'We're not doing our job': Richmond councillors push for more oversight of Olympic Oval
Controversy surrounds the Oval given that CEO retired after receiving around $1 million for 2 years' work
The controversy over Richmond's Olympic Oval continues to go around and around — but there could soon be clarity on its future.
"We need to do our job, and we're not doing our job as councillors," said Coun. Bill McNulty at a meeting this week, criticizing his fellow councillors for not providing enough oversight, and the managers of the Olympic Oval for a lack of communication with the city.
The Oval, which was built for the 2010 Olympics for speedskating, is fully owned and operated by the city, but has been managed and overseen by an arms-length corporation.
The city has historically provided between $3 million and $4 million a year, around 20 per cent of the Oval's operating revenue, with the rest coming from program fees and an Olympic trust fund given to facilities that continue to operate as performance and training venues.
But over the last 18 months, the Oval has faced a tumultuous time in the aftermath of its longtime CEO leaving.
Council quickly moved to replace its former board, there were several stories critical of previous expenses, and is now the city is auditing the Oval's overall operations.
The meeting this week ended with council approving a motion put forward by Coun. Kash Heed that would cap the money given by the City of Richmond to the Oval at $2.5 million next year, along with a staff review of whether the Oval should be directly overseen by the city, similar to community centres across the region.
The motion will need to be approved at a full council meeting next Monday.
Outgoing CEO receives around $1 million for 2 years' work
At the centre of the controversy is a retired staff member who ran both the City of Richmond and the Oval for many years — George Duncan.
In 2022, Duncan retired as Richmond's chief administrative officer after more than two decades on the job and received nearly $275,788 in benefits and compensation above his base salary for his final year.
While that level of retirement compensation is not unheard of for a senior staffer in Metro Vancouver, he stayed on as CEO of the Oval and was given a new contract with a salary paid for by the Oval.
But he retired from that role just two years later, departing in July 2024.
While both Duncan and the Oval called it a planned departure, he received an additional $372,991 in benefits and additional compensation for those six months of work, in addition to $209,249 in base salary.
A spokesperson for the Oval said it couldn't comment "as this is a personnel matter," and Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie said the city's hands were tied.
"The Oval board, which is a separate corporate board, they ratified that arrangement," he said.
"So while I do think that they are subject to review and we need to examine them further, it was a mutual parting as agreed."
However, that arrangement has rankled many councillors, who have pointed to it as evidence of the need to change the hands-off relationship with the Oval, even after changing the members on the board.
"Mr. Duncan was very good at writing contracts, and his … board made sure that those things were approved," said Coun. Carol Day.
"The [new] board that we have put in place the last two years is doing a phenomenal job, and I would encourage them to become part of … the board for the new community centre, which would be part of the City of Richmond."
High performance or community centre?
Beyond the governance of the Oval exists a separate question about its primary focus: whether to be a hub for high-performance athletes or essentially a large community centre.
"All the other community centres, for $29, you have open access for the entire summer. That just doesn't happen here, it's only for the elite," said Day.
"I think that sends a very bad message to people who aren't rich and famous."
But Coun. Alexa Loo, who was council's liaison to the Oval for many years and competed in snowboarding in the 2010 Olympics, said changing its focus could risk losing Olympics-related funding for the facility.
"If we're keen to keep that funding … and provide opportunities for Richmond athletes to make it to the Olympics and to achieve their dreams, then we have to continue down the road of still having some high performance," she said.
"I'd love to say that the Richmond Olympic Oval is a very special place."
Though what that place could look like, and be operated as, in the future is currently a big question mark.
"It's not healthy, and if you think it is, you've got your head shaken … we are the buck here — not the board," said McNulty.
"I think that direction is needed to make some changes to all facilities so that they're available to Richmond residents."
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