Feasibility Study: GAME House model in Calgary

November 2019, City Administration recommended the closure of the Beltline and Inglewood recreation facilities based on extensive capital requirements at both sites, high tax support and low utilization, and service catchment area overlaps with other City-owned recreation facilities. City Council (Council) directed Administration to implement new operating models at the facilities, update a study on city-wide recreation needs, prepare a procurement approach to shift to a partner operated model, identify social and recreational alternatives to the facilities, and engage community stakeholders. Administration completed the Council-directed work and in May 2021 presented a summary and recommendations report to Council for their reference and decision-making. The report included recommendations to: a) Approve one-time funding of $400,000 in 2022 from Budget Savings Account for the Beltline facility to allow community use while work to re-purpose the facility is underway. b) Report back through the Priorities and Finance Committee (PFC) in Q2, 2022 with the results of a feasibility study (including capital and operating needs) for converting the facility to deliver integrated social recreational programming. Feasibility study, including: a) review of current community and facility documentation, b) assessment of community social and recreational needs and evaluation of those needs against the GAME House model, c) facility assessment of applicability of Beltline Fitness Centre for a GAME House model, and d) feasibility report.