TRI-MUNICIPAL REGIONAL EVENT HOSTING STRATEGY Schedule 2 Municipal Practices & Trends Review July 04, 2014
Table of Contents 1.0 Municipal Practices in Event Hosting 1 Municipal Practices in Event Hosting 2 City of Thunder Bay 3 Beaver Regional Partnership 4 City of Medicine Hat 5 City of Edmonton 6 City of Kamloops 7 City of Leduc 8 Region of Durham 9 City of St. Albert 10 City of Langley 10 City of Ottawa 11 City of Saskatoon 12 Key Findings 13 2.0 Trends in Event Hosting 14 Trends in Event Hosting 15 Participation Levels 16 Economic Benefit 17 Partnerships 18 Case Study: InMotion Network 19 Promotions & Marketing 20 Case Study: Surrey Festivals 21 Volunteerism 22 Event Infrastructure 24 Multi-Use Spaces 24 Cultural & Heritage Districts 25 Community Event "Hubs" 25 Ensuring Comfort & Accessibility 26 Key Findings 27 [ ii ]
SECTION 1 Municipal Practices in Event Hosting [ 1 ]
Municipal Practices in Event Hosting Identified in the following section are selected examples of how other municipalities have approached event hosting. This research can help inform the development of the Regional Event Hosting Strategy by providing examples of how other communities and regions have enhanced their capacity to host events. Included in the examples presented in this section are: Methods used by municipalities to support community groups in event recruitment and hosting; Approaches taken by municipalities in event recruitment; How strategic planning initiatives undertaken by municipalities (e.g. Sport Tourism and Event Hosting Strategies) have ; been implemented; Examples of major events that have resulted from partnerships and collaborations; and Annual investment and resources allocated by municipalities to event hosting activities (when available). While many common practices do exist it is important to recognize that the local context and dynamics vary between regions and communities. This ultimately requires municipalities to develop event recruitment and hosting approaches that fit best for their community or region. The municipal examples presented in this section have been selected to show a variety of approaches to event hosting. Contrasting these differing approaches may be useful in helping identify tools and mechanisms that could be implemented as part of the Regional Event Hosting Strategy. [ 2 ]
City of Thunder Bay POPULATION: 146,057 (2011 CENSUS) The City of Thunder Bay provides an example of the positive impacts that can result from a strategic and coordinated approach to event hosting. First adopted by the City in 1996, the City of Thunder Bay's Event Hosting Strategy was developed primarily to support the efforts of community event organizers. Resulting from the Strategy have been numerous other initiates and policies aimed at increasing the capacity of event organizers and the overall attractiveness of Thunder Bay as an event destination. In 2008 the City, in conjunction with the Sports Bid Administrative Advisory Committee, finalized a Sport Tourism Events & Activities Policy. The Policy identified a number of key strategic recommendations which included the need for a more user friendly and streamlined point of contact for event organizers. To address this recommendation, the City created an Event Services position to act as a single point of contact for community event organizers. This manager level position works within the Recreation and Culture Division and is supported by a 0.5 FTE position during the summer months. In addition to helping local events with the logistics of obtaining City permits and meeting by-law requirements, Event Services also hosts a number of workshops and provides no charge access to equipment such as two-way radios, sound systems, and flags. Another key recommendation outlined in the Policy was a greater role for the City s Tourism Division in attracting events. The City has executed on this recommendation by shifting the responsibility for attracting major single sport events from the Recreation & Culture Division to the Tourism Division. This has allowed the Recreation and Culture division to focus on supporting community groups with event hosting and attracting multi-sport events and competitions. A Community Advisory Committee has also been developed which provides guidance and recommendations on which events to pursue. The City s Sport Tourism Events & Activities Policy has also resulted in the enhancement of funding programs aimed at attracting new events to Thunder Bay. The City offers two event specific funding opportunities to community organizations: Event Development Grant: provides seed funding for groups hosting championships, inaugural tournaments, and festivals. Applicants can also request assistance with bidding expenses through this program. * The City allocates $70,000 annually to this funding program. Street Event Grant: provides assistance to community groups staging sport tourism events taking place on City streets. A key eligibility requirement is that the event will attract participants and / or other visitors from out-of-town resulting in an economic impact to Thunder Bay. * The City allocated $15,000 annually to this funding program. The Policy is further attributed with the successful procurement of a number of regional, provincial and national events to Thunder Bay. These include the 2011 Special Olympics Ontario Winter Games, 2016 Can-Am Police-Fire Games, and the Miles with the Giant Marathon. The City has additionally supported the efforts of community partners to secure major events such as Lakehead University s hosting of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) men s ice hockey championships in 2009 and 2010. In recent years the City has also taken an active role in the continued growth of a number of popular community, cultural, and family events such as the Superior Youth Festival, Riverfest, Kite Festival, and Summer in the Parks. The City's Sport Tourism and Activities Policy resulted in the development of new grant programs for community organizations and the creation of an Event Services position to act as a single point of contact for event organizers. [ 3 ]
Beaver Regional Partnership POPULATION: 9,790 (REGIONAL, 2011 CENSUS) Located east of Edmonton, the Beaver Regional Partnership includes the Towns of Tofield and Viking, the Villages of Holden and Ryley, and Beaver County. In recent years members of the Beaver Regional Partnership and local not for profit organizations have worked together to coordinate community events and promote joint initiatives. This collaborative approach to event hosting has resulted in the sustainability of many long tenured community events as well as the growth of new events and attractions across the region. The Experience the Bounty in Beaver County initiative was originally conceived in 2009 by the Kalyna Country partnership and has resulted in increased visitation to the region and economic benefits. The self-guided driving tour takes place over 4 days in early August and has grown to include nearly 40 community events and attractions. Participants are encouraged through a stamp system to visit attractions and events across the region with local businesses supplying draw prizes to those participants who get 10 or more stamps. Many of The Bounty s feature attractions are agri-tourism related events or activities such as farmers markets, farm tours and food tasting. The partner municipalities play an active role in the initiative's success by encouraging businesses to participate, procuring sponsors and working with community groups to plan and execute events and activities. The Beaver Regional Partnership also continues to work together at coordinating annual events in each community. In years past, many of these events would take place on the same weekend, ultimately having a negative impact on each event. However in recent years the Tofield Sodbuster Rodeo, Holden Farmers Days, Ryley Sports Day and Family Fair, and Viking Days are now held on consecutive weekends. This simple act of collaboration has resulted in the increased sustainability of each event as well as cross promotional opportunities for the event organizers, sponsors and exhibitors. The "Experience the Bounty in Beaver County" is an agri-tourism initiative that resulted from a collaboration between multiple municipalities, community organizations, and businesses. [ 4 ]
City of Medicine Hat POPULATION: 60,005 (2011 CENSUS) Medicine Hat has a successful track record as an event hosting hub within southern Alberta. Popular art and cultural events that take place in the community on an annual basis include the Folk Festival, Jazz Festival, and the Artwalk. The City is also well known for successfully hosting a number of large sporting events. Medicine Hat was recently awarded the 2016 Alberta Winter Games, which it last hosted in 2002. In recent years, Medicine Hat has also hosted the 2008 Alberta Summer Games and 2013 Grand Slam of Curling. The City is commonly selected as the host community for numerous other minor sport tournaments and provincial competitions. The ability of the city to successfully procure and host this wide array of events is dependent upon ensuring a sustainable volunteer base and ongoing capacity within its many community groups. The City s Parks and Recreation Department leads and / or coordinates a number of key strategic initiatives and special projects such as developing bids for major sporting and outdoor community events. Cultural groups in Medicine Hat are also provided with a number of supports in order to ensure that they can continue organizing and hosting a variety of events. Groups have access to an annual allocation of $12,500 from the Cultural Grant funding program which is administered by the Arts Heritage Advisory Board. The funding program provides financial assistance to exhibitors, demonstrations and performances in the city. Funds from the grant must be applied directly to event specific activities. The City has also continued to build on its complement of event infrastructure through the opening of The Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre in 2005 and the current development of the new Medicine Hat Regional Event Centre. In addition, the City has partnered with other organizations such as Medicine Hat College to share facilities and resources when trying to attract major events or competitions. The City continues to participate in and support a number of regional initiatives which have helped encourage event hosting across southeastern Alberta. The City was involved in the development of the Canadian Badlands Tourism Strategy which outlines a number of event hosting opportunities and potential collaborations. The City has also supported numerous Southern Alberta Summer Games held in communities of all sizes across the region, including the most recent event held in Taber. This support has included the sharing of best practices in event hosting, encouraging volunteerism and promotion on the City s website. Recognizing the important of cultural events in the community, the City allocated an annual amount to specifically support cultural events such as exhibits, demonstrations, and performances. [ 5 ]
City of Edmonton POPULATION: 812,201 (2011 CENSUS) The significance of events to Edmonton is reflected in a number of the City s strategic plans and other documents. The City of Edmonton s Vision and Strategic Plan (2010) identifies as an objective that The City of Edmonton host world class arts, cultural, sports, and entertainment events at venues that attract a local, regional, and global audience. The City s WinterCity Strategy (2012) further identifies 10 strategic goals, many relating directly to event recruitment and hosting. Make It Easier to Go Play Outside : Provide More Opportunities for Outdoor Activity (Goal #1). Incorporate Urban Design Elements for Winter Fun, Activity, Beauty, and Interest (Goal #4). Increase the Capacity and Sustainability of Edmonton s Winter Festivals (Goal #5). Promote Edmonton s Great Northern story Locally, Nationally, and Internationally (Goal #9). Resulting from the WinterCity Strategy is a publication Things to look forward to this winter! which profiles the many festivals and events that take place in Edmonton during the winter months. Elements of the WinterCity Strategy have been integrated directly into the City s Community Services Department 2013 2015 Business Plan. The City provides a number of supports to community groups and event organizers. Under the direction of the Community Services Department, the City staffs a Civic Events Office which acts as a single point of contact to help coordinate permits, booking of City owned facilities or spaces, and emergency service personnel. Qualified community organizations can additionally access financial resources from the City. The Community Investment Hosting Grant provides up to $5,000 to amateur sports, recreation, and multi-cultural events. The City has also developed a sponsorship process and protocol in order to manage sponsorship requests. Events requesting City sponsorship must meet a number of requirements which include: Must be provincial, regional (western Canada) or international in scope; Supports or enhances the appropriate vision and goals identified in the The Way Ahead (the City s 10 year Strategic Plan); Is not receiving any grant or other in kind support from the City of Edmonton for the event or conference; Maintains at least $2 million dollars of general liability insurance; and Will have a positive economic impact on the City s businesses. The City s Civic Event Office in collaboration with the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation and other community partners have also played an active role in assisting a number of organizations with preparing bid packages or event applications. Community organizations in Edmonton can apply for up to $5,000 in funding to assist with the recruitment and hosting of amateur sport, recreation, and multi-cultural events. 1 http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/city_vision_and_ strategic_plan/the-way-we-live-leisure-goal.aspx [ 6 ]
City of Kamloops POPULATION: 85,678 (2011 CENSUS) The City of Kamloops has recognized the importance of event hosting to the City and broader region through its Tournament Capital branding strategy and the ongoing resources that it commits to event recruitment and hosting. The City offers a number of funding programs to groups and event organizers. SPECIAL EVENTS GRANTS POLICY For local organizations with plans to provide annual community festivals or events. Maximum funding is $10,000 for the first year and $5,000 for the second year. COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT GRANT POLICY The Community Enhancement Grant provides groups with the opportunity to apply for up to $500 to support competitive events. The grant is determined on a per participant basis ($2.50 per participant). $5,000 is allocated annually to this program. TOURNAMENT CAPITAL GRANT Allocated on a per participant basis, with the maximum amounts increasing based on the scope of the event. Current allocations per participant are $200 for regional tournaments, $500 for provincial tournaments, $1,000 for western Canadian tournament, and $1,500 for national tournaments or invitational tournaments. FACILITY RENTAL ASSISTANCE For major and international events the City will waive facility rental fees for 1 day out of every 4 days of competition to provide support for major and international tournament events. OTHER SUPPORT The City additionally provides a number of non-monetary supports to community groups and event organizers. These include: Assistance with developing bid packages; Promotional support; Site and venue inspections; Media kits; Assistance with sourcing accommodations and other services required by participants; Welcome and registration packages; and Maps and other promotional / informational items. This policy also includes seed funding used in circumstances in which the City agrees to assist local organizations with a bid to host a major, national, or international event. There is an annual fund, administered by the Parks and Recreation Services Department, which will be used for bid preparation costs. There is an annual budget of $10,000 that can be rolled over to a maximum of $25,000. The City of Kamloops has focused its event and tourism initiatives on attracting sport tournaments. The City provides sport organizations with a number of supports which include grants, assistance with bid packages, and promotional supplies. [ 7 ]
City of Leduc POPULATION: 24,279 (2011 CENSUS) Attracting events to Leduc remains a key priority and is reflected in a number of the City s recreation, cultural, and economic strategic planning documents. The City has Sport and Agriculture Tourism Coordinator whose role is to attract events to the community. This position is supported by other staff in the Parks, Recreation, and Culture Department. The City has developed a number of promotional and marketing materials to support the position and strategic approach to event recruitment. The City also has a grant program that enables community groups to apply for up to $15,000 in funds (depending upon the event) to assist in the hosting of an event. The annual budget is approximately $72,000 (including ~ $45,000 for grants). Investigation is occurring regarding the coordination of a hotel tax dedicated to sports tourism. Partnerships remain important to the success of Leduc in attracting and hosting events. The City continues to work closely with minor sport and community organizations to host provincial level competitions and community events, while also foster relationships with groups and organizations across the region. One such example of this broader collaboration is the hosting of the 2013 Victory Triathlon in Leduc. This event resulted from a partnership between the City and the not for profit organization Edmonton Athletes in Action. The city of Leduc has a staff position dedicated to Sport Tourism and an annual budget allocation of approximately $72,000 for event recruitment and hosting. [ 8 ]
Region of Durham POPULATION: 606,750 (ESTIMATED, REGIONAL STRATEGIC PLAN) The Durham Region includes the Regional Municipality of Durham and the municipalities of Ajax, Brock, Clarington, Oshawa, Pickering, Scugog, Uxbridge, and Whitby. The region has become well known for the spirit of cooperation that exists between the municipal partners. A Regional Council exists which guides this cooperation and balances the unique needs of each individual municipality with the benefits that can result from a collaborative approach. The municipal partners have a successful track record in developing and implementing a number of regional plans. The Region s Strategic Plan, last updated in 2012, outlines responsibilities of the Region and the individual municipalities. Resulting from the Strategic Plan, a Durham Sports Tourism Strategy has been initiated and is expected to be completed in 2014. The Plan will outline a coordinated approach for the Region based on similar successes experienced with mass transit, sustainability, emergency services, and economic development. The Region and municipal partners currently collaborate to drive tourism on a regional basis. Durham Tourism is supported by the municipalities in the region and features a new website with a focus on events and activities taking place in the Durham Region. The site is actively maintained and includes a comprehensive event calendar as well as profiles of local accommodations, dining options, and activities. REGION OF DURHAM ONLINE EVENT CALENDAR [ 9 ]
City of St. Albert POPULATION: 61,466 The City of St. Albert developed an Event Hosting Strategy in 2010. This strategy acted as a key resource in the development of the City s Recreation Master Plan and Cultural Master Plan (both completed in 2011). The Event Hosting Strategy and Master Plan documents recognize the importance of promoting cultural tourism, increasing collaborative in event hosting, and establishing event standards. The Event Hosting Strategy identified a number of additional supports that could enhance the capacity of groups to plan and execute events in St. Albert. The City has undertaken a number of these recommendations, including the organizing of an Event Hosting Seminar in February 2013. This event provided groups and City staff with the opportunity to share best practices. Training was also provided on a number of topics including volunteer event organizers with training on topics such as event planning, sponsorship, volunteer recruitment, and promotions. The City has also established a Community Events Grant. This funding program has two intakes, spring and fall, and has helped the City formalize a transparent process for the provision of funds to community organizations. Eligible groups are able to apply for up to $5,000 in funding. City of Langley POPULATION: 25,081 (2011 CENSUS) The City of Langley has a Special Events Policies and Procedures Manual which recognizes the benefits accrued with the hosting of events in the City. The Manual provides a consolidated resource to enable special event coordinators easy access to the necessary information to plan and host an event. The City employs a full time Recreation Supervisor of Events. This position is responsible for planning City operated events and supporting community event organizers. The City also has a Community Grant application process to support not-for-profit organizations which work to enhance the quality of life for residents. In 2013 the City awarded $150,000 to event related projects. Grants ranged from $150 to over $10,000. [ 10 ]
City of Ottawa POPULATION: 883,391 The City of Ottawa supports the recruitment and hosting of major events through its ongoing contribution to Ottawa Tourism. In 2011, the City enhanced its support by helping Ottawa Tourism develop a Sports & Special Events Services office. This office provides both not for profit and for profit organizations in the Ottawa region with a variety of services and supports: Funding to support bid and recruitment activities; Bid and promotional templates; Direct development of bid documents; and Financial assistance in the hiring of consultants / contractors to develop bid documents or conduct other event related strategic plans. The City s support for Ottawa Tourism s Sports & Special Events Services office totals $550,000 annually. This funding comes from the City s Economic Development office and includes a manager and administrative support position (2 FTE). Grant funding for the office is also occasionally procured from the province for specific projects and initiatives. The Sports & Special Events Services office works closely with Ottawa s two primary venue operators; Senators Sports & Entertainment (Canadian Tire Centre) and the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (Lansdowne Park and Civic Centre). The office also works closely with a variety of community based organizations that are looking to recruit regional, provincial and national competitions. The City of Ottawa supports event hosting by providing Ottawa Tourism with ongoing funding for a dedicated Support & Special Events Services Office. [ 11 ]
City of Saskatoon POPULATION: 222,189 (2011 CENSUS) Similar to the City of Ottawa, the City of Saskatoon utilizes a tourism advocacy organization to support event recruitment and hosting in the city. Existing within Tourism Saskatoon is the Saskatoon Sport Tourism office. This office receives guidance from an 18 person Board of Directors which is comprised of representatives from City Council, City administration, major event hosting venues, the University, Saskatoon Blades, and the corporate sector. The office has 3 full-time staff positions and is primarily funded by the City. Saskatoon Sport Tourism provides community organizations with a variety of event services and supports, which include: Assistance in developing bid packages; Hotel and venue selection (e.g. assistance with site visits and RFP s); Marketing and promotional assistance; Event planning templates; Access to database of Canadian events; Grant writing assistance; Tourism Saskatoon promotional materials; and Facilitating connections and partnerships with other sport organizations. Saskatoon Sport Tourism additionally maintains and coordinates an event calendar, newsletter, social media feeds, and community guide. Saskatoon Sport Tourism, the primary organization responsible for supporting and enhancing major event hosting in the region, has a Board of Directors with representatives from the City and major event stakeholders. [ 12 ]
SECTION [ KEY FINDINGS ] KEY FINDINGS: MUNICIPAL PRACTICES IN EVENT HOSTING Many small to mid-sized urban municipalities (25,000 150,000) have placed a priority on event hosting. Municipalities of this size are generally spending in $50,000 $150,000 range annually on grant programs and other initiatives Some municipalities have established full-time positions dedicated to event hosting Larger municipalities are spending in excess of $500,000 annually to recruit events. A growing practice observed in event hosting is the development of one stop shops (e.g. Event Services Office) to support groups in an efficient manner with event logistics and planning. While many municipalities cooperate and collaborate with neighboring municipalities, a structured or formalized approach to event recruitment and hosting appears uncommon. Some municipalities have a focused mandate and priorities with regards to event hosting (e.g. Kamloops Tournament Capital ) while others recruit events more broadly. [ 13 ]
SECTION 2 Trends In Event Hosting [ 14 ]
Trends in Event Hosting The following Section outlines selected trends in Event Hosting. These trends include an overview of participation levels, economic benefits, partnerships, promotions and marketing, volunteerism, and event infrastructure. Also identified are a number of case studies which demonstrate how a number of organizations have aligned with these trends. These trends provide broad based information that can be useful when identifying overall approaches to regional event hosting, selecting criteria to help prioritize events, and determining future resources that may be needed. [ 15 ]
Participation Levels Research data continues to support that Albertans are frequent event participants and generally place a high value on events that take place in their community. The Alberta Culture Annual Report for 2012 2013 indicated that 90.8% of adult Albertans participated in or attended arts activities or events in the previous year. This figure has remained consistent over the past five years. Increases were also noted in the percentages of Albertans that had attended a live performance (3.3% increase from 2011 2012) and purchased an art product at an event (7.8% increase from 2011 2012). In addition to attending events, Albertans believe that a wide variety of events contribute significantly to their quality of life. The 2005 Albertans Perceptions of Culture and Quality of Life Survey conducted by the IPSOS-REID Corporation revealed that 94% of Albertans believe that having a wide variety of cultural activities and events makes Alberta a better place to live. Three-quarters also said that they personally enjoy attending arts and cultural events. Findings from the 2008 Alberta Recreation Survey further revealed participation trends for a number of recreation, leisure, and sporting events and activities. 62.4% of households had at least one member attend a fair or festival in the previous year. 59.1% of households had at least one member attend a sporting event as a spectator in the previous year. 44.7% of households had at least one member attend a live theatre production in the previous year. While some general participation trends exist, such as those reflected above, the nature of events is such that interests and popularity of certain types of events fluctuates over time and by region. While minimal time series data exists to track regional event trends, anecdotal information and stakeholder feedback can be used to track spikes in popularity and interest of specific events. Ongoing consultation mechanisms such as citizen satisfaction surveys can also be used to help determine local event trends and interests. One event type that appears to be growing in popularity is combative sports such as mixed martial arts. Given the nature of the sport and event type, municipalities across the province are struggling with how to regulate and manage a growing demand for combative sport events. As a response to these issues and demand, the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association passed a resolution in 2013 requesting that the provincial government create a provincial commission to sanction combative sports events across Alberta. 2 A number of municipalities have also worked with local promoters and facilities to create combative sport commissions to help control and regulate events. Participation and interest in consumer driven events such as conferences and trade shows can also fluctuate greatly, and requires event organizers to remain current on trends and regional interest. In order to react and adapt accordingly to these continually evolving and fluid event markets, it is important that municipalities communicate regularly with private sector event organizers and ensure that publically provided spaces (infrastructure) is flexible. 2 http://www.auma.ca/live/auma/document+library/ Resolutions/Resolution?unid=1727 [ 16 ]
Economic Benefits Hosting events can result in economic benefits to a community or broader region. The most recent figures available from the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance estimate that in 2010 spending associated with sport tourism reached $3.6 billion, an increase of 8.8% from 2008. Data further reflects that this increase has been driven domestically by sport travellers from within Canada. While international and U.S. sport tourism spending in Canada has experienced a decline, domestic sport tourism spending in Canada increased sharply by 16.6% from 2008 to 2010. The overall growth rate of sport tourism in Alberta from 2008 to 2010 was 4.6%. Sport tourism visits in Alberta also sharply increased by 25.3% from 2008 2010. 3 Agricultural Societies remain one of the most prevalent organizers and facilitators of events in communities across Alberta. Agricultural Societies in Alberta are estimated to own a combined $765 million in facility infrastructure and actively generate $23.2 million from these facilities through events, activities, and rentals. In total, Agricultural Societies hosted or were involved in 991 events in 2009. Using Travel Alberta analysis criteria for non-resident overnight and day trip visitors, it is estimated that events hosted by or staged at Agricultural Societies facilities generated over $500 million in spending. 4 The hosting of major events can also provide a community and region significant economic benefits. An Event Analysis and Economic Impact Study commissioned by the Recreation and Sport Development Division of Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation for the 2010 Arctic Winter Games in Grande Prairie revealed a number of local and regional economic benefits that accrued because of the event. These included: Approximately $7.65 million in direct visitor spending and event operations expenditures invested into the local and regional economy. 182 person years of employment generated directly in the region. Combined $2.7 million in total tax revenues generated for all three levels of government (including $209,000 to municipal governments). Sport Tourism in Canada generates an estimated $36 Billion annually (2010), and continues to grown in Alberta. 3 Data collected and analyzed by Statistics Canada 4 Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies; Community Benefits, Economic Stimulation, and Sustainability (2009) [ 17 ]
Partnerships Partnerships remain crucial to the recruitment and hosting of many events. These partnerships can take shape in multiple forms and include not for profit organizations, government, individual citizens or groups, schools, and the private sector. A common partnership is between municipalities and not for profit community organizations. These partnerships often involve the not for profit organization taking on a lead or hands on role in the planning and execution of an event, with the municipality providing supports and resources such as no or low cost access to facilities, allocation of staff time to the event, funds and / or promotions and marketing assistance. The private sector continues to be an important contributor to many events through sponsorships, donations, and by providing volunteers. Increasingly, municipalities and not for profit organizations are engaging the private sector in more holistic and directly beneficial partnerships. For example, some municipalities or not for profit groups are working with hotel operators and the retail sector to develop packages that bundle facility rentals, accommodations, food, and discounts at local businesses. Developing these packages can make a community and region more attractive to potential events and help increase revenue for all parties. Partnerships continue to be vital in event hosting. The Tri-Municipal partnership between the City of Spruce Grove, the Town of Stony Plain, and Parkland County was important in the successful attraction and hosting of the 2013 Alberta Winter Games. [ 18 ]
CASE STUDY InMotion Network The InMotion Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting physical activity for girls and women in Alberta. One of the organization s signature annual events, Go Girl, celebrates wellness, fitness and personal growth for elementary school-aged girls in communities across the province. In order for the InMotion Network to continuing offering these popular and growing events across the province, it is crucial for the organization to continue to develop and facilitate partnerships. These partnerships help the event secure no or low cost venues for the event and assistance with event communications and logistics. The success of Go Girl events in Fort McMurray provide one such example of how different community partners can work together to offer an event that provides value to the community. The host organization for the event is the Be Fit For Life Centre, operated out of Keyano College. The College provides the venue at no charge, with Syncrude donating buses to transport the participants to the event. The InMotion Network s approach of encouraging collaborations between multiple partners has resulted in an event series that is more effective and sustainable. This approach has also resulted in new relationships and partnerships that benefit all parties well beyond the event. [ 19 ]
Promotions & Marketing Key to the success of many events is a successfully executed promotions and marketing strategy. In addition to attracting event participants and spectators, a well communicated promotions and marketing strategy can help ensure that the event is viewed positively in a community or region. A growing trend observed in event marketing is to focus on promoting the educational and personal development opportunities associated with an event. This is especially true for conventions, trade show, and exhibition types of events. Whereas in the past event participants or attendees could often be enticed by specific activities or gimmicks, many individuals are now often looking for opportunities to learn and / or grow personal networks. Many arts, cultural, and sporting organizations are similarly putting a focus on educating people about their activities in order to generate increased interest and attendance. While an event may have a core focus on the competition or performance being conducted by the experienced participants, many events are increasingly promoting opportunities for people to come and try out their activity or learn more about opportunities to get involved. The rapid growth of social media has significantly changed how many events promote and market. While traditional media steams like radio, television, and print media continue to be important, it is becoming increasingly crucial for event promoters to embrace and fully capitalize on the opportunities associated with social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. One significant benefit of social media is that it provides event organizers with a no or low cost mechanism in which to promote their events and related activities. Utilizing social media has also provided events with an opportunity to more effectively penetrate the youth and young adult demographics. In some instances, larger events are focusing their traditional media campaigns on driving people to social media platforms in order to sign-up or learn more about their events and opportunities to get involved. Social media is becoming increasingly important and utilized by event organizations. Social media platforms provide a low-cost and direct mechanism to engage potential attendees, vendors, and sponsors. [ 20 ]
CASE STUDY Surrey Festivals The City of Surrey s Special Events Section is responsible for planning and delivering a number of events in the community each year. These events include Party for the Planet, Surrey Children s Festival, Canada Day, Fusion Festival, and the Tree Lighting Christmas Festival. The Section is also responsible for supporting numerous other events provided by external organizations. In recent years social media has become a valuable and well utilized tool for the City s Special Events Section. The @Surrey_Events Twitter feed is now a key component to the City s promotions and marketing strategy for events. While traditional media streams remain important and continue to be utilized by the City, social media has provided an instantaneous mechanism to promote upcoming events and share specific event information with attendees. The popularity and reach of social media provides numerous opportunities to interact directly with event participants and gather direct and valuable feedback before, during, and after the event. Social media is also a highly efficient and effective mechanism to highlight partnerships and collaborations in event hosting. The City of Surrey, like most municipalities, relies heavily on these partnerships with volunteer community groups and the business community to deliver events. The City s @Surrey_Events Twitter feed continually promotes the activities offered by groups at City events, and is also used to recognize event sponsorships. [ 21 ]
Volunteerism Volunteers continue to be vitally important to the planning and delivery of numerous community and regional events. Understanding current trends in volunteerism can help organizations and event planners more effectively recruit and retain volunteers. Presented as follows are key findings and trends related to the state of volunteerism nationally and in Alberta. Findings from the 2010 Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating Alberta data tables: 5 Albertan s volunteer at a higher rate (54.7%) than the national average (47.0%). The highest volunteer rate in Alberta is among adults aged 35 to 44 (63.4%) followed by youth and young adults aged 15 to 24 (56.7%) and adults aged 55 to 64 (51.3%). Although seniors had the lowest volunteer rate (49.6%), they had the highest average of annual volunteer hours (206 hours on average per year). Marital status impacts volunteer rates: 58.5% of married or common-law individuals volunteered 50.5% of separated or divorced individuals volunteered 48.2% of single (never married) individuals volunteered 36.6% of widow or widowed individuals volunteered Individuals with University degrees (64.7%) were more likely to volunteer than individuals without degrees (46.9% 59.0%). Household income levels appear to have a relationship to volunteer rates. Households earning >$100,000 (63.2%) and between $60,000 and $79,999 (56.2%) were most likely to volunteer while lower income households were least likely (households earning <$60,000 had volunteer rates between 37.8% and 47.1%). Volunteer activities appear to correspond directly with the presence of children in the household: 49.1% without children volunteered 53.4% with pre-school aged children volunteered 63.9% with both pre-school and school aged children volunteered 65.5% with school aged children volunteered The nature of volunteerism in changing with volunteers looking for more defined experiences and roles. The highest rate of volunteerism in Alberta is among young adults. 5 Data compiled by Statistics Canada. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-649-x/2011001/tbl/tbl210-eng.htm [ 22 ]
Current trends in volunteerism as identified by Volunteer Canada: 6 Much comes from the few. 47% of Canadians volunteer. Over one-third (34%) of all volunteer hours were contributed by 5% of total volunteers. The new volunteer. Young people volunteer to gain work related skills (Canadians aged 15 24 volunteer more than any other age group). New Canadians also volunteer to develop work experience and to practice language skills. Persons with disabilities may volunteer as a way to more fully participate in community life. Volunteer job design. Volunteer job design can be the best defense for changing demographics and fluctuations in funding. Mandatory volunteering. There are mandatory volunteer programs through Workfare, Community Service Order, and school mandated community work. Volunteering by contract. The changing volunteer environment is redefining volunteer commitment as a negotiated and mutually beneficial arrangement rather than a one-way sacrifice of time by the volunteer. Risk management. Considered part of the process of job design for volunteers, risk management ensures the organization can place the right volunteer in the appropriate activity. Borrowing best practices. The voluntary sector has responded to the changing environment by adopting corporate and public sector management practices including: standards; codes of conduct; accountability and transparency measures around program administration; demand for evaluation; and outcome and import measurement. Professional volunteer management. Managers of volunteer resources are working toward establishing an equal footing with other professionals in the voluntary sector. Board governance. Volunteer boards must respond to the challenge of acting as both supervisors and strategic planners. Another growing practice among voluntary organizations is to have volunteers keep time sheets of their hours. In addition to helping recognize volunteers efforts, tracking time helps organizations receive grant funding and builds a sense of accomplishment for the individual. Developing organizational structures and policies to manage volunteers have helped many organizations more effectively utilize their current volunteers, ensure a positive and valuable experience, and mitigate risk. 6 Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. http://www.abheritage.ca/volunteer/index.html [ 23 ]
Event Infrastructure The availability of quality infrastructure remains an important consideration for many local and regional events. Furthermore, the availability of high quality facilities and spaces is often the key factor to successfully being awarded or retaining an event. As such, there is constant demand on government and community organizations to ensure that their facilities remain relevant and attractive for a wide array of events. Identified below are a number of infrastructure trends relating to event hosting. MULTI-USE SPACES Increasingly, recreation and cultural facilities are being designed to accommodate multiple event types and to encompass a host of different components. Doing so can help create operational efficiencies and ensure that public infrastructure serves a wide spectrum of community events and other activities. An important consideration when designing multi-use event spaces is to ensure that these facilities can be easily and quickly adapted and configured as necessary. For example, many gymnasium spaces and field house facilities are being designed with temporary barriers, walls, bleachers and other amenities that can be easily adjusted or removed depending on the type of event taking place. Similarly, many art and museum display spaces are being designed to accommodate a variety of layouts and functions. Doing so not only provides increased functionality for exhibits and displays, but can also provide opportunities to generate revenue from events such as social functions, trade shows, and conferences. CASE STUDY: GALT MUSEUM LETHBRIDGE, AB In an expansion completed in 2006, the Galt Museum and Archives added 13,627 ft 2 to the facility and also renovated the majority of existing spaces. Construction began in 2004 and was completed in May 2006. A major focus of the expansion was enhanced revenue generation. The Museum developed enhanced rental rooms and lobby spaces, while also upgrading or adding key support amenities such a commercial kitchen and retail spaces. The expansion has helped significantly boost The Galt s event hosting capacity and overall revenue generation. The facility is now viewed as an important event hosting asset in the region, with numerous functions, exhibits, and community events taking place throughout the year. [ 24 ]
CULTURAL & HERITAGE DISTRICTS Cultural or heritage districts are another trend that is taking hold on a worldwide basis. Entire districts of a town or city are being developed or revitalized to serve as cultural hub for events and other activities. In some cases these districts evolve organically while in other cases they are master planned. In many instances, a combination of both occurs, often through collaboration between the community and the municipality. Districts with strong heritage infrastructure and history are often prime candidates to be revitalized into signature cultural and heritage districts. Preserving and expanding areas with an existing heritage significance can provide new opportunities for event hosting and community branding. COMMUNITY EVENT HUBS A growing trend in event hosting is to cluster facilities and amenities in a single area within a community. Common examples of this approach to development includes massing multiple sports fields in a single location, developing outdoor event spaces such as amphitheatres in close proximity to indoor banquet halls, and the development of large indoor recreation facilities with multiple components and amenities. Creating these event hubs can help attract sports tournaments and cultural events, as these events are often looking for efficiency and opportunities to create a highly social environment. By clustering facilities and spaces, facility operators can also create the critical mass necessary to attract support amenities such food, hospitality and other retail vendors. CASE STUDY: 2014 SPECIAL OLYMPICS CANADA SUMMER GAMES UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA: VANCOUVER CAMPUS The Special Olympics Canada Summer Games features 11 sports and encompasses over 2,000 athletes, coaches and officials, and over 1,000 volunteers. Hosting the event presents a number of unique challenges in order to ensure efficiency and a positive experience for all involved. The 2014 Games are being held at the University of British Columbia, which was selected as an ideal venue for the 5 day event in large part due to the hub of facilities available on or near the campus. Of the 11 events, 10 are able to take place at facilities on the UBC Campus, which also offers numerous other amenities such as participant accommodations, medical services, and social gathering areas. [ 25 ]
ENSURING COMFORT & ACCESSIBILITY Many current heritage, cultural, and recreation facilities are putting a significant focus on ensuring that user experiences are comfortable; including meeting accessibility requirements and incorporating designs that can accommodate various physical limitations. This trend is especially pertinent in the context of event hosting, as positive event experiences can ensure return participation / attendance. Incorporating amenities such as mobile technologies, rest spaces, child-friendly spaces, crafts areas, and educational signage can help make a facility welcoming and event friendly. CASE STUDY: LACOMBE MEMORIAL CENTRE LACOMBE, AB Recently retrofitted and expanded, the Lacombe Memorial Centre (LMC) has place a premium on offering the community a comfortable and accessible venue for a wide array of community events. Events that frequently take place at the LMC include banquets, social gatherings, art shows, trade shows, and conferences. The facility has been designed with large lobby spaces and washrooms to ensure maximum accessibility and ease of movement through the facility. The LMC lobby and flex spaces also incorporate a large public art collection, WiFi, comfortable seating areas, and a public café space. These amenities promote a highly social environment and enhance the experience for event attendees. [ 26 ]
SECTION [ KEY FINDINGS ] KEY FINDINGS: TRENDS IN EVENT HOSTING Albertan s continue to value and participate in a variety of events. 90.8% of adult Albertans participated in or attended arts activities or events in the previous year. 59.1% of households had at least one member attend a sporting event as a spectator in the previous year. Events and related spending continue to contribute significant economic benefits to communities and organizations. The economic impact of events in Canada was estimated to have reached $3.6 billion in 2010, an increase of 8.8% from 2008. It is estimated that events hosted by or staged at facilities owned by Agricultural Societies in Alberta generated over $500 million in local spending. Partnerships continue to be crucial to the success of event hosting in communities or region. Social media has become a critical promotions and marketing tool for event organizers and planners. Social media further offers community organizations with an effective mass marketing tool to promote events, recruit volunteers, and provide value to sponsors. Albertan s volunteer at a higher rate (54.7%) than the national average (47.0%) The highest rate of volunteerism is among younger adults. Individuals with higher income and education levels are most likely to volunteer. Different age groups and demographics often have different attitudes and motivations regarding volunteering. To accommodate a variety of events and programs, municipalities are placing a priority on developing community facilities and spaces that are multi-purpose and multi-functional. [ 27 ]