FAQs
- Cowichan Aquatic Centre (Municipality of North Cowichan - MNC)
- Cowichan Community Centre (CVRD)
- Cowichan Lake Sports Arena (CVRD)
- Cowichan Performing Arts Centre (CVRD)
- Cowichan Sportsplex (Owned by MNC, operated by non-profit)
- Frank Jameson Community Centre (Town of Ladysmith)
- Fuller Lake Arena (MNC)
- Kerry Park Recreation Centre (CVRD)
- Shawnigan Lake Community Centre (CVRD)
What is Regional Recreation?
Regional recreation refers to facilities and services that benefit residents across multiple communities within the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD). These facilities serve a broader catchment area beyond individual municipal boundaries, making them regional assets.
The following nine recreation facilities are funded regionally, with costs shared between jurisdictions (municipalities and Electoral Areas) based on usage patterns. This usage-based funding model ensures that each community contributes proportionally to how much their residents use each facility.
Regional Recreation Facilities: The operator of each facility is identified in brackets
This regional approach to recreation funding recognizes that residents travel between communities to access different facilities and programs, ensuring equitable cost-sharing based on actual community benefit and usage.
Why is this study being done now?
The last comprehensive regionally focused planning for recreation occurred from 2017 - 2019 which culminated in the creation of the Regional Recreation Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan’s priorities (as identified in 2019) focused on an approximate 5 year period of time. As this period of time has now ended, a review of priorities and focus areas for recreation infrastructure in the region is needed to guide the next decade and beyond.
Over the past decade, the Cowichan region has also grown significantly and continues to be a popular destination for a wide array of recreational activity. The updated study will help inform decision making and investments that support growth, trends, and evolving activity preferences.
Will the Needs Assessment recommend specific projects?
The Needs Assessment will provide recommendations on future service levels (e.g. the number of facilities / amenities needed over the next 10-15 years) and priority focus areas (e.g. potential facility gaps and geographic areas of need).
The information provided by the Needs Assessment will then be used to inform more detailed project planning that will explore costs, design options, and overall viability.
What types of facilities and amenities are within the scope of the Needs Assessment?
The focus of the Needs Assessment is on the facilities and amenities currently provided within the 9 regionally-significant facilities, including indoor programming space, aquatics, arenas, fitness spaces, sports fields, sport courts, arts and cultural activity spaces, and program rooms.
Spaces to support new and emerging types of recreation, sport, and cultural activities will also be reviewed through the research and engagement.
What's Next?
- Resident surveys (both coded and non-coded versions)
- Community organization and user group surveys (fall 2025)
- Open House discussions and feedback
- Pop-Up event conversations
- September 30, 2025: Resident Survey closes
- Fall 2025: Community organization surveys conducted
- Late Fall 2025: Data analysis and initial findings developed
- Winter 2025/2026: Draft recommendations prepared
- Spring 2026: Final Recreation Needs Assessment anticipated for completion
- Facility enhancements, including renovations and retrofits to existing regionally significant facilities
- New facility development to address identified gaps and meet growing community needs
- Resource allocation strategies across the CVRD's recreation infrastructure
- Partnership opportunities between the CVRD and municipal partners
- Subscribe to receive project updates and notifications
- Visit the project website regularly for updates
- Review the Document Library as new materials are added
- Monitor CVRD and municipal council agendas where the assessment will be discussed
What happens after the community engagement phase?
Following the close of the Resident Survey on September 30, 2025, and completion of all Open House and Pop-Up events in September, the consulting team will compile and analyze all feedback received. This includes input from:
What is the timeline for completing the Recreation Needs Assessment?
The assessment process will continue through fall 2025 and into early 2026. Key milestones include:
How will the assessment results be used?
The Recreation Needs Assessment will establish priorities for recreation infrastructure investments over the next 10-15 years. These recommendations will guide regional decisions about:
Will there be opportunities to review draft recommendations?
Details about public review opportunities for the draft Recreation Needs Assessment will be shared through project updates. Subscribe to notifications to ensure you're informed when review periods are announced.
How can I stay informed about the project's progress?