November 05, 2014

Wednesday, November 5, 2014W4 Cowichan News Leader Pictorial Wednesday, November 5, 2014 Cowichan News Leader Pictorial W1

STABILIZE SPORTSPLEX FUNDING

R E F E R E N D U M · N O V 1 5 , 2 0 1 4

*Funding approval processes vary by area. Some residents will not see a referendum question at their polling station. Authorized by Chesterfield Sports Society, registered sponsor under LECFA, 250-746-5666

Who? Residents of the Cowichan Region*

What? Stable Sportsplex Funding This is not new funding. It’s a new location in the budget.

Where? At your Local Polling Station*

Why? Let your local government know you support moving Sportsplex funding from a grant-in-aid to a dedicated budget line, to support the health & vitality of our community.

Support the vital heart of our community.

C O W I C H A N S P O R T S P L E X P R E S E N T S

www . c o w i c h a n s p o r t s p l e x . c om

Kick O� Event

Everyone welcome!

When: November 12, 12:00pm

Where: Scotiabank, 435 Trunk Road

Campaign details: To donate, call 250.746.5666Email: [email protected] bank donations also welcome. Campaign ends December 3.

Proceeds support the Cowichan Sportsplex and Cowichan Valley Basket Society (50/50)

Proudly sponsored by

Join the Vital Heart campaign. Healthy food and physical activity TODAY nourishes a healthy heart for TOMORROW. Donate $100 and accept the Vital Heart challenge.

What we offer:

• 29-acre regional sports & leisure facilities with amenities.

• Facilities built & maintained to a high standard & not found elsewhere in the region.

• A highly sought after community events venue.

• Grass fields, artificial turf, lacrosse box, ball fields, track, playground, outdoor fitness equipment with rubber path.

• A safe place to meet and be active.

Who enjoys the Sportsplex?

All ages & abilities: youth, seniors, families & everyone in between.

All levels of performance: leisure, recreation, high performance.

Large variety of activities: track & field, soccer, field hockey, field lacrosse, box lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, running, walking, softball, baseball, croquet, street hockey, fitness training, picnicking, geo-caching, and the list goes on.

Various participants: Over 200,000 people per year visit the Sportsplex including local sports groups, schools, travelling teams, friends, neighbors, local businesses, & residents from the entire Cowichan Region.

People recovering from injuries, surgeries or living with mobility challenges.

Provincial & national events: 2005 BC Seniors Games, 2008 North American Indigenous Games, and upcoming 2018 BC Summer Games.

Regional events: Tour de Rock, MS Walk, Beverly Corners Show & Shine, Ovarian Cancer Walk of Hope, Alzheimer Walk, Ride for Dad, and many more.

Why is the Sportsplex important to our community?

Physical activity reduces health risks, increases confidence, and improves performance at work, school & play.

Socializing reduces loneliness, strengthens families, encourages participation, adds excitement, creates community pride & builds friendships.

Attracting sports and community events strengthens our economy.

How is the Sportsplex currently funded?The operating budget is approximately $400,000 per year, 1/3 of which is currently

funded by the CVRD.

The Sportplex’s share is raised by fundraising, facility rentals, sponsorships, donations & contributions from our member sports groups.

Capital projects are typically funded 1/2 to 1/3 by the Society & local Government with matching grants from the provincial and/or federal government. This strategy has saved local tax payers millions of local dollars since 1996. The capital value of the Sportsplex facilities is over $12 million.

REFERENDUM SAMPLE QUESTION*:

Area C – Cobble Hill (will vary by area, see

table below right)

Are you in favour of the Board of the

Cowichan Valley Regional District adopting

“CVRD Bylaw No. 3833 – Chesterfield Sports

Society Annual Financial Contribution Service

(Area C) Establishment Bylaw, 2014”, that

would allow the CVRD to annually requisition

the greater of $12,460 per year, or an amount

equal to the amount that could be raised by

a property value of $0.014566 per $1,000 of

net taxable value of land and improvements,

to assist the Chesterfield Sports Society with

costs associated with the operation and

maintenance of the Cowichan Sportsplex?

YES or NO?

Who can vote on the referendum question?Eligible voters in the Cowichan Region including residents of:

• Cowichan Lake South/Skutz Falls, Mill Bay/Malahat, Cobble Hill/Cowichan Station/Sahtlam/Glenora, North Oyster/Diamond, Youbou/Meade Creek, Shawnigan Lake, Cowichan Bay, Town of Lake Cowichan, Town of Ladysmith, and Saltair/Gulf Islands.

• City of Duncan and the Municipality of North Cowichan have separate processes for funding the Sportsplex, so their residents will not take part in this referendum.

Who is the Chesterfield Sports Society?The Cowichan Sportsplex is located on Chesterfield Avenue in Duncan/North Cowichan. It is a 29-acre outdoor sports, leisure and community events venue, managed and developed by a non-profit organization called the Chesterfield Sports Society (est. 1996).

The Society is dedicated to creating an environment that supports better health & vitality in our community. The benefits are immeasurable in terms of personal health, quality of life, and achievement in sport.

Everyone is welcome and respected at the Cowichan Sportsplex.

What is this Referendum about?It will give local governments the ability to provide dedicated core funding for the Sportsplex.

It will give the Sportsplex the stability needed to plan for the future and continue supporting the health & vitality of our community.

R E F E R E N D U M · N O V 1 5 , 2 0 1 4

*Funding approval processes vary by area. Some residents will not see a referendum question at their polling station. Authorized by Chesterfield Sports Society, registered sponsor under LECFA, 250-746-5666 *Funding approval processes vary by area. Some residents will not see a referendum question at their polling station. Authorized by Chesterfield Sports Society, registered sponsor under LECFA, 250-746-5666

Are you in favour of the CVRD creating a dedicated line item in their budget for the Cowichan Sportsplex? YES or NO?

A YES vote will shift the funding already provided annually for the last 7 years in the form of a regional grant-in-aid to a dedicated budget line item.

A YES vote will provide stable core funding for the Sportsplex which means no need to apply year after year for a grant-in-aid.

Example: For a home/property valued at $400,000. This calculation shows the portion of your taxes that go to the Sportsplex per year based on the rates listed in the referendum questions.

(more info at http://cvrd.bc.ca/DocumentCenter/View/64380)

Cowichan Lake South/Skutz Falls $9.87

Mill Bay/Malahat $5.80

Cobble Hill $5.83

Cowichan Station/Sahtlam/Glenora $6.72

North Oyster/Diamond $7.36

Youbou/Meade Creek $6.66

Shawnigan Lake $5.71

Cowichan Bay $6.08

Saltair/Gulf Islands $5.96

The heart of a healthy community

cowichansportsplex.com

“These events provide lasting legacies for our future both financially and

in friendships gained.” G. Giles

2008 NAIG – $10 million

2005 BC Seniors Games - $2 million

2018 BC Summer Games - $2.6 million

U16 Western Canada Softball Championships (Aug 2014) - 115 teams, 800 visitors, 287 hotel rooms, 5+ days = $200,000