maintenance requirements as Grey Silo, so more rounds can be played. Both courses combined had about 80,000 rounds last year and paid $278,000 to the city.

Keith Baulk is the enterprise director for the City of Kitchener. In recent years he and Gary Hastings, manager of golf operations, have met with representatives of the National Golf Course Owners Association, which is concerned about competition from municipal courses. In the end, Baulk and Hastings agreed to make annual payments to the city that are roughly equal to what they would pay in property and income taxes if they operated private courses.

"They just wanted to make sure we competed fairly with them," Hastings said.

Adds Baulk: "I think it's a valuable question: should municipalities be in a business that is being provided by the private sector? We need to ensure we are operating as a business. We also focus on growing and developing the game."

Youth programs bring new people into the game and many go on to play at private-sector courses later. The lower municipal green fees ensure older people on fixed incomes can afford to play.

"We do a study every year. We are in the bottom third of fee rankings," Hastings said.

Rockway opened Sept. 12, 1935. It was built as a Depression-era make-work project by about 80 workers were paid 40 cents an hour, or $9.60 a week. When it opened, green fees were 50 cents for 18 holes. Annual memberships were $5.

In 1967, the city paid $360,000 for the land on which the Doon course is located in the city's south end. But that price also included lands that were donated to Conestoga College.

"We haven't strayed far from our original mandate, which is to provide a leisure facility that is affordable to the general public," Baulk said.

"From a financial perspective, we have a mandate that is to ensure the courses operate at no cost to taxpayers, and pay a fair dividend back to the taxpayers," he said.

Since the two Kitchener courses began paying those dividends in 1989, about $1.9 million has been injected into city coffers. That money has been used to keep tax increases down, and to reduce the price of other recreation programs for young people.

"Over time these have been tremendous assets for the city," Baulk said.

Doon and Rockway combined produced more than $3 million in revenues in 2003. They ended up with a surplus of almost $465,000.

Of that, $273,568 went to city hall as a dividend. The balance -- $191,326 --went into reserves that offset the cost of repairs and upgrades at the courses.

"We pay for absolutely everything," Hastings said.

Al Peister owns two golf courses, the Merryhill Golf Club and the Innerkip Highlands Golf Club. He wants municipal golf courses to operate more like private-sector ones. That is, city governments should first determine how much money they have invested in their golf operations and then charge a green fee that produces an acceptable rate of return for taxpayers without competing unfairly with private-sector golf courses.

One way to do that, Peister said, is for municipal golf operations to return to taxpayers the same amount of money the golf course would pay in property and income taxes if it were in the private sector.

"Really, the issue that we as owners have with respect to municipal golf operators is -- if they are going to compete with private enterprise, they should do so on a level playing field," Peister said. "I think, in essence, that's the biggest issue that we wanted them to understand and address."

Peister, who represents the National Golf Course Owners Association, is happy with talks held with Kitchener officials. But there has been little or no progress between the association and the City of Waterloo.

Over the past three years, the private owners' group prepared a paper on the issue that it will distribute to all municipal golf operators. It should be ready in about three weeks.

The group wants municipal courses to subsidize other municipal operations, such as swimming pools. It doesn't want tax dollars used to help pay for the municipal golf courses.

"We will be asking the municipalities to use or follow this accounting model if they are going to continue to look at golf as a business," said Peister, who is one of the authors of the position paper.

"In essence, they don't pay property taxes on their land, and they don't pay income taxes on their surpluses," Peister said. "We are saying: calculate what those two taxes would be and charge the golf course that tax liability, and remove that money from the golf course operation, and use it in a general revenue fund for the benefit of all of the citizens within the municipality."

That money should be applied to other programs in the city's recreation budget, Peister said.

"In theory, if they did that, the golf course would have to stand on its own. It would have to be financially viable for the tax- paying citizens of that municipality," he said.

There are too many golf courses in this market, said Peister, who predicts some will go under.

"Our golf industry in Canada pretty much mirrors what happens in the U.S., only there is a delay. And the casualties down there are enormous. It's not a particularly healthy market right now."

Peister said the golf owners' association wants to work with municipal operators to ensure there isn't a repeat of the American experience in this province.

If you think the cities of Kitchener or Waterloo are into golf, drive an hour west on Highway 401.

London has several municipal golf courses at three locations, with a total of 90 holes. Its Thames Valley course, which opened in 1924, was the first in Ontario to be owned by a municpality.

"They are self-sustaining operations. They are a benefit to the community. They make London a more attractive place to be," said Kent McVittie, London's manager of recreation services.

Green fees cover all of the costs, and produce a surplus of at least $500,000 a year to city coffers.

"That money is either returned to reserves or the general operating budget to support other recreation programs," McVittie said. "Twenty-five per cent of our net surpluses go directly back into the recreation budget to help fund recreation programs. You could call that a self-imposed tax."

The courses generated surpluses almost from the beginning, McVittie said.

"The game has a widespread appeal. It can be played at virtually any age, and there continues to be a growing number of people who are getting interested in it. There appears to be untapped segments of the market that can lead to further expansion of golf," McVittie said.

Most municipal golf courses do not cost taxpayers anything, he said.

But private-sector operators such as Peister take exception to that notion.

Peister believes municipal golf operators do not take into account the cost of building their golf courses when deciding on green fees and an acceptable rate of return for taxpayers.

"I think it's a positive," McVittie said. 'If you go from the perspective of making a community a more attractive place to live in, creating opportunities for people to enjoy this game at an affordable price and making good use of land. We have one golf course that's built on a gravel pit, and another on a landfill site.''

(c) 2006 The Record (Waterloo Region). All rights reserved.

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Citizens demand fast action on Waterloo's speeding cars

Kitchener Waterloo Record

Byline: TERRY PENDER RECORD STAFF

Edition: Final

Section: LOCAL April 28th 2004

Not long after moving into her Beechwood Drive home, Tina Geisel realized she had a problem -- speeding cars.

More than a year ago, Geisel asked city politicians to install speed humps on the road in front of her house in an effort to force drivers to slow down. Nothing has happened -- and Geisel has joined a growing list of angry citizens.

"I'm a little disappointed," said Geisel. "With my three-year- old, I am always worried that she could run into the street."

While waiting to see what, if anything, the city will do to help, Geisel and her husband don't know if they should spend money on their house, or make plans to move to a less busy street.

"I petitioned everyone along the street and they were all willing to sign a petition," Geisel said.

In neighbourhoods across Waterloo, thousands of people are waiting for city hall to do something about cars speeding along their quiet residential streets.

They could be waiting a long time.

When residents ask for what are called "traffic-calming measures," such as speed bumps, obstacles and raised pedestrian crossings, it now takes 30 months for city staff to finish the required studies. Some wait up to six years for action.

In a move to reduce that waiting period, city hall will decide in early May if Waterloo will hire its first traffic engineer. With the addition of a traffic engineer, the waiting time for traffic- calming studies could be cut to 12 months or less.

"If we have to spend a little money to make that happen, I'm not opposed to that," Coun. Jim Bolger said.

In February, Bolger blasted city staff for the waiting list, and for taking so long to respond to requests for help from residents fed up with speeding cars.

At that time, city council asked for a report on how to clear the backlog of requests before any new demands for traffic-calming studies are added to the list. City staff's response was to hire a traffic engineer.

"The public will be better served if we can get it down from 30 months to eight months or something like that," Bolger said.

Currently, there are about 52 requests on file for traffic- calming. Waterloo is understaffed when it comes to traffic and transportation planning, according to a city report.

Waterloo has three full-time people in the traffic department; Cambridge has six; Guelph, five, and Kitchener, 10.

"Substantial growth in the city's population over the past 10 years has contributed to increasing traffic volumes and vehicle speeds throughout the city, resulting in increased numbers of requests for traffic calming . . . While the city's population has continued to grow, staffing levels in the traffic section have remained constant over the last 15 years," says a staff report.

Coun. Jan d' Ailly, chairman of the city's finance committee, believes bringing relief to residents plagued with speeding cars in their neighbourhoods is of the utmost importance.

"I think it's important that we allocate the resources to make sure traffic-calming studies are done in a timely manner," said d' Ailly.

(c) 2006 The Record (Waterloo Region). All rights reserved.

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Waterloo defers soccer vote

Kitchener Waterloo Record

Byline: RECORD STAFF

Edition: Final

Section: LOCAL Feb 2nd 2005

Practical considerations won out last night as Waterloo council voted to postpone a decision on three new soccer fields for the northwest of the city.

Despite heaping praise on the public-private collaboration that would make the project a reality, councillors -- in a 3-2 vote that sparked heated debate -- decided to wait for staff reports on such items as operating and maintenance costs and facility usage rates before adding their endorsement.

"I'm fully supportive of the partnership," said Coun. Jan d' Ailly. "But as a councillor I must be responsible for how we spend our money here."

The plan would see the construction of three soccer fields -- two full-size and a smaller one for younger players -- on land provided by the Community Fellowship Baptist Church at 660 Conservation Dr. near Erbsville Road.

Council has allocated about $223,000 for the development of the fields. The local minor soccer association has agreed to put up the remaining $74,000 required to grade the land, install a drainage system and develop the turf.

John Kokko, the Waterloo Minor Soccer Club secretary, said he wasn't disappointed council deferred the decision, although his colleagues were seated in the gallery with a giant novelty cheque in hand ready for a good-news presentation.

"I'm looking forward to it passing in two weeks," Kokko said. "I'm happy the city is taking seriously how they spend taxpayers' money. I can't fault them at all."

(c) 2006 The Record (Waterloo Region). All rights reserved.

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Sailing club puts on open house

Kitchener Waterloo Record

Byline: Record staff

Edition: Final

Section: LOCAL June 9th 2006

The Conestoga Sailing Club kicks off its 45th season with a two- day open house this weekend.

The Warm Water Regatta happens all day tomorrow and Sunday on Conestoga Lake, about 25 kilometres northwest of Waterloo. Sailing buffs and newcomers alike are encouraged to hop in a boat and see where the wind takes them.

"It's a great leisure sport, it's very environmentally friendly," said Jan d' Ailly, the club's president. "You're using renewable resources -- you're using the wind and the water to have fun."

People of all ages are invited, but the club's main focus is on youth programs.

Classes, camps, and racing events are held throughout the summer on Lake Conestoga.

"Sailing's a great sport for kids to learn leadership, to learn teamwork, to learn discipline -- all the facets of life," d' Ailly said.

For more information see www.kwsailing.org.

(c) 2006 The Record (Waterloo Region). All rights reserved.

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This school's a real breeze; 'It's exhilarating,' instructor says as youths get sea legs at sail camp

Kitchener Waterloo Record

Byline: DAYLE PARKER RECORD STAFF

Edition: Final

Section: LOCAL July 27th 2006

Blue sky, puffy clouds, a bit of a breeze -- it was the perfect weather for riding the waves by sail.

Clusters of sailboats piloted by children and teens wove around buoys on Conestogo Lake as part of Conestoga Sailing Club's youth sailing school. Jan d' Ailly, commodore of the club, steered the True Blue, a turquoise-painted Wayfarer, around the student sailors.

"It's called a boom because -- boom! It hits you," d' Ailly told his passengers, recounting an anecdote about the horizontal swinging metal beam that anchors the boat's larger sail.

Learning the parts of a sailboat is only the start of a young sailor's training.

All summer, kids ages nine to 16 try their sea legs at the club's sailing school.

All levels of youth sailors learn to pilot a sailboat solo or as a team, over two-week sessions running until Aug. 18. Some of the training happens on land as well -- like knot-tying, life-saving, racing skills and theory.

It's 10-year-old Devon Pearce's second year at the sailing school, and he's hooked.

"I just like going out there and having fun," the Waterloo resident said.

Like many others, Pearce was introduced to sailing when a friend brought him along as a guest. Now he's aced his bowline knot -- one of the more difficult sailing knots -- and is working on his second level of White Sail, within the standardized Canadian Yachting Association Learn to Sail program.

Pearce said he one day dreams of racing a sailboat around the world in the Volvo Ocean Race. But for now, he's happy just speeding past his dad when they sail against one another in friendly competition.

"I'm able to manoeuvre faster, " he said.

Graham Moogk-Soulis, the school's head instructor, said he likes the adrenalin rush of racing as well -- especially while "trapezing," which is sailor-speak for standing on the edge of the craft, harnessed to the mast with a wire.

"It's the most wonderful feeling because it's like you're flying," he said. "It's exhilarating."

Moogk-Soulis, 20, and his brother Neal, 23, won first place in the Laser 2 fleet at Sarnia Sailfest two weeks ago, racing as a team in Lake Huron.

In his nine years sailing and five years coaching, Moogk-Soulis has been passing along his passion and knowledge to the kids enrolled in the sailing school. Though the school has the character of a summer day camp, Moogk-Soulis said it's more than just that.

"Kids have something they're aspiring for rather than just horsing around," he said.

And the lake can also be a great place to meet new friends.

Amy Statham, a Kitchener resident, and Kate Kennedy, from outside Elmira, met at sailing school about three years ago. They've raced as a team since, and sometimes even meet up in the off-season.

"It's challenging sometimes, but it's a lot of fun," Statham said.

Many bruises and six years of sailing later, 15-year-old Statham is working on her fifth level of training, Bronze Sail V.

Kennedy, 16, is also in Bronze Sail V, as well as a leader-in- training. Leaders perform both teaching roles and duties similar to a camp counsellor.

One of Kennedy's wisdoms from four years behind the sails?

"Be patient with it at first," she said. "It's not just sitting in a boat, it's pretty fast-paced," Kennedy said.

And while some people are in it to race, some are just there to have fun.

First-timer John Kolb, 10, rolled up a sail around its mast with the help of a friend -- cleaning up at the end of the day and keeping the boats "shipshape" is also part of the program.

At the end of Kolb's third day of sailing, the Waterloo resident was all smiles. "It's awesome," he said.

d' Ailly, who has been sailing for decades and the commodore of the club for the past seven years, has seen many kids show up for lessons and return year after year. d' Ailly makes the half-hour drive from his Waterloo home often for the love of the sport.

He said sailing is good for learning both leadership and team skills, since kids work as both skipper and crew. Self-confidence and dealing with adverse conditions -- like nasty weather -- teach kids to think on their feet.

"Those are skills you take with you for your whole life," d' Ailly said.

For more information see www.kwsailing.org.

(c) 2006 The Record (Waterloo Region). All rights reserved.

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