Board-specific processes and requirements
Arena Boards of Management
The board-specific requirements set out below have been updated to reflect changes made by Council:
- September 2007 (Item EX11.11) to the composition, qualifications and nominations process to appoint community members to serve on the Ted Reeve Arena Board of Management and directing the City Manager to work with the other arena boards to revise their recruitment process using the Ted Reeve process as a model;
- February 2010 (Item CD30.5) to the ice allocation practices in City arenas operated by arena boards of management;
- April 2011 (Item EX4.7) requiring that an open advertised City process be used to recruit the at-large public members on all the arena boards and that the composition of the arena boards be established at a minimum of 11 members, including 3 Members of Council and the Mayor or a designate appointed by the Mayor.
- City Council meeting of January 17, 2012 (Item EX14.1, Part 51) amended the composition of the Board of Leaside Memorial Community Gardens;
- City Council meeting of February 6, 2012 (Item EX15.6) exempted the eight arena boards of management from Part 12 of Item EX4.7 so that the size and composition of each board reverts to what it was before adoption of Part 12 of Item EX4.7.
- City Council at its meeting of April 10 and 11, 2012 (Items MM22.5 and MM22.8) amended the compositions of the Larry Grossman Forest Hill and George Bell arena boards of management.
Note: Additional information is included in the nomination process section to clarify that under the provisions of the Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 27, Council Procedures, the Community Council has delegated authority to appoint citizens to the board in compliance with City policies.
Agency profile
There are eight indoor ice arenas operated by a board of management. These City boards were established by the former City of Toronto and Borough of East York as a means of engaging the local community in the decision making for managing these facilities.
These eight facilities, listed below, were established between the early 1950s and early 1970s.
Board responsibilities
The mandate of arenas operated by a board of management includes:
- providing safe, full and equitable access to high quality indoor ice sport recreational facilities and where applicable other recreational facilities (e.g. community rooms, banquet halls)
- allocating the use of the facility in a fair and equitable manner among local neighbourhood citizens and organizations and user groups, while bearing in mind the need to generate sufficient revenue to operate the facility at the lowest reasonable cost to the City of Toronto and its residents
In February 2010 (Item CD30.5), City Council made a number of changes to ice allocation practices in City arenas operated by arena boards of management. Under these changes:
- the General Manager, Parks Forestry and Recreation will forward to the arena boards of management all applications for Ice time at their locations together with the total hours each applicant is entitled to on a City-wide basis
- arena boards are to develop proposed ice allocation schedules based on the applications received and consistent with the targets and requirements set-out in the City's Ice Allocation Policy and the objectives of the Relationship Framework
- as appropriate, the boards shall negotiate with other board-operated arenas and City staff, and subject to informing and consulting with the applicants, finalize their allocation schedules for approval by the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation.
Term of office
Four years.
Composition
- George Bell Arena (total of 12 members)
- Councillor for Ward 11
- 10 citizens
- 1 non-voting staff member from the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division
- Larry Grossman Forest Hill Memorial Arena (total of 10 members)
- 2 Councillors, one of whom is the Councillor for Ward 16
- 7 citizens, one of whom may be nominated by the Forest Hill Hockey Association
- 1 non-voting staff member from the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division
- Leaside Memorial Community Gardens Arena (total of 12 members)
- Councillor for Ward 26
- 9 citizens
- 1 representative from Infrastructure Ontario for a term or terms commensurate with the duration of the loan from Infrastructure Ontario to the City (as set out in Item EX14.6, Part 46, approved by City Council at its meeting held on January 17, 2012) and that this representative also sit on the Audit/Finance Committee of the Board
- 1 non-voting staff member from the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division
- McCormick Playground Arena (total of 11 members)
- Councillor for Ward 18
- 9 citizens
- 1 non-voting staff member from the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division
- Moss Park Arena (total of 11 members)
- Councillor for Ward 27
- 9 citizens, 1 of whom may be nominated by the Central Toronto Skating Club
- 1 non-voting staff member from the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division
- North Toronto Memorial Arena (total of 10 members)
- 2 Councillors, one of whom is the Councillor for Ward 16
- 7 citizens, but 3 may be nominated for consideration by the following:
- 1 person by the North Toronto Skating Club
- 1 person by the North Toronto Hockey Association, and
- 1 person by the adjacent ratepayers' association
- 1 non-voting staff member from the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division
- Ted Reeve Community Arena (total of 12 members)
- Councillor for Ward 32
- 8 citizens
- 1 non-voting staff member from the local Police Services Division
- 1 non-voting staff member from the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division
- 1 non-voting representative of Sports Centre Design and Management Ltd.
- William H. Bolton Arena (total of 12 members)
- Councillor for Ward 20
- 10 citizens
- 1 non-voting staff member from the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division
Qualifications
In addition to the general eligibility requirements set out in the Public Appointments Policy, citizen members of the Arena Boards of Management should collectively possess:
- an interest and commitment to volunteering and community development
- a range of skills or experience such as fundraising, financial management, sports facility operation, event planning, amateur and children's sports development in the community, managing in the non-profit sector, law, or marketing
- experience playing, organizing or coaching minor hockey among at least 3 members, including at least 1 member with experience in women's hockey
- at least 1 member with experience playing, organizing or coaching minor lacrosse
- at least 1 youth member
Meetings
The Boards are required to meet a minimum of six times a year and at any time at the request of a majority of the members of the Board, or at the call of the Chair.
The Boards generally meet monthly, except during the summer months of June, July and August.
Remuneration
No remuneration is paid to Board members
Nomination process - interest group and advertised recruitment
As noted above, City Council in September 2007 directed the City Manager to work with other arena boards to revise their recruitment processes using the Ted Reeve process as a model.
Under delegated authority, the Community Council appoints citizen board members whose appointments comply with the Public Appointments Policy. If the Community Council wishes to make appointments that do not comply with the Policy, it must forward its recommendations to Council for approval.
Citizen members are recruited through City-wide media advertising, screened against Council approved qualifications by a City staff team and short-listed, interviewed and nominated by a Nominating Panel appointed by the affected Community Council.
On some boards, positions have been reserved for specific neighbourhood associations or arena user groups. These groups make recommendations about candidates to the Community Council to fill these vacancies.