For better use and better management. The UNOFFICIAL Website of Toronto's Outdoor Skating Rinks
posted on February 16, 2006
Belinda Cole's recent research into the possibility of establishing a board of management to run the rink at Dufferin Grove looked at the Municipal Act, 2001 and city by-laws which govern the creation and operation of boards of management.
Yes. The City has the power to decide whether or not to set up a board of management. It is, essentially, a political decision by Council.
There is nothing in the law or by-laws which set out any criteria Council should or must consider when it decides whether or not to create a board of management.
1) the Municipal Act, 2001;
The Act deals with the following key issues:
2) The City by-laws contained in chapter 25 of the Toronto Municipal Code entitled Community and Recreation Centres deal with a number of specifics matters. Among its key provisions, it sets out how a board is to be set up and run, and the responsibilities and limits of the powers of board members:
The by-law then sets out how each of the existing 10 Association of Community Centres ("AOCC’s") and a number of arenas are to be run. There is a very wide spectrum as to the extent of responsibilities a Board assumes. For example, some Boards take on all of the responsibilities for the entire operation while for other facitilites, the City takes on many of the operating costs and provides certain services.
The existing ten AOCCs in the City were established between 1974-1992.
In March 2003, the City addressed the existence, governance and future of AOCCs. In a report prepared by the City Clerk’s office to the Policy and Finance Committee concerning Agencies, Boards and Committees. The ad Hoc Committee which looked at the governance of AOCCs described them as a a hybrid, half independent non-profit and half a city creature. The Committee recommended that the City continue to provide core funding to AOCCs.
With respect to the creation of new AOCC’s, the report recommended that a process be established to determine if the City's minimum criteria to become an AOCC. It suggested that the "Procedure for Future Development of City Funded Recreation and Community Centres" developed by the 1982 Task Force on Neighbourhood Social and Recreational Services be used as a starting point. To date, there appear to be no more recent guidelines or criteria concerning the establishment of new AOCCs
In 2006, City staff recommended an operating budget of $ 6 million for the 10 centres (ranging from $ 315,000 for Applegrove to $ 973,000 for Harbourfront Community Centre to $ 1,022,000 for 519 Church Street)