PARCS UPDATE #76 AUGUST, 2017

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1 PARCS UPDATE #76 AUGUST, CONVENTION ISSUE 1. WHEN & WHERE Our 2017 PARCS Convention will be held on Friday Oct. 20 th and Saturday Oct. 21 st at the Hilton Garden Inn in Saskatoon, located right downtown on 22 nd Street, just 3 blocks off Idylwyld, close to mall shopping. Off-street parking is available ($10 daily). Rooms are held on a first come, first served basis. Guest rooms contain microwaves, mini fridges, and Keurig coffee machines. You must reserve before Sept. 19. Rooms are also available across the street from the conference, at the Holiday Inn Downtown and 7 blocks north at the Holiday Inn Express. This year we have arranged rooms for Thursday night, for those delegates arriving Thursday evening before the convention (registration opens at 9:00 am Friday). We ve also held a few rooms for Saturday for delegates wishing to stay for the weekend. When registering be sure to state which day you will be arriving, and state that you are registering as part of the PARCS convention. HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS Seven blocks from Conference Hotel 315 Idylwyld Drive North, Saskatoon 10 kings with double pull-out couch AND 10 double queens ($119 each), plus 13% For Thurs., Oct. 19 or Fri., Oct. 20 or Sat. Oct, 21 Booking Code: PARCS Free outdoor parking Must cancel 72 hours before day of arrival THE HILTON GARDEN INN Conference Hotel 1 st Ave & 22 nd St., Saskatoon Across from Midtown Plaza 20 kings ($134) AND 20 double queens ($139) plus 13% For Thursday, Oct. 19 or Friday, Oct. 20 Additional 5 rooms for Saturday, Oct. 21 Booking Code: PARCS-6 Discounted outdoor parking at $10 per day All rooms have fridge, microwave, Keurig K cup Must cancel 24 hours before day of arrival HOLIDAY INN DOWNTOWN One block from Conference Hotel 101 Pacific Avenue., Saskatoon 1 block from Midtown Plaza 20 (total) kings OR double queens ($159 each) plus 13% For Thursday, Oct. 19 or Friday, Oct. 20 Booking Code: PARCS Discounted parking at $7.50 per day in indoor heated parking garage Must cancel 48 hours before day of arrival SUGGESTION If you are considering attending convention and wish to stay in the convention hotel we advise that you reserve NOW to hold a space. You can always cancel if you change your mind about attending.

2 2. PLENARY SESSIONS Our convention theme of Communications will be examined under a variety of themes. First, we will look at how councillors or hamlet board members should plan for communicating effectively with the cottage owners in their cottage community. Lynn Gidluck, communications consultant, states that communications planning is not a mystery; it is a step-by-step process. Attendees will have the opportunity to share their own knowledge and experience as they work together to make a communication plan for addressing a typical issue faced by resort communities. Each group will focus on a different communication plan for sharing. When municipalities and their public disagree, the Saskatchewan Municipal Board is called upon to conduct hearings through their various committees: Local Government Committee Assessment Appeals Committee Planning Appeals Committee Municipal Boundary Committee Fire Prevention Appeals Committee Road Maintenance Agreement Committee Dianne Ford, chair of the Municipal Board, will discuss the functioning of these committees as they work to resolve disputes arising between municipal governments and their ratepayers. In the Friday morning workshop, each delegate will be assigned to a group with a number of other delegates from different communities. Lynn Gidluck will lead each group in working through the steps of the unique communication topic assigned to each group. Secondly, we will consider what happens if communications fail. In the first year that Ombudsman Mary McFadyen began taking complaints about municipal governments, 489 municipal complaints were received. She will explain what happens when someone calls the Ombudsman s office with a complaint. Dianne Ford, Chair, Saskatchewan Municipal Board

3 3. SHARING OUR STORIES An important part of attending a convention is for delegates to have the opportunity to share their community s issues, achievements, and challenges and to hear about the concerns of other cottage communities. One batch of stories that we will be sharing will be about Mergers and Annexations. A panel will begin by sharing the story of the first annexation (the District of Katepwa), the recent merger (RV of South Lake) and the discussions aimed at annexation in the communities on Wakaw Lake. Other communities will describe the reality of being faced with new subdivisions on their doorstep, discussing the use of mutual agreements and regional meetings in lieu of annexation. The Ministry of Government Relations will review the guidelines for mergers. As follow-up to the session on mergers and annexations, the SARM Planning Department, in conjunction with the Ministry of Government Relations, Community Planning Branch will deliver a session on communicating with our neighbours through joint planning. We also plan to share stories about potential PARCS issues such as voter eligibility for persons leasing space in campgrounds, recent disqualification by some RMs of PARCS membership fees for OH communities, and revisiting the issue of fair representation of cottage owners on RM councils. We will also examine the role of the community newsletter in enhancing communication in the cottage community, hearing from both:, Communicating with neighbouring cottage communities to protect our lake and share costs of common services. A larger cottage community (RV of Manitou Beach), Editor Samantha Nagthall & A smaller cottage community (OH of Collingwood), Editor June LeDrew

4 4. AN UPDATED BANQUET EVENING HERE S HOW AND WHY The location: We ve moved the convention back into a hotel so that most delegates would be staying in the same location as the banquet, hoping for a better attendance at the banquet if delegates could just slip up to their rooms to freshen up and ride the elevator back down for the evening. We also understand that delegates were reluctant to enjoy the bar services if they are driving home. The format: Our main goal for the banquet evening is to encourage delegates to meet and greet with other delegates from other cottage communities. The old formal banquet model meant that delegates typically sat at only one table all evening, usually with others from their own community (and perhaps one other community). Our new pre-banquet activities are designed so that delegates get to move around, to meet and chat with folks from other cottage communities. The agenda: The last convention session on the Friday afternoon will feature introductions to a number of host communities whose delegate has agreed to be available to share more information about their topic. We will introduce each of these host delegates and tell you about the topic that each is willing to share. You will be provided with a banquet card listing each host topic by number. Invitations have gone out to the host delegates. Watch for a list of topics in our next newsletter. Happy hour: During cocktail hour, the other delegates will be encouraged to stop by the table of a host community (table identified by topic number) whose topic interests them to pose questions or pick up a handout. The emphasis will be on mingling and sharing. The food: We have arranged for a yummy buffet and have added some interesting finger food appetizers for happy hour. The dress: In keeping with the informal nature of the evening, we encourage delegates to dress informally. Jeans will be fine. Join us and plan to stay late. Join us for an evening of visiting and casual dining in the beautiful Garden South and Centre at the Hilton Garden Inn.

5 CONVENTION REGISTRATION CONTACT INFORMATION: Cottage community (or association): Contact person, name: Phone number: address: CONVENTION (Includes Friday lunch, Friday banquet plus Saturday lunch, all nutrition breaks) Attending for both days # attending from member communities (voting delegates): x $ 275 = $ # attending from non-member communities: x $ 375 = $ Attending for Friday Only (All day, including banquet) # attending from member communities: : x $ 175 = $ # attending from non-member communities: x $ 275= $ Attending for Friday Only (Day only, no banquet) # attending from member communities : x $ 150 = $ # attending from non-member communities: x $ 250= $ Attending for Saturday only # attending from member communities (voting delegates): x $ 100 = $ # attending from non-member communities: x $ 200 = $ Names:, Extra banquet tickets (no spousal packages available): x $ 30 = $ REGISTER SOON by mail or to: Lynne Saas, PARCS, Member Services Box 52, Elbow, SK, S0H 1J0 Phone parcs@sasktel.net TOTAL FEES Fees are enclosed Fees will follow by mail Fees will be paid at convention Note Registrations cancelled after October 1 st will be invoiced for full fees. Copy this form and fill it in. it to parcs@sasktel.net If you don t have a scanner you can just send us an detailing all of the information. We will confirm your reservation by immediately upon receipt of your reservation. MAKE YOUR HOTEL RESERVATIONS EARLY (see first page)