Purpose statement
To define the process for allocating, distributing and managing pool resources in Town of Oakville aquatic facilities.
Scope
This procedure applies to all groups renting or booking pool time for purpose of recreational, educational, athletic or social activities at Town of Oakville pools for the fall, winter and spring season.
Procedure
1. Standards of use for pool access
The town has created a set of standards of play to guide the allocation of pool rental time (see Schedule A).These standards reflect the local history of user groups and the specific needs of various sports and organizations and consider the implications of several factors.
These standards reflect the local history of aquatic groups, the specific needs of various aquatic groups and consider the implications of several factors including:
- The specific nature of the sport or activity;
- The amount of time needed for a quality program;
- The number of participants per block of pool time;
- Time requirements per participant; and
- Age of participants.
The town will establish a review process to examine the time actually used by a sport or activity in relation to its standard. At the town's discretion, the review findings could result in adjustments to a selected sport or activity standard.
2. Calculation of supply
The supply of pool rental time will be the amount of time available for rent once Town of Oakville program needs and obligations to the Halton District School Board* have been met. The total available pool rental time will be broken into two categories (see Schedule B):
- Preferred Time (Peak) - Monday through Friday 6:00 am to 7: 59 am and 4:00 pm to 9:59 pm; and Saturday and Sundays 6:00 am to 3:59 pm.
- Non-Preferred Time - Monday through Friday 5:00 am to 5:59 am, 8:00 am to 3:59 pm and 10:00 pm to 11:00 pm; and Saturday and Sunday 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm.
Note: December 1997 Pools Agreement between the Town of Oakville and the Halton District School Board pertaining to While Oaks Pool.
3. Calculation of demand
Demand for pool rental time by user groups will be calculated by considering the actual current demand (as demonstrated by the previous season's registration of Oakville residents or substantiated demand at the time of the annual pool rental application cut-off date) and by applying the standard of use to each group of users within an organization. The sum of all groups' demands will equal the total demand for the upcoming season. See Schedule C for an example of how the demand for a group would be calculated.
4. Annual registration process
The registration process for pool rentals will follow the Town of Oakville Recreation & Culture Departmental Operating Procedure (No. 10-02-15) and the town's Pool/Room Rental Agreement (see Schedule D). To substantiate pool rental requests, all groups must provide the town with up-to-date, accurate group and registrant information (e.g. non-profit status, total number of participants, breakdown of participants by level of play/activity, age and residency of participants).
5. New user groups
New groups of users may be included in the allocation of pool rental time if it is demonstrated (through the annual registration process) there are sufficient participants to qualify for pool rental time and that there is sufficient pool time available. Given that new groups have the potential of reducing the number of hours available to existing users, new user groups will only be considered in cases where a program provides a service to previously un-serviced segment(s) of the population or where a new program is being introduced that is not available through existing organizations.
6. Expansion of existing user groups
The town will consider the expansion of CORE and Non CORE groups only if the new participants will make use of available 'non-preferred' time. The allocation of this additional 'non-preferred' time will be assigned based on a group's Priority Status.
The town will consider providing additional 'preferred' hours to accommodate growth of CORE groups only if the Priority Group has not reached its maximum cap for booking 'preferred time' (i.e. up to 90% of the town's total available 'preferred' facility time may be booked by Youth CORE groups and up to 10% of the town's total available 'preferred' facility time may be booked by Adult CORE groups).
7. Calculation of supply-demand ratio
Once all town programming needs and obligations to the Halton District School Board have been met, the remaining pool hours represent the total available rental supply. The supply-demand ratio is calculated by dividing total pool rental supply by the total demand.
8. Calculation of pool rental time allocation
In situations where demand for preferred pool time or total pool time exceeds supply, the allotment of each group's pool time will be calculated using an allocation formula. This will ensure that all groups experience an equitable adjustment in allocation when there is a deficit in available pool rental hours.
The formula is the percentage of total demand that the group represents multiplied by the supply-demand ratio (described above).
Note: Pool time at White Oaks Pool will be allocated to the Halton District School Board as per the most recent Pools Agreement between the town of Oakville and the Halton District School Board.
9. Distribution of allocation of pool time
The town aims to accommodate the time preferences of all CORE users, however, when this is not possible, the town may at its discretion, schedule up to 20% of a group's pool time within 'non-preferred times', or a proportion that is necessary to equitably distribute 'preferred times' and 'non-preferred' times. The town will work with CORE user groups to ensure the equitable distribution of weekend vs. weekday 'preferred' times. The town will also work with groups to ensure that remaining pool time (i.e. time not booked by CORE groups) is equitably distributed amongst non-CORE groups (including the distribution of weekend vs. weekday 'non-preferred' times.
The town may, at its discretion, place a cap on the proportion of the total available 'preferred' pool time that Youth CORE members (as a whole) may access. This will help ensure Adult CORE groups also have access to 'preferred' pool time:
Priority Status (Cap on Booking of Total Available 'Preferred' Pool Rental Time)
Youth CORE members (90%)
Adult CORE members (10%)
Facility allocations will be rounded up to the nearest quarter of an hour (e.g. 14.3 hours will be rounded down to 14.25 hours, 14.9 hours will be rounded up to 15.0 hours).
10. Use of Allocated Pool Time
Once provided pool rental time from the town, each group is then responsible to distribute its allocation amongst its various subgroups in accordance with either established rules of the organization or in keeping with the principles of fairness and equity as described in this Procedure.
Definitions
CORE Members - Members of Community Organizations in Recreation and Education: a Town of Oakville Membership based program that offers not-for-profit, volunteer community groups and organizations support in delivering their services to the community.
Town of Oakville department programs: all programs and other initiatives that are organized by town staff or provided by contractors on behalf of the municipality. This offering of programs could expand or contract as market conditions evolve or as the needs of Oakville residents change.
Youth - CORE members: Oakville volunteer-based, not-for-profit community user groups that provide services to Oakville residents (minimum of 85%) under 19 years of age.
Adult - CORE members: Oakville volunteer-based, not-for-profit user groups that provide services to Oakville residents (minimum of 85%) over 19 years of age.
Youth - Non-CORE members: Oakville volunteer-based, not-for-profit community user groups that provide services to Oakville residents (minimum of 85%) under 19 years of age that are not CORE members.
Adult - Non-CORE members: Oakville volunteer-based, not-for-profit user groups that provide services to Oakville residents (minimum of 85%) over 19 years of age that are not CORE members.
Commercial groups: Oakville-based organizations or individuals that use pool rental time with the intent of generating positive net income (profit). At the town's discretion, not-for-profit groups may be allowed to generate net income from the use of allocated field rental time so long as the subject use aligns with the "fundamental activities" of the group. In consultation with users, the town has established a process within the CORE Policy to ensure that net income producing activities of not-for-profit groups remain consistent with the goals, objectives and guiding principles of the Allocation Procedure as well as the best interests of Oakville residents.