NOTICE OF MEETING

Sandy Hook Community Association Annual General Meeting 2023

This is a notification for our Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, November 21 at 6:00pm @ the Sechelt Arts Center, 5714 Medusa Street, Sechelt

Please click here for the agenda

SHELTER FOR SANDY HOOK

Background:

At the 2020 SHCA Annual General Meeting (AGM), plans for a sheltered structure were presented to the SHCA membership and a committee was formed to explore options for presentation at the 2021 AGM. During the 2021 AGM, a motion was passed that approved moving forward with plans for a sheltered structure in Tot Park.

The shelter concept was to provide protection from rain/sun and provide a space for picnics as well as a focal point for community gatherings and events. Tot Park, at the corner of Deerhorn and Skookumchuk Roads, was the initial choice due to its central location, accessibility and exposure to sun.

With this direction, the SHCA, along with some community volunteers, applied for funding to the Sunshine Coast Community Forest (SCC) Legacy Fund. This application was denied because the project was not deemed to be shovel ready. The project was supported by mayor and council in 2022, and funds to render the project “shovel ready” were applied for to the district in the fall of 2022 for the 2023 budget submission.

In August, the Sandy Hook Community Association (SHCA) volunteer executive initiated a survey to further assess community appetite to build a shelter structure in a park area of Sandy Hook.

Survey Distribution:

A survey and information sheet were created to ensure that a wider representation of the community had an

opportunity to provide input. They were distributed through the following communication channels:

  • Sent out to the SHCA email list (100+ contacts);
  • Posted on the SHCA website;
  • Posted on the Everything Sandy Hook Facebook page (400+ members);
  • Hardcopies posted on each community board.

The survey remained open for responses from August 13th to September 15th. A reminder email was also sent out prior to the deadline. In addition, two board members went to multiple homes in the Tot Park vicinity to discuss the project.

Survey Results:

As a result of these efforts, there were 74 responses, representing 62 unique addresses, to the survey.

The majority of the responses were in favour of a shelter. Concerns expressed include: making the shelter smaller in scale, a closed shelter structure may invite unwanted behaviour/activities, possible relocation of the shelter within Tot Park, loss of playground hill feature. There were also comments regarding a need to upgrade the playground equipment.

Please click here to see the full survey results.

Next Steps:

The shelter concept, survey results and next steps will be discussed at the upcoming SHCA AGM, on Tuesday, Nov 21st, 6 pm at the Sechelt Arts Center (next to the Sechelt Seniors Centre at 5714 Medusa Street).

While the results of the survey show there is a desire for a sheltered structure of some sort within Sandy Hook, the concerns raised suggest a revision to the current plan is needed. The District of Sechelt has allocated funds for this project that have some flexibility, and they have agreed to move them forward to 2024. As such, the SHCA would like to use the funding to make modifications to the current plan that address the concerns raised in the survey.

The following motion will be proposed and voted on at the upcoming AGM.

MOTION: Use the existing funding allocated by the District of Sechelt to conduct a feasibility study of improvements to Tot Park that include improving the drainage of the park, improving the playground, a geotechnical study to determine drainage issues to be fixed, and if a different location within the park is appropriate for a smaller open air structure.

The results of this feasibility study will be used for the development of an overall park strategy to address concerns raised. This would include a site plan showing options for structure location, revised design (smaller, open air structure with no walls – similar but smaller than the open air structures at Jane Bowers Park in Sechelt or the Horseshoe Bay Park open air picnic shelter- see image below. The strategy would also include drainage correction proposals and options for future playground equipment upgrades. This revised plan will be taken to the 2024 AGM for voting by the membership. If there is consensus at that time, then working drawings would be prepared and Legacy Funding applied for.

What we need from you at this time:

  • If you are a member of the SHCA, you must be a member on good standing to participate in the AGM. That means your 2023 membership dues must be paid.
  • If you are not currently a member of the SHCA, please join and attend the upcoming AGM, on November 21st, to ensure you receive communications. To join, please visit https://sandyhookca.org/joining-us/