Date:

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Place:

Anderson Room

Richmond City Hall

Present:

Councillor Harold Steves, Chair

Councillor Greg Halsey-Brandt, Vice-Chair

Councillor Sue Halsey-Brandt

Councillor Bill McNulty

Absent:

Councillor Ken Johnston

Also Present:

Councillor Linda Barnes

Call to Order:

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

It was moved and seconded

That Terra Nova Rural Park be added as Item 7.

CARRIED

MINUTES

1.

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Committee held on Tuesday, September 29, 2009, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING DATE

2.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009 (tentative date) at 4:00 p.m. in the Anderson Room.

DELEGATION

3.

RICHMOND ARTS COALITION – FUNDING CUTS

Janice Froese, Vice-Chair of the Richmond Arts Coalition, and Ron White, representative of the arts community, provided an update on Richmond Arts Coalition activities and the effects of Provincial funding cuts to Arts and Cultural organizations.

Mr. White reported that proposed cuts to the BC Arts and Culture grants program could lead to increased program fees, cuts to staff and programs, and potentially cause the demise of some groups. Further, Mr. White noted the importance of maintaining community arts, cultural and sports programs, keeping these programs accessible to lower-income earners, and stressed that these programs are vital to the quality of life in the community.

A discussion ensued amongst Ms. Froese, Mr. White, Suzanne Haines, General Manager, Gateway Theatre and Chair, Richmond Arts Coalition and the Committee, during which the following points were made:

gathering statistical data of the dollar value of arts and cultural programs in the community as a whole would be beneficial;

the potential impact of these grant cuts on both the City’s grant program as well as community volunteer programs could be tremendous;

other provinces seem to be putting money into arts programs; this should be investigated; and

the legalization of gambling was meant to provide funds for the arts community; why has this been eroded?

When the Committee questioned the delegation regarding a desired course of action for Council to take, the delegation proposed that a letter both protesting the cuts and expressing support of grant restoration be written to the provincial government.

It was moved and seconded

That a letter be sent to the Premier, with copies to all BC MLA’s, expressing opposition to  recent funding cuts by the Province to Arts and Culture organizations and requesting (i) that the BC Arts and Culture grant budget be restored to 2008-2009 levels; (ii) restoration of the one-year funding commitments to community organizations through the Gaming and Policy Enforcement Branch at the Ministry of Housing and Social Development that were rescinded in 2009; and (iii) that the multi-year funding program be maintained beyond the current three-year commitment.

CARRIED

To accompany the letter, staff was asked to provide information which portrays the magnitude and impact of the cuts to arts organizations, clearly identifying the lost provincial grants and the lost gaming source grants.

Upon further discussion about models in place in other major cities to consider grants for arts organizations separate from the overall community grants program, the following referral motion was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That staff investigate whether it would be more efficient to develop a program for awarding grants to arts and culture organizations that would be separate from the existing community grants program.

CARRIED

In addition, staff was asked to provide Councillors’ Greg Halsey-Brandt and Johnston with copies of the 2004 Arts Strategy.

COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT

4.

RICHMOND ARTS UPDATE

(File Ref. No.:  11-7000-09-01) (REDMS No. 2737264)

Kim Somerville, Manager, Arts Services, provided an overview of the Arts  Update 2009 report prepared by Arts Culture and Heritage Services, noting it is staff’s goal to provide an annual arts update report.  In addition, Ms. Somerville circulated copies of material used in community awareness promotional campaigns, and introduced the following staff:  Kirsten Schrader, Arts Coordinator; Lynn Ellen Beavis, Director, Richmond Art Gallery; Eric Fiss, Public Art Planner; as well as Suzanne Haines, General Manager, Gateway Theatre and Chair, Richmond Arts Coalition.

Discussion between staff and Committee ensued and the following points were made: (i) the guide is a positive reminder of City achievements; (ii) adding quantifying statistical data to the guide on the community’s participation in arts and cultural events would be useful to facilitate self-promotion; and (iii) the Mayor and Council are strong supporters of the arts.

It was moved and seconded

That the Arts, Culture and Services Arts Update 2008-2009 be received for information.

CARRIED

PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT

5.

TALL SHIPS INFRASTRUCTURE
(File Ref. No.:  11-7400-20-TALL1) (REDMS No. 2719463 v.5)

Serena Lusk, Manager, Parks, Planning & Design; Cathryn Volkering Carlile, General Manager, Community Services; Dave Semple, General Manager, Parks and Recreation; and Bryan Klassen, Site Supervisor, Britannia Heritage Shipyard responded to questions of the Committee related to the number and size of tall ships that could be accommodated at proposed locations during the 2011 Maritime Festival; dredging scenarios and opportunities for cost-sharing with the Steveston Harbour Authority; funding for the event; the American Sail Training Association’s provisional schedule for Richmond’s participation; and the rationale behind staff’s recommendations.

Ms. Carlile agreed that staff would provide members of Council with a list of resolutions related to this Tall Ships event, prior to the next Council meeting.

It was moved and seconded

That:

(1)

Option 3 (Garry Point Park) in the attached report from the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, be approved as the preferred option for waterfront improvements in support of the 2011 Maritime Festival featuring the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE®;

(2)

$550,000 from the Waterfront Reserve Fund be submitted for Council consideration in the 2010 Capital Program in order to fund waterfront improvements to support the 2011 Maritime Festival featuring the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE®; and

(3)

$750,000 from the Waterfront Reserve Fund be submitted for Council consideration in the 2011 Capital Program in order to fund waterfront improvements to support the 2011 Maritime Festival featuring the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE®.

CARRIED

Further discussion ensued on the legacy benefits to be derived from installing the Lubzinski Collection at the Britannia Shipyards site prior to the 2011 Maritime Festival, and as a result the following referral motion was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That:

(1)

staff investigate the possibility of a committee being established to oversee the installation of the Lubzinski Collection at Britannia Shipyards prior to the 2011 Maritime Festival; and

(2)

staff report back with a budget, utilizing the Steveston Road Ends fund, for installing the Lubzinski Collection at Britannia Shipyards by December 2010.

CARRIED

6.

MANAGER’S REPORT

(1)

New Recreation Registration Software

Vern Jacques, Acting Director, Recreation, provided an update on the new recreation registration and management system, “Class” that will be implemented November 23, 2009, and will replace “Bookit”, the current registration system. “Class” is expected to improve customer service and provide information in a more timely and effective manner. 

(2)

Halloween

Serena Lusk, Manager, Parks Planning and Design, reported that staff is well prepared for the evening of October 31^st and is hosting a number of citywide events, including the Fireworks Festival at Minoru Park.  A member of Council requested that the Community Centre Associations be advised that their efforts in this regard are much appreciated.

(3)

Richmond Communities Job Evaluation Plan

In response to a question, Mr. Jacques provided an update on the Community Centre Job Evaluation Plan reporting that most community centre Associations/Societies have adopted the system well and it is yet to be implemented at all community centres.

7.

TERRA NOVA RURAL PARK

(File Ref. No.: 06-2345-20-TNRP1)

A member of the Committee advised that theft of equipment, gardening tools and produce was occurring in the Community Garden at Terra Nova Rural Park. Staff advised that a caretaker was onsite, and that measures would be taken to secure equipment and address the issue of theft. Committee requested that staff investigate the extent of this issue.

A further comment was made regarding off-leash dogs running throughout the park and garden area. Staff advised that dogs are not allowed in the  park at all and that there are signs indicating this at park entrances. Staff  indicated that the placement and size of signs would be reviewed to address this problem. 

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (5:45 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, October 27, 2009.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Councillor Harold Steves

Chair

Susan Steeves

Committee Clerk