ORFA Facility Focus Ontario Recreation Facilities Association Inc.

Recently, the ORFA Provincial R&D Group met virtually to discuss topics that members are raising as issues and challenges while ORFA staff presented their priorities to the group for awareness and feedback. The Provincial R&D Group consists of representatives from every region of the province. This network allows the ORFA to instantly connect with frontline practitioners on emerging issues, share ideas and challenges. In this podcast, the Director, Training, Research and Development highlights a provincial wide challenge as hockey groups request an extension on spring ice for tryouts, cross ice barrier installation and storage woes, recreation being drawn into assisting with community social issues, how climate change is challenging recreation operations, the TSSA OE Advisory getting close to going live and what that means as well as membership training wants and needs.

In this podcast, ORFA Director Training, Research and Development speaks with Guelph Turfgrass Institute’s (GTI) Communications and Outreach Coordinator Dr. Sara Stricker about the “grass root” start of the GTI, its growth and future goals. The ORFA has had along relationship with the GTI and has partnered to bring education and training to ORFA members so they can understand the science, chemistry and best practices for both natural and artificial turf. ORFA’s Ground Management and Operations course includes 2-days of introductory education that has prompted some ORFA members to register for the GTI turf short course and the more comprehensive 2-year diploma program. Turf management impacts every aspect of recreation facility operations. The demand for safe and functional sports turf will only grow making awareness by all facility managers on the basic concepts and approaches an important part of their professional development.

In this podcast, ORFA’s Director of Training, Research and Development looks back at the history of refrigeration training for ice rinks and the evolution that the Association has undertaken to get to where we are today. He answers the question that members are asking… is “BAR On Line Self Study” for our staff the right pathway? Spoiler alert….200+ member registrations seem to say yes!

In this podcast, ORFA’s Technical Director looks back at the evolution of ORFA course final assessments while sharing the options that are coming on-line that will provide members with more flexibility to complete the final step in the training process. No longer does a member have to complete the final course assessment at the end of a in-class session – they now can have up to 30 days to complete it.

In this weeks podcast, ORFA’s Technical Director discusses recreational user fees. The current Hockey Canada saga includes the use of registration (user) fees for something their members deemed inappropriate. User fees are always a sensitive topic. Historically, the industry has not taken a business approach to setting these necessary fees and the result is a lack of ongoing investment in the facilities. Finding a balance between the user and non-user who are often both paying every time a rental occurs is a facility managers responsibility. Comparing apples with apples so that senior management can make informed decisions is our responsibility. 

In this podcast, ORFA’s Technical Director looks back at the training event held each spring at the University of Guelph and explains that this format no longer works as we move forward. The Annual Spring  & Fall Professional Development Programs are the new format that will drive how business will be conducted moving forward. Past President Tony Brenner would always say that “the only real constant is change”… this change will allow ORFA members help decide where the Association is headed.