Highland District Soccer Association (HDSA), owner and manager of the W. M Sobeys Indoor Sports Complex, identified that the Complex could benefit from developing a formal facility allocation policy to establish a transparent and consistent method to allocate facility time to user groups.
The HDSC hired consultants to describe the current state of facility booking and allocation, identify best practices in Nova Scotia and beyond, and develop a facility allocation policy and implementation plan based on local conditions that reflects the values of the facility and the needs of the community.
The policy was developed through consultation via online surveys, focus groups and interviews with current, past and potential user groups, Complex staff and HDSA board members. Once drafted, the policy was validated and edited through a survey and focus groups, with many of the same organizations and individuals who helped with the policy development.
Highlights from the facility allocation policy include:
- Guiding principles for allocation;
- Guidelines for allocation of space and ranking of priority user groups;
- Clear internal and external booking procedures (forms, timelines, meetings etc.);
- Clear organisation for fees and other charges and facility regulations.
To compliment the facility allocation policy a number of other recommendations were made. These recommendations spanned organizational effectiveness work, marketing and user feedback mechanisms.
The HDSA should be proud to have committed to developing and implementing a facility allocation policy. The facility allocation policy can be a living document, reviewed annually to account for changes in board principals and user group expectations.
