Date:

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Place:

Anderson Room

Richmond City Hall

Present:

Councillor Linda Barnes, Chair

Councillor Sue Halsey-Brandt, Vice-Chair

Councillor Bill McNulty

Councillor Harold Steves

Absent:

Councillor Cynthia Chen

Call to Order:

The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.

MINUTES

1.

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Committee held on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING DATE

2.

Tuesday, December 23 (tentative date) at 4:00 p.m. in the Anderson Room.

DELEGATION

3.

Kent Mullinix, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and Mary Gazetas, Margaret Hewlett, Co-Chairs, Richmond Food Security Task Force, regarding the Richmond Farm School.

(File No.:  08-4040-08-01) (REDMS No. 2531878)

Kent Mullinix, Sustainable Agriculture Specialist, Institute for Sustainable Horticulture, Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KU), provided background information on the Urban Agriculture Studies program (UAS) and offered the following:

§   

KU would establish a partnership with the City of Richmond, the Richmond Food Security Task Force, and the Richmond Fruit Tree Sharing Project;

§   

the purpose of the UAS is to prepare individuals to engage in the breadth of enterprises associated with human scale, urban and peri-urban agriculture, such as production, distribution, marketing, and sales;

§   

the UAS would be offered as a KU continuing education program; and

§   

the program of study will focus on theoretical and applied (experiential) studies.

Mary Gazetas, Chair of the Richmond Fruit Tree Sharing Project and Co-Chair of the Richmond Food Security Task Force, expressed support for the project and looks forward to working with both Kwantlen Polytechnic University and the City of Richmond.

Discussion ensued and in reply to several queries, the following was noted:

§   

approximately five acres of land, preferably adjacent to the Fruit Tree Sharing Project land, would be required to launch this program;

§   

program fees are under review, but it is anticipated that the program be grant funded;

§   

individuals currently expressing interest in the program are from the lower mainland;

§   

program courses are continuing education courses, thus are non-credit courses;

§   

if the program goes ahead and land is allocated, KU will cultivate said land in its current conditions; and

§   

it is anticipated that the program will begin in 2009.

Peter Mitchell, 6271 Nanika Crescent, inquired how this project would effect park planning and noted there is no public transportation to the preferred land.  Mr. Mitchell offered that other lands in the Agricultural Land Reserve would be more suitable as they are in proximity to Richmond’s Kwantlen Polytechnic University campus.

Dave Semple, Director of Parks and Public Works Operations, clarified that the preferred land is agricultural land, not park.

As a result of the discussion, the following motion was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That the City of Richmond endorse Kwantlen Polytechnic University and the  Richmond Food Security Task Force’s concept of the Richmond Farm School as an important component for the agricultural sector in the region.

CARRIED

As a result of further discussion, the following referral motion was made:

It was moved and seconded

That staff work with Kwantlen Polytechnic University to explore options for a potential location for the Richmond Farm School and potential terms of a lease or licence to occupy.

CARRIED

PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT

4.

Arts Awards

(Report:  November 19, 2008, File No.:  01-0083-10) (REDMS No. 2526138 v.2)

Jane Fernyhough, Manager of Heritage and Cultural Services, introduced Liesl Jauk, Manager, Community Cultural Development.

Ms. Jauk spoke of her employment history and highlighted that she would be working on the implementation of the 2010 Arts and Culture Plan.

In reply to queries, Ms. Jauk advised that (i) research indicates that disciplined-based categories, such as visual, performing, and literary arts, are not supported; (ii) the Arts Awards are open to non-Richmond residents who have made significant contributions to Richmond’s arts community; and (iii) sustainable arts projects could be considered under the Awards’ Cultural Leadership and/or Artistic Innovation categories.

Discussion ensued regarding the Awards’ categories and it was suggested that a sixth category be added to focus on youth.

Janice Froese, Vice-Chair of the Richmond Arts Coalition and General Manager of the Richmond Community Orchestra and Chorus Association, expressed support for monetary prizes rather than non-monetary prizes to award winners, as set out in the staff report.  She was of the opinion that monetary awards validate artists’ works by encouraging the pursuit of their craft, and demonstrate gratitude for the revenue the arts community generates for Richmond.

Discussion regarding monetary prizes took place and it was noted that (i) Richmond does not offer any monetary prizes, (ii) the Richmond Sports Council is a self-regulating body, and (iii) the Richmond Sports Awards are independent from the City of Richmond.

It was moved and seconded

That the implementation of the Richmond Arts Awards program be endorsed with the inclusion of a category for youth in order to promote and celebrate the value of the arts in Richmond.

The question on the motion was not called as discussion ensued regarding an Arts Awards gala and the creation of a ‘Lulu’ series.  As a result of the discussion, it was suggested that staff explore the concept of a gala including its cost implications, and examine branding of the Arts Awards.  The question on the motion was then called and it was CARRIED.

5.

Britannia Heritage Shipyard Advisory Board

(Report:  November 12, 2008, File No.: 01-0100-20-BHSH1-01) (REDMS No. 2510007, 289854, 2528584)

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the Britannia Heritage Shipyard Advisory Board be dissolved and no appointments be made for 2009-2010; and

(2)

That a letter of thanks be sent to the current members of the Britannia Heritage Shipyard Advisory Board for their important contribution to the community.

CARRIED

6.

MANAGER’S REPORT

(a)

Richmond Nature Park

Serena Lusk, Manager of Parks Programs, announced that the Richmond Nature Park’s new Wildlife Garden won the BC Landscape and Nursery Association’s 2008 Environmental Stewardship Award.

(b)

Snow Geese

Mr. Semple advised that there is a small flock of snow geese in Richmond and staff have been working to direct the birds to fly southeast.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (5:33 p.m.).

CARRIED

Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Committee of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Tuesday, November 25, 2008.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Councillor Linda Barnes

Chair

Hanieh Floujeh

Committee Clerk