Monday, September 12, 2011

Sponsorship in Saanich Parks

There is an RFP out in Saanich for Partnership/Sponsorship of parks.   I have been thinking about this RFP and wondering what it might mean for the parks and form it might take.  It is also not making me feel warm and fuzzy about Saanich Parks.

This is the description of the RFP:
The Corporation of the District of Saanich is requesting proposals from experienced marketing, sales, or resource development professionals or firms for the development of a strategy and the sales of partnerships or sponsorships for the Saanich Department of Parks and Recreation.
The objective of this RFP is to determine and evaluate the potential for the successful development and implementation of a business and sales plan that will result in ongoing revenues for the District of Saanich, specifically through partnership and/or sponsorship agreements.

Partnership says to me a business doing business in the parks - I suspect that is not what is meant, but it is what I read out of it.

What I think we are talking about is private business sponsorship of parks through donations to council.   So what form would the recognition of the donation take?  Would there be re-naming of parks?

The RFP also mentions the various forms this could all take:

A few examples of the types of partnership opportunities available include (but not limited to):
  • Existing large indoor screen plasma advertising
  • Advertising in all of our published material including our Active Living Guide
  • Arena Board Advertising
  • Sponsorship of festivals and events
  • Banners & Mounted signage advertisements
  • Golf Course hole sponsorship and score card advertisements, signage and more
  • Logos on our access cards (annual passes), brochures, program posters and rack cards, lesson report cards.
  • Logo’s on facility windows and doors
  • Recognition and mentions on all department paid advertising
  • Recreation program sponsorship
  • Arts and Culture events and program sponsorship
  • Sponsorship of park facilities and parks programs
I can understand the interest in trying to find new sources of revenue, but would the revenues really be worth enough to have more commercialism in our city?

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