City of Brandon Seeking Input on Recreation & Community Facilities

Brandon, MB – As it works to update and develop a 20-year vision for recreation and community facilities, the City of Brandon has launched an online survey in order to better understand how its residents use recreation facilities and what is important to them, now and into the future.

The City of Brandon is currently updating its 2007 Brandon Recreation Facilities Master Plan in order to guide the provision of recreation facilities such as community centres, arenas, pools, sports fields, trails and courts, through the next 20 years and beyond. This Master Plan Update Project has been spurred by a number of factors, including Brandon’s steady and healthy population growth, which includes new residents from diverse cultural backgrounds, as well as the reality that some of Brandon’s recreation infrastructure is nearing the end of its useful life-cycle and must be updated to support changes in demographics, accessibility requirements, and newer recreation use trends.

Working with HTFC Planning & Design and other professionals, City of Brandon administration are engaging with recreation facilities user groups and numerous other stakeholders to determine what is working well and what may require change. An online survey has also been launched seeking feedback on how recreation facilities are used and viewed in the community, and if these facilities need to change or be updated for future needs. All members of the community, whether they actively engage in recreational programming or not, are encouraged to take a few moments to complete the survey, which will remain available on the City of Brandon website until late-January. Paper copies of the survey are also available for community members via the City of Brandon’s Community Services Department, contact information for which can be found on the Recreation and Community Facilities Master Plan Project webpage.

“Undeniably, Brandon’s recreation and community facilities contribute to the enjoyment and quality-of-life for residents and visitors alike, and the City of Brandon wants to ensure that future investments will serve the best interests of the community as a whole for years to come,” says City of Brandon Director of Community Services Perry Roque. “Once updated, our Recreation and Community Facilities Master Plan will be an important tool in forwarding the community’s vision for recreation, with policies that align with the vision, the City’s growth and provision of recreation facilities, and for guiding future investment for recreation. Specifically, we will use the plan to prioritize capital projects and, ultimately, create a municipal recreation philosophy for the City and the whole community to embrace and follow.”

Roque notes that, in addition to the survey, the City of Brandon will be hosting a pair of community workshops early in 2019, at which all members of the public will be encouraged to attend and share their recreation and community facilities experiences.

Following review of all input, it is anticipated the proposed Recreation and Community Facilities Master Plan Update will be presented to Brandon City Council for consideration next spring.