Developers are required to incorporate parkland in all residential development. When that’s not possible, the developer must pay the City of Ottawa an amount equal to the value of the land that would have been dedicated to parklands. That money is referred to as “cash-in-lieu of parkland (CILP) reserve fund” and can be used to finance parkland capital investments in wards across the municipality.
Each councillor can propose how the reserve funds are invested. According to the latest quarterly report from the City of Ottawa treasurer, our ward has $874,285.15 available for sports fields and pathways, play equipment, etc. As your new councillor, I will spend CILP funds wisely, consulting the community for ideas on how to spend those funds, NOT add levies to your tax bill.
Have your say on where you think the money should be spent!
The City of Ottawa Cash-in-Lieu of Parkland policy lists the types of projects that can be funded by the CILP Reserve Fund:
- Acquisition of land for public park purposes;
- Capital projects for the development of new public parks which may include any associated site preparation and drainage; the provision of park facilities, such as, play equipment, sports fields and pathways: or the provision of recreation facilities, such as community centres, indoor pools and arenas;
- Capital projects to increase the capacity of existing public parks and/or recreation facilities to accommodate more intensive public use; the provision of additional park facilities, for example play equipment, splash pads and site furniture; and /or the provisions of additional recreation facilities, for example the expansion or upgrading of program spaces in community centres, indoor pools and arenas;
- The non-growth component of growth-related capital projects, for Parks Development and Recreation Facilities, identified in the City’s Development Charges Background Study;
- Projects for repair, renewal and lifecycle replacement in relation to fixed recreation and park assets and the total project costs (planning, design and implementation) associated with these works; and
- Projects within prioritized forecasts or work plans of scheduled works identified as part of renewal planning and programming undertaken in accordance with the City’s Comprehensive Asset Management Policy but unfunded as part of the current year’s normal budget, may be brought forward for implementation using CILP funds but require no pay-back from future renewal budgets. The schedule escalation window will be limited to no more than four years ahead of the current year respecting the need for full scope and design requirements in setting targeted implementation expectations.
More details on the CILP Reserve Fund are available here.