The Council of the Township of Whitewater Region approved an Arena/Parks Operator III position as recommended by the Parks & Recreation Operational Review beginning with the 2021-2022 ice season.
Parks and Recreation Manager Jordan Durocher reported on the difficulties of hiring staff qualified for the position.
“This is something that has become increasingly difficult, and it’s harder to find people willing to work at this part time.” he said. “It’s getting harder to secure staff.”
He said they also had suffered the loss of a long-time employee, Melle de Haan, which had affected them.
He said the annual implication was 40,000, replacing a full-time winter position for the ice season.
Councillor Jackson asked if the numbers were just for Arena services, or for the other.
Durocher said it also includes the other services such as swimming pools.
“I find it very hard to compare municipalities to municipalities if their needs are different.” she said.
She asked if they were restricted to specific hours in the week, if they worked a specific set of hours for ‘full-time’.
Durocher said it was ‘typically evenings and weekends’ during ice season, but there were maintenance days that were daytime shifts.
“For parks, we work seven days a week.” he said. “Our part-time workers work weekends, and our fulltimers work Monday to Friday.”
He said that they typically saw seven shifts on the Friday and Saturday in years without Covid’19.
Councillor Mackay asked what would happen with the employee in the summer.
Durocher said that it would result in dropping a summer student to replace with the full-time employee.
CAO Rob Trembley said that there was a lot of “letters of service” in the summer, citing grass care and other facilities as tasks for the new employee. “They’ll be just as busy in the winter as in the summer.”
“You’re taking away a student’s job.” Councillor McLaughlin said. “I don’t like that. Would it better to up the areana operator’s rate.”
CAO Trembley said that the township was hopeful for the return of the beach program for students to replace the lost student following the pandemic.
“It’s difficult to get qualified people, we’ve had recruitment and retention issues.” Trembley said. “It’s hard to get qualified people for this kind of work and retain it, as we’re not the only reason in town.”
“I think this comes down to what is your level of service.”
He said the annual cost for the student would be roughly $77,500.
Councillor Nicholson: “I’m not willing to have that cost.” he said.
Councillor Jackson “I don’t think we’ve reviewed the kind of level of service we’re prepared to do.” she said. “I don’t know if we’ve resolved the question of the three arenas and what they’re planned to do. I think most of, if not of the buildings are at their estimated useful life. They’re certainly close, if not beyond that. If we are going to review that, should we be hiring a contract person rather than a full time, because i hesitate to have a payout, because we’re reducing our service or reducing our rink.”
“I’m asking ‘are we jumping the gun here’ in hiring for the summer? I understand all our employees get vacation time and benefits. It becomes very difficult to justify a fulltime position.”
She suggested they ‘set in stone’ the plans regarding the future of arenas before hiring.
“Even just based on basic services with the three arenas, you’re based on four.” Trembley said. “We’re adding a parkette, and being asked to better maintain the boat launches. To attract someone ,there’d really have to be a real decrease to go with contract. Based on the kind of level of service over the next five years, unless we’re making drastic changes, this will help us meet demand.”
Councillor Jackson asked what the comparibles had for part-time staff and how many students other compared municipalities had, suggested the Township might have to ‘step up their game’ in regards to part-time hires for the arenas.
‘It’s hard to benchmark Renfrew County because they’re really small or very big.” Trembley said, saying Whitewater’s high need for services and road maintenance made it difficult to compare to other municipalities.
Councillor McLaughlin expressed interest in contract rather than full-time. “I remember back when the arenas ran back with $30,000. This is just getting larger and larger, and I think we have to ask, where does the public want us?”
Councillor Olmstead suggested the Westmeath Taskforce be brought in regarding the recreation.
“I don’t think they were every happy with any plans to limit their ice.” Trembley said. “The danger is that if we don’t do this now, come September, we have to put in ice and we won’t have the staff for that. A lot of our seasonal hours were Melle, and he’s gone.”
“We apply every year for two arena operators, and we’re not getting them.” he said.
“Can you look in your crystal ball and see if we’re opening in the fall?” Councillor Olmstead said. “Is there any indication we won’t be allowed in arenas.”
Durocher said that the Renfrew County District Health Unit said to “expect to operate the same way in September”.
“I think we will be in good condition for the coming season.”
Councillor McLaughlin asked what the starting times were, and Durocher said that the plan was to ‘stagger the ice’ over the course of October to make sure they have enough.
Councillor McLaughlin asked for a recorded vote for the motion.
Councillor McLaughlin, Councillor Jackson, Councillor Mackay voted Nay.
Councillor Nicholoson, Olmstead, Reeve Regier, Mayor Moore voted Yea.
The vote was 4-3 in favour of Yea, so the motion was carried.
