Greetings all,
I hope that you all had an enjoyable Super Bowl Sunday, though if you are a 49er fan, you’d likely still want to stay away from sharp objects.
I’m curious. Did you partake in any of the sundry betting opportunities that surrounded this game? While I don’t indulge, I was fascinated with the myriad aspects of the game that one could wager on. For example, you could have laid down a sawbuck on the colour of the Gatorade that would be poured on the winning coach? Or, a prop bet that I thought aligned nicely with the upcoming Valentine’s Day, you could have wagered whether the Chiefs would win and Travis Kelce proposed to Taylor Swift on the field (presumably after the game). I am not aware that this happened, but if it had, a $10 bet would have won you approx. $22.00. Why one might choose to wager money on this trust is a whole other mystery.
And, speaking of true love, let us not forget that Valentine’s Day is but a sleep away. Did you know that until 1969, St. Valentines was a saint in the Catholic Church’s canon? However, there appears to have been disagreement about the actual identity of the erstwhile saint, so he/she/they were de-canonized. This notwithstanding, it’s very cool (at least I think it so) that St. Valentine was the patron saint not only of love, but also of epilepsy and beekeepers. I’m not sure what the connecting thread is, but you’ve gotta appreciate their range of interests.
Finally, in case you are wondering what AI get up to on Valentine’s Day, Google’s Gemini advises me that “as an AI myself, I don’t get to “do” things in the same way humans do. I don’t celebrate holidays or have emotions like love or affection. However, AI can play various roles related to Valentine’s Day… including “virtual companionship”. Food for thought.
Now down to business…
Succession
As reported in January, this July Tamlyn will wrap up her term as manager at KPC. Presently, a working group of board members, including Murray, Deb, Marianne and myself, have completed a near final update of the position description, which we are now titling “General Manager”. Our goal is to build on the considerable work that Tamlyn and previous boards have undertaken, with this position anticipated to move the Centre forward as a recognized and trusted provider of safe, affordable, and accessible paddle sports in the Okanagan and beyond (per the KPC mission statement).
At our Board meeting last week, we reviewed and provisionally endorsed this new position description (subject to a couple of tweaks to be addressed this coming week). We have focused the revised job description on both the current and future challenges, and the not inconsiderable opportunities before us, including a potential boost in memberships and other revenues streams, and the future development of programs, service and sponsorships. Hence, while a background in competitive sports will be advantageous, also critical for this role will be a rich mix of experiences and expertise with sport management, social entrepreneurship and community engagement.
So, how can you help?
Presently, we are preparing a recruitment posting that will go live over the next several weeks. At that point we will be seeking your assistance. Our working group will distribute the info to various job boards, university programs and sport governance bodies. However, we also recognize that you and fellow members have broad networks through which this information could also be communicated. So, in the very near future we will be asking you to push this GM hiring posting out through your various social channels – corporeal and digital. Ultimately, the more broadly that we can circulate this posting, the better our chances for attracting strong candidates.
Also, we are finalizing the selection process. Our current thinking is to form a selection committee that represents a range of backgrounds and interests related to the paddling experience and interests. This committee would make a recommendation to the Board of Directors regarding the preferred candidate. Our goal is to have an accepted offer by/before the end of May. More on this shortly.
Facilities
When last we discussed this topic, I liken the experience to a popular Beatles’ song from the 60’s. My observations of events from the past month suggest that the Simon and Garfunkel catalogue might be more relevant, as we navigate a “bridge over troubled waters” (apologies to millennial readers for such dated references).
Following our December communique to the City regarding the revised design plan, there have been several further meetings. Initially, the bonhomie regarding the new design remained high. However, in more recent week, some City staff have recommended various alterations to the newest design, which make it extremely difficult for us to complete a more detailed cost analysis of the project, and to develop an associated resource development (i.e. fund raising) plan that would enable us to solicit and acquire sufficient contributions (best guess at the moment is approx. $2 million) to make the project viable. The advice of our Res Dev consultant is that this campaign will need to be in the order of 18 months. Each additional shift that is required in the Centre design has serious implications to finalize detailed plans, costing, and hence, to execute resource development tactics.
Also embedded in this fluid discourse is a difference of opinion about the parking requirements for the Centre. While our Building Committee has asserted that there is a justifiable need for 10-12 parking spaces, the City’s contention is that the Centre does not require this level of parking availability, if in fact it needs any at all.
Suffice to say that over time, each of these shifts has required further response and adaptation from KPC. While it’s to be anticipated that with a project of this scope, there will be adjustments required to meet the needs of various stakeholders. However, after over five years of dialogue about the design of the centre, the Board of Directors has a concern that the continued shifting of the goal posts will prevent us landing on an acceptable design, and thus, to proceed with other work that is required.
The Building Committee will convene this week to review the status of these negotiations and recommend to the Board an appropriate course of action to bring this matter to closure. Hopefully, there will be a way to bridge this divide. We should know soon.
2024 Budget
In addition to the discussions about capital fundraising, revenue generation for 2024 has been a major priority for the Board. As is the case with most small non-profit organizations, we operate on a very fine line in terms of ensuring mission-driven programs and services that are affordable to the community, while also meeting all of our financial obligations. Over the past month, with the help of uber volunteer, Robert (Bobbie) McMahon, we have unpacked the financial assumptions and projections that underpin the approved 2024 budget, regarding both anticipated revenues and expenses. This work surfaced several areas for our attention.
As many of you are aware, currently the Centre has a small set of financial drivers that generate the revenue necessary to cover our annual expenses. Last year (2023), we were unsuccessful in accessing Federal Summer Student Grants to cover the expenses of our summer camp and kiosk teams. In large part due to this absence, our annual budget tipped into a deficit.
For 2024, a budget was built that reduced reliance on these summer employment grants. We would still apply, but if unsuccessful, we would land in the black if other revenue drivers hit. As noted above, some of the projections in this year’s budget needed refinement, which we have now worked through. The budget’s bottom line remains in the black. However, not by much, and predicated on a couple of our revenue sources increasing considerably.
Most significant of these is an anticipated increase in revenue from memberships. In many respects, this target is one of the critical determinants of success for the year. With programs, such as summer camps, increased revenue is offset at least in part by the cost of delivering the additional activities or capacity (e.g. staff time). However, with memberships most of our costs are sunk. Hence, net new membership revenue lands almost entirely on the bottom line. To put this in the simplest terms possible, if all other budget projections are reached, we need 40 net new memberships in 2024 to reach our financial target for the year.
Now, some of you will say that this is a pretty modest target, one that we should be able to easily reach. However, most membership-based orgs have an annual attrition in membership. That is, each year some folks choose not to renew, while new members arrive to take their place. The 40 new member target is net of attrition, meaning we need to add 40 more new members than those not returning this year.
This hill gets even steeper when we recognize that, in recent years, KPC memberships have declined year over year. There are a variety of factors that influence this trend, including Covid in its many guises. Nevertheless, the bottom line is that with the start of the Early Bird membership period, we have entered a critical juncture to meet our 2024 target. Anything that you can do that you can do to share this information, or to encourage those you know to give paddling at KPC a try will be super helpful, to all.
KPC boats
In January, the OC 6 committee presented a draft policy to the Board regarding a rental policy for the new Matahinas. After a review of the submission, considering the costs incurred in getting the boats to Kelowna, as well as our committee to provide accessible affordable options for water sports, the Board requested that the committee rework the policy to include a sunset clause for KPC member fees, and address the broader question of all KPC boat usage (e.g. Ozone unlimited) requests from visiting coaches and participants. We will have an update on this in coming weeks.
In conclusion, we look forward to the coming season with optimism and excitement. We are gladly embarking on the tasks necessary to bring our plans to fruition. We plan to meet challenges with creativity and adapt as required to ensure our goals are achieved. Our organization is nothing without the vibrant community that surrounds it. For this, we thank you – our members, supporters and volunteers – for the support and energy you bring to Kelowna Paddle Centre. Your contributions fuel the steady growth and enrich the spirit of our organization.
Paddle on,
