Team

The Community Services department is made up of a team of 267 full and part-time staff members who provide a variety of services for the community:

• Director – Dean Hustwick
• Director’s Office – Executive Assistant, Administrative Assistant (2)
• Facilities Management – Events, Mechanical, Pools & Custodial Services, Properties, Harbour (62)
• Museum Services – Education & Marketing Coordinator, Exhibit Development Coordinator, Administrative and Collections Assistant, Museum Technician, Weekend Receptionist (6)
• Recreation Services – Bookings & Rentals, Client Services & Marketing, Crossing Guards, Programs (196)

Responsibilities

Recreation, Culture and Community Services was renamed the Community Services Department. While the mandate of the new department is evolving, it is essentially a client focused provider of accessible and quality front-line programs and services.

Currently at its core are the following three operating Divisions:

• Cultural Services – The City’s Culture Services Division is comprised of two sections that provide cultural leadership and front-line delivery of services to Belleville residents and visitors: Community Archives of Belleville and Hastings County and Museum Services.
• Facilities Management – The Facilities Management Division is responsible for building maintenance for more than 100 City facilities with more than one million square feet of space, including City Hall, the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre, fire halls, community centres, marinas, Belleville Library, Kinsmen Pool, splash pads, and many others. It also manages marina operations and custodial services for various municipal facilities.
• Recreation Services – The Recreation Services Division manages a complex array of recreational programs and services across the City and is comprised of four sections: Programs which include Recreation Programs, Aquatics Programs and Skating Programs; Bookings and Rentals; Marketing and Client Relations; and their School Crossing Guard Program.

Governance

Municipal guiding documents and plans as well as legislation that govern the work of the Community Services department:

• Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25 – Governs the powers, duties, and responsibilities of the Municipality. It also imposes requirements on municipalities in relation to retention and provision of access to municipal records.
• Canadian Museums Association’s Ethics Guidelines – Promotes a climate of integrity, assists individuals who must make, and act upon, decisions of an ethical nature and provides the public with insights into museums and the individuals associated with them.
• Copyright Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-42) – Establishes copyright as a type of legal protection for people who express ideas and information in certain forms.
• Glanmore National Historic Site Strategic Plan – Aligned with the City’s Strategic Plan to guide the future of museum services for the City.
• Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (R.S.O. 1990, c. M.56) – To provide a right of public access to information and to protect the privacy of individuals with respect to personal information about themselves and their right to access that information.
• Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada (Parks Canada Guide) – A tool from Parks Canada to guide decisions that will give historic places new life while protecting their heritage value.
• Standards for Community Museums in Ontario (Ontario Museum Standards) – Outlines the minimum requirements for the operation of a good community museum, which must be met to qualify for funding under the Community Museum Operating Grant.
• Asset Management Plan – Utilized to effectively manage and derive value from existing and new assets to deliver services at expected levels to the community.
• Navigable Waters Act – Includes protections for navigation on all navigable waters in Canada.
• Occupational Health and Safety Act (R.S.O. 1990, c. O.1) – The legal framework to protect workers from health and safety hazards on the job.
• Building Code (O. Reg. 332/12) – Governs the construction, renovation, change of use, and demolition of buildings, amongst other things.
• Electrical Safety Code (O. Reg. 164/99) – Describes in detail the standards for electrical installations, products and equipment in Ontario.
• Fire Code (O. Reg. 213/07) – Provides provincial requirements for fire safety in all building types.
• Technical Standards and Safety Authority – Ontario’s public safety regulator for Elevating & Amusement Devices, Ski Lifts, Fuels, Boilers & Pressure Vessels and Operating Engineers.
• Parkland and Recreation Master Plan – Designed to establish a comprehensive multiyear framework which provides guidance for municipal investment to enhance the City’s parkland and recreational assets and services.
• Public Pools Ontario Regulation (R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 565) – Regulates public pools and all buildings, appurtenances and equipment used in the operation of public pools.

Trends

Legislative/Governance

• Asset Management planning for municipalities (O. Reg 588/17) provides requirements, framework and deadlines to complete Asset Management Plans. The municipality is diligently working towards Legislative deadlines and will continue to improve and realize value from
  the implementation of improved asset management strategies and planning.

Economic

• Some recreational programs have not yet returned to pre-pandemic attendance numbers, which will continue to impact operations and revenue.
• Rising prices and global supply chain challenges are increasing operating costs and extending maintenance and capital project timelines.
• The rising cost of living is negatively impacting disposable incomes, which could also negatively impact recreational and cultural program revenue in 2024.

Technology

• Cloud-based visitor services (e.g., ticketing, etc.) and digitization and digital preservation of records, artifacts and other items is a growing priority for improved on-line access.
• Technology-powered accessible and immersive experiences (AR/VR/Audio Tours/Digital Displays/Social Media /Hybrid Programming) are growing in demand.
• Artificial Intelligence content creation and user generated content are evolving quickly (“Instagrammable” backdrops).