Town of Fairview - Request for Proposal - Fairview Community Facilities and Recreation Strategy

PROJECT OVERVIEW
The Town of Fairview and MD of Fairview #136 are seeking a qualified consultant to develop a Community Facilities and Recreation Strategy.

The municipalities jointly serve a population of approximately 4,600, with a regional catchment exceeding 10,000. The region is currently experiencing:
• Changing demographics and evolving recreation needs
• The potential development of new school facilities by both school divisions
• The transition of the Fairview Campus to a non-profit organization with a post-secondary and community-focused mandate

This presents a unique opportunity to plan for the future of recreation and community facilities through coordinated planning, shared investment, and strong partnerships.

This project will result in a 5-10 year strategy that reflects community needs, financial realities, and partnership opportunities, with a focus on maximizing existing assets before considering new development.

PROJECT PURPOSE
The purpose of this project is to develop a long-term, practical, and financially realistic strategy that will:
• Align recreation services and infrastructure with community needs and quality of life
• Establish a shared vision focused on health, social connection, accessibility, and inclusion
• Assess current assets and identify gaps, opportunities, and priorities
• Explore joint-use opportunities, particularly with schools and the Fairview Campus
• Strengthen partnerships between municipalities, school divisions, the campus operator, and community organisations
• Provide a clear decision-making framework to guide future investment, governance, and service delivery
• Provide clear and realistic options for facility renewal, upgrade, repurposing, or new development
• Support informed decision-making by outlining costs, trade-offs, and financially feasible pathways
PROJECT ACTIVITIES (expected but not limited to):
1. Discovery & Background Review
• Conduct a project initiation and discovery session with project partners
• Review existing documents, including:
o Municipal plans and strategies
o Existing agreements and operational documents
o Relevant studies (facilities, housing, trails, etc.)

2. Stakeholder & Community Engagement
• Engagement will be a core component of this project and include:
o Municipal leadership and staff (Town and MD)
o School divisions (PRSD and HFCRD) and school representatives
o Fairview Campus representatives
o Community organizations (sport, culture, and non-profit groups)
o Residents and user groups
• Engagement will:
o Identify needs, expectations, and priorities
o Explore barriers to access and participation
o Capture interest in both structured and unstructured recreation

3. Recreation Facilities & Service Assessment
• Develop a comprehensive inventory of:
o Indoor and outdoor facilities (arena, parks, trails, community spaces, etc.)
• Assess:
o Usage, demand, and accessibility
o Functionality and versatility
o Current service delivery and operations
• Identify opportunities to:
o Increase utilization
o Expand off-season or multi-purpose use
o Improve access and inclusivity

4. Community Needs & Gap Analysis
• Analyze demographic trends and community dynamics
• Identify current and future recreation, sport, and cultural needs
• Assess gaps in facilities, services, and programming

5. Facilities Condition Assessment (Including Engineering Review)
The proponent will complete or coordinate a high-level engineering assessment of key facilities, including:
• Structural status
• Maintenance requirements and cost considerations
• Estimated remaining lifespan
This assessment will inform decisions related to:
• Renewal and upgrades
• Repurposing existing facilities
• Replacement timing

6. Community Needs & Trends Analysis
• Analyze:
o Demographics and population trends
o Housing and growth patterns
o Recreation trends and participation
This will include consideration of:
• Shifts toward informal and spontaneous recreation (e.g., walking, trails, outdoor fitness, pickleball)
• A “recreation for life” approach that supports all ages and abilities
• Recreation across physical, social, cultural, and intellectual dimensions

7. Needs & Gap Assessment
• Identify gaps in:
o Facilities
o Programming and services
o Accessibility and inclusion
• Highlight strengths and existing opportunities

8. Partnership & Joint-Use Opportunities
• Explore opportunities for shared use and co-location of facilities, including:
o School-based facilities
o Fairview Campus facilities
• Assess partnership roles, needs, and expectations
• Review best practices from comparable communities
• Identify opportunities to improve coordination and reduce duplication

9. Governance & Service Delivery Models
• Review current governance and operational models
• Evaluate options for:
o Shared service delivery
o Regional collaboration
o Potential advisory or coordination structures

10. Financial Considerations & Implementation
Financial Analysis & Scenario Development
A key component of this project is to clearly communicate financial realities and options.
The proponent will:
• Provide high-level cost considerations for:
o New builds
o Upgrades and retrofits
o Facility renewal or repurposing
• Develop realistic scenarios, including:
o What is achievable within municipal financial capacity
o Partnership-based approaches for larger projects
• Identify:
o Cost-saving opportunities
o “Low-hanging fruit” and near-term improvements
• Present trade-offs between options in a clear, understandable way

EXPECTED OUTCOMES (but not limited to):

The final strategy will include:

1. Strategic Framework
• 10–15 year vision and guiding principles
• Focus on health, inclusion, accessibility, and quality of life
• Clear community priorities

2. Facilities & Service Overview
• Inventory and summary of existing assets (including campus facilities)
• Overview of current usage and service delivery

3. Facilities Condition Summary
• Structural condition
• Maintenance considerations
• Estimated lifespan

4. Needs & Gap Assessment
• Identification of community needs and service gaps
• Consideration of evolving recreation trends

5. Partnership & Joint-Use Framework
• Identification of partnership opportunities
• Recommended approaches to joint-use, including schools and the Fairview Campus
• Defined roles and responsibilities

6. Governance & Service Delivery Options
• Recommended models and approaches
• Consideration of regional coordination

7. Financial Scenarios & Investment Guidance
• Clear comparison of options:
o New build vs retrofit vs upgrade vs repurpose
• High-level cost ranges and implications
• Identification of feasible pathways based on local capacity

8. Implementation Roadmap
• Short-, medium-, and long-term actions
• Priority projects and “quick wins”
• Phasing based on need, cost, and opportunity

9. Final Deliverable
• A comprehensive final report summarizing findings, engagement, and recommendations
• Presentation of findings to project partner

PROJECT TIMELINE & BUDGET:
• Timeline: Approximately 12–18 months
• Estimated Budget: $175,000 (all inclusive)

Commodity Categories: Strategic planning consultation services, Organizational structure consultation, Sports event promotion and sponsorship, Amateur and recreational sports

Delivery Region: Alberta, Fairview