City 'dragons' Den' Gives Thumbs-down to Pool Safety ...

This article was published 14/11/2016 (947 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A civic department's attempt to improve security measures at 12 city pools hit a financial roadblock Monday.

Councillors on the innovation committee turned down a request from the community services department for $333,000 to upgrade closed circuit video surveillance (CCTV) because the initiative didn't show any financial benefits and suggested staff should look to the budget process for the funding.

"This strategy is not about money - it's about safety," Clive Wightman, director of community services, told the committee.

Wightman had made a pitch to the committee for a share of a $1-million fund set aside for innovative capital projects that can either save money or generate revenue. But safety, Wightman learned, didn't meet the criteria.

An administrative report supporting the request stated any potential savings from the CCTV upgrades would be seen in reduced investigative time spent by police when following up reports.

"This is not a program that will drive revenue streams or expenditure savings," Wightman told reporters following the meeting. "I understand where the committee is coming from. Perhaps we pushed the envelope a little bit on the ask." The CCTV upgrades are part of an ongoing effort by the community services department to deter the exploitation of children at its facilities through a unique partnership with the Winnipeg-based Canadian Centre for Child Protection. The CCCP has provided training to community services staff on how to spot possible child molesters, audited civic facilities for improved security measures and designed new signs that have been placed at city pools.

The partnership was the result of questions raised by Coun. Jeff Browaty after a local DJ was convicted in 2015 on sexual molestation charges and admitted placing a recording device at the Pan Am Pool. It was the second time hidden cameras had been discovered in a city swimming pool. In 2012, a tiny camera was found inside a women's staff change room at the Seven Oaks Pool.

In addition to the staff training and signage provided by the CCCP, Wightman said the group had also suggested areas at civic pools where better surveillance is needed - in common areas and entrances - and the department has a detailed plan to install additional cameras and upgrade existing cameras at 12 different pools.

Wightman said the CCTV upgrades will be presented to the budget process as a workplace health and safety initiative, adding he's confident the requests will be approved for the 2017 capital budget, even if it's not the full $333,000.

"We can stagger (the rollout of CCTV upgrades) with whatever resources we get," Wightman said.

Wightman didn't leave the innovation committee completely empty-handed - his department was given $51,360 to install digital video displays at 12 city-managed arenas in an effort to generate advertising revenue. The department had requested $200,000 to install the digital display panels at other recreational and leisure facilities.

Last month, councillors on the committee approved six projects at a cost of about $287,000 - leaving $713,000 of the $1 million still to be disbursed.

The innovation committee Monday also approved $30,000 to the Winnipeg Police Service, which will use the funds to hire a consultant to determine how best to upgrade and modernize its alarm permit renewals. The WPS had originally requested $130,000 for an enhanced online permit renewal process but councillors first wanted independent verification that what the WPS is proposing can be achieved.